I was watching The Doctors while folding clothes (oh, the glamour while children nap) and saw a segment on a pill that can replace gastric bypass surgery for those who cannot afford or do not want such an invasive method for assisted weight loss.
What I've gathered from the segment and from the minimal amount of information a basic Internet search could dig up on this, it's available in the UK quite readily and seems ridiculous. It's a little oval pill looking thing attached to a piece of string (catheter). The patient swallows the entire thing, string and all, once the pill reaches the stomach, air is blown into the catheter to inflate the pill which now acts as a balloon. The catheter is then removed and you are left with non organic matter in your stomach making you feel full. A foreign object in your stomach. Voluntarily.
The weight loss is not rapid, according to this article participants in a clinical study were losing an average of three pounds in twelve weeks. I hope this is a typo. If someone is willing to swallow a balloon, I'd hope it would be for a more drastic result. You can lose way more weight than that by exercising, drinking more water, and eating healthier. The article also recommends the pill for people who have a BMI greater than 27. A person with a BMI greater than 27 can lose a significant amount of weight by walking around the block twice a day and not changing eating habits at all, only without a piece of plastic-like crap in your stomach.
This article reports that the pill can make patients lose up to twenty pounds in three months. Again, more rapid weight loss is possible with a little hard work and some small life changes. The article also states that you can swallow up to three of these balloons in a twelve week period if you really want to up the weight loss.
Just something to think about. Everyone is going to have different desires when it comes to weight loss. Some people want to work out, some people want the surgery (or need it medically), and some people may be able to choose to swallow a balloon. I think that mental and physical health go hand in hand, so people who are significantly overweight may want to consult a psychologist to aid in the weight loss process (more on this topic in a post to come).
I am a huge supporter of lifestyle change, I can even get behind gastric bypass, but I don't think I can be on board with swallowing a balloon to make your stomach fuller. Seriously...drink a bunch of water before you sit down to eat. You will eat less and be more hydrated!
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