Contrave and HCG for Weight LOss

Losing weight is one of the hardest things in the world to do. Well, let's face it, if you're a guy it's much easier than it is for us girls. We all lead busy lives, eat fast food, and think we're too tired to exercise when we get home. Plus no one really watches their portion sizes with meals. Let's face it, life is stressful! Food is used for comfort and it tastes good!

What we all need is a lifestyle change! So many of us yo-yo up and down with our weight. At Sei Bella  we have come up with a plan to help you focus on good eating habits, modest exercise and medication to help you get over the hump and help with those cravings. 

The newest weight loss medication available is called Contrave. This is a combination of buproprion, also known by it's brand name Wellbutrin, and naltrexone. These medications both help with the craving for foods and your appetite but they are not stimulants and are not controlled substances. Contrave is also indicated for long term use, unlike other weight loss medications. Buproprion alone helps with cravings and is marketed as Zyban for smoking cessation.

In addition to the Contrave, you can also add HCG drops and we will instruct you on a modified HCG diet. HCG helps to preferentially burn belly fat. HCG drops are available by prescription from a couple local pharmacies, and it is dosed under the tongue twice a day.

Often people understand what they are supposed to do when they are IN the office, but once they LEAVE the office, they don't know what to shop for at the grocery store. To help, we have developed a grocery list for you, some sample diet plans and a "goody bag" to show you some of the foods we are talking about.

One of the biggest benefits of this program is the free scale you receive from Takeda for enrolling in their ScaleDown program. This electronic scale has a value of $100 and will sync with your phone to send you text messages when you weigh. Takeda also has a very nice discount card for you to use on the Contrave. 

Give us a call today to schedule your appointment. Our goal is to help you make a lifestyle change to keep the weight off!  501-228-6237

Iodine for Fibrocystic Breast Disease

Many women suffer from fibrocystic breast disease (FBD). What exactly is fibrocystic breast disease (FBD)? A breast cyst is a cavity that forms when glands and connective tissue dilate and block mammary (milk) ducts. The normal architecture of the breast is disrupted. Eventually these cysts become hard, nodular and painful. Cutting caffeine and salt out of the diet will help some, as well as taking Vitamins E and A. Some doctors--but not I--even recommend taking birth control pills for FBD.  There has been a 30-fold increase in the incidence of breast cysts between 1928 and 1973.

The connection between low iodine and FBD has been studied for almost 100 years. m Every cell in our body depends on iodine to function correctly. This is especially true of glandular tissue such as breasts, ovaries, uterus, adrenals, prostate, pancreas, and thyroid. These glands can not produce optimum levels of hormones without iodine. Iodine actually reverses the changes in breast tissue that occur with fibrocystic breast disease.

Other than painful breasts you may experience some of the symptoms mentioned above, primarily due to the effects of iodine deficiency on the thyroid and adrenal glands.  Moat studies on iodine show that doses of 10-60 mg per day are effective for treating fibrocystic breast disease. This holds true for other glands and tissues that require iodine. 

The general public believes that eating iodized salt will supply all the iodine they need, but this is just not true. Within two weeks of opening a box of salt, the iodine is pretty much gone. If you use salt on when cooking or salt your food, you are much better off using real sea salt. I recommend an iodine supplement. I personally take Iodine Plus 12.5 mg that we carry at Sei Bella. It contains Potassium Iodide and free iodine, as well as zinc and selenium. The cost is only $49 for 180 capsules. That's a 6 month supply and well worth it!!

Recently there has been increased concern that iodine deficiency can be a contributing factor for breast cancer. As shown below, areas proven to have iodine deficiency have an increased incidence of breast cancer.

Call us today or stop by to get your Iodine plus supplement....501-228-6237

Vitamin B12 Deficiency and Hypothyroidism

Are you fatigued? Have you had your thyroid checked but told it was normal? You could have subclinical hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid) or low B12. Dr. Trussell can evaluate your labwork, explain them to you and best of all help you feel better! There are many different forms of thyroid medication. Did you know there are even gluten free thyroid medications for those that have gluten allergy or sensitivity? And supplements are available to help your thyroid work better. Call today for your consult! Start feeling like yourself again. 501-228-6237

Frequently Asked Questions About BioTE

When significant health safety concerns arose in 2002 for women using synthetic hormone replacement therapies, millions stopped taking it...up to 70%. Many, many have made the switch to bio-identical hormones which have long been preferred in Japan, France and other European countries. BioTE bio-identical hormones are plant based and IDENTICAL to the ones we produce in our bodies. BioTE pellets are about the size of a grain of rice, and implanted in the upper buttock with a painless in office procedure done by Dr. Trussell who has been pelleted 4 times herself!

Below are the some of the questions Dr. Trussell gets asked most often in her seminars, So read on and learn more.....It's the first step to balancing your hormones and feeling better!

