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Get Your Plant-Based Eating On!
Posted by: In: Blog Post, Dietitian's Corner, whole food plant based 30 Jul 2020 0 comments Tags , , , ,

Jersey Fresh Summer Produce is Here!

plant based food are delicious including Summer fruits and vegetables — by Lori Skurbe, dietician at Prime Surgicare, Monmouth, New Jersey.
The Meeting Place North/Flickr (license)

By Lori Skurbe, MPH, CDE

Lori Skurbe — Registered Dietitian at Prime Surgicare, NJ

One of my favorite things about summer is enjoying all the local produce!  Summer brings Jersey tomatoes, Jersey sweet corn, blueberries, strawberries, peaches, melons and fresh salad greens. 

Many people grow their own fruits, vegetables and herbs. Fresh food always tastes the best and retains its high nutritional value.

There are many places to purchase fresh produce besides your local supermarket, such as family farms (many offer options to order online and curbside pickup), pick your own farms – for berries, herbs, apples and other produce. 

In addition, there are many community supported farms in the area where you can purchase a seasonal farm share and each week you receive a box a locally grown produce and support local farmers.

We encourage our patients to embrace a whole food plant-based eating regimen, which emphasizes eating most of your foods in the form of plants. 

The summer gives us a chance to really explore and enjoy a plant-based diet, while we have farm fresh produce abound.

How do you incorporate more produce into your diet?

  1. Have a fruit and/or vegetable at each meal. For example: add berries, peaches or sliced banana to your cereal, add vegetables to tofu scramble, add leafy greens and frozen berries to a protein drink, add blueberries to a salad or add lettuce, tomato and onion to a wrap.
  2. Make soups and stews with added vegetables: add extra carrots and celery to soup and stew recipes, add sweet potato to vegetarian chili, add extra carrots and sweet potato to split pea soup. Take all your leftover vegetables from the week and make a big pot of vegetable soup and add beans for protein.
  3. Summer is great for cold salads: Mix together cucumber, tomato, bell peppers, sweet corn and avocado with balsamic vinegar, and fresh ground pepper for a delicious summer salad.
  4. Grill or roast vegetables and then put them on whole grain flat bread with a smear of fresh hummus for a refreshing lunch!
  5. Add a variety of produce to your usual green salad such as shredded carrots, red onion, bell peppers, olives, summer squash, red cabbage. Top off with a sprinkle of berries or sliced apples, peaches or pears.

There are many places online to find healthy recipe ideas:

cookinglight.com

eatingwell.com

allrecipes.com

pcrm.org

There are many other recipe sites online as well as plant based recipe books.

Here is a favorite plant-based salad recipe from PCRM.org:

Lentil Cucumber Salad

Source: Dora Stone, chef and photographer, founder of mmmole.com and dorastable.com

Dr. Sowemimo promotes plant based nutrition including lentil and cucumber salad

About the Recipe

198 Calories · 13.2 g Protein · 9.9 g Fiber Lunch
Gluten-free · Nut-free

Serve cold, either alone or with a salad of your choice.

Optional: Serve with a gluten-free pita.

Ingredients

Makes 4 Servings

brown or green lentils (1 cup)

tomato, diced (1 cup)

cucumber, peeled and diced (1 cup)

orange or red pepper, cubed (1 cup)

garlic, finely chopped (1 clove)

olives, chopped (1 tbsp.)

fresh basil, chopped (1 tbsp.)

balsamic vinegar (1/4 cup)

Directions

1.  Clean the lentils to make sure they have no stones and pour into a large pot of water.

  • Boil gently for 20 minutes or until tender. Strain and let cool on a tray in the refrigerator.
  • In a large bowl, mix the lentils with the remaining ingredients. Season with salt and pepper.
  • Serve the salad cold.

Nutrition Facts Per serving

Calories: 198 Fat: 1.0 g Saturated Fat: 0.2 g Calories from Fat: 4% Cholesterol: 0 mg Protein: 13.2 g Carbohydrates: 36.0 g Sugar: 6.3 g Fiber: 9.9 g Sodium: 37 mg Calcium: 53 mg Iron: 5.0 mg Vitamin C: 40.4 mg Beta-Carotene: 1,966 mcg Vitamin E: 0.6 mg

Are You Ready to Change the Way You Eat?

If you are exhausted by the constant diet/exercise and weight loss/weight regain cycles, you may wish to consider a surgical weight loss solution, especially if you have more than 75 pounds to lose.

