News Articles

Coronavirus Information

Sun, 15 Mar 2020 17:45:21 +0000

Dear Patient,

At Egea Medical Weight Loss Center, we want to assure you that we are taking all precautions necessary to continue to deliver safe and effective healthcare to you, amidst ongoing concerns regarding the COVID-19 (coronavirus) outbreak.

At this time we will continue to see all patients in the office, unless our public health officials advise us otherwise. We will diligently make every effort to minimize your unnecessary contacts and keep our office environment clean and sanitized. We ask that in the event that you have any upper respiratory symptoms including a fever, cough or difficulty breathing, that you postpone your face to face appointment with us, continue to stay vigilant, and contact your primary care provider for further advice as necessary.

We are pleased to offer existing patients a temporary alternative of having a “telephone or online video assisted visit” in place of your face-to-face office visit, so as to maintain your continuity and keep you on track. Contact us at 716-204-0707 to discuss these options.

Sincerely,

Dr. Theo and Dr. Severson

Egea Medical Weight Loss Center

Fig Season is Here

Fri, 23 Aug 2019 19:54:38 +0000

Best eaten within 1-2 days as they are very perishable

Look for rich deep color, plump and tender but not mushy

Naturally high in fiber (good for weight loss in helping you feel full)

Helps support good gut bacteria

Excellent antioxidant

Good source of potassium and Vitamin B6

Add Figs to salads, or oatmeal or partner them with cheese for a delicious snack

Watermelon

Tue, 30 Jul 2019 13:48:12 +0000

90 % WATER EXCELLENT SOURCE OF HYDRATION

PACKED WITH LYCOPENE (A POWERFUL ANTIOXIDANT THAT GIVES WATERMELON ITS RED COLOR)

VITAMINS A &C AND POTASSIUM

ONLY 30 CALORIES IN 2/3 CUP

Lentils

Tue, 27 Nov 2018 01:56:01 +0000

CONTAINS MANY IMPORTANT NUTRIENTS

HIGH IN FIBER

LOW IN FAT AND CALORIES

HIGH IN PROTEIN - 25 grams per 3 oz serving

GLUTEN FREE

LOW ON THE GLYCEMIC INDEX

LENTILS ARE FLAVOR SPONGES AND WILL TAKE ON THE TASTE OF ANY DISH.

USE LENTILS TO MAKE:

SMOOTHIES

OMELETTES AND FRITTATAS

TACO/BURRITO FILLING

STEW, SOUPS AND CHILI

PASTA SAUCES

SALAD TOPPERS

GRANOLA/TRAIL MIX

DESSERTS AND BAKING

Edamame

Fri, 31 Aug 2018 03:29:36 +0000

CONTAINS MANY IMPORTANT NUTRIENTS

PROTEIN- 17grams/cup

(makes a great healthy

alternative crunchy salty snack

that is very filling- just microwave

a frozen bagful and add salt for taste!)

Other benefits:

Consuming more plant foods like edamame decreases the risk of diabetes, heart disease, obesity and overall mortality. It can also promote a healthy complexion and hair, and it can boost energy.

The calcium and magnesium in soy may help to lessen symptoms of PMS, regulate blood sugar and prevent migraine headaches.

Edamame contains folate, which may help relieve depression.

Feta Cheese

Sun, 22 Jul 2018 12:27:47 +0000

Feta Cheese- The World's Healthiest Cheese That Nobody Talks About

2x more Vitamin B12 than Cheddar
4x more Vitamin D than Parmesan
3x more Calcium than Brie
70% less calories than Mozzarella
2x more iron than Blue Cheese

NUTRITION FACTS:

A good source of
- PROTEIN
- RIBOFLAVIN
- VITAMIN B12, B6
- CALCIUM
Suitable for people who can't digest cow dairy
- Made from sheep and goat's milk
Buy Greek Feta if you can-it is more authentic
It should have tiny holes and should not crumble easily
Use in moderation-even a small amount makes boring food taste incredible