How often will I need pellets?
Women usually need them every 4-6 months. Men usually every 5-6 months... An average of 2-3 times per year.

How long will it take for the pellets to get into my system and work?
24-72 hours. Optimal effect occurs three weeks after insertion.

I have no libido- what will this do for that, if anything?.
Good hormone balance will greatly improve your libido; the addition of testosterone in pellet form will change everything for the better!

I get horrible headaches-will they help me?
Yes!! We have had great success, especially with women who have menstrual migraines, and new migraines that appear after age 35.

Does testosterone cause prostate cancer?
No. Metabolites of testosterone, dihydrotestosterone and estrone, cause prostate enlargement and contribute to prostate cancer. Estrone increases and testosterone decreases as men age and as they gain belly fat. Testosterone pellets are the ONLY replacement that reverses that trend.

What if I have prostate enlargement already?
Testosterone pellets will make it better, if you do not convert it to dihydrotestosterone. We can prevent that with two supplements......DIM and saw palmetto.

Are there any side effects and/or complications?
There are very few side effects, if any, and they are very mild, much less than with traditional synthetic hormones.

Do I need to take other medications?
If you still have a uterus, you will need to be on a natural progesterone tablet at night, too, called Prometrium. Even women who have had hysterectomies like Prometrium because it helps them sleep. Dr. Trussell will also evaluate other labs such as thyroid, B12 and Vitamin D to name a few. If these are out of balance, she will prescribe you a medication to balance these as well.

Now that you've learned a little more about BioTE, your next step is to call for an appointment with Dr. Trussell!   501-228-6237

Positive Benefits of Bio-Identical Testosterone Replacement in Men and Women

BioTE bio-identical hormone replacement pellets for men and women are changing people's lives everyday. Not only do they feel better and look better, they are actually experiencing benefits they can't even see or feel! Proven safe and efficacious! Check out a few of the benefits below and give us a call to schedule your consult with Dr. Trussell.......501-228-6237

Men:

• improved erectile ability
• prostate protection (NO increased risk of prostate cancer)
• cardiovascular protection against heart attack and stroke
• lower total cholesterol, increased HDL (good cholesterol)
• increased energy
• feeling of overall well-being
• reduced body fat
• increased muscle mass
• reduced anxiety and irritability
• cognitive clarity (decreases the mental fog)

Women:

• enhanced libido
• heart protection
• lower total cholesterol, increased HDL (the good cholesterol)
• increased energy
• improved sleep
• overall feeling of well being
• reduced body fat
• stronger bones and muscles
• relief from depression
• reduced "brain fog"

Why continue to feel bad? Don't you want more quality time with family and friends? We all want to feel better and look better. BioTE bio-identical pellets usually need to be replaced about every 4-6 months depending on your activity level. It's quick, painless and convenient. Many insurances will actually reimburse you part of the cost. I have been pelleted three times myself as well as the office staff and family members. I notice I sleep so much better and I don't need Ambien anymore. The biggest benefit I notice now is rapid muscle recovery after my marathons and half marathons. Call today and schedule your consult.....501-228-6237

Posted by Anne Trussell MD at ​

Why Belly Fat is Dangerous

Most fat in the body is a type called "subcutaneous fat", which means that it lies just under the skin. I frequently hear it referred to as "cellulite", "hail damage", "dimpling", and "cauliflower"! Medical research suggests that this type of fat is relatively harmless. Although, we hate how it looks!

However, the fat that is felt to be dangerous is called visceral fat. It is deep inside the abdomen and surrounds the intestines and other internal organs. This is the type of fat that causes insulin resistance, diabetes, heart disease, atherosclerosis, and heart failure.
 

.The reason visceral fat is so harmful is that it releases chemicals called cytokines, chemokines and adipokines that cause inflammation throughout the body. I'm not talking about the inflammation we can see and feel when we have a urinary tract infection, skin infection or flare of arthritis. This is a slow, smoldering inflammation that we aren't even aware of.

We often use BMI to determine whether someone is at a healthy weight. There have been ongoing heated debates for years about using BMI as a measure of health, especially in children. Some people who are of a normal weight can still have high amounts of visceral fat. When you have a high amount of dangerous visceral fat, your C-reactive protein (hsCRP) is usually elevated. hsCRP is an indicator of inflammation. This is just one of the many tests we perform with the Berkeley Advanced Lipid and Genetic Testing Labs. Knowing your genetics and other risk factors are equally, if not more important, that maintaining a normal weight. 
 

In 2005 there were about 23 million Americans with diabetes. Today more than 26 million have diabetes. Although with Type II diabetes there is a genetic component that predisposes you to developing diabetes, the main culprit is what you eat. Foods and drinks with excessive amounts of refined carbohydrates, polyunsaturated fats, and refined sugar- especially high fructose corn syrup- are particularly bad. This includes sodas, cookies, donuts, other processed foods, corn oil, safflower, sunflower, peanut, soybean and canola oils. Diets that contain a lot of red meat are also harmful.
 