Call our friendly bariatric specialists at 732-982-2002 to learn more or log-in to our next New Patient Webinar on Zoom, where you can listen, ask questions and become more educated about the bariatric weight loss surgery process.

We look forward to meeting you and possibly welcoming you to the Prime family!

To Lose Weight: Ditch Animal-Based Foods
Posted by: In: Blog Post, whole food plant based 17 Jul 2020 0 comments Tags , , , , , , , , , , ,

By Dr. Seun Sowemimo

I wanted to lose some weight a few years ago during a time when my cholesterol and sugar levels put me close to the danger range.

I exercised like a fiend and cut out junk food, but the scale barely moved.

I took a closer look at the foods I was eating and soon learned why I wasn’t losing weight.

The meats, even the so-called ‘healthy meats,’ eggs, cheese, and even fish were stuffed with hormones blocking my path to weight loss.

FACT: What you don’t eat is as important as the foods you do eat.

I’m cooking a tasty and filling plant-based lunch of bell peppers, tofu, farro and garbanzo beans.

I focused on eating a plant-based diet and only had animal products one day a week. And the weight came off quickly.

In fact, I dropped 35 pounds just by getting rid of meat and dairy and even shrimp.

There are 3 key reasons why eating foods from animal products wreck havoc on your overall health–including your weight:

1. Chronic Inflammation

Animal products cause inflammation in the body. Inflammation in the body is the root cause of many chronic diseases: diabetes, heart disease, hypertension and many types of cancer.

2. Calorie Density

FACT: Not all protein is good protein and not all carbs are bad carbs.

That oversized roasted chicken everyone buys from Costco and Sam’s Club, along with those cheese sticks you eat all day long, contain far more calories than you may realize. A pound of cooked chicken packs in 1,000 calories alone!

3. Gut Bacteria

The microbial, made up of about 3 pounds of incredibly important bacteria sitting in our bellies, function best when they receive a steady supply of fiber, which comes from a whole food plant-based diet. When this doesn’t happen, the system is off-kilter, allowing issues from depression to obesity to ramp up. Animal-based products have little or no fiber.

Click here https://youtu.be/XNAOss3pKCM to find out more about all the delicious plant-based foods you can eat.

How do you start a plant-based nutrition plan?

Let me explain via video:

How do you make this transition? It’s easier than you think. Start now. Learn more about eating real food and forgoing all that heavy, calorie-dense meat that just makes you feel tired after you eat it. I eat only 5% of animal-based foods today.

If you are looking for a new way to eat more and lose weight, congrats, you’ve found it.

Check out more tools to finally achieve the healthy body and mind you have dreamed about on my YouTube channel below. Also, I’d be honored if you subscribed to my channel for more healthy living education:

https://www.youtube.com/c/PrimeSurgicareSeunSowemimoMDFreehold/videos

Bariatric Surgery Can Help Resolve PCOS Symptoms
Posted by: In: Blog Post, VLOG 13 Jul 2020 0 comments Tags , , , , , , , , ,

By Dr. Seun Sowemimo, MD, FACS, FASMBS

Weight loss can positively affect polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), a mysterious and often undiagnosed disease of women of childbearing age.

Sixty percent of PCOS sufferers gain a substantial amount of weight.

They also produce too much insulin, or the insulin they produce doesn’t work the way it should.

As a result, women with this chronic condition tend to gain weight or have a hard time losing weight. For others, PCOS develops later on, following substantial weight gain.

Bariatric testimonials — Carissa before and after gastric sleeve surgery at Prime Surgicare, NJ.Carissa, who suffers from PCOS, shares her remarkable outcome after bariatric surgery.

I explain the clinical aspect of how weight loss surgery can create very significant weight loss and reduce PCOS symptoms, including infertility:

Symptoms of PCOS

  • Uncontrolled weight gain
  • Irregular menstrual cycles
  • Painful periods
  • Polycystic ovaries
  • Acne
  • Excessive body hair growth

PCOS Treatment

If you have been diagnosed with PCOS or another weight-related medical condition and your BMI is over 35, bariatric weight loss surgery can be a faster, more effective, long-term weight loss solution.

I have seen several positive outcomes by patients battling this chronic medical condition with no cure after they had the gastric sleeve or the gastric bypass operation.

Another young woman battling infertility lost over 100 pounds and was able to become pregnant and deliver a healthy baby boy.

