Mesos Center - Ancient Wisdom • Modern Medicine

“Let thy food be thy medicine and thy medicine be thy food”

- Hippocrates, Father of Medicine

• What is weight loss resistance?
• What causes weight loss resistance?
• How do you treat weight loss resistance?
• If I have a medical condition will you treat it?
• Do I have to buy pills or special foods?
• Are the customized programs difficult to follow?

• Are food allergies and sensitivities the same?
• Can food sensitivities cause Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)?
• I get migraine headaches. Can changing my diet help?
• Do food sensitivities and allergies tend to run in families?
• How do I know if I have food sensitivities?
• If I do have food sensitivities, what can I do?

• What is celiac disease?
• How do I know if I have celiac disease?
• What are the treatment options for celiac disease?
• If I have celiac disease is eliminating baked goods and pasta from my diet enough to get the disease under control?
• What happens if celiac disease is not treated?
• If I don't have any gastrointestinal symptoms can I still have celiac disease?
• Who should be tested for celiac disease?
• Are some people more likely to get celiac disease?

• Does the Mesos Center offer wellness programs?
• Do you offer counseling for heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes?

• Who will I be working with at the Mesos Center?
• Do you accept insurance?

What is weight loss resistance?

Weight loss resistance is an inability to lose weight, lose weight at an appropriate rate or maintain weight loss.

What causes weight loss resistance?

Weight loss resistance can be caused by many things. For some people underlying medical conditions, medications, food sensitivities, hormonal imbalances or metabolic disturbances can make losing weight extremely difficult. For others, lifestyle patterns like not getting enough sleep or too much stress may be creating biological obstacles to weight loss. Genetics can play an important role as can dietary choices and activity levels. But with proper intervention and guidance most of these challenges can be overcome.

How do you treat weight loss resistance?

The treatment depends on the cause. At the Mesos Center we first want to know what is preventing you from reaching your weight goals. Once determined, we create an intervention plan specifically for you based on your needs and your lifestyle. Then we provide you the coaching and support to help you succeed.

If I have a medical condition will you treat it?

The Mesos Center is a medical facility, but we do not provide primary care. If you have a medical condition that requires treatment beyond the scope of our services, we will provide you with appropriate medical referrals and work closely with your primary care physician to coordinate your care.

Do I have to buy pills or special foods?

No. Our programs are based on eliminating the cause of weight loss resistance, not just treating its symptoms.

Are the customized programs difficult to follow?

At the Mesos Center we know you live in the real world and that most people lead hectic lives. Our goal is work with you to create a plan that you can live with; one that takes into consideration your personal preferences and the demands of your life.

Are food allergies and sensitivities the same?

No. An allergy involves an immune system reaction, a sensitivity can affect any system in the body including the neurological system. That's why food sensitivities are related to so many ailments.

Can food sensitivities cause Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)?

Yes. Irritable bowel syndrome that includes diarrhea is often related to food sensitivities. Many patients see a significant reduction or elimination of IBS symptoms when the foods they are sensitive to are removed from the diet.

I get migraine headaches. Can changing my diet help?

Migraine headaches can be triggered by many things including food sensitivities. As is the case with IBS, once trigger foods are removed from the diet many people see significant improvement. They tend to experience less frequent or less severe headaches. In some people migraines are eliminated.

Do food sensitivities and allergies tend to run in families?

Yes. If there is a history of food allergies in your family, you are more likely to develop food allergies or sensitivities. However, food sensitivities can occur in anyone, even those with no family history of allergies.

How do I know if I have food sensitivities?

In the past the only way to determine if you had a food sensitivity was to follow a long and tedious elimination diet. Today, the Mesos Center utilizes state of the art blood testing that is simple, accurate and provides the answers you need quickly.

If I do have food sensitivities, what can I do?

Based on the results of your testing, the Mesos Center healthcare team will create a program specifically tailored to meet your dietary needs. Initially the program will eliminate offending foods from your diet. Because food sensitivities can change over time we will also work with you to reintroduce foods back into your diet when appropriate.