Cooking with extra virgin olive oil is very good, though. It is a saturated fat that reduces inflammation. Sprinkling the extra virgin olive oil with turmeric adds even more anti-inflammatory power. However, the most powerful anti-inflammatory foods include cruciferous vegetables  such as cauliflower, Brusels sprouts, kale and broccoli. They should be eaten raw or steamed, and putting them in a blender and drinking them as a smoothie is even better. Include fruits in your diet as well. 

So what's the moral of this story (blog)? YES....weight loss is important. Losing the deep fat is most important. Find out what your risk factors for heart attack, stroke and diabetes are with the Berkeley genetic and advanced lipid testing, then adjust your diet and medications accordingly based on recommendations from Dr. Trussell or your healthcare provider.  EVERYONE, though, needs to make some diet changes like those listed above. Call today for your appointment.....501-228-6237

Menopause and Heart Health

1 in 7 PREmenopausal women die of heart disease. For POSTmenopausal women that number rises to 1 in 3!
 

• Heart disease is the leading cause of death of American women, killing more than a third of them.
• More than 200,000 women die each year from heart attacks, FIVE times as many women as die from breast cancer.
• 35.3% of deaths of American women over the age of 20, or more than 432,000, are caused by cardiovascular disease each year.
• More than 159,000 women die each year from congestive heart failure, accounting for 56.3% of all heart failure deaths.

Besides the benefits listed above that testosterone provides to women, testosterone also has the benefit of protecting you from cardiovascular disease. A clinical study published in the European Journal of Endocrinology showed that low testosterone levels in women were associated with severe internal carotid artery atherosclerosis (this is the artery that supplies the majority of blood to the brain). It also showed that higher testosterone levels in women served as a protective role against atherosclerosis in the internal carotid artery. Blockage of the internal carotid artery leads to strokes.

Blood cholesterol often changes within 6 months of onset of menopause. The risk of high blood pressure triples with menopause. And both of these lead to heart disease. Hormone therapy helps prevents cardiovascular disease and is most beneficial if started early. But you can benefit from bio-identical hormone replacement therapy regardless of your age. 

So why choose BioTE?

• It is bio-identical, therefore it has cardiovascular benefits but does NOT increase your risk of cancer
• It is convenient...pellets only need to be replaced 2-3 times a year in most people.
• The BioTE comprehensive lab also evaluates thyroid, B12, Vit D, and a full metabolic profile.
• Labs are interpreted by a physician (Dr. Trussell).
• The exact dose of hormone is calculated for you based on your labs and your symptoms.
• BioTE is usually reimbursed to some extent by insurance companies.
• The BioTE company offers financing for those who need it.
• BioTE uses the most stringent quality assurance for bioavailability and sterility.
• It has been widely studied and proven to be safe and effective.

Do yourself a favor in 2015! Resolve to become more healthy AND feel better by preventing heart disease and stroke (not just with exercise and diet but also with balancing your hormones); stop hot flashes and night sweats; protect yourself against osteoporosis and loss of muscle mass; preserve (or regain) your libido and energy levels; enhance your sleep and decrease or eliminate postmenopausal depression; and decrease body fat. Call for your appointment with Dr. Trussell today! 501-228-6237

Don't Count Total Calories

Prior to 1945, European physicians knew that obesity was a direct result of eating too many carbohydrates and sugars. But, by the 1970's, America convinced the world that the problem was total calories.  Therefore, everyone started these near-starvation fad diets, like the HCG diet which only allows 500 calories per day!

The problem with this, other than it's extremely unhealthy, is that obese people are often not eating much more in terms of total calories than people with normal fat composition. Counting calories is easy with various phone apps, but you really need to go to the effort to track proteins, carbohydrates, fats, sugars AND calories. My favorite iphone app is My Fitness Pal, but there are several others out there. My Fitness Pal is free and you can connect with other friends who are also on a fitness and weight loss journey. Since weight does not come off without exercise, you can also choose from a wide range of options to increase your activity level. There is no one out there who can't do something. Just stop making excuses. Everybody at Sei Bella has been in your shoes in the past. We speak and teach from experience.
 

Make your New Year's resolution to lose weight, decrease your risk of diabetes, heart disease, arthritis, stroke and heart attacks. At Sei Bella we can help you with food choices. We also offer prescription weight loss medication including Contrave, Adipex, Belviq and Qsymia. In addition, consider Lipo-Ex, a noninvasive fat loss and skin tightening procedure to also boost your results.  We have a special in January 2015.....6 treatments of Lipo-Ex for $400.
 

Read about Lipo-Ex and weight loss medications on this blog or on our website www.seibellamedspa.net

Call us today and let us help you get healthier and feel better about yourself!
501-228-6237