If you are experiencing two or more of the symptoms noted above, see your doctor and be tested for PCOS, typically performed through ultrasound and bloodwork.

With a diagnosis in hand, you can develop a plan to minimize the symptoms, including the unexplained weight gain, and get your health back on track.

If you have a BMI that is over 40, or your BMI is over 35 and you have a weight-related medical condition such as PCOS, a surgical weight loss solution might be a faster and more effective weight loss option than trying to lose weight through traditional diet and exercise.

Prime Surgicare offers a comprehensive Bariatric Success Program to help you change your negative eating patterns, lose weight safely and finally achieve your life goals.

To discuss the possibility of bariatric surgery to lose weight and reduce PCOS symptoms, call (732) 982-2002 to schedule a same-week telehealth appointment with Dr. Seun Sowemimo.

Dr. Seun Sowemimo Opens New Surgery Office in Jackson, Ocean County
Posted by: In: Blog Post 01 Jul 2020 0 comments Tags , , , ,
Dr. Sowemimo opens surgery office in Jackson nj

Medical Director Dr. Seun Sowemimo announced this morning that his medical practice, Prime Surgicare, specializing in bariatric, hernia and gallbladder surgery, has opened a second office in Jackson to better meet the growing needs of patients in Ocean County and southern NJ.

“We want to make travel time to and from appointments faster and easier for our patients who live south and west of our Freehold office,” Dr. Sowemimo noted.

The Jackson office is located at the Hackensack Meridian Village, 27 South Cooks Bridge Road, Jackson, NJ 08527, along with physicians representing 25 different medical specialties.

The Village also includes a pharmacy, rehabilitative services, day surgery, radiology services and fitness center.

For telehealth surgical appointments or bariatric consultations in our Jackson office, please call (732) 333-3815.

Tips for Bariatric Warriors to Resume Weight Loss During COVID-19
Posted by: In: Blog Post, COVID-19, Dietitian's Corner, Gastric Sleeve 26 Jun 2020 0 comments Tags , , , , , , , , , , , ,

By Lori Skurbe, MPH, CDE, Bariatric Dietitian

Since COVID-19 has taken over our lives, the world we know has changed. Many of us started working from home or lost our jobs. Parents suddenly became homeschoolers, social events and sports have been cancelled, stores shuttered their doors or have limited operation, even food has been in short supply and rationed.

The stress of work, family and health during COVID-19 can derail weight loss.

Our lives have been turned upside down. 

This pandemic has caused most of us here in New Jersey to have higher levels of stress and anxiety, which, for some, has led to stress eating and unscheduled eating.  As a result, many people have regained weight during this time. 

Six Weight Loss Tips to Get Back on Track During COVID-19

Take back weight management control by focusing on filling your kitchen with healthy foods.
  1. Put structure back into your day – Try to keep yourself on a schedule, get up each morning at the same time, take your meals and snacks in a scheduled fashion, avoid grazing and get enough sleep.
  2. Create a healthy environment – Although certain foods were limited or harder to find, it is still important to create a healthy food environment. Keep tempting foods out of the house or at least out of sight. We eat what we see and what is in our home environment – a healthy food environment usually leads to better food choices.
  3. Do not skip your physical activity – Take the time to get in your physical activity – we can go out and walk, hike, swim or bike ride and continue to socially distance. In addition to outside activities, there are also online videos, apps and some gyms are giving “live” fitness classes you can log into if you are a member. Finally, dust off the fitness equipment you already own and use it. 
  4. Seek mental health counseling – If you are suffering with stress, anxiety and/or depression – get the help you need to get through this challenging time. If you are an emotional eater, speak to a therapist to help you develop better coping mechanisms to deal with your emotions rather than going to food. Many behavioral health practitioners can do phone calls and telemedicine visits.
  5. Reach out to people – Do not lose the human connection! We can still use phones, text messaging and Facetime (or similar platforms) to see our friends and loved ones. We also have our Prime Surgicare Support Group (that is currently a Zoom meeting). We meet the second and fourth Wednesday of each month from 6-7 pm. Zoom sign-in link for all sessions: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89803968814
  6. Take advantage of the time spent with family – Try to look at the silver lining and not the dark cloud! Time spent with your loved ones is invaluable: more family meals, family game nights, exercising together, making memories and strengthening your bonds.

The Best Nutrition Secrets for Weight Management

Watch my discussion with Dr. Seun Sowemimo for simple but effective every day tips to manage your weight:

Although we have been–and are still living in challenging times–it does not have to be a roadblock to our success. Set up your environment and attitude for success, reach out if you need help and take one day at a time.