What is celiac disease?

Celiac disease is an intolerance to gluten, a protein found in wheat, rye, and barley. If you have celiac disease, eating foods that contain gluten can damage the lining of your small intestines. This damage can limit your body's ability to absorb nutrients leading to nutritional deficiencies and disease. For example, many people with celiac disease develop iron deficiency anemia and osteoporosis because they are unable to absorb iron and calcium normally.

How do I know if I have celiac disease?

At the Mesos Center we begin by doing a complete assessment of your health, history and any symptoms you may be experiencing. If this assessment indicates that you may have celiac disease, the next step is to use serological testing (a blood test) to see if your body is reacting to gluten in your diet. If the test is positive, we will refer you to a gastroenterologist for a biopsy.

IMPORTANT NOTE: If you think you may have celiac disease, it is very important that you DO NOT remove gluten from your diet until AFTER you have been tested. Following a gluten-free diet prior to testing can result in a misdiagnosis.

What are the treatment options for celiac disease?

The only treatment for celiac is life-long adherence to a gluten-free diet.

If I have celiac disease is eliminating baked goods and pasta from my diet enough to get the disease under control?

No, gluten is found in many other foods and even a small amount of gluten can keep your intestines from healing.

What happens if celiac disease is not treated?

Left untreated, people who have celiac disease are more likely to develop early bone disease, other autoimmune diseases like arthritis, infertility and cancer, especially intestinal lymphoma. Celiacs are more likely to be afflicted with problems relating to malabsorption, including osteoporosis, tooth enamel defects, central and peripheral nervous system disease, pancreatic disease, internal hemorrhaging, organ disorders and gynecological disorders. Some researchers are convinced that gluten intolerance can impact mental functioning in some individuals and cause or aggravate autism, Asperger's syndrome, attention deficit disorder (ADD), and schizophrenia. Many celiacs also develop additional food sensitivities and intolerances, especially lactose intolerance.

If I don't have any gastrointestinal symptoms can I still have celiac disease?

Yes. Gastrointestinal symptoms are common, but according to some estimates as many as 50% of all celiacs have no GI symptoms at all. In fact, for many the only symptom is anemia.

Who should be tested for celiac disease?

At the Mesos Center, we screen patients for a long list of symptoms that may indicate celiac disease. Only if there is sufficient evidence to suspect celiac do we recommend the serological testing. Because celiac disease is genetic, you should consider testing if your parents, children or siblings suffer from celiac disease. Even if you are not symptomatic at this time, a genetic test will tell you whether or not you are at risk for developing celiac disease in the future.

Are some people more likely to get celiac disease?

Yes. Only those people who carry the gene for celiac can actually develop the disease. However, even those who do not carry the gene for celiac can suffer from a wheat allergy or gluten sensitivity. The disease is more prevalent in women, but can affect men as well. It can begin at any age from infancy, when cereal and grains are introduced into the diet, to the senior years. In adults who carry the gene, celiac often develops following a physically or emotionally stressful event, especially pregnancy.

Does the Mesos Center offer wellness programs?

Yes. The Mesos Center healthcare team believes that prevention is better than cure. We offer wellness coaching and educational programs to help you live the longest, healthiest life possible.

Do you offer counseling for heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes?

Yes. Proper nutrition is critical to the treatment of heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes. In many cases lifestyle changes can reduce or eliminate the need for medications in managing these conditions. The Mesos Center offers individualized counseling as well as ongoing educational programs to assist you.

Who will I be working with at the Mesos Center?

Our healthcare team includes physicians, physician's assistants, registered dietitians and medical assistance. Most programs also include the opportunity to work with an exercise physiologist.

Do you accept insurance?

The Mesos Center does not accept insurance, however most healthcare plans will provide coverage for some or all of our services. We will provide you with the necessary paperwork to submit to your insurance company for reimbursement. Our services do qualify as tax deductible medical expenses.