Have you made a resolution to drop a few pounds only to find that no matter what diet you follow, you don’t see much of a change when you get on the scale? You may be able to blame intestinal bacteria, say researchers.
There are trillions of bacteria living on the skin, in the nose, mouth, stomach, and intestines of the human body. Most of these bacteria are microscopic helpers, doing the cleaning and breakdown tasks necessary for healthy living. They digest food particles that people simply cannot digest on their own.
In recent years, emphasis into the study of intestinal bacteria has increased. Up until now, the depths of the digestive tract have gone largely unexplored. Scientists are now discovering connections between bacteria and the way food is used and produced for the body. An offshoot of this research is probiotics.
Probiotics are dietary supplements containing potentially beneficial bacteria to help with digestion. Probiotic supplementation is popping up in yogurt and other food sources. These helpful bacteria are purported to fend off stomach discomfort and diarrhea.
Too much of a good thing ...
In regard to obesity, researchers have discovered that some of the bacteria residing in the gastrointestinal system are just too good at their jobs; call them the overachievers of the intestines. Research has indicated that bacteria in the guts of obese mice are better at extracting energy from food than the gut bacteria in lean mice. Basically, the obese mice take away more energy (calories) from their food than the lean mice. What’s more, when the lean mice were injected with the bacteria from fat mice, they gained weight, too.
When human subjects were introduced, most of the same conclusions were found. Bacteria called Firmicutes seem to be the bacteria responsible for high energy consumption, while Bacteroidetes are the bacteria that use the energy and burn off excess calories. More Frimicutes were found in obese individuals. The theory is the Firmicutes are like a fuel-efficient car, taking more energy from the fuel (food) and passing it on to the vehicle (body). While the Bacteroidetes are gas guzzlers, quickly depleting the fuel stores.
More Firmicutes are present in obese mice and humans. And in studies, regardless of what the obese test subjects ate - whether low-fat food or high-caloric junk - Firmicutes simply extracted a higher level of calories. This means depending upon the bacteria present in the gut, a person may extract different amounts of calories from foods. So if a person with more Firmicutes and one with less ate the same food containing 100 calories in a serving, the Firmicutes-rich gut may absorb more calories than the Bacteroidetes-rich gut. A difference of even 10 to 20 calories a day could add up to significant weight differences.
Not a free for all
This research doesn’t indicate that a person should go to extremes with consuming high-fat foods and blame weight gain simply on microbiotics. These bacteria are just one factor into the reasons why some people seems to process food differently than others. A balanced diet and exercise are still the best means to keeping a healthy weight.
At Cabell Huntington Surgery Center we offer advanced outpatient surgical services in a convenient comfortable environment.
Having surgery in an outpatient surgery center has its advantages over having surgery at a hospital. Some of the benefits our patients can experience are as follows:
Convenience
• We offer pre-registration services for patients who wish to pre-register over the phone or who wish to come in the days before surgery.
• The “wait time” is shorter at Cabell Huntington Surgery Center for the patient and surgeon because no outpatient surgeries are delayed for more emergent surgeries.
• The convenience of recovering at home generally makes recovery time quicker and easier than an in-hospital stay on the patient and family.
Lower Cost
• Since there is less substantial overhead costs in a surgery center than in the hospital setting, costs are much lower for outpatient surgery at Cabell Huntington Surgery Center.
• We offer a financial program that is available for medical expenses for those patients who don’t have the funds to pay for surgery on the day of surgery- Interest Free!
• Some insurance companies will cover certain surgical procedures only on an outpatient surgery basis.
Reduced Stress
• Children who are having surgery spend less time away from their parents in an outpatient surgery setting.
• In the majority of cases, outpatient surgery is less stressful than inpatient surgery on the patient and family.
• Our patients spend shorter time in recovery than in a hospital setting because of the advanced outpatient surgical techniques we utilize.
• We also offer simplified admitting and discharge procedures to provide added convenience for our patients and family.
Our team of experienced and caring Nurses, Surgical Techs and Support Staff will make you feel comfortable and at ease. Our knowledgeable Office Staff will be happy to assist you with questions about your bill and insurance coverage and the Surgeons we have on staff are some of the best in the area.
For more information regarding outpatient surgery at Cabell Huntington Surgery Center, please contact us!
Cabell Huntington
Surgery Center
1201 Hal Greer Blvd. Huntington WV 25701
304-523-1885
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