Fat - Is it good or bad for you?

I decided to talk on something different than beauty today, since many have been asking me about this question. Its all about fats and cholesterol and the controversial studies that came out this year about the use of statins and whether they are actually beneficial or not and that fats are not the main culprit of disease, rather it is sugar.

So this is my personal opinion based on the observations and studies I have read.

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Is fat good or bad?

In the past, we were lead to believe that by taking fat you will become fatter as it only made sense that what we ate, stores in our body. However, over time, with advancement of technology, we have started to understand how our body processes really work and we discovered that this is actually not true.We discovered that sugar is the real culprit in glucose, galactose, sucrose and fructose forms -i.e. refined sugars especially. When we take refined carbohydrates or any form of sugar, it causes our blood glucose level to spike, and thus increases the amount of insulin produced to reduce the blood sugar level and keep it within acceptable range. This causes a contraction of the pancreas, that may lead to damage of pancreatic cells.When we lose the capability to normalise our blood sugar level, it means we have diabetes. So what happens to the sugar that is being taken by the insulin out of the bloodstream, it is sent to the liver and then later stored as fat. You read me correctly, the sugar gets transformed into fats. 

Fats are an essential part of our body as it is involved in the formation of hormones, regulating body temperature, as an energy store for the body, and important in the absorption of certain vitamins and minerals required to make your body function properly. In fact, most of the brain matter is built from fat, and fat also helps with the formation and growth of hair, nails,, skin and other organs.

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So does it means we should eat fat?

Fats also come in different forms. You have the unsaturated fats and the saturated fats. And nowadays there are newer fat types called trans fats. What are unsaturated fats? Basically, they are fats that remain liquid in room temperature, i.e. your oils. Mostly are from vegetable oils, nuts and seeds. They are divided into monounsaturated fats like olive, peanut, almonds, avocado, almond nuts, hazelnut, sesame seeds and pumpkin seeds, or polyunsaturated fats such as canola oil, soy,flaxseed, and fish oils. Saturated fats are mainly animal fats and those from coconut and palm products. Although recent studies have shown that there is not enough evidence to associated consumption of saturated fats to increased risk of cardiovascular disease, there are studies that show switching saturated to unsaturated fats are beneficial to increase the HDL levels in the body, reduce LDL and reduce insulin resistance.

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What about trans-fat? What are they really?

Trans fatty acids are fats which has been hydrolysed into a more stable form i.e. from heating up of vegetable oils or hydrogenation process that causes them to harden into margarine or shortening. Some trans fats are naturally found in beef and some dairy products. Because of its stable nature, partially hydrogenated oils are frequently used in fast food restaurants and bakeries, as it can withstand frequent frying without breaking down. However, trans fat has proved harmful to our body, and contributes to the rise of LDLs, and increases inflammation. It reduces HDLs, and contributes to insulin resistance. There was a statistics that shows for every 2 spoons of trans fat, you increase your chances of cardiovascular disease by 23%. 

My take on it?

Personally, I have started to switch all my fats to mainly natural fats i.e. unsaturated or saturated fats only. Margarine is completely banned from my fridge, but I do keep butter and occasional sour cream. I use olive oil for light cooking, and palm oil for frying (scarcely). I have reduced my intake of animal fats and I focus more on healthier fats from vegetable sources. I have at least 5 different types of oils in my house namely olive, virgin coconut, flaxseed, hemp seed and palm. I avoid eating fast foods or preserved foods and I avoid all forms of trans fat as much as possible except from beef and dairies like cheese. On top of all this, I've also restricted my refine carbohydrate intake. Sugar is banned from the house and thus honey is usually used as a sweetener instead. I drink my teas and coffee sugarless, and fruit juices are banned unless freshly squeezed. There is the occasional commercial ice lemon tea for my kids but sodas are a complete no no. 

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Between sugar and fat, my concern is more on the sugar, as the usage is much more rampant and it is much easily absorbed by our gastrointestinal system. Fat on the other hand, requires a longer time for absorption and most of the saturated ones just past through. Sugar seem to have a more drastic effect on our metabolism compared to fats, 

The key is moderation, and also avoiding all the processed forms of foods and you would definitely feel a lot healthier.

So how to reduce sugar and fats? Talk to use today and we'll give you a run through of our weight loss, fat loss program.

