Virtual Gastric Band - Managing Your Weight with Your Mind

In the VGB procedure a gastric band is "fitted" effectively in the mind by way of hypnotic suggestion as opposed to being implanted around the stomach during an operation. The patient convinced a gastric band has been fitted into their body removes the need for expensive surgery. It also removes the worry over pain and discomfort as well as the potential side effects that accompany the gastric band surgical procedure.

Virtual Gastric Band therapy makes use of the concept of a gastric band that is fitted in a mental sense to help to reduce the portion sizes that the individual consumes. The average number of sessions required for this therapy is four to six. The sessions incorporate a variety of treatment techniques. Besides hypnosis they involve NLP (neuro-linguistic programming) and behavior therapy. These techniques are used in conjunction with the hypnosis to encourage the patient to rethink how they view food and eating in general.

The cost of the hypnosis procedure is significantly less than gastric band surgery, and it is safer and there is no recovery time. The sessions after the "fitting of the gastric band" educate the patient about food in a manner that'll improve their health and not hinder it. It discourages the idea of dieting to drop pounds.

What VGB therapy does in effect is introduce a new mindset about the individual's relationship with food. It emphasizes a permanent change of eating habits that support a healthy lifestyle. Not only will this benefit the person in losing weight, but in maintaining their ideal weight. This can also lead to higher self-esteem and a more uplifting self-image. From this a greater level of self-confidence can emerge.

The virtual gastric band procedure stems from some pioneering work performed by Martin and Marion Shirran. It came about as a result of a conversation with a patient. The patient asked her therapist, "Why can't you just hypnotize me into believing that I have been fitted with a gastric band?" From there the idea took root in the mind of the two hypnotherapists in Europe. The product, the gastric mind band (GmB) has been trademarked and is available through the Elite Clinics of Spain. What started with a suggestion in a conversation has grown in success and popularity very quickly.

The rate of success reported by these hypnotherapists has been over 74 percent. Over 400 patients have been treated at the Elite Clinic in the past four years. Due to the success they have evidenced in Europe they have plans to offer their unique brand of weight loss hypnotherapy in New York City in the upcoming months.

But that is only the beginning. The virtual gastric brand is very similar in nature to the gastric mind bandTM. It was the creation of a hypnotherapist in the United Kingdom by the name of Sheila Granger. Both products are used for the same purpose. Hypnosis is used to convince the subconscious mind that the individual has been operated on and that a gastric band has been placed around the stomach.

The installation of the gastric band by hypnotherapists can be very real for the patient. Hospital sounds and smells are used during the first session to simulate a hospital environment. Though the sensations, thoughts and feelings about the operation are all very real, the surgery is not.

Following the sessions the person is very aware when their stomach is full. They feel the gastric band tightening around their stomach. The mind is that strong that the hypnotic suggestions remain in place. The surgery has been a success because the hypnosis has helped the person to take control of their eating habits. The feeling of fullness occurs every time the individual sits down to a meal. Sheila Granger has reported a success rate of 95 percent with her creation of the virtual gastric band.

While gastric band surgery is meant for those who are overweight, obese or morbidly obese, the virtual gastric band procedure can be used both to replace the surgery, but can also be used by those who've struggled in the past to lose weight. However it's not meant for people wishing to drop a few pounds just to look better.

Individuals, who have tried every diet program, every diet pill, shake or exercise program available to them who are still plagued by a body with an excessive amount of pounds are eligible candidates for this type of virtual "surgery." Most people who open themselves up to the concept of gastric band hypnosis do very well with it and are very happy with the results achieved.

To use an example, one patient of the treatment therapy was instructed to picture her stomach being no larger than a golf ball. This knowledge helped her to gain control over her eating habits. Four months after she had the therapy she went from being a size 22 to a size 14.

The virtual gastric band is a safe procedures and quick procedure and not invasive at all. No drugs are used and there isn't pain and no need to take any time off from work to heal. There are no risks to the patient's health because the actual surgery does not take place. There are no known side effects or complications. For those who feel nervous at the idea of having a surgical procedure this therapy is an alternative treatment worth learning more about.

The virtual gastric band is an hypnosis treatment therapy to make a patient believe a gastric band has been fitted around their stomach. This helps lead to a feeling of satiety and therefore reduces the food they consume. This type of pseudo hypnotic surgery is an excellent alternative to the real gastric band surgery for the overweight or obese individual with major health concerns, or for those who have tried every diet in the past but only to gain it all back.

This is no magic pill. It can't work for everybody but for those who are one-step away from discussing weight loss surgery this offers an alternative. Many hypnotherapists are running studies to confirm the results themselves. And this will provide more data and validation of the results, especially those that aim to follow study participants over longer term.

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