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Mrs. Melanie Browning, RD, MS, CDE, CDN is a nutrition specialist in Washington, DC specializing in endocrinology and nutrition. Mrs. Melanie Browning, RD, MS, CDE, CDN is affiliated with MedStar Health.
MedStar Health
MedStar Health
Binge-Eating Disorder
Binge-eating disorder (BED) is a condition where people repeatedly consume large amounts of food in one setting. People with BED feel that they are unable to control the amount of food they eat, and may continue after reaching a point of fullness. These binges are often accompanied by feelings of sadness, guilt, and shame. BED may lead to physical symptoms like:
People with BED tend to experience cycles of negative emotions and binges. For example, a traumatic event may lead a person with BED to binge eat. Feelings of shame and guilt following a binge might prompt another binge. While in the midst of a binge, people with BED may feel comforted or happy from a sudden rush of dopamine. This can promote a repeated pattern of overeating to alleviate negative emotions. Binges or BED episodes are often provoked by:
Other risk factors for BED include experience with dieting, mental health problems, and a family history of eating disorders. BED may progress and worsen over decades, increasing the chances of causing obesity, or related conditions such as diabetes and joint pain.
Treatment for BED aims to reduce binge frequency and to help patients gain healthy eating practices. Therapy, nutrition counseling, and eating disorder support groups help patients to recover from BED. For example, patients are frequently asked to share their binge patterns and feelings to develop a treatment strategy. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a common BED treatment. This technique helps patients avoid negative thought patterns that trigger binges. Another treatment option is medication. For example, the FDA approved Vyvanse as an oral medication for BED. While typically used to treat attention deficit disorder (ADD), Vyvanse prevents binging by curbing impulses for some people with BED. People with BED are frequently prescribed antidepressant medication, which may accompany cognitive behavioral therapy. With proper treatment and support, many with BED are able to break free from the cycle of overeating and improve their eating habits.
Nutrition Counseling
Food is one of the most basic resources the human body uses for growth and energy, tied intricately to well-being. Not only can diet affect health, but certain conditions can affect how the body processes food. Nutrition is the study of this complex interaction, and when patients seek the advice of an expert to help them manage food in their life, it is called nutrition counseling.
At the most basic level, nutrition counseling can be simply a talk with a family physician. Doctors receive training in nutrition as part of their education, and they are generally qualified to make recommendations about diet for their patients. Some doctors take a professional interest in nutrition and become experts by taking extra classes or studying nutrition in their practice. In general, however, complex nutrition guidance