Dentaltown January 2022 - 14

professional courtesy
column
Losing It Is Just the Beginning
Happy New Year! Normally this is a time to set
goals and make plans for future success. In the spirit of
the season, I'm sharing a personal story of achievement
that began at the end of 2021 and can possibly serve as
an inspiration for you in 2022.
I have been overweight for most of my life and, as
most of us do, I learned to live within that reality. I
continued to make poor nutritional choices, exercised
rarely and accepted that I would always be plump. It's no
secret that these would be bad choices in the long term,
but they were easier than correcting those behaviors.
In the spring of 2021, I reached a turning point that
provided the impetus to make a change.
At my annual physical, my blood pressure, which
had been " running high " for several years, had reached
a point where my physician said it was time to start
taking blood pressure medication. I have seen too
many patients who take medications like this as if they
were daily vitamins-simply accepting it as the way to
address a serious problem. I had also been struggling
with acid refl ux over the past two years and was taking
prescription and over-the-counter medications to
address the symptoms. If that wasn't enough, my fasting
bloodwork came back and while my glucose level was
normal, I was probably one bag of M&M's away from
being prediabetic. It probably goes without saying that
a year into the pandemic, I was also at a new high mark
for body weight (241 pounds).
I went through most of the summer monitoring
my blood pressure improvements from the medication
and wondering if this was my future-depending on a
growing number of medications to simulate a state of
health. Seeing myself in photographs with my family
was a stark reminder of my physical
decline, and I decided to take decisive
action. I was dipping my toe in the
obese category of the BMI scale, so I
needed a professional to help me fi nd
my way back to a healthy weight. I
reached out to my physician for a
recommendation to a specialist who
could help me with my weight. I found
a doctor who was board-certified
by the American Board of Obesity Medicine and the
American Board of Internal Medicine.
My plan focused on a strict diet that ensured I was
receiving the proper balance of nutrients and a calorie
count that would allow for weight loss over time. I went
to the physician for weekly offi ce visits, had regular
blood draws to monitor my health and progress, and
attended group classes (over video) to address the
many psychological and lifestyle issues associated with
maintaining a healthy weight.
I'm writing this column after completing three
months of this program. So how am I doing? I've lost
40 pounds, the blood pressure and refl ux medications
are no longer needed, my bloodwork is back to normal,
some of my clothes are too big and I have the energy to
be more physically active. I'm thrilled with my progress!
But I know that I have plenty of hard work ahead of me.
I have some more weight to lose and I need to solidify
my exercise routines and make a successful transition to
healthy eating habits. Losing the weight is just the fi rst
step, and maintaining that weight is the real challenge.
I want to emphasize that I didn't write this column
to provide a " how-to " for losing weight-every person's
circumstance is different. I wanted to share my story
for three reasons. First, I hope that my success can be
a catalyst for someone else to make a change in their
life. Second, I want to make myself accountable for the
progress I have made. Finally, I want to use this story
as a reminder that the impact you can make on your
patients is not always the obvious changes we see with
a new smile or fi xing a broken tooth.
I knew before I met my doctor that my eating habits
were the central reason for my weight issues, but his
treatment plan, guidance and support helped me make
the necessary changes. Dentists and hygienists do the
same thing every day for their patients' oral health.
There may be days when you feel nobody is listening
to your advice, but remember, they already overcame
the fi rst challenging step: They are sitting in your chair.
What are your goals for 2022? Please share
your comments on the digital version of this article
online. If you want, you can also reach me by email at
tom@dentaltown.com. ■
by Thomas Giacobbi, DDS, FAGD, editorial director, Dentaltown magazine
14 JANUARY 2022 // dentaltown.com
http://www.dentaltown.com
Dentaltown January 2022

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Dentaltown January 2022
