Desperate times call for desperate measures and this one is the creme’ de la creme’ of desperate measures. This type of surgery is so against the natural order of all things human that I will never condone it under any circumstances. Whenever we try to manipulate health through drugs and surgery, there is always a potential for disaster. But for so many who feel an overwhelming sense of hopelessness, surgery becomes the only available option.

The mortality rate of bariatric surgery seems small at 1%. Well, that’s what they tell us it is anyway. But, when you think about the thousands who have had this surgery, 1% turns out to be an awful lot of deaths. 20% of those who undergo a bypass or lap band procedure, will require additional surgery to repair complications.  The list includes hernias, abdominal abscesses, and gastrointestinal leaks. 30% will go on to develop nutritional deficiencies such as anemia and osteoporosis. Nutritional deficiencies usually occur because of a development of certain food intolerances to red meat, dairy, and other products.

We are addicted to food and other things for many reasons but to those for whom food is the “drug of choice” there is an even bigger challenge because unlike other forms of substance abuse, we have to eat. We are dependent on food for survival. This is where the “whys” of eating come into play. There are many reasons why and most of them are not even remotely related to food or hunger. It’s almost never about the food. Often they are more about feelings. Anger, anxiety, frustration, deprivation, and boredom are just a few. Some even eat as a result of family patterns. How many of us as children were told “There are people starving in China who would be very happy to have that.”

If you’re considering bariatric surgery or you are currently in the waiting period where you are required to lose 10% of your body weight to qualify, there may be other methods to help. EFT can be a powerful adjunct to conventional treatments. Explore the whys of eating, eliminate those things that trigger you to eat, and you will lose the weight. One technique of particular importance is TAT (Tapas Acupuncture Technique). This technique has shown promising results for maintaining weight loss in the Type II diabetes population with research funded by NIH through Kaiser Permanente. You can read more about this at www.TATLife.com. Consider the alternatives and you may ultimately find that you don’t need surgery.