Article Category: Highlights
6 Weight Loss Questions Answered by Our Experts
Published on September 26, 2025
Last updated 01:19 PM September 26, 2025
People who want to lose weight have more options than ever before. However, deciding which one to pursue can be a challenge. Should you go for lifestyle changes alone? Consider weight loss surgery? Or look into injectable weight loss drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy?
We asked two Wellstar physicians to weigh in on this popular topic—and their answers might surprise you.
Dr. Lisa Hilton
is director of minimally invasive and
bariatric surgery
at Wellstar MCG Health Medical Center and director of the Center of Obesity and Metabolism at Augusta University.
Dr. Mitzi Rubin
is a family medicine physician and director of the
Wellstar Center for Best Health.
Here’s what these two experts have to say about obesity, treatment options and the importance of a comprehensive approach to weight loss.
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Highlights
Make Lung Health Your Habit
Whether you’re running a marathon or simply running errands, having healthy lungs helps you to live comfortably and do the activities you enjoy.
Lung health is an important part of overall wellness. It’s best to prevent health issues before they start, and Wellstar experts will partner with you to personalize a plan to keep your lungs healthy.
Book an appointment online to check in with a clinician about your lung health and follow these tips to breathe a little easier.
Don’t smoke or vape
If you are a smoker, keep in mind that there are both short-term and long-term benefits to quitting. One to nine months after the last cigarette, your shortness of breath should decrease. Within 10 years of quitting, a former smoker's risk of developing lung cancer is 30% to 50% below that of a person who continues to smoke.
Also, if you don’t smoke, do not pick up the habit. Nicotine is highly addictive, even more so than many other drugs including narcotic opiates, according to Wellstar Pulmonologist Dr. Hitendra Patel.
Dr. Patel said that vaping is gaining popularity, especially among younger people. However, vaping irritates a person’s airways and increases their risk of asthma.
“Nothing but air should go in and out of the lungs,” Dr. Patel said. “Any other chemical or substance, or inhalation of smoke of any kind, is going to be detrimental and harmful.”
Wellstar Primary Care Physician Dr. Jignesh Dholaria said misinformation about vaping is common.
“People have the notion that vaping is somehow safer and that it doesn’t have the same chemicals that cigarettes do,” Dr. Dholaria said. “We’re seeing a lot more harmful effects from vaping just because we don’t always know all the chemicals that are in these vapes. That has caused a lot more lung-related injuries.”
Get your exercise and sleep
While staying active is a critical component of overall wellness, it’s especially important to keep your lungs in top shape.
“As you’re breathing in and out, getting rid of carbon dioxide and inhaling more oxygen, that helps your tissues, which helps you feel better overall,” Dr. Dholaria said.
Even if it is raining—or if pollutants are especially high that day and you’re worried about lung irritation—there are ways to get your steps in. Dr. Patel recommends going to an air-conditioned shopping mall or store to get some exercise if being outside is not an option.
“Continuing to exercise to the fullest of your body’s ability is an important step of maintaining whatever lung health you have,” Dr. Patel said. “If you start with healthy lungs, staying on an exercise program and regimen is vital.”
Balance that exercise with some rest, too. Dr. Patel, who is also the medical director of the Wellstar sleep program, said being well-rested can ward off sickness, including some respiratory illnesses.
“If you don’t sleep well, that means your immune system is not going to function as well as it should,” he said.
Try breathing exercises
In addition to getting your sleep, some relaxation and breathing techniques can have benefits for both mental wellness and lung health.
Dr. Patel recommends “4-7-8 breathing,” which involves inhaling for four seconds, holding your breath for seven seconds and then exhaling for eight seconds.
Benefits of breathing exercises may include lower stress and anxiety levels, lower blood pressure and better sleep.
Manage your asthma
If you have asthma, know your lungs and avoid the environmental triggers that cause the condition to flare up, Dr. Patel said. Common triggers include pet dander, seasonal changes, allergens like perfume and smoke inhalation.
Asthma can also run in families, although there is often no specific reason why a person develops asthma, Dr. Patel said.
“Sometimes people underestimate how bad asthma can be,” Dr. Patel said.
If you have asthma, see your primary care physician to monitor your lung health. Pulmonologists specialize in caring for people’s lungs, and they often collaborate with primary care clinicians to create personalized plans to manage their patients’ asthma.
Ask your care team about screenings
Early detection is key in cancer treatment, but many lung cancers present in later stages, Dr. Patel said.
“In that area in the middle of the lungs and the middle of the chest, there are no pain fibers or pain sensors in there,” Dr. Patel said. “If a tumor occurs there, patients don’t know it. They don’t feel it, and it doesn’t hurt them.”
Lung cancer is sometimes found when it spreads and causes complications, Dr. Patel said.
If you are at increased risk for developing lung cancer, ask your care team about screenings. You should consider screenings if you are a current or past smoker. Visit our lung cancer screening page to learn more about if screening, which involves low-dose CT scans, could benefit you. To keep up with your lung health, find a Wellstar physician near you.
Highlights
Breaking the News: Choosing Who to Tell—and When—After a Breast Cancer Diagnosis
Receiving the news of breast cancer can feel overwhelming. Many find themselves struggling to process their feelings while also figuring out how to share this new reality with the people they love most.
From explaining to children and grandchildren why treatment days are difficult to deciding whether to chronicle their journey on social media, patients face uncharted territory.
Carolyn Wallace, a Wellstar oncology nurse navigator, understands these challenges and urges patients to take a deep breath before deciding how to share the news.
“Don’t feel pressured to share your diagnosis with others within a specific timeframe,” she said. “It often takes time to come to terms with a breast cancer diagnosis. Feeling overwhelmed, frightened or sad is normal.”
The process of sharing your cancer journey takes courage, but self-compassion is key. Experts encourage patients to start by confiding in those closest to them before expanding their circle as they feel comfortable.
Finding quiet moments amid the noise of advice and opinions is crucial.
“Your journey is unique,” Wallace said.
Support groups can provide connections and emotional support, while family and friends often offer much-needed love and care. For those overwhelmed by the volume of communication, free websites can help streamline updates and reduce stress.
Open and honest communication is especially important when children are involved. Kids are perceptive and may sense when something is wrong. Wallace recommends explaining the diagnosis in age-appropriate ways to build trust and prevent misunderstandings.
“Practice the conversation beforehand to ease your mind,” she said. “Reassure children that it’s OK to feel the way they do and answer their questions honestly. Let them know routines may change, but that they will still be cared for.”
Resources like age-appropriate books, camps and support groups are available to help children cope. Organizations such as Wonders & Worries, Pickles and Bright Spot Network offer free support to families preparing for these conversations.
“While breast cancer presents many challenges, open communication and leaning on loved ones can make the journey more manageable,” Wallace said. “Remember to allow yourself grace, accept support and embrace the love surrounding you.”
Highlights
Wellstar Opens New Locations in Metro Atlanta
To serve our community’s growing healthcare needs, Wellstar has opened new urgent care, primary care and pediatric locations in Metro Atlanta.
Wellstar Primary Care
Primary care is ongoing, comprehensive care and preventative medicine that helps you live a full, healthy life. Services include wellness exams, vaccinations, treatment for acute illnesses like flu and management of chronic conditions such as diabetes. Wellstar Primary Care often has same-day or next-day availability and is welcoming new patients. Visit our new locations at:
Douglasville
2710 Fairburn Road, Suite 150
(943) 202-8560
Kennesaw
1550 Due West Rd NW, Suite 100
(943) 202-8520
Villa Rica
662 Carrollton Villa Rica Highway, Suite 200
(943) 202-8560
Wellstar Pediatrics
From wellness checkups and immunizations to chronic and complex conditions, Wellstar Children's of Georgia focuses on the physical, mental and emotional well-being of every patient, helping families navigate care with confidence. Visit our new location at:
Douglasville
2710 Fairburn Road, Suite 100
(943) 202-8660
Wellstar Urgent Care
If you’re dealing with a minor injury or illness or need care after your physician’s regular office hours, going to urgent care is often the right choice. Wellstar Urgent Care centers provide quick, convenient care for non-emergency medical conditions such as coughs, colds, sprains, broken bones and minor bites, burns and cuts. Visit our new locations at:
Douglasville2710 Fairburn Road, Suite 175
(943) 202-8640
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Kennesaw
1550 Due West Rd NW, Suite 150
(470) 986-7302
Check in at this location
Villa Rica
662 Carrollton Villa Rica Highway, Suite 100
(943) 202-8590
Check in at this location