Category Archives: Botox

Most doctors don’t get a Nutrition course?

Let me explain why:

But we get courses in the groundwork that explains nutrition: BIOCHEMISTRY

I was in medical school 20 years ago

I got my MD degree about 20 years ago, and we did have a fundamental course in nutrition but it wasn’t a heavy weight course as I remembered it, but important enough for me to feel that at least I could say that I’m one of the few doctors maybe?? that got a nutrition course.

Biochemistry is the mother of Nutrition

I know a lot of nutrition focused doctors around the world frequently quote that most doctors don’t get a nutrition course. That is probably true, however, it’s not the whole truth. Because, all doctors I know get several courses on BIOCHEMISTRY which is the MOTHER of Nutrition. Biochemistry is the groundwork for which helps us understand how our bodies work and how our bodies interact with nutrition. And there’s biochemistry of what happens when things go wrong like CANCER.  If nutrition were a course, it would be bundled into biochemistry. We all studied the biochemistry of humans, animals, bacteria, viruses, and plants. I think back when we were in medical school, I have a feeling that the very smart doctors who were in charge of our medical education probably felt that nutrition was somehow influenced too strongly by businesses and probably felt it wise to just teach us the basics of how to evaluate nutritional claims. Now that’s wiser than cramming down our throats some information that would change from time to time as we search for the truth. I believe that search swings like a pendulum around what is the truth or the “best practice.” So we’ll go from one wild extreme to the other and back and forth sometimes.

Smart doctor colleagues love biochemistry

Many smart doctors I know even have degrees in Biochemistry such as my wife, Dr. Tammy Wu – plastic surgeon, and Dr. Monica Wood – orthopedic hand surgeon.

As doctors and medical professionals, we should all embrace our biochemistry roots and apply it to nutrition

I have had a renewed interest in Nutrition and have had this interest for the past 7-8 years as I decided to transition myself to a vegan diet. But most of that interest comes from our skills in evaluating medical studies – which is a skill I was supposed to learn in medical school, and balancing that with the understanding and reviewing of the subject of biochemistry – which is the chemistry of life. I believe that my other physician colleagues in Modesto and in the world have similar interests especially as we come more and more to the conclusion that some of the best medicines come from nature. Even BOTOX comes from nature.

Cellular Signal Booster

I recently wrote a blog about Botox and WiFi.  What I meant from that is that Botox acts in a way which is akin to cutting off the WiFi signal.  There is no other connection between Botox and WiFi.

I really got a Cellular Signal Booster for a apparent dead zone in Modesto

But all this got me thinking about my Cellular Signal around my house.  I decided to take a plunge and get a cellular signal booster.  I got the Wilson Electronics DT4G cellular signal Booster 460101.  I’m hoping that it would add one or two bars to my reception around our house.  There appears to be certain cellular dead zones in Modesto and Del Rio, depending on the carrier.  Regardless, I figured, I could try a boost and see what this is all about.

And by cellular, I didn’t mean cells from a biological stand point; instead I mean it from a electronic cell-phone perspective.

cellular signal booster

WiFi and Cellular Signal – interchangeble when using it as part of my Botox Analogy.

I could have substituted the word WiFi for Cellular Signal in my essay trying to explain how Botox works.  Regardless, either type of “signal” works as a pretty decent, but not perfect, example of how Botox works.

Details of the Wilson Electronics Cellular Signal Booster DT4G

  • It uses 8 Watts according to the box.
  • It doesn’t work with Clearwire.
  • But boosts signals for 4G, 3G, and 2G data downloads.
  • Uses the RG6 cable – included in kit.
  • It is designed to provide boosted signal to a single room.

I also got a CyberPower Battery Backup 625 va / 375 watts (SX625G) to accompany this device

  • It has surge protection of 890 Joules.
  • Battery runtimes: 65 minutes for DVRs, 18 minutes on a 21 inch iMac desktop computer, 6 minutes with a 32 inch LCD TV with came console.

 

So far the set-up seems to work well.  Phone calls are already clearer!  I’ll probably get one for the office so that our office staff and patients can get an even better signal too.  Visit us at our Modesto Plastic Surgery and Botox office.

Where were we before Modesto, Botox and Plastic Surgery?

Before Plastic Surgery, Modesto and Botox, we spent met a wonderful retired pianist named Joan Orvis who lived next door.

There’s a lot before Modesto, Botox, and Plastic Surgery.  But today, I was reminded of Dr. Wu (Tammy’s) neighbor – while she was an undergraduate student at Brown University.

Here’s the story which I posted on FaceBook, but I share here:

My story of pianist Joan Orvis, our friend.

