How Can I Lose Weight Before Orthopedic Surgery?

Dr. Dan Albright, an orthopedic surgeon in Raleigh, North Carolina discusses losing weight before surgery. Why you should lose weight and a method for losing that weight. He discusses exercise, diet and nutrition to help with losing weight. For more information watch this video.
Transcription of video:
How can I lose weight before orthopedic surgery? That's a common question and a common desire before having surgery is to trim down a little bit. My name is Dr. Dan Albright. I'm an orthopedic surgeon in Raleigh, North Carolina and I see a lot of patients normal weight, underweight and overweight. Losing weight before surgery can really help you do better at surgery.
The first way is get in the pool. Indoor pool, it's got to be an indoor pool because if you wait for outdoor it's going to rain or it's not going to be sunny, or warm enough or something. So indoor pool. I have a lot of patients with arthritis, crippling pain in the hip, knee back and getting in a pool takes weight off your joints and you can move. You can actually get a good muscle workout and I promise, you get in the pool, you will sleep better, think better, you'll feel better, you'll trim down, your muscle tone will get better. You'll be a safer patient for surgery. So it's really important, get in the pool. If not that, then a stationary bike, but not everybody can do a stationary bike. The pool is the place. You've got to walk in the pool. You've got to dance in the pool, run in the pool, swim in the pool anything in the pool. Water aerobics, pool therapy. I do pool therapy all the time.
That's part one. Part two is what you put in your mouth. That's a big part of nutrition and health and I am anti-gluten. We were raised throughout our whole lives as children and all. Healthy whole grains, healthy whole grains. And the government and everyone was saying that. Well, grains are not healthy. And there's a lot of science coming out in the last several years grains are not healthy. So losing weight, I invite you to please go one month
gluten-free.
You've heard of gluten. Gluten is a reactive protein in wheat and bread and pasta. Go gluten-free for one month and you'll be
amazed. One, you feel better, you'll think better, you'll lose 20 pounds without even trying and you'll be safer for surgery. So that means no bread, no pasta, no wheat. Read the label if it's processed food almost always it has wheat in it. You've got to eat whole food. You have to eat good food, good calories, healthy calories. That's the main thing is gluten-free.
Now I'll just tell you, gluten goes to your brain. It occupies the morphine receptors in your brain and then you're addicted to
bread and pizza. At least I was when I was doing it. And also it gives you a sugar rush, which is a problem and it's inflammatory. Gluten actually inflames tissues, it makes you swollen and puffy and bloated in at least one out of three Americans. So there's several reasons to stop gluten.
So that's my main message here for weight loss. The other part is just sugar and carbohydrates. Pure sugar is not good. It shoots up your insulin. Insulin is called the fat hormone. So if you want to get fat, get the fat hormone going. Which is a lot of insulin. The only way to get your insulin down is to go less sugar, less carbohydrates. Again a lot of science exists for this and a lot of good books on this topic.
So I have an interest in doing safe surgery and I want my patients to trim down some. So losing weight before surgery is good. This is how: get in the pool, tone up, go gluten-free for a month and think about less sugar. And that will do it. I've got many patients who've done it and they've been very thankful for that.
I'm happy to talk to you more about that, about how to make you a safer person to undergo a surgery procedure.
I'm Dr. Dan Albright. My website is danalbrightmd.com. Appointment line 919-863-6808. Thanks.

[@sallyhudson7196]

I have asked three doctors about a gluten free diet. An internist, rheumatologist, an orthopedic doctor. All three looked at me like I was crazy. Some doctors think it’s only necessary for celiac patients.

[@lorilee7213]

Thank you so damn much. This is what ive been looking for . I knew there was something to Dr.Atkins and the Keto diet that worked so well for bloating and weight loss for me. I would lose 14 pounds in 14 days just like they claim, but it left me feeling sick. The four times ive done these diets through the years. Four years ago I ended up in Emergency ,haven't been able to go the the bathroom. My potassium was so low they ran in with a sailing pack and put monitors all over my heart instead you are on the verge of a heart attack. i spent 3 days in the hospital to get everything back to normal. I have a major issue with bloating and one thing about thses diets is even after 7 days of no B.M.s my stomach was not bloated at all. I know there is something about these diets that work for me like no others with bloating and overall a sluggish feeling that worked great , but didnt work after two weeks and my electrolytes and potassium were way off so I just left it alone. im 55 have flat feet and bad knees and i can barely walk sometimes. I had A.C.L. Surgery years ago on my left knee I know both of these are bone on bone. Went in to see the knee doctor and it was immediately told I need two new knees not one and we would start with one in 3 weeks and although I was overweight, and kind of surprised the doctor would not want me to lose weight first. It's a scary time in this world to have knee replacement I do believe we're going into a nightmare food Services water all that I'm stocked up and prepared I'm ready to go for it I have no I don't have much time. My children doctors do not agree with me having knee replacement surgery at this weight. Im 5/2 and this last year of coban packed another 12 lb on I am 197 lbs. I think I'm on the brink of being in a wheelchair and I'm scared to death of that so with two weeks left till surgery this might have just saved my life so simple no carbs hello I just people don't know what to do anymore I remember old school low fat everything wheat beans grains that's not what you do today. The surgeon says if I can have this knee done and I have a I work my butt off and have a good recovery he wants to do the other knee in 4 months I'm going to try as hard as I can to do that I've talked to people that say they have a new life with new knees and I'm going to go for it because this put up or shut up for me. I want to thank you for this video that slapped me in the face right now wondering what i can do to lose weight fast. I'm going to look up healthy ways to do this low carb diet 14 lb would be awesome before surgery thank you so much and gluten I'm thinking gluten I've been thinking for a while it's pretty bad for me. If anyone knows any secret tips or I think they know the issue and can help me I would absolutely appreciate it I need these knees and I'm thinking this is the key to a new lifestyle is a healthy way to go about these getting rid of carbs again thank you so much doctor for this video everyone take care God bless

[@Rugerfaces]

Thanks for sharing.

[@patriciaangelapainter8278]

Tried back aching exercises because it was needed,but i will try no gluten.

[@lindaterrell9366]

Thanks for sharing.