For more information or to book an appointment, please contact us at drmmclinic@gmail.com or send a message to 012-9660852 or PM us through FB or Instagram. 

Weight Loss with HCG - New things we discovered along the way.

Weight loss has always been a major concern for me as I remembered a time when I was more than overweight. The best weight I was ever in my life was when I was 18, at the weight of 52, I was as lean as ever. But looking back, at that time my assets were not fully blown and perhaps the best I could be now is perhaps 62 kilos. (I did this once last year and everyone was worried and thought I was sick because I looked too skinny, thank you for your concern, I was just experimenting on best weight).

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If I told people that I was a heavy 89 kilos, most of them would react by saying when? But yes, this was a reality to me in the years 2006 after the delivery of Bella to around circa 2009. I was struggling with weight loss. Until I stumbled across the hcg diet which was introduced to me by one of my sifus. I believed him because the first time I met him he was twice my size (and I was fat then) and now he is smaller than me.  I owe a lot of my knowledge to his mentoring. He could explain to me things that other doctors would not even bother to understand. And I needed to know, not just because I am curious, evidence-based and critical, but also for my patients. The worst thing to be as a doctor is ignorant to all the effects and complications of the treatment that you warrant to your patient.

Well, back to HCG. In the past, we use to just explain the role of the HCG hormone that acts like a catabolic hormone in the absence of insulin. What it means is that, when there is no insulin spike in the body, the HCG at 125-250mg level acts on the fat cells facilitating transport and metabolising fats into energy. This is why it is strictly prohibited to take any form of sugar or carbohydrate during the diet phase 2 and 3a as it would cause the opposite effect. Many can argue that if they go on 500 calories of protein and fibre they definitely will lose weight but how do you explain the fat percentage loss? Starvation leads to protein breakdown and usually the fats are the last ones to go. (We've measured our patient using a complete body scan and in 1 week, she lost 3kg of fat, her protein mass remained the same). 

It sounds simple, but I believe that as patients you require guidance especially in the first attempt and going through maintenance. There is a lot of explaining to do that some clinics do not bother doing, hence you will get a more yo-yo effect on weight loss which in the long run is not good for you as it can cause more harm to your metabolism. We are playing with hormones people.... Make sure your doctor knows what they are doing. It is not a quick weight loss program.

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Along the line, we've learnt a few things. We can use HCG to increase testosterone levels in men who are young and suffers from hypogonadism. It is safer than giving testosterone directly since once you introduce external testosterone, the natural factories will decide to stop production (like 91% based on latest studies done in China). It helps reverse the conversion of testosterone into oestrogen by the aromatase enzyme. The easiest clinical signs are the formation of man boobs and the pot belly hard tummy. So if you are a guy below 60, who is overweight and have gynaecomastia and an increasing pot belly, most likely you have reduced levels of testosterone. Some guys will say, so what? But in the long run it will effect your daily performance (not to mention the performance in bed). I envy my male patients on HCG, as they seem to loose weight faster than us ladies. They kill two birds with 1 stone, lose fat and increase testosterone levels.

I've also realised after being on the program for a few years, the best  is to slowly drop your weight, year by year, and then it would last longer. So usually after new year I would be on the program again, just to lose a few more kilos and maintain it. Since last year, I've succeeded in keeping my weight less than 70kg, and my silhouette has maintained. I've also discovered that muscle building during the second phase of maintenance helps to improve body tone and sustain weight loss results. I took a new liking to pilates, and I find that despite being off for awhile my weight easily jumps back to what it is usually.

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Other things we've discovered also is that the protein intake is super important. If you are a strict vegetarian, forget it. The most you are able to lose is 4kg in 23 days. Some vegans who wanted to try, had to be on egg whites daily that it caused them to be bored. Without the protein, the weight loss was reduced.

Other benefits of the HCG diet as observed is a better glycemic control for diabetics, reduced cravings for sugar and junk food in most people, sustained silhouette despite some weight gain, and change of dietary habits. But the set back is the strict regime during the diet and the maintenance phase. So at the end of the day, it is all about will power and determination. Like I always tell my patients, the diet is a detox sacrifice for 3 months. If you do it well, it may be the first and the last time you ever have to do it. It is a personal choice. If you are willing to commit and want to change, we will be here to help guide you throughout the process.

For more information or to book appointments do contact us at drmmclinic@gmail.com or send a message to +60129660852.