The Truth About Carbs

Sun, 22 Jul 2018 12:15:53 +0000

THE TRUTH ABOUT CARBS

SIMPLE = BAD

DIGEST QUICKLY

SHORT ENERGY

LOW FIBER

ADDED SUGARS

CARBS CONVERTED INTO FAT CELLS

SUGAR (1tsp=4g) CARBS

SODA 39g 39g

CANDY-9 Starburst 22g 22g

COOKIES-3 Chips Ahoy 9g 22g

PASTRIES/DESSERTS 11g 38g

PRETZELS-7 honey wheat 7g 44g

POTATO CHIPS - HANDFUL 13g 39g

SWEETENED BEVERAGES 3g 33g

ENERGY DRINKS 6g 18g

ICE CREAM-1/2 cup 6g 40g

COMPLEX = GOOD

DIGEST SLOWLY

PROLONG ENERGY

HIGH FIBER

NATURAL SUGARS

CARBS USED FOR ENERGY

FIBER CARBS

WHOLE WHEAT BREADS 1.9g 12g

WHOLE WHEAT PASTA 3.9g 37.2G

BROWN & WILD RICE 3.5g 45g

BARLEY 16g 67.5g

QUINOA 2.8g 21.3g

POTATOES 4.7g 37g

SWEET POTATOES 4g 27g

Goals for the New Year

Fri, 05 Jan 2018 15:05:40 +0000

Here are a few tips to keep you on track the whole year:
1. BE SPECIFIC: Vague goals will not work. You’ve got to develop a specific plan of action and map out your strategy. For example; you want to save money. Determine the amount you will put aside each month and identify explicit changes in behavior you’ll make to get there, whether that means skipping your afternoon latte or carpooling to work to save on fuel costs.
2. Make Your Goal Public: Share your decision to change with friends and family who can offer support when you’re wavering and encouragement when you’re doing well at sticking to your goal.
3. Substitute Good Behaviors for “Bad”: Don’t rely on willpower alone to help you change. Instead, build in a replacement healthy behavior that’s incompatible with the one you want to change. So if eating your usual mid-afternoon treat runs contrary to your goal of dropping a few pounds, put together a small like-minded group and commit to taking a quick, brisk walk at your normal snack time. Each time you put the brakes on “bad” behavior, you’ll increase your confidence in your ability to make the change.
4. Track Your Progress: Record or chart your changes. Research indicates that such ‘self-monitoring’ increases the probability of your change becoming more of a consistent behavior.

Tips for Thanksgiving

Mon, 06 Nov 2017 03:08:04 +0000

GET ACTIVE - Start the day off on the right foot and burn off some extra calories before you even indulge in your favorite foods.

EAT BREAKFAST - Don’t fall into the trap that you should save up your calories for the big meal. Eating a nutritious meal with protein and fiber before will take the edge off your appetite and allows you to be more discriminating in your food and beverage choices.

LIGHTEN UP - Try to modify were recipes to make them a little healthier. There is more sugar and fat in most recipes than what is needed, no one will notice the difference if you skim calories by using alternate ingredients or cutting back on the amount of butter or sugar. For example use fat-free chicken broth to baste the turkey and make gravy.

POLICE YOUR PORTIONS - Before you fill your plate, survey the buffet table and decide what you’re going to choose. Fill your plate with small portions of your holiday favorites. While we all have our favorites, keep in mind some foods are better choices than others for example: white turkey, plain vegetables, roasted sweet potatoes and pumpkin pie tend to have lower fat and fewer calories. ALSO SKIP THE SECONDS, resist the temptation to go back for more.

SLOWLY SAVOR - Eating slowly, putting your fork down between bites, and tasting each mouthful is one of the easiest ways to enjoy your meal and feel satisfied with one plate full of food.

GO EASY ON ALCOHOL - Don’t forget those alcohol calories can add up quickly. Drink a glass of wine or a wine spritzer and between alcoholic drinks enjoy a sparkling water. This will also keep you hydrated, limit alcohol calories, and stay sober.

BE REALISTIC - The holiday season is a time for celebration. Your schedule will get busier and there will be extra temptations. Shift your goal from weight loss to weight maintenance.

FOCUS ON FAMILY & FRIENDS - Thanksgiving is not just about the delicious bounty of food. It's a time to celebrate relationships with family and friends. The main event should be family and friends socializing, spending quality time together, not just what is on the table.

Slow and Steady Wins the Race

Mon, 06 Nov 2017 03:27:38 +0000

Benefits of Slow Weight Loss

Helps maintain weight loss
Increases the chances of losing fat
Slow changes to your diet and exercise promotes lifetime of healthy habits

Disadvantages to Rapid Weight Loss

Often regain weight and may even gain back more than initially lost
Loss of muscle mass
Suffer health consequences such as dehydration, nutrient deficiencies, and heart problems

Blueberries

Fri, 05 Jan 2018 15:09:21 +0000

BLUEBERRIES

SERVING SIZE- 1 CUP
4 GRAMS FIBER
85 CALORIES
15 GRAMS CARBOHYDRATE

FULL OF FIBER WHICH PROMOTES FULLNESS AND HELPS YOU LOSE WEIGHT

LOW IN SUGAR RELATIVE TO OTHER FRUITS

HIGHEST ANTIOXIDANT CAPACITY OF ALL FRUIT WHICH PROTECTS CELLS FROM DAMAGE

3 SERVINGS PER WEEK HELPS TO DECREASE MENTAL DECLINE

Vegetable Chips-Healthy or Not?