I want to spend a moment here to celebrate my memory of my friend pianist Joan Orvis. I met her when Tammy and I were young students at Brown University. Tammy lived off campus on Blackstone Blvd. She had a neighbor (Joan) in her apartment complex who played piano from time to time. She found out that I played violin. She introduced me to piano trio music at the highest level. I had always loved listening to piano trios, but never had the chance to play them. Her sister lived nearby and was a professional cellist. The three of us would get together regularly through my 8 years at Brown University and play trios. This was completely off the grid from Brown University. We even performed throughout Rhode Island as a trio. Some of my favorite classical music is piano trios and quartets, and all this blossomed from the time that I spent with Joan and her sister. Joan was a retired piano professor from University of Wisconsin-Platteville for nearly 30 years. I was just checking the internet to see what has happened to my friend whom I’ve lost contact with. I just found out that she passed away in 2001. My memories of that time were jogged when I saw Chee Yun’s posting about a piano quartet which I’ve always loved. I’ve shared that version on FB this morning (please see that video – it is quite worthy). In this link, the piano is played by one of Joan Orvis’ teacher (Menahem Pressler who is now 90 years old), so I share it here: http://youtu.be/W4_aE1CVr1s.

 

and for reference, here’s Chee Yun’s posting of a rehearsal in Hawaii:  http://youtu.be/V0O7egcMCHg

I have much to be thankful for.  Thank you Joan for your friendship and the wonderful music.

– Calvin Lee

 

Renee Zellweger and Plastic Surgery?

What happened to Renee Zellweger?

I’m a surgeon who does cosmetic procedures.  I guess I should try to answer this question.

Gosh, I’ve gotten a LOT of questions about Renee Zellweger and Plastic Surgery.  Probably because I work in our Modesto Plastic Surgery office: Surgical Artistry.  Most of these questions come from my Modesto Botox patients.

Renee_Zellweger_Before_After_Photo

Picture of Renne Zellweger Before and After

I am not a big TV or film follower or even a celebrity follower and thus, I didn’t really study what Renne Zellweger looked like before.  I guess she really shocked the public when she showed up in public with a different look.

It doesn’t look “fake” to me

My conclusion is that she probably had “work” done such as Botox, Fillers, brow lift, and belpharoplasty (eye lid surgery).  But much of the before and after pictures I’ve seen on the internet do show signs of aging on her face.  Most notable to me is around the eyes.  Her eyebrows are now sitting a bit lower as a result of graceful changes with age, and it looks like she has less redundancy (rolls) on her upper eye lid – perhaps she has had surgery there – just a speculation on my part – and perhaps also on the lower lid.  She doesn’t look like she has had a eye-brow lift (different from working on the upper and lower lids around the eye) – because her eyebrows would be much higher.  Some plastic surgeons include browlifting as part of facelifting.  She is 45 years old now.  If she has had any plastic surgery done, it looks to me to be tastefully done for someone in their mid 40’s.  I wouldn’t say that it’s bad plastic surgery – not at all.

Her Surgery was…?

Perhaps the only SURGERY she has had, not counting Botox and Fillers (which we love), is an upper blepharoplasty and lower blepharoplasty – if I may guess.  And I think the other differences in her look my be mostly due to graceful aging and Botox/Fillers.  Striking differences in the before and after picture are:

  • After picture shows Lowered eye brows – perhaps from forehead botox, and possibly from upper eye lid blepharoplsty
  • After picture shows Rounder cheek – perhaps from fillers
  • Less of a square face – probably from natural aging or from Botox for masseter muscle reduction or for the medical treatment of pain from TMJ.
  • And perhaps she had fillers to change the Nasolabial fold lines, Marionette and fillers in the lips – subtle changes.

Above is all a guess from me.  She chose some nice options if the above list is part of what she chose to have done.  We do those procedures too at my office:  Surgical Artistry in Modesto – Plastic Surgery, Botox, Dermal Fillers, Veins, and Acupuncture.

Graceful aging changes the jawline – starts out square-ish in life

Perhaps she doesn’t look like the Renne Zellweger we knew when she was 20-30 years old.  I would say that in my 40’s I look completely different from when I was in my 20’s also – and most of that isn’t because of plastic surgery or Botox, etc.  She has lost some squareness in her jawline, but this is normal with aging.  It’ll happen to all of us, if not already.  And her hairline seems higher.  I don’t see anything to indicate that she has had a facelift.  But Botox and Fillers – possibly Botox for the forehead, glabellar and crows feet.  Some of the forehead Botox might explain the lower setting of the eyebrows too in addition to normal aging.

Just be Happy that she’s happy

I think that the most important thing is that Renee feels happy about any plastic surgery done on her face – she she has had anything done.  And she seems happy with it – so perhaps we should let her be happy.

I am not Renee Zellweger’s Plastic Surgeon

Disclaimer:  I’m just guessing at what she had done.  I am a surgeon in the field of cosmetic surgery.  My wife is a plastic surgeon.  I am a general surgeon who spends most of the time in the office doing fillers (ie. Juvederm), Botox, Veins, acupuncture, and plastic surgical assisting.  Thus I spent a great deal of my life with plastic surgery patients.

 



The main door for Surgical Artistry – Modesto Plastic Surgery

The main entrance is Door “C”

There are quite a few doors in this building and I know there has been some mild confusion.  But I thought I’d take this picture to help out a little.  Our address is 2336 Sylvan Ave. Suite C, Modesto, CA 95355.

Here’s the picture as the entrance to our Plastic Surgery office (acupuncture, veins, Botox too!).  So this is our main entrance, and our main webpage is www.SurgeryToday.com

Modesto Plastic Surgery Office Entrance

Welcome to our Modesto Plastic Surgery Office!