Health - WLSA

WEIGHT LOSS WARRIORS

FOR 20 YEARS, FELICITY COHEN AND HER TEAM OF HEALTH PROFESSIONALS AT WEIGHTLOSS SOLUTIONS AUSTRALIA (WLSA) HAVE PIONEERED A HOLISTIC APPROACH TO SUPPORTING CLIENTS ON THEIR PATH TO WELL-BEING.

As Felicity explains “Weight Loss or Bariatric Surgery is more than a medical procedure. It’s about addressing chronic disease and making the commitment to transform your life, turning your life around in in doing so, avoiding a range of illnesses. Morbid obesity is known significantly increase the risk of 12 known cancers, Type 2 Diabetes, high blood pressure, stroke, heart attacks and many more medical comorbidities.

“Our team extends beyond bariatric surgeons to dietitians, psychologists, nurses and support staff to assist patients on their weight loss journey. We also offer lifestyle modification programs inclusive of mindfulness and meditation, or learning how to standup paddleboard and how to cook delicious food post surgery. It’s a multifaceted approach to health.” bariatric surgery reduces the strain on the health system, effectively saving the Government many millions of dollars. “As a private business addressing the chronic disease of obesity, we are very proud of our patient community’s successes, and of our contribution to alleviating the burden on the health system.”

The next major innovation for WLSA is the introduction of the podcast “Wellness Warriors”, which will draw on the experiences and personal stories that have impacted Felicity and her business over the past two decades.

“We have so many amazing stories from the patients, allied health professionals and others and those aligned to our vision of creating better healthy outcomes for all people,” says Felicity.

“I have interviewed many of our former patients, some from 18 years ago, to share how their surgery changed their lives and influenced their families and others around them. For many, it’s a multi-generational story with huge impact on children and grandchildren.” “One of our clients has had many years of success after having gastric band surgery 18 years ago. Medical devices have advanced considerably since then, but many thousands of people enjoyed positive outcomes over many years from the band, including this client who did very well.

“At 53, she climbed the Great Wall of China. She undertook the 10km run at the Noosa Triathlon as part of the WLSA-sponsored team, running alongside her surgeon and anaesthetist. The really compelling part is that her decision to transform her life has impacted her husband, children and grandchildren as well – all of them making better choices about their own health and nutrition.”

I love helping people change their lives – not just their image and self-confidence, but also their quality of life. That's the best reward. "

Another former patient, who now works with Bravehearts the children’s charity, recounts his own journey from trauma and being overweight to making the commitment to transform his life.

“He realised his health was at risk and he came to us. Today, he helps others every day through his genuine understanding of how stress, anxiety, trauma and mental health can impact on obesity.” In another chapter, Felicity interviews celebrated Chef, Mark Normoyle who worked at the RACV Club in Melbourne for 16 years, among many other roles, and who is part of the WLSA team and provides cooking classes to patients. “Mark and I speak about food sustainability and which countries are making advances in reducing food waste. Australia is 20th in the world in terms of approach to food waste, whereas South Korea is really innovative. What can we do to improve our systems? Everything is tied into the wellbeing of our patient group.” Investing in her belief that “better communication and engagement are crucial to best manage health and wellbeing”, Felicity has established the Weight-Loss Warriors Facebook forum.

“I learn a tremendous amount from the community. It’s a significant resource. Especially at this time, when we’re all feeling uneasy and perhaps concerned about world events, connections and communication are vital.”

The Weight loss Warriors podcasts are live now:

WeightLoss Solutions Australia Suite 3 Podium Level, Lakeside 1, Bermuda Point, 1 Lake Orr Drive, Varsity Lakes Tel: 07 5598 0500 www.wlsa.com.au Facebook @WLSAust Instagram @weightlosssolutionsaustralia Twitter @wlsaust

POSITIVE PAIN RELIEF

IF YOU ARE SUFFERING FROM A CHRONIC MEDICAL CONDITION AND SEEKING AN HOLISTIC ALTERNATIVE TO RELIEVE SYMPTOMS AND PAIN, GREENHOUSE MEDICAL CLINIC CAN HELP.

Greenhouse Medical Clinic provides patients with legal access to Medical Cannabis in their Varsity Lakes clinic and via Telehealth, Australia-wide.

Doctors are trained and experienced in prescribing Medical Cannabis. Their full-service medical cannabis clinic will complete the application to the Department of Health on your behalf and will prescribe and dispense medicinal cannabis in accordance with Australian regulations regarding prescriptions and clinical advice to patients.

Greenhouse Medical Clinic is the brainchild of visionary and medical health professional Felicity Cohen and mental health facilitator and statistician, Drew Lesser.

Medical cannabis has been found to provide a multitude of treatments for ailments that have otherwise been difficult to treat with traditional medicines.

With an holistic vision and natural approach to the treatment of disease, pain and addiction; Greenhouse Medical Clinic offers a range of health and wellness treatments including dietetics, psychology, and vitamin infusions.

It certainly is exciting times ahead as the team at Greenhouse Medical Clinic undertakes specified medical cannabis research in disease prototypes such as diabetes, ADHD, PTSD and pain.

Of current interest is new research, published in January 2022 in Science. org that suggests the cannabis compound CBD might lessen the severity of COVID-19 infection and even prevent the spread of the virus.

Research showed that CBD and its metabolite 7-OH-CBD, which is a compound produced after the body processes CBD, can block SARS-Cov-2 infection at early and even later stages of infection, according to researchers, led by academics at the University of Chicago.

What the findings may mean is that cannabis-derived medicines or preparations might supplement vaccines in the struggle to end the nearly twoyear-long COVID-19 pandemic.

Get in touch with the team at Greenhouse Medical Clinic to see how they can assist in your pursuit of painfree living.

Suite 3 | Podium Level | 1 Lake Orr Drive | Varsity Lakes | Tel: 5553 5380 | greenhousemedical.com.au