Dr. Kushner
This is an exciting time for heart health as a recent landmark study called SELECT has shown that taking the anti-obesity medication semaglutide can lower your risk for having a second cardiac event by 20%, while losing an average of over 9% body weight. And a new American Heart Association (AHA) Presidential Advisory highlights the…
Read MoreSustainable health habits aren’t typically developed as a complete overhaul of one’s lifestyle. Instead, it’s more realistic and doable if they’re created as one small ‘snack’ step at a time, whether it’s related to healthy eating, getting in more physical activity, or dealing with daily stressors. You can create your own SNACKING TOOLBOX for when…
Read MoreWith Better Appetite Control on Newer Anti-Obesity Medications, is a Healthy Lifestyle Still Needed?
If you’re less hungry and losing weight while taking a newer anti-obesity medication, you may wonder if you still need to modify your eating and exercise habits. During Obesity Week 2023, the conference where thousands of obesity experts from around the world convene to share breakthroughs in the field of obesity, I had the opportunity…
Read MoreI recently attended the Obesity Action Coalition’s (OAC) Your Weight Matters 2023- Engage conference in Orlando. No matter how long I’ve been practicing, I continue to be inspired by those who share personal weight journey stories that include both their struggles and successes. Throughout the weekend, we heard inspiring stories from former professional football players,…
Read MoreBefore I help patients develop a personalized weight loss plan, I want to better understand each person’s weight journey – and how they got to where they are today. I have a technique I’ve used where I ask patients to plot their weight at different times of their life. For most patients, they are able…
Read MoreMany life transitions are anticipated – a new home, moving to a new city, starting college or grad school, getting married or starting a family. As your daily routines change, so can your health behaviors. Eating healthfully and exercising may be challenging if you have a longer commute, different work hours, new school deadlines, more…
Read MoreWith all the exciting new treatments available to help those who struggle with weight, you may be wondering who you should turn to for help? Though your primary care professional (PCP) may not be an expert in weight management, they are likely to be an expert in knowing about you and your medical history. This…
Read MoreSo much focus surrounding weight management is on the ‘WHAT’ to do and ‘HOW’ to do it to lose weight and keep it off. However, it can be helpful to step back and review the ‘WHY’ managing weight is important to you at this point in your life. Although the ‘WHY’ for losing weight can…
Read MoreWhen I see patients who are doing well following their new healthy lifestyle behaviors but complain that the scale isn’t budging fast enough, I ask them to make a list. On one side are all the positives they’ve been experiencing with their newfound healthier lifestyle such as being more active, easier to sit in an…
Read MoreOne of the greatest barriers to accessing care for people with overweight or obesity are patients’ feelings of being judged by others because of excess weight. As I educate health care professionals about caring for patients with the disease of obesity, I address this by making sure that clinicians are firstly aware of their own…
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