Lipo-V - New Mesotherapy on the block.

Mesotherapy is back on the block as a way to remove stubborn localized fats. Yes peeps, localized not generalized. During the last IMCAS in France in January, there was much hype about the reemergence of mesotherapy as a modality for treatment.

Fat areas and weight loss has always been an area of interest for me since I was previous really overweight and I have bulge issues. So when a friend of mine introduced this new mesotherapy line from Korea, I was skeptic but curious.

The older generation mesotherapy usually requires multiple treatments done at weekly intervals to get a good result and sustain the effect. Usually you require between 2-10 vials per area (depending on area size) and the treatments are done weekly 5-10x. The usual problems with the previous mesotherapy is bruising that can be unsightly and for double chins, it can be very tricky.

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Skeptic but curious, I was fortunate that they were having a mini launch and workshop to introduce this mesotherapy. The training was done in KO skin center in Klang and as many as 50 doctors attended the talk and training conducted by Dr Seo from Korea together with his colleague Mr Joseph (Korean too). 

This mesotherapy line is called Lipo-V and it comes in 2 sets. One is Lipo-V for face specially designed for double chin and to remove face fatty areas (yes, you can also sculpt those chubby cheeks). The second line is Lipo-V body which comes with an additional drainage  vial and is used for body parts.

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Attendees during the workshop 

The brochures and before after testimonials were pretty impressive. Dr Seo showed some of his Korean patients pictures and how he has used Lipo-V to create a more 3D less chubby look. It is not ethical to snap photos of other doctor's patients and post it on online, hence why I don't, but even for an experienced aesthetic practitioner like me, I was pretty impressed. I was also thinking of how many Malaysians can actually benefit from such treatment. What impressed me the most was the immediate effect which gets better over 3 days and the lack of bruising. Bruising is always a challenge when it comes to doing mesotherapy around the face, since patients will feel uncomfortable if they get bruises and need to hide them.

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With Dr Ko and the Korean team, Dr Seo, Mr Joseph and sorry but I really didn't get his name lol. 

There was a live demo session which was impressive because of the skill and speed of Dr Seo in doing the patients. There was also a demonstration of using PLLA threads in contrast to PDOs but I'll talk about them in much detail in another entry.

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 Of course, we definitely need to take a wefie.....

So, being the curious cat I am, I volunteered myself as a demo subject. The area of my concern is of course, the tummy. After 2 natural childbirths and gaining like 30 kilos per pregnancy, it is a big issue to tackle. The method of administration was via cannula technique, hence reduces injection points and pain. This also contributes to less bruising. They used a total of 8 vials on my whole tummy with 2 vials on the top, 2 vials on the sides and the 4 for my lower tummy area. 

Did it hurt? Well, I did feel a sharp sensation, and a little bit of acidic feel which was not entirely painful but not so comfortable either. However, since Dr Seo was very fast, it was acceptable. The problem afterwards was more related to the lidocaine content in the syringes because they actually pumped me up with 2mls X 8 syringes of 2% lidocaine which gave a total of 16 mls of 2% in one shot. I had tongue numbness and lightheadness which also made me feel a bit giddy and unsteady on my stilettoes. I drank 3 bottles of mineral to wash out the effects, and after 4 hours only my tastebuds were better. It was pretty funny because I had spicy banana leaf in Nirwana Bangsar, and I felt that it was not spicy and lacked sweetness when my kids where complaining that it was a tad too spicy. 

So I guess, my advice to the doctors is to be a bit careful with the lidocaine content. I guess anything more than 5 vials, we should cut back on the lidocaine to 1 ml instead of 2. Result wise, I think it is pretty impressive. They advised me to do RF or any high frequency device on the same area after 2-3 days. I took the liberty of taking daily photos to observe the changes. The quality is not super super excellent but you can make out the difference. The lower abdomen improved so much after 1 session, but the best would be after 3 sessions.

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My tummy from day 0 to day 3

I asked Mr Joseph about the longevity of the results. The results are good even up to a couple of months pertaining that you do not over eat and do regular exercise. Personally, I was happy with the results because from experience, usually I would require 2-3 sessions of mesotherapy to achieve what I achieved in 1 treatment. The combination with RF makes the results even better and I think it should be done together. The best part is the lack of bruising and soreness that you usually feel after a conventional mesotherapy treatment.