Tue, 04 Jul 2017 13:53:17 +0000

Vegetable Chips

Healthy snack alternative or just another unhealthy chip imposter?

THE FACTS:

They are full of fat, sugar and empty calories (about 150 calories, similar to potato chips)

They have NO resemblance to real vegetables (no fiber, no nutrients, very processed)

BOTTOM LINE: Vegetable Chips = Junk Food

A self prepared healthy alternative:

Thinly slice vegetables, drizzle with olive oil and salt. Bake at 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes.

Examples of veggies/fruit to use:

zucchini, sweet potato, fennel, kale, beet, eggplant, spinach, butternut squash, plantains

Quinoa

Fri, 05 May 2017 13:48:53 +0000

Egea’s Superfood of the Month

Quinoa

(Pronounced KEEN-wa)

1 CUP = 8 GRAMS PROTEIN

*The only grain or seed to provide all NINE essential amino acids our bodies can’t produce themselves.

*High in fiber, iron, magnesium

EATING IDEAS

*add to soups

*mix and match quinoa salad

* add sugar and orange zest to quinoa cooking water, then use as a stand in for oatmeal

*combine with beaten eggs, breadcrumbs, seasonings, form into a small patty

and fry with olive oil

*mix with pasta sauce and fillings then bake like pasta

Grocery Shopping Tips

Fri, 31 Mar 2017 20:14:38 +0000

Egea Medical’s Tips for Grocery Shopping

1. Create a list before you go shopping and do not deviate from it.

2. Don’t go shopping on an empty stomach.

3. Stick to the perimeter of the store. The freshest foods are usually the healthiest foods, and those are the foods you're going to find in the perimeter of the store.

4. Only shop the middle isles specifically guided by your shopping list.

5. Read the labels of the food that you're buying. You want to make sure that there is little to no sugar added. Read them, and try to avoid any ingredient that is a number or a chemical, and always keep an eye on that sugar and carbohydrate content. *If the ingredient is too hard to pronounce, it probably isn’t good for you.

6. When you're shopping and you look at your cart, you should see an abundance of fresh foods, including lots of veggies. Veggies that are great for you to buy at the grocery store are broccoli, cauliflower, dark, leafy greens, green beans, tomatoes. For convenience, you may also buy frozen vegetables as they lock in their nutrients, and if you buy canned, rinse them with water before consumption.

7. Most end caps of isles have processed foods on them that are on sale so they may be appealing. Avoid the end caps!

8. Hold your breath when you initially walk in to the grocery store as they purposely welcome you with their bakery smells of pastries and bread so as to entice you to buy these items.

**Remember, grocery stores pay lots of money to nutrition scientists to find out what triggers consumers to buy more and to entice their emotional brain. Don’t be fooled by the advertising! Unless it is a fresh food, avoid the misleading buy 2 get 1 free label. Otherwise you will go home with more junk food than what you originally planned on buying.

Pistachios- A Superfood

Tue, 07 Mar 2017 16:07:22 +0000

/content/Documents/pistachios-superfood_2.pdf

Eat This Not That-Easy Food Swaps in the New Year

Fri, 31 Mar 2017 20:13:46 +0000

Egea Medical’s Top 10 food swaps that

will help improve your waist circumference in 2017

Eat This Not That

Steel cut oatmeal -150 calories Granola- 200 calories

Scrambled eggs with veggies-150 calories Breakfast egg sandwich – 290 calories

Plain yogurt with fresh fruit- 12 grams sugar Fruit on the bottom yogurt- 30 grams sugar

Café Americano- 62 calories Latte-136 calories

Broth-based minestrone-130 calories Tomato basil soup- 500 calories

Mashed cauliflower- 27 calories/cup Mashed potatoes- 116 calories/cup

Fresh feta or goat cheese Low fat cheese- processed/full of additives

Frozen banana Ice cream

Dark chocolate covered peanuts Milk chocolate bar

Cheese and apple slices Cheese and crackers

Holiday Eating Tips

Fri, 02 Dec 2016 13:11:12 +0000

Maintain a regular fitness plan and be sure to get a good workout on the day of the party or event.
Watch the alcohol calories. They add up fast! Alternate an alcoholic beverage with a calorie free non-alcoholic beverage such as sparkling water.
Buy a nice holiday outfit that makes you look and feel great. Make it comfortable yet snug so that it will allow you not to overindulge.
Use smaller plates like the salad or dessert dish. Don’t go back for seconds and always put appetizers on to a dish.
Eat a small nutritious snack such as a cheese stick or yogurt before the party or event.
Be diligent on non-holiday or non-party days. This is what counts most. Stick to your day-to-day routine closely.
Many foods over the holidays are rich and laden with more calories so indulge on things slowly and savor every bite.
Offer to bring a healthy dish, one that you know that you will enjoy without the extra calories.

