Enhancements in brain activity as a result of weight loss surgery

Cognitive function and obesity

Obesity may cause changes in brain activity and, apparently, some scientific studies claim that weight-loss surgery can improve the brain's activity, as well as cognitive function.

According to a publication of the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, weight loss surgery can improve cognitive function and brain activity involved in planning, strategizing and organizing. These results are very interesting, since obesity is a disease that increases the risk of other diseases such as Alzheimer's by 35%.

Obesity alters a special part of the brain called the posterior cingulate gyrus, a part of the brain linked to Alzheimer’s disease. Bariatric surgery reverses this altered activity, and thus reduces the chance of developing  not only Alzheimer’s , but also some forms of dementia.

After surgery, patients showed similar brain functions as those of normal weight patients. After bariatric surgery, the brain was better able to connect  past and present experiences, which are used to plan and organize cognitive processes.

Bariatric surgery has been a solution to obesity for years now, but in recent times the various positive results that this treatment produces  are being scientifically observed. Many organs benefit from this treatment; such as the pancreas, heart, liver, lungs, and  it is now known that the brain also takes benefits from the weight loss.

There are different types of surgeries for weight loss and the surgeons at Mexicali Bariatric Center can recommend what is best for you, depending  on your degree of obesity and  medical history.  

The expert team at Mexicali Bariatric Center can help you determine which surgery is best suited for your particular situation, with over 7,500 successful surgeries Dr. Esquerra and Dr. Wilhelmy are the most experienced bariatric surgeons in Mexico.

10 tips on how to accelerate metabolism and achieve weight loss

Our Bariatric Nutritionist here at Mexicali Bariatric Center, Dr. Edgar Campos is always looking for our patient’s well being, and today he’s sharing some tips on how to accelerate your metabolism and achieve significant weight loss.

Every time we eat or drink we should thank our metabolism for the ability to convert these substances into energy. Age, gender, height and weight influence our metabolism. However, we can make it better. The faster your metabolism, the more calories you will be able to burn. Surely you know more than a lucky person who eats what he or she wants without gaining weight. That is probably because of genetic reasons, but there are some ways we can help ourselves burn calories faster and feel better with some changes in your daily lives.

1. Sleep

It is simple, try to sleep between six and eight hours. The relationship between sleep and metabolism is becoming clearer. We not only feel hungrier when we go short on sleep and need to eat more caloric meals but  going without sleep  slows metabolism considerably.

2. Drink green tea

Green tea is not only a great source for antioxidants, it is also a great accelerator of metabolism, calorie-free drink and you can consume it on a daily basis.

3. Increase the intensity of your workout

The body gets used to the exercise, and metabolism as well. It is important to include high intensity intervals in our workouts, this causes a jump in metabolism and forces it to keep burning calories even long after completing the training. This is what is called After-burn Effect.

4. Do not skip breakfast

It is time to reconsider whether it is worth sleeping 20 minutes less  to have  more time for breakfast. From the metabolic point of view you should bet on having a bit more time for breakfast. Studies show that taking time for breakfast boosts your metabolism.

5. Do weight exercises

Bodybuilding exercises and weightlifting are not only useful for athletes or professionals. When you convert fat into muscle, you also force your metabolism to burn more calories. You can find some small weight routines online or look for exercise apps that are very convenient and keep track of your progress.

6. Drink water

Drinking sufficient amounts of water is a simple way to speed up digestion and burn calories. Some will need more than the recommended eight glasses, and some less. But you have to  drink enough water.

7. Take a tour around the world and try new spices

If your body reacts positively to spices, you can try some that can help you speed up your metabolism. For example cayenne pepper is useful to speed up metabolism. Its pungent flavor is due to the presence of a chemical compound called capsaicin involved in metabolic processes and also has antioxidants and anticancer properties.

8. Do  45 minutes 'cardio' exercises three times a week

By exercising 45 minutes with cardiovascular routines you can maintain a high metabolic rate for almost twelve hours.

9. Eat consciously

Some foods are natural metabolism boosters. For example, tuna and grapefruit. Consciously choose what you put on the table and think about the positive impact you'll have to metabolize your body.

10. Drink a cup of coffee in the morning

If you can drink coffee, It is not just a quick way to get your act together, a cup of coffee gets absorbed very quickly into the bloodstream, which accelerates the heartbeat and generates metabolic peaks up to three hours after that morning boost.

How to weigh yourself correctly

The scale is a tool to help assess your weight loss progress, but you should not obsess with it. Besides indicating your weight, a number does not necessarily reflect being healthy or unhealthy but nevertheless it is a good indicator of progress through your weight loss journey. The surgeons at Mexicali Bariatric Center have some recommendations to weigh yourself the right way.

Choose the right scale

It's important to always be weighed on the same scale, so it is advisable to purchase or get one that is well calibrated. Keep in mind that before purchasing a scale you may be able to give it a test run and find out if it is right for you, here is a quick way to know if it is calibrated:

1. The scale should read the same number every time the same weight is applied
2. Lean back and forward while on it and find out if the number changes, if it does, it needs calibration.
3. The scale should start on zero before weight is applied.

If your scale doesn't pass those simple tests, problems other than calibration may be affecting its accuracy.

Tips to weigh yourself correctly

- The best time of the day to be weighed is in the morning after urinating so that the body has not retained liquids.

- Wear only underwear and be barefooted.

- Remove rings, pendants, glasses and everything that can modify the weight.

- The most recommended day to step on a scale is on Monday because you may see part of the results from the weekend behavior, this can encourage you to take care of yourself the rest of the week. If you notice that there are weight variations during the week, remember what you ate and see how that affects your weight increase or decrease.

Attitude is key

Attitude is very important when you weigh yourself, because you need to know how to face the result the scale will provide. A weight gain can always be fixed. Weighing yourself should never be something that demotivates you or your weight loss journey, if you don't like the results, do not torment yourself, on the contrary, the result should be an instrument to promote the necessary changes, which can be achieved with determination.