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We have a cucumber yogurt which is fantastic. We also have an olive pesto, and were also doing a Caprese,   said Laura Jakobsen, a senior vice president of marketing and design, at Pinkberry.  Since Greek yogurt is usually mixed with fruit and honey choosing savory tasting vegetables is a choice nutritionists are cheering about. According to nutritionist ,Greek yogurt takes away the whey which gives it that rich creamy thickness, and it is almost always lower in sugar and in carbohydrates. It also tends to be very high in protein. In some instances it may have as much protein as a serving of meat or fish which is about 12 to 18 grams. It is important that people avoid too much honey or adding fattening things like chocolate chips. This could counteract the low-fat nutritional benefits. Dr. Kim encourages patients to eat healthy and exercise especially following body contouring procedures like abdominoplasty or liposuction. It is not true that patients cannot gain weight following liposuction or abdominoplasty procedures. Although the fat is permanently removed, patients do have remaining fat cells that can be overpowered and result in weight gain. Although it is likely that the weight gain will be proportionate to the new body contour, for most patients it is not favorable to gain weight after investing in body contouring procedures. Healthy diet and regular exercise is the best insurance that patient results will last a lifetime.

Sugar can be one of the greatest contributors to weight gain. Reducing the sugar in your diet according to recent article could be easier than we think. According to the article the average American takes in 22 teaspoons of added sugar every single day; this equates to about 355 calories which equals about 70 pounds of sugar every year. Besides weight gain, sugar also causes many other health problems. There are ways to reduce sugar without compromising taste. According to dietary experts most of us take in 3 to 4 times the recommended amount of sugar on a daily basis. The American Heart Association recommends that women get no more than six added teaspoons of sugar and men should get no more than nine added teaspoons. Research has proven that too much added sugar in the diet can contribute to heart disease, diabetes, obesity, as well as cancer. There are choices that we can make to substitute sugar that are fairly easy. For example, choosing shredded wheat over frosted wheat cereal saves 2 teaspoons. Choosing a honey and yogurt combo can be a sweet treat, or plain Greek yogurt with blueberries is an excellent choice also. The most important thing is to look at labels and not marketing slogans. Dr. Kim empathizes with his patients who were trying to maintain a healthy diet. He explains that unexplained weight gain or increased fat could be due to hormonal changes especially as women and men age. It is important to make proactive decisions concerning increased weight early before it is out of control. For some patients liposuction is an excellent option for removing fat cells that tend to form on the abdomen. Dr. Kim has the talent of an artist combined with the skill of an ASPS plastic surgeon. This benefits patients by creating natural looking beautiful results.

Having the perfect nose may not seem like a big deal to most people, but if you do not like your nose and profile it can be a something that you look at every time you see a picture of yourself or look in the mirror. For many patients the idea of having rhinoplasty or what some call a nose job is a a way to have the type of nose they desire. For patients who are considering rhinoplasty is important that they are able to communicate what they consider to be their perfect nose. Dr. Kim is careful to explain that while there is no such thing as a perfect nose, in many cases he can help to enhance the shape and contour of a patients nose. Patients need to communicate to Dr. Kim not only what they dont like about their nose, but also what they would like to see as a change in the shape and contour of their nose. It is important that patients describe not only the overall shape of their nose in the changes they would like to see, but also the shape and position of the nostrils. It is also important that they communicate what they like or dislike about their profile and overall shape of their face as it relates to their nose. As an artist and plastic surgeon Dr. Kim explains that rhinoplasty surgery is often combined with chin augmentation using a chin implant. For some patients this not only helps to improve their profile but also it enhances the shape of the nose as it relates to the face. Dr. Kim further explains that while rhinoplasty surgery focuses on the nose alone it is important to take into consideration how the rhinoplasty surgery will affect the look of the entire face. Patients who are considering rhinoplasty are encouraged to schedule a consultation with Dr. Kim.