If you need one-on-one support, Dr. Seun and I are both offering Prime Surgicare telehealth appointments, which can be scheduled this week! We have been meeting with new, pre-op and follow-up weight loss surgery patients since March, and are seeing great results.

If you have questions, please feel free to reach out to me at (732) 982-2002 and follow my page filled with nutrition and fitness tips, Dietitian’s Corner, here on primesurgicare.com.

I look forward to talking with you online soon!

Bariatric Surgery: Gastric Sleeve, Bypass or Lap-Band?
Posted by: In: Bariatric Success Program, Blog Post, Gastric Sleeve, VLOG 18 Jun 2020 0 comments Tags , , , , , , , , , ,

Simplifying the weight loss surgery journey, starting with step one

Starting in June, we are pleased to report that Prime Surgicare resumed performing elective and non-emergency operations. It’s been a very busy few weeks since then!

During New Jersey’s stay-at-home order, many people with more than 75 pounds to lose came to a significant decision–

COVID-19 has inspired people to improve their health by losing weight.

They decided to move forward and pursue a surgical weight loss solution.

The motivating factor may have been health-related–

Obesity often leads to serious medical complications, including type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol, sleep apnea and heart disease.

Hopefully, they previously attended one of our bi-monthly New Patient Webinars to learn more about the bariatric journey and the potential for rapid and sustained weight loss.

They also learned that a weight loss operation is not a silver bullet to becoming thin.

Rather, it’s a commitment to a lifelong change to living a healthy lifestyle.

At your first surgical weight loss consultation with our medical director, Dr. Seun Sowemimo, you’ll talk about your medical history and previous efforts to lose weight. Based upon your age, health and weight loss goals, Dr. Seun will then recommend a bariatric procedure to best suit your needs.

Of course, you will make that final decision, in partnership with the doctor. More than likely, you will undergo the gastric sleeve (also called the sleeve, VSG or sleeve gastrectomy.

Who might benefit from the gastric bypass instead of the sleeve?

For patients with severe diabetes or acid reflux, the gastric bypass operation may be recommended. In this bariatric procedure, the bariatric surgeon reduces the stomach to the size of a small pouch and re-routes the bowel.

Why you don’t hear much about the lap-band anymore

Zero. That’s the number of gastric band procedures we have performed in the past five years. Why?

For people who have been successful with it (achieved significant weight loss) great–keep it!

But many patients come to me who have experienced complications or their band has become deflated.

As a result, their weight loss has stalled or they have gained weight.

For those patients, I recommend revision bariatric surgery, changing from the lap band to the sleeve or gastric bypass.

If your lap-band isn’t working, let it go. Get something that will work better for you in the long-term, either the sleeve or gastric bypass.

The original content is also reported on the page https://fucktube.live

Dr. Sowemimo explains each of the most popular weight loss surgery operations below:

VSG, gastric bypass, lap-band removal or bariatric revision?

Are you ready to lose the weight?

Excellent–we are ready to help.

Read our helpful tips on our Where Do I Start? page and call our friendly team of bariatric program specialists at (732) 982-2002 to confirm your medical insurance and make your first consultation appointment (currently performed on telehealth).

The year 2020 has been a rough ride so far; are you ready to change the tide in your life?

Bariatric and General Surgery is Back!
Posted by: In: Blog Post, COVID-19 01 Jun 2020 0 comments Tags , , , , , , , , ,

We are pleased to announce that we are now performing bariatric, laparoscopic and general surgery inpatient and day surgery operations.

Dr. Seun Sowemimo and Gina Dreizin, RPA-C

While most pre- and post-op surgical visits will initially be performed on telehealth (virtual office visit), we are now seeing some patients in our medical office in Freehold Township, as needed.

All hospital inpatient and outpatient office visits will continue to follow Centers for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines to protect the public against COVID-19.

Call Prime Surgicare at (732) 982-2002 to schedules appointments

and for more information.

Should you experience a life-threatening emergency, dial 911.

As a friendly reminder, please do not send clinical (medical-related) messages via social media, as this can delay a timely response to your issue.

To get the latest information on coronavirus, including tips for prevention and symptoms to look for, visit the CDC website, https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html

In addition, the Jersey Department of Health (NJDOH) has a 24-hour coronavirus hotline: 800-222-1222.

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