Remember that “Holiday” time should not be synonymous with weight gain. This may not be the easiest time of year for some people to lose weight so the goal should be not to gain those few extra pounds.

Happy Holidays To All

Egea Medical Weight Loss Center

The Egg

Fri, 31 Mar 2017 20:14:11 +0000

THE EGG……….It’s more than what it’s cracked up to be.

For years, the egg has been considered a villain because of its high cholesterol content. The good news currently is that after a solid body of research, we can say that the cholesterol found in foods such as eggs has very little to do with a person’s blood cholesterol levels and will not affect heart health. In fact, it may help lower heart disease due to its nutrients of protein, vitamin B12 and D, riboflavin and folate.

What does this mean for a person struggling to keep their weight down?

You may eat one egg a day and this may help you lose weight! Due to the high quality protein of an egg, you will stay full longer and it will not spike your blood sugar so you will have fewer cravings and hunger later.

So, skip the bagel for breakfast and eat more EGGS. Doctor’s order!

Easy ways to eat eggs:

Make an omelet with some fresh veggies
Scrambled Eggs
Hard Boiled Eggs- makes a great snack throughout the day and can keep in the refrigerator for a week
Eggs baked in muffin tins- make a dozen and freeze them, then and grab and go

Greek Yogurt- What are the Benefits?

Fri, 30 Sep 2016 01:40:32 +0000

It can help shed fat. A University of Tennessee study found eating three servings of yogurt a day can increase fat loss. The study found participants who followed a high-calcium diet, which included three servings of yogurt, lost 22 percent more weight and 61 percent more body fat than those who solely reduced calories.

It has health-boosting probiotics. Probiotics are good bacteria that improve digestion and help you build resistance to harmful bacteria. They can even help ease the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome, and research suggests these live and active cultures can improve immunity.

It is packed with protein. The thick, creamy texture indicates Greek yogurt is significantly higher in protein than regular yogurt. One, six-ounce serving of plain, nonfat Greek yogurt can pack in 15 to 20 grams of protein, which is about double the amount of protein you would find in regular yogurt. To put that number in perspective, one egg has about six grams of protein. It has the fullness factor, which is perfect for breakfast, a snack, or a post-dinner treat.

It is high in calcium. Got yogurt? Calcium builds strong bones, and yogurt doesn’t skimp on the essential nutrient. One serving supplies about 20 percent of your daily recommended value. Eat up! Studies have shown a diet high in calcium may also help keep your heart healthy.

It is low in lactose. Even the lactose intolerant can enjoy this nutrient-dense snack! About 30 million adults have some degree of lactose intolerance by age 20, making many dairy products uncomfortable to digest. The good news is Greek yogurt is easy on a sensitive stomach. It gets its thick consistency because it is strained of liquid whey, which is lactose.

It’s a great substitute for all your favorite dips. The consistency and taste of plain Greek yogurt closely resembles sour cream, which is often the main ingredient in your favorite guest-pleasing dips. But there is one big difference in the Greek stuff: a lot less fat. Next time you’re entertaining (or just craving a healthy snack), swap sour cream for Greek yogurt. Your guests won’t notice a difference and your belly will thank you.

Read the nutrition label. While Greek yogurt can be an excellent part of your diet, if you’re not careful, it can also wreck it. Some brands go overboard on sugar—the fruit-flavored types are usually the culprits. Plain, nonfat yogurt is the best way to go because it’s lowest in sugar. If it’s too tart for your taste buds, mix in fresh berries or honey for natural sweetness.

Five Pillars of Successful Weight Management

Fri, 05 Jan 2018 15:31:22 +0000

1. Diet

Eat a variety of foods that have nutritional value. Healthy fats, lean protein and fiber from fruits and vegetables are some examples.

2. PHYSICAL ACTIVITY

Just a 10 minute walk can improve the body’s ability to regulate blood sugar.

3. SLEEP

How hungry you are is related to how much sleep you get. Aim for 6 hours or more.

4. STRESS

Stress raises cortisol which tells the body to store fat.

5. CIRCADIAN RHYTHMS

A disrupted body clock can wreak havoc on weight.