Nobody likes to be in pain. Pain medication can have side effects that are a concern for patients. According to a recent news story there are some supplements that claim to help ease pain. According to the article there are anti-inflammatory plants and herbs. They are believed to work the same way as NSAIDs so therefore they can create some of the same risk including bleeding and upset stomach. However the side effects are considered to be less severe than taking NSAIDs. People who are taking the medications for blood thinning are strongly cautioned to check with their primary care physician before using any pain managing supplements. Vitamin D is one of the supplements that claims to help with chronic pain. Gluclosomine sulfate is believed to help with arthritic pain. It is also believed to slow the progression of osteoarthritis. Acetyl-L-carnitine is known to ease nerve pain. This pain supplement also claims to repair damaged nerves and over time help nerves regain sensitivity. Bromelain is known to reduce both information as well as paint. It is not certain how it is absorbed into the digestive system and more research will need to be done. Dr. Kim explains to patients that while pain and discomfort is part of most plastic surgery procedures patients do very well with the recovery process. Patients who are having breast augmentation or abdominoplasty are more likely to experience greater degrees of pain and discomfort. Dr. Kim has an empathetic approach and it is his goal to help patients through the recovery  with minimal pain and discomfort. In most cases prescription pain medication is written for patients and Dr. Kim listens carefully to his patients to determine the best way to minimize pain for each patient. Patients are not advised to take any supplements that are not approved by Dr. Kim in combination with their prescription pain medications

As we age a new CDC report says that older adults in the US tend to have more than one chronic condition. According to recent KTLA report hypertension or high blood pressure along with diabetes is the most common combination for people 45 to 64. People 65 or older are more likely to have hypertension along with heart disease. Hypertension and cancer are the third most common for both age groups. According to the CDC report 21% of people aged 45 to 64 are diagnosed with a minimum of two chronic conditions. By the time they are 65, the percentage jumps to 45%. The good news is were more health-aware, so were going to doctors and getting diagnosed, said Virginia Freid, health statistician for the CDC and co-author of the study. And more people are surviving heart disease and cancer, so theyre more often on our lists of diagnoses. Researchers found that the biggest cause between the top diseases was obesity. Researchers reiterated that obesity causes many of the conditions that are found in people over 45. Dr. Kim treats both men and women who are over 45 and are considering plastic surgery. Patients who are committed to maintaining their best appearance as they age tend to be healthier individuals overall. For instance, many patients who are unhappy with the signs of aging on their face and are considering facial rejuvenation including facelift, brow lift, or blepharoplasty are in excellent health and want to look as good as they feel. Patients who make the investment in their appearance, especially over a number of years, are much more likely to do everything in their power to maintain their results. Dr. Kim encourages patients to embrace plastic surgery procedures as part of their overall commitment to a healthy lifestyle.

Yoga is a popular form of fitness especially in Southern California. Thanks to the popularity a paddle boarding a new trend has emerged. According to recent ABC news story the new trend involves the combination of yoga, paddle boarding, and water. It is affectionately called “YogAqua”. Yoga instructor swear by the fact that the poses in yoga work perfectly on paddleboard and putting them in the water just makes it more fun. YogAqua creator Sarah Tiefenthaler first learned stand up paddling after yoga instruction seminar in Costa Rica and then creatively combine the two bringing it Southern California. Learning to perform YogAqua is not easy but instructors claim that all poses are taught very slowly with detailed instruction. The poses are not mandatory and each longboard is equipped with a mat that is attached, an anchor and lifejacket. Yoga is excellent for strengthening the core and for most participants the goal is to not only achieve a more lean and svelte figure, but also to create a flatter and more pleasing waistline. Dr. Kim advises patients who desire a flatter more aesthetically pleasing waistline to consider liposuction. As an artist ,as well as skilled plastic surgeon Dr. Kim has the ability to sculpt and shape the abdominal area. He carefully addresses both the upper abdomen as well as the lower abdomen. To create a better waistline, he will typically include liposuction of the love handles and lower back as well. Patients who have a significant amount of loose and lax skin on the abdomen may not be candidates for liposuction alone. For these patients Dr. Kim will typically recommend an abdominoplasty in combination with liposuction. Patients are encouraged to continue proper exercise and maintain a healthy diet to ensure long lasting results.

As summer draws to a close many people begin to wear more clothing as we approach cooler months. For some people the fall and winter shopping experience is not based on what they would like to buy, but rather on what they can buy to camouflage certain areas they do not like on their body. For many women and men, one of these areas is the neck. Dr Kim explains to patients that while fashion may make us feel better when we select clothing, it can be very stressful if a patient is unhappy about their appearance. For example patients who are unhappy with loose and lax skin on their neck may choose to wear a turtleneck or avoid shirts and blouses with low necklines. While this may postpone the choice of a facelift most patients who choose cosmetic surgery are happy to get rid of turtlenecks and begin wearing blouses and shirts that show their beautiful new neck line. Another clothing choice for some includes padded push-up bras. The goal is to create the appearance of cleavage and a fuller bust line. The truth is in most cases the bra is visible and it seen easily when a woman is wearing a padded push-up bra. Contrastingly, patients who choose breast augmentation using breast implants and or a breast lift often tell Dr. Kim that they will never wear an uncomfortable padded bra ever again after surgery. Cosmetic surgery is a solution for most patients that will allow them to no longer choose clothing that is designed to camouflage what they would rather show off!