Ingredient-wise, this product is plant base thus adheres to certain sensitivities related to animal products. The best results is after 3 treatments, which is good since most mesotherapy courses take up to 10 sessions. The safety of the product? Well, because it is plant base and hypoallergenic, there is no restriction to the use of vials per session. The only thing doctors need to watch is the amount of lidocaine mixed into the solution.

Perhaps, the only setback is the cost of the treatment. 1 vial is charged at roughly RM 600 and you may need between 2-10 vials per sitting. However, you only require 3 sessions as compared to 5-10 of the normal mesotherapy. When you add it up, it is just about the same but with the results you want, and almost no downtime. Plus the mesotherapy is so safe, you can use it almost anywhere you want. As for face, you need perhaps 2-4 vials just for double chin, and to reduce cheek volume perhaps another 2-4 vials per session (because you have left and right obviously). Another interesting usage is to reduce gland swelling which is common in Asians due to high consumption of spicy foods. Depending on the doctor and technique for the face a vial will cost between RM 600-RM1000 because of the technical difficulty and clinical experience. Yes people, different doctors have different skill levels. The more experienced and well trained a doctor, the fee is usually slightly higher. (Actually we have a standard range for our professional service).

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I am pretty much excited about this new product especially after testing the product on myself. So, how much is it? For an introductory offer prices are as follows:

      

            Face : 6 vials at RM 3000 ( 5+1 offer)

                       12 vials at RM 5500 

                       20 vials at RM 8500

            Body : 1 set consists of 2 vials i.e. fat lipolysis and drainage which will be injected

                        together

                        10 sets at RM 5000 (NP RM 6000)

                        20 sets at RM 8000 (NP RM 12000)

                        30 sets at RM 9000 (1 box at 50% discount, NP RM 18000)

Hurry quick.... Offer ends soon. For more information or to book treatments contact us at drmmclinic@gmail.com or send a whatsapp or text to +60129660852 and we will respond soon. Not to be missed.

HCG diet - My experience.....

I am definitely a foodster - I love food, I love eating, and experimenting with different tastes. Friends on my Facebook see all sorts of delicious food being posted which definitely makes people drool. Unfortunately, like any other person, I tend to gain weight a lot on my excursions. The price for great food, is it so? So I decided (or was rather forced into) trying out the HCG diet - Personally I call it the anti-social diet because you have problems eating socially. When I first started, a lot of my friends and colleagues said I would quit half way... but hey, its the 26th day and I'm still on it, and I have lost a good 9 kilos which mainly is fat, I'm down at least 2 dress sizes, and my butt looks smaller. Yippee....But honestly, it requires good motivation, high discipline and consistency.

So since everybody is curious about what I have been doing, I'll explain as simply as possible.

1. What is the HCG diet?

The HCG diet was founded by Dr Simeon who discovered that low levels of HCG hormone (the one that goes up in pregnant ladies) has effects on fat metabolism and facilitates fat usage as fuel when the body is in semi-starved state. He came up with a figure, i.e. 125 iu per day and coupled it with 500 calorie diet a day. However, this effect only works when there is no increase of blood sugar level or rather insulin - hence why no form of carbohydrates are allowed. The diet is very strict and you are only allowed to eat the food on the list and that is it. Dr Kevin then made a modified version which enhanced the effect and lead to maintenance.

2. What is the real purpose of the diet?

Although reporting fat loss in grams daily is perhaps the best thing about this diet, the real function of this diet is to retrain our hypothalamus to eat properly. One of the reasons people become fat or obese is because of cravings and lacking of self-control when it comes to food. They eat regardless they are hungry or not and tend to overeat so much. Foods high in sugar, preservatives and other forms of chemicals in food nowadays causes the brain to not be able to register how much food has entered the system hence the person just keeps on eating. When you abstain from carbohydrates, junk food and fastfood, the brains receptors in the hypothalamus will resensitize again, so that you do not have much cravings. That is why, once you complete the 25 days of 500 calories diet, you have another month to slowly introduce more food with simple refine carbohydrates being last and complete ban on fast food or junk food. If you don't do this, that is why you see people on this diet acting like yoyo's and at the end, think it is just a short term treatment.

