Pacholec Center for Weight Loss & Anti-Aging Medicine has come a long way over the years! What started out as a small weight loss practice has grown over the years to now include anti-aging medicine, hormone therapy, holistic support for gastrointestinal diseases, IV vitamin therapy and aesthetic medicine in addition to our weight loss services. With so many different types of products and services now available, our staff and providers are happy to provide our clients with this list of our favorite things in 2021! Each team member was asked to pick their #1 favorite product and service and give a brief description for why each was their favorite. See below for their answers! All products and services are available in both the St Petersburg, FL and Lutz, FL locations for Pacholec Center for Weight Loss & Anti-Aging Medicine. 

Jeskya V., Favorite Products: "It was difficult to pick just one product! I love Vitamin D3 because it helps improve immune function, protects against cancer and prevents breakdown of bone tissue. It is also a small capsule that I can incorporate into my daily routine easily and it is inexpensive; under $25 for a 90-day supply! My favorite skin product is Retinol Complex 1.0, by SkinMedica. I have had issues with blemishes and pigmentation my whole life and since I started using Retinol Complex, many of my issues have disappeared and my skin is glowing and smooth. This is an easy to apply cream you incorporate into your bedtime skincare routine. Don't forget to moisturize and wear sunscreen with any Retinoid product!"  
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Jesyka V., Favorite Service: "My favorite service is the fat-burning injections and B12 shots we provide as part of our weight loss and anti-aging programs. These shots are full of B vitamins and amino acids which help burn fat, detoxify the liver, decrease inflammation and increase energy. They are given weekly and patients may notice effects right away or they may notice improvements over time. Everyone is different and has a unique response to the injections, so we normally recommend purchasing one of our affordable monthly packages to give it a try for 30-days and see how you respond!"

Kelly S. Favorite Products: "I found it hard to choose just 1 product! My favorite anti-aging and weight loss product is OptiCleanse by Xymogen. This product is a functional food protein shake which you mix with milk, water or in a smoothie to use as a meal replacement if you are trying to lose weight or as a vitamin supplement if you do not like taking a million different capsules. It is packed full of protein, vitamins, minerals and amino acids to assist in liver detoxification, decrease inflammation and help your body more effectively burn fat. It also tastes great and comes in two flavors - chocolate and vanilla. Skinaide Collagen is an amazing supplement that you drink daily. It improves collagen production from the inside out, targeting the dermal layer of the skin specifically. After a 90-day course of treatment, you will notice a significant reduction in fine lines, wrinkles and even cellulite! It works best in combination with our aesthetic procedures, such as Plasma Pen Skin Tightening, Sculptra filler and MINT thread-lifts."
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Kelly S. Favorite Service: "My favorite service we offer is peptide therapy. The field of peptide therapy is amazing and there are many different peptides to help with weight loss, aesthetics, gut health, immune function and brain health! One of my favorite peptide therapies is Sermorelin Glycinate, which is a sub-cutaneous injection that assists with weight loss, memory, muscle mass and increases human growth hormone (HGH) production. I tried it for a month and lost 8 lbs without any additional diet or exercise!" 

Taimi G. Favorite Products: "I love SkinMedica products because these products truly work for me and keep my skin looking fresh and young! You are never too young or too old to start a good skincare routine. My favorite products are the Uplifting Eye Serum and the TNS Advanced Serum, which both hydrate the skin and target fine lines and wrinkles. My goal is to age gracefully and so far, I am loving it! I also use a small amount of Botox periodically which not only helps me maintain a younger look but improves my migraines significantly!"

Taimi G. Favorite Services: "I have been a big fan of IV therapy since we introduced it a few years ago. I love the Beautify Blend which hydrates the skin, boosts immunity and improves my energy levels. My hair and nails have never looked shinier or been stronger! This is a great service to use in combination with some of our other aesthetic procedures to help improve beauty from the inside out."

Joel G. Favorite Products: " I love getting Botox occasionally as it helps assist in the aging process and helps me boost my confidence when I notice my deep lines disappear. I am happy I am starting Botox at an early age as it helps to prevent my lines from getting any worse!"

Joel G. Favorite Services: "Two of my absolute favorite products are IV therapy and Botox. Since I began with IV therapy a few years ago, I haven't found any better treatments for keeping energized, boosting my immune system, and feeling refreshed. IV vitamin therapy can also assist with weight loss, and I have noticed many of our patients achieve their weight loss goals faster when they get an Energy Boost IV once or twice a month. You can do the IVs in combination with fat burning injections and appetite suppressants for optimal results!"

Lauren D. Favorite Products: "My favorite products are Botox and our Anti-Wrinkle Peptide Cream. I love helping patients age gracefully while achieving natural looking results with this powerful neurotoxin. Results last 3-6 months depending on your skin and lifestyle factors. Our Anti-Wrinkle Peptide Cream is a combination of three different peptides to help combat lines and wrinkles topically! We lovingly refer to it as "Botox in a Bottle." When used in combination with Botox or Dysport it will help extend the results of these treatments, making lines and wrinkles less visible over time."

Lauren D. Favorite Services: "I enjoy using functional medicine to treat our patients and address underlying health issues. One of my favorite tools to use is peptide therapy, which is a safe and effective way to address auto-immune issues by upregulating certain components of the immune system. My favorite peptides to use are Thymosin-Alpha 1 and BPC-157. Thymosin-Alpha upregulates T cell function, which helps improve immunity against colds and flus and BPC-157 combats gastrointestinal disorders, such as leaky gut syndrome, IBS and Chron's Disease." 

Dr. Williams Favorite Products & Services: "I love combining VI Peel and Botox. VI Peel is a non-invasive way to renew my skin. A huge perk associated with this treatment is that it offers little to no skin discomfort with the results being fresh, healthy and vibrant skin! I love that I can get my Botox treatment the same day too! Botox is perfect for minimizing the lines I have (shh...don't tell!) and preventing new lines from forming. Prevention is key and Botox is the answer!"

Dr. Pacholec Favorite Product: "I love our new skin tightening device, Plasma Pen! Some of you may remember, I had my upper lip done in a LIVE demo over Zoom by Dr. Williams. She is a true artist! The procedure was not too painful (we have a two-step numbing process) and I could see results after just 1 week of downtime. Optimal results will occur at 12 weeks post-treatment, but this photo is after just one month! You can see my upper lip lines have almost disappeared!"

Dr Pacholec Favorite Service: "One of my favorite things about being a functional medicine doctor is helping people get to the root cause of illness. For many, this means determining cellular nutritional deficiencies which can impede weight loss success, contribute to thyroid and adrenal problems, lower immunity and even contribute to cancer risk. We have an amazing test developed by ALCAT Sciences to help determine your nutritional deficiency status for over 50 different types of vitamins, amino-acids and minerals. Results take about a week to come back and come with an e-book that is accessible on the patient portal and gives tons of detailed information on how you can improve your nutritional profile. It is one of the most useful tests we do at Pacholec Center for Weight Loss & Anti-Aging Medicine!"

Some of these products you can purchase on our Online Store or in office at your next visit. If you have any questions or wish to schedule your next visit or a FREE 15-minute consultation for new patients, please give Pacholec Center for Weight Loss & Anti-Aging Medicine a call!

Our providers at Pacholec Center for Weight Loss are excited to offer our new Detox Program just in time for the New Year! 2020 left many of us feeling sluggish, depressed, unmotivated and a couple (maybe more) pounds heavier. Let's start 2021 on a more positive note with clinically proven ways to improve energy, mental clarity, weight loss success and reduce fatigue and inflammation with a research-backed detox program! Pacholec Center for Weight Loss is excited to offer our Detox Program at an introductory discount for the month of January ONLY! Read below to find out how our detox program can benefit you and help you reach your weight loss and wellness goals quickly and efficiently! 

The Detox Program offered at Pacholec Center for Weight Loss combines holistic treatments to support comprehensive phase 1 and phase 2 liver detoxification, support regular elimination, good digestion, and improve antioxidant protection. A 6-Day Detox Kit, manufactured by one of our favorite pharmaceutical-grade supplement manufacturers, Xymogen, is included to start off the month-long detox program. The supplements included in this kit include Opticleanse for liver detoxification and antioxidant protection, ColonX for supportive elimination of toxins and waste, ProbioMax DF for probiotic support to eliminate toxins, improve gut health and digestion and Drainage, which is a combination of homeopathic remedies to support elimination of toxins and reduce toxicity and inflammation within the body. 

The program also includes weekly lipotropic MIC injections to further assist in liver detoxification, fat burning and energy stimulation. The lipotropic MIC injections offered at Pacholec Center for Weight Loss are a combination of B vitamins and amino acids clinically proven to improve weight loss and detoxification success. Patients exhibit the most success when they receive these injections on a weekly basis in combination with exercise, diet and supplementation. 

To further enhance our patient's success on the Detox Program, our providers at Pacholec Center for Weight Loss have also included 2 Myer's Cocktail IV infusions with 1 Glutathione infusion for optimal detoxification support. The Myer's Cocktail infusions should be administered bi-weekly and the glutathione infusion is only recommended on a monthly basis. Myer's Cocktail and Glutathione work synergistically to detoxify the liver, reduce inflammation, improve fat burning and weight loss success, reduce memory loss and improve attentiveness among a suite of other benefits. 

The Detox Program offered at Pacholec Center for Weight Loss is a great way to achieve your weight loss and wellness goals effectively and quickly in 2021! While we can't promise 2021 will be "the best year yet", this program will definitely give you the tools to set good intentions, stay motivated and purge all the toxicity that 2020 threw at us over 12 long months. Open a new chapter in 2021 with energy, mental clarity and positivity by joining our month-long Detox Program at an introductory price! Call one of our clinics below for more information or to schedule your next appointment!

Beneficial Bacteria
Beneficial bacteria and a diverse and healthy diet are two of the main contributors for promoting weight loss and sustaining a healthy weight. Both human and animal studies have found that people with a normal or healthy weight have significantly different gut bacteria species and diversity than overweight or obese people. Obese people have a less diverse gut flora, which adds to the argument that a more diverse diet leads to a more diverse gut flora.

There are two main families of good bacteria in the gut: bacteroidetes and firmicutes. Research has shown that body weight seems to be related to a balance in the ratio of these bacterial families. In these studies, people suffering from obesity had more firmicutes and fewer bacteroidetes, compared to people of a normal weight. Dr. Pacholec offers a Gut Health Consultation at both her St. Petersburg, FL and Lutz, FL locations in which she performs specialized testing to assess this ratio of these bacteria. The results of this analysis will help her customize a medical weight loss plan to help get the ratio back into normal parameters. This will help her patient not only lose weight, but sustain a healthy weight down the road.

Lactobacillus is another important bacterial genus which has been shown to inhibit the absorption of dietary fat and increases the amount of fat excreted with feces. Consumption of Lactobacillus in a pharmaceutical grade supplement has also been associated with a decrease in belly fat. The species of Lactobacillus that seems to have the greatest effect on weight loss is Lactobacillus gasseri, which has been shown to prevent obesity in studies with laboratory rodents. In a Japanese study of 210 overweight people suffering from belly fat, the researchers provided a probiotic for 12 weeks. Participants who took the supplement for the full 12 week period had reduced body weight, reduced fat around their organs, a reduced Body Mass Index (BMI) and decreased waist and hip circumference. Participants who stopped taking the probiotic gained back all of their belly fat within a month. The specialized testing that Dr. Pacholec uses at both her St Petersburg, FL and Lutz, FL locations also analyzes the presence of Lactobacillus in a patient's gut, which helps her create a customized medical weight loss plan, specific for that patient.

Probiotics may also regulate proteins and hormones associated with fat storage and energy reserves.

• Release of GLP-1: Probiotics may help release the satiety (appetite-reducing) hormone, GLP-1. Increased levels of this hormone may help you burn calories and fat.
• Increase of ANGPTL-4: This protein can help decrease fat storage and probiotics have been shown to help increase levels of this protein.

The Western Diet
The Westernized lifestyle, including diet is associated with high incidences of chronic diseases, such as obesity, cardiovascular disease and type II diabetes. The Westernized diet is characterized by the over consumption of highly refined, omnivorous diets of poor nutritional quality. They are energy dense, high in animal protein, total and saturated fats and simple sugars, but low in fruits, vegetables and other plant-based foods. This type of diet leads to poor diversity in the composition of the gut bacteria. The gut bacterial population is responsive to acute dietary changes, so altering a diet low in nutritional quality to a more diverse plant-based diet can help revitalize the gut bacteria and lead to better health in the short-term.

Probiotic Rich Foods
In addition to a high quality, pharmaceutical grade probiotic supplement, Dr. Pacholec recommends her patients to eat probiotic rich foods to aid in medical weight loss and increase the health of their gut microbiome. Fermented and pickled foods are rich in probiotics and digestive enzymes, so they promote better absorption of nutrients and help balance the gut microbiome. A list of Dr. Pacholec's favorite probiotic rich foods is below:

• Keffir
• Sauerkraut and kimchi (fermented vegetables)
• Kombucha
• Coconut keffir (for vegans)
• Yogurt (preferably Greek yogurt from grass-fed cows)
• Raw cheese
• Apple Cider Vinegar

Schedule a Gut Health Consultation with Dr. Pacholec at either her St Petersburg, FL or Lutz, FL locations for your next appointment to discuss other ways in which you can increase the health of your GI system. A healthy, balanced diet has many more benefits than just losing weight!

Your “Gut Health” plays a significant role in many health conditions such as:

• Chronic Fatigue
• Obesity/Stubborn Weight Loss
• Skin conditions like rosacea, eczema, and acne
• Joint pain
• Thyroid disease, such as Hashimoto’s
• Auto-Immune disease
• Chronic Inflammation

In a healthy gastrointestinal system, the intestinal lining is semi-permeable, allowing small nutrients and beneficial organisms to pass from the bloodstream to the other organ systems of the body.
In patients with leaky gut syndrome, the permeability of the intestinal lining is increased, forming larger “holes” which allow for large proteins like gluten, chemical waste and harmful bacteria to pass into the bloodstream, therapy eliciting inflammation; foreign body reactions and many chronic health issues.

Some physical signs that you may have leaky gut syndrome are:

1. Bloating or gas after meals
2. Intolerance to variety of foods
3. Constipation or diarrhea
4. Chronic headaches
5. Chronic skin rashes on hands, face or extremities
6. Acne
7. Stubborn weight loss
8. General feeling of fatigue, exhaustion or sluggishness
9. Chronic Inflammation, such as arthritis

Some causes of Leaky Gut Syndrome are:

1. Poor diet: Gluten, refined or processed sugars; GMO’s and conventional pasteurized dairy products. Some people may require a gluten-free diet or dairy free diet to improve their symptoms.
2. Chronic stress: Lack of sleep and hectic lifestyle can lead to long term stress which significantly decreases your immune system and your body’s ability to fight off infection.
3. Exposure to toxins: In today’s society, we are exposed to over 80,000 different toxins. The ones most responsible for leaky gut include antibiotics, pesticides, tap water, aspirin, and anti-inflammatory meds like Motrin. *Buying a high-quality water filter can be very helpful *
4. Imbalance of beneficial bacteria:  The term: Dysbiosis equates to an imbalance between harmful and beneficial bacteria species in the gut. Lack of high-quality proteins, overuse of antibiotics and exposure to unfiltered tap water contribute to a state of dysbiosis. Taking a high-quality probiotic can help replace the necessary good bacteria in the gut.

Treatments for Leaky Gut
L-Glutamine is an amino acid which has an affinity for the cells that line the gastrointestinal tract. This is one of the most effective treatments you can use to treat and prevent leaky gut syndrome. This amino acid supports intestinal mucosal health by encouraging optimal nutrient absorption and by repairing the intestinal barrier between the mucosal lining and the bloodstream. Repairing this barrier helps to prevent “holes” or gaps from forming in the intestinal lining, which decreases the likelihood of bacteria or their byproducts from entering the bloodstream. As an additional perk, it is also beneficial for losing weight quickly, burning fat and building muscle! Because of these properties, L-Glutamine has been used for decades by body builders and gym enthusiasts. L-Glutamine can be purchased on its own, or it can be found in products like OptiCleanse, GlutaShield or GI-Revive. These products use L-glutamine along with other beneficial nutrients to offer more comprehensive support for the whole GI system. Dr. Josh Axe offers an in-depth overview of L-Glutamine on his website, which can be found here: https://draxe.com/l-glutamine-benefits-side-effects-dosage/.

The second most important supplement Dr. Pacholec recommends for treatment and prevention of leaky gut syndrome is a high quality and diverse strain of probiotic containing between 25-50 billion CFU. This will help to strengthen the integrity of the intestinal lining, nourish the cells that create the mucosal lining and decrease inflammation. Dr. Pacholec highly recommends the Ther-Biotic Complete formula from Klaire Labs which contains 25 billion CFU of 12 strains of beneficial bacteria.

Dr. Pacholec’s 3-month protocol to repair: Leaky Gut Syndrome:
Click on the links to learn more about each product!

1. OptiCleanse GHI: 2 scoops in 8-10oz of water or almond milk once a day
   
2. Klaire Labs Probiotics: 25 billion colonies/capsule: 1-2 capsules per day with breakfast and dinner.
   
3. Digestive Enzymes: Take one with each meal if you experience a lot of bloating and gas
   
4. Glutashield, L-Glutamine, OR GI Revive: Dosages vary and are listed on the nutrition labels. These products are extremely helpful to patients with irritable bowel syndrome, colitis, or chronic diarrhea. These products all differ slightly and certain products may be better for specific patients. Call the Lutz or St Petersburg office to discuss which option is best for you with Dr. Pacholec.
   

Dr. Pacholec can provide a full gastrointestinal wellness check-up when you make an appointment at either of her Lutz or St Petersburg offices. During this visit, she can provide laboratory testing to assess food allergies or intolerances, parameters of inflammation, and gut bacterial health. She will use the information gathered from this assessment along with the patient's symptoms and medical health history to create a customized treatment plan. Treating chronic illness, such as leaky gut syndrome, can help a patient burn stubborn fat and contribute to medical weight loss. It may also help regulate hormone imbalances and create an overall sense of increased well-being. So what are you waiting for? Call either the Lutz or St Petersburg office to schedule your next appointment today!

Dr. Pacholec offers integrative health management regarding many different types of gastrointestinal complaints and disorders at both her St Petersburg, FL and Lutz, FL locations. She performs specialized blood, breath and stool testing using Genova Diagnostics to diagnose and treat underlying gastrointestinal diseases such as Chron's Disease, Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO), Celiac's Disease, and Ulcerative Colitis. The testing that she utilizes can also be used to detect food sensitivities and allergies (including gluten allergies), nutritional deficiencies and markers of leaky gut syndrome. Dr. Pacholec offers a range of supplements, probiotics, detox programs, vitamins, minerals and pharmaceuticals at both her St. Petersburg, FL and Lutz, FL locations to treat these disorders once they have been properly diagnosed. These types of disorders can affect every part of the body, including the skin, adrenals, thyroid, liver, brain and may even contribute to weight gain and stubborn weight loss. Read below to learn more about one of the most common gastrointestinal complaints, leaky gut syndrome.

Gastrointestinal (GI) disorders play a significant role in health conditions such as:

• stubborn fat loss
• obesity
• fatigue
• chronic headaches/migraines
• thyroid disease
• food intolerance and gluten sensitivity
  
• autism
• auto-immune diseases
  
• skin conditions like rosacea, eczema, acne
  
• arthritis and joint pain

Leaky Gut Syndrome – What is It?
Leaky gut syndrome is one of the leading causes of GI disorders, and if left untreated, can lead to multiple auto-immune diseases including:

• Irritable Bowel Syndrome/Disease (IBS or IBD)
• Chron’s Disease
  
• Ulcerative Colitis
• Celiac’s Disease

These conditions vary slightly in symptoms and treatment, but leaky gut can be the underlying cause of them all to some degree. In a healthy GI system, the intestinal lining is semi-permeable, allowing for small nutrients and beneficial organisms to pass from the intestines to the bloodstream to deliver vital proteins, vitamins, minerals and anti-oxidants to other systems of the body. In patients with leaky gut syndrome, the permeability of the intestinal lining is increased, forming larger “holes” which allow for large proteins like gluten, chemical waste and harmful bacteria to pass into the bloodstream, thereby eliciting an immune response.

Physical signs that you may have leaky gut include food intolerances, gas or bloating, constipation or diarrhea, chronic headaches, or skin rashes, such as eczema or acne. Dr. Pacholec can look for markers of leaky gut syndrome in a patient’s advanced blood panel at either her St Petersburg, FL or Lutz, FL location, including nutrient deficiencies in vitamin B-12, zinc and iron, inflammation and an imbalance of beneficial bacteria in stool samples. Stubborn weight loss, unwanted weight gain, or a general feeling of fatigue, exhaustion or sluggishness can also indicate leaky gut. Higher concentrations of toxins in the blood contribute to higher fat storage, lower metabolism, and decreased energy output. Call either the St Petersburg, FL or Lutz, FL location today to learn more about the types of programs Dr. Pacholec offers regarding gastrointestinal health, disease diagnosis, support and treatment.