Breast augmentation is a top procedure performed across the country. Many women had their first breast augmentation over 10 years ago and wonder if it makes sense to consider a reoperation. Dr. Kim consults with patients who are curious as to whether or not a new surgery will be needed. While the decision to have breast augmentation surgery and exchange the original breast implants should not be taken lightly patient should also understand that there are many reasons to consider a breast augmentation reoperation. Many women who had breast augmentation over 10 years ago were not given the choice of silicone breast implants. Many patients were given saline breast implants because the newer cohesive gel silicone breast implants were not FDA approved for implantation in the United States. Saline implants provided a nice result for most patients; however, over time there is a likelihood that due to aging not only has the skin become more loose and lax, but the saline implant may have become compromised and therefore the breast implant result is not as aesthetically pleasing as it may have been originally. Dr. Kim recommends patients consider breast implant exchange if the size or shape of their implants has changed. Also, if the feel of the implant has become firm to the touch or if there are ripples in either the cleavage line or the sides of the implant patients may want to consider exchange in the implants for the new cohesive gel implants. Breast implant exchange surgery is well tolerated by most patients. Because the breast pocket has already been created and most of the stretching has taken place in the first operation, most patients have very little downtime when having breast implant exchange surgery. Dr. Kim recommends that patients contact the office and schedule a breast implant exchange consultation if they have had their implants longer than 10 years.

Male breast reduction is a plastic surgery procedure that is rarely discussed. Most men who have the procedure performed are embarrassed even though they are thrilled with the results after surgery. Gynecomastia or excessive male breast tissue can begin to form for men during the pubescent stage. Although it can be magnified by obesity, it can occur in men of normal weight. Often men will try to compensate by lifting weights. Unfortunately, building the muscle behind the breast tissue usually makes the breast tissue even more pronounced. Dr. Kim explains to his male patients that gynecomastia surgery is a rather straightforward procedure that removes breast tissue as well as excess fat from the chest area. It is important that patients are educated concerning the difference between liposuction of the chest and true gynecomastia surgery. Liposuction of the chest will only remove fat. It is not a procedure that will remove breast tissue. Men who choose only liposuction of the chest if breast tissue is present are often dissatisfied with the results. The result is usually a lumpy and uneven appearance that can be just as embarrassing as the chest was with excessive breast tissue. Patients who have excessive breast tissue may need additional incisions strategically placed to take care of loose and lax skin that is excessive. As an artist, as well as a skilled plastic surgeon, Dr. Kim is not only able to anticipate when  additional incisions will be needed, but is also experienced in assuring that the incisions will be well hidden. Gynecomastia surgery is a procedure that enjoys an extremely high satisfaction rate. Most men tell Dr. Kim that after surgery they are able to go shirtless or wear fitted shirts that they would never have considered previously. Male patients or their significant others are encouraged to contact Dr. Kims office and schedule a consultation to consider gynecomastia surgery.

Technology for the removal of fat continues to evolve. There is a new meathod that is considered to be one of the newest available for patients. According to a recent online article there is a new alternative to liposuction that claims to be as effective as the traditional liposuction without the invasive method and extended downtime following surgery. The new method is marketed as AquaShape. According to the article the device is precisely controlled with an FDA cleared and patented process that makes it possible to remove fat cells permanently. The theory behind this new technology is that it uses the power of the flow of water to dislodge and then remove fat. With the pulsating action of a controlled spray of water the fat cells are separated from the surrounding normal tissues and then removed from the body permanently. The jet wand filled with water is placed under the surface through a small incision in the skin. The movement of the wand is intended to be gentle and delicate. Since the water has already freed the stubborn fat no energy is needed to remove the fat from the body. In theory less trauma to the body means less swelling, bruising, and a quicker recovery. This is not the first method to promise minimal downtime and less bruising and swelling. The concern with many of the other methods is that the results are not dramatic enough to justify the investment that will still be required for any surgical procedure performed by a medical doctor. Patients should do their research before investing in new liposuction methods, even if they are FDA cleared. Dr. Kim encourages patients to consult with him concerning liposuction to determine which methods will actually help them achieve the results that they desire.