All Fat is Not Equal

SlimLipo™ reduces subcutaneous fat, but diet and exercise reduces visceral fat.

[Via Breathslim.com]

 

Combination weight loss and SlimLipo

Visceral fat is internal fat. It wraps around organs like your heart, liver, intestines and kidneys. It fills up all the space in your abdominal cavity, so there’s no room left for your organs, nerves, and vessels to function properly. It’s far more dangerous to your health than subcutaneous fat, which lies right beneath your skin. Subcutaneous fat is what you poke-at and pinch - like the “spare tire” you get around your middle. Subcutaneous fat responds very well to SlimLipo™ laser lipolysis which melts this fat and tightens the overlying skin.

The pictures above (combination weight loss and SlimLipo) illustrates a combination of losing visceral fat with gastric by-pass surgery and eliminating subcutaneous fat with SlimLipo™. This advanced laser technology was performed by one of the pioneering laser lipolysis plastic surgeons, Dr. Lewis Obi. The combined benefits of fat melting and prolonged skin tightening occurs up to twelve months after SlimLipo laser treatments and therefore avoids the need for radical skin excisions. Otherwise, major weight loss after dieting or facilitated by bariatric surgery invariably results in skin redundancy.

These aprons or sheets of skin often require radical excisions by plastic surgeons and are expensive. These procedures also result in extensive scarring, prolonged recoveries and significant risks of complications. The first patient (second image from top) who underwent a combination of bariatric surgery (lap bands or by passes) along with SlimLipo experienced impressive results without the need for bariatric plastic surgery. The SlimLipo™ procedure was strategically performed after he had lost approximately 50% of his targeted weight loss. Subsequent to his SlimLipo procedure, he lost the remaining excess weight. Therefore, the prolonged skin tightening that occurred from the laser effect prevented the occurrence of loose or redundant skin. This technique and strategy was developed by Dr. Lewis Obi. The most useful application of this technique is with the face and neck (view image of patient above). SlimLipo™ neck skin tightening along with the OPERA Face Lift have voided the need for traditional surgical face lifts in these weight loss patients.

Plastic surgery is not the answer to all of the health problems that our culture and nation faces. More than one half of Americans are overweight with a BMI (body mass index) in excess of 25. A BMI of over 30 is definitely in an obese category and there are perhaps 40% or more of Americans in this category. This is perhaps the greatest risk to our nation's national security and economy. Dr. Lewis Obi is very sensitive to this problem and continues to nurture and support his patients that are dealing with weight issues. As a foot note, we would like to assist you in differentiating superficial fat from body fat.

How to Measure and Lose Visceral Fat

Visceral fat is a specific type of fat that is found in the abdominal cavity. This fat goes by many other names “pot belly, beer belly, spare tire, etc." Whatever you call it though, it is one of the biggest banes for those trying to lose weight and is often the area where people want to lose visceral fat is also different in that it remains the same shape and won't fall to your sides or sink into your stomach when you are lying down. High visceral fat is dangerous and is correlated with cholesterol, diabetes, Alzheimer's and other conditions. This is because visceral fat is the fat that is located inside the abdominal cavity – packed between organs – rather than underneath the skin (subcutaneous fat) and this fat will release acids that are metabolized by the liver and which can cause insulin resistance in the liver. Here we will look at how to measure visceral fat and then how to get rid of it.

There are many different ways to measure visceral measurements of fat and these include things you can try at home as well as procedures the doctor can carry out, for instance CT scans. You can also use bioelectrical impedance machines which use an electrical current that can differentiate between fat tissues. This is the most accurate method of measuring visceral fat for the general public, but can cost around $200 to $300. Another method you can use to measure your own fat is to take a circumference measurement of the waist and hip which will give you your waist to hip measurements. This is an easy but not entirely accurate way to measure your visceral fat. Simply measure the circumference of each with a tape measure (around the largest point) and then divide the waist measurement by the hip measurement. If the number is worse than 1.0 for men, or 0.85 for women, then they are considered excessive. For instance for a man, a ratio of 36/40 is good.

This won't all be visceral fat though – some of that will be subcutaneous fat that is underneath the skin (though you likely want to be rid of this too). To see how much of that fat is visceral, measure your stomach once when standing up and once when lying down. The subcutaneous fat will fall to the sides of your body and disappear, but the visceral fat will remain where it is – this then tells you how much of that fat is visceral. To be honest you don't need to spend a lot on a CT scan or bioelectrical impedance machine because you don't need to know the exact amount of visceral fat there. Use the technique above to ascertain whether you have a problem or not, and then go about reducing that fat loss.

The Bottom Line 

Subcutaneous fat that you can pinch will may respond to plastic surgery procedures such as SlimLipo™; visceral or “pot belly” fat only responds to weight loss.

Symphony of the Echoes of Light, Compliments of Obiarts, Inc