A Gastric Band is a weight loss surgery procedure where an inflatable ring is placed around the upper part of the stomach thus creating a small pouch which has a small opening leading to the rest of the stomach. Once a gastric band has been fitted, this restriction in your stomach controls the amount of food required to fill you up and the speed at which food passes from the pouch to your stomach.

Whilst this is a very popular procedure, it is not without danger.

A recent study by Dutch doctors has found the success rate for surgical gastric bands might be so low it calls into question whether the operation is worth doing. The study's lead researcher, Dr Edo Aarts told the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery conference that ' this is not the final answer most of the time.'

The Dutch study found that five years after surgery, a third of patients failed to lose significant weight. After ten years, two-thirds were around their original size and as a result of complications, a third of patients needed the operation re-done after five years, and half needed this at ten years.

Other research highlights other long term problems including thinning of bones leading to fractures, anaemia, kidney stones and psychological problems even suicide.

What is a hypno gastric band?

Gastric Band Hypnosis is a procedure that can help people to lose weight without the dangers of surgery.

The therapy consists of two approaches:

1). Identifying and addressing root causes of emotional eating: This has to be done first and involves the client, whilst in hypnosis, remembering previously forgotten memories from before they were six years old. Some of these memories may be positive, some negative but the link between them will be an emotional attachment to food e.g. comfort, reward, protection, safety or sometimes punishment. Once the emotional issues have successfully been addressed then the Gastric Band Hypnosis treatment can take place

2). Hypno gastric band treatment: The principle of the therapy is that the client is convinced at a subconscious level that a gastric band operation has been performed. The subconscious mind therefore believes that there has been a major reduction in stomach capacity and the body therefore responds differently to hunger and the amount of food that can be eaten, resulting in feeling fuller and quicker. As well as a reduction in the quantity of food that can be eaten, a change in the type of food takes place with the individual far happier eating 'lighter' foods rather than heavy meals.

The therapy itself simulates the actual gastric band surgical procedure and great care is taken to accurately represent the technical aspects of the surgery including replicating smells and sounds of an real operating theatre.

David Samson's work with Gastric Band Hypnosis is featured in OK Magazine