3. Is this diet safe?

According to all studies and reports, it is the safest diet in the world. However, because we prescribe hormones, you MUST be under a doctor's follow-up. It is not just for the injections supply, but also motivation, weight tracking, diet tracking and to tackle issues like ketosis and hypoglycaemia symptoms . (Yes, sometimes you get it). Some doctors also prepare the food for you to eat from their clinic with some additional charge whilst on the VLCD (500 caloric diet).

4. Is 500 calories a day enough?

Yes. The reason is because when the body utilizes in-store fat, it produces 2000-3000 kcals of energy. If you eat more than 500 calories a day, some of it will be stored hence weight loss will be affected. This is also another reason why people gain weight on this diet - it acts like a double edge sword. If you eat too much, or cheat on carbohydrates, it will restore into the body hence making you bigger. (Yes, I've tested this theory on myself).

5. Since I'm producing so much energy, should I exercise?

Despite the energy produced, we do not recommend you to do strenous exercise during the course of the injections because it can speed up ketosis symptoms and you will feel hungry. Furthermore, if you do exercise during this period, you need to continue even after the diet if not your weight will go up. Even for myself, I limit my jogging activities and I reduce my weight lifting regimes to half just to keep my exercise freak bit happy. However, after you stop injecting, I would recommend a more frequent exercise like walking and weights ideally everyday.

6. Since I can only take 500 calories a day, can I fast?

The answer is no. The reason is because, you have to eat on this diet at least between 4-6 hours if not you will go into ketosis - and have symptoms like headache, nausea, disorientation etc. Another reason is that you need to be well hydrated for the burning process to be optimized, i.e. 2-3 liters of water daily. I've tried not eating for almost 8 hours and I was so disoriented I almost hit a lamp post. I've also been dehydrated (testing) and there was reduced weight loss the next morning and I felt lethargic.

7. Injections or drops?

I would have to say injections. With injections you have an option of 23 or 42 days but with the drops you definitely must do 42 days. In terms of weight loss, the injections are much more predictable compared to the drops, less plateau if you do not cheat on the diet. But not many people like the idea of jabbing themselves everyday. Even for myself I felt exhausted of jabbing my own butt for 23 days. For my patients, some of them come to the clinic daily to get the jab. So if you are not keen for injections, which drops to take? I have my own medical pharmaceutical drops provided - so not sure about the rest.

8. What are the things I need to have at home to start this diet?

Simple things. A weigh to measure every morning after your first pee with minimal clothes on. (This is your dry weight). A kitchen weighing scale to measure your 100gms of protein a meal. (I prefer you to measure your own meal and decide what proteins to take). A non-stick pan to cook the protein. 

9. Should I be on supplements?

Yes and no. I would only recommend a multivitamin in the morning with water. Because you are going on a strict diet, you require to supplement this because if you fall sick, you cannot take much medication. I would also recommend calcium - ideally coral calcium, because you will get some cramps after the second week due to lowering levels of calcium in the body. A colon cleanse before you sleep is recommended although I only took one every 3 nights since I couldn't stand the diarrhoea I get the next morning. L-carnithine supplements before you sleep because L-carnithine make the fats more available as fuel to your body. Be careful of supplements that have a lot of sugar in it because it will disrupt the diet.

10. I'm on the diet and I have the urge to cheat - can i cheat with 1 spoon?

No. Even 1 spoon is hazardous. I was preparing lasagna for a function in my office and I took 1/2 spoon of red sauce and 1/2 spoon of white to taste. The next day, my weight went up by 400gms, and the next day it went up another 300gms despite adhering to the diet, so I drank more water and went on strictly white protein and salad - and it went down 400gms, then subsequently another 500gms. I would have lost an extra 700gms or more if I did not taste the sauces. Another time was at a dinner and I ate extra angus steak, maybe 50gms more and my weight went up, stayed up for 2 days. It takes about 2-3 days after you cheated to get back on tract. So ask yourself. is it worth cheating?

11. With so much weight loss, wouldn't I sag?

The best thing about this diet is also the fact that you lose the fat, but the hormones keep your skin tight, so you do not sag.

This is a prescriptive diet and I would recommend those interested to come in for a proper consultation with me in my clinic. For those who find me to far, you can also visit my friend Dr Kuljit at Damansara Height Wellness Clinique - the guy who actually put me up to it. He also provide food for you during this diet.

For those interested, do call my clinic at 03-21440080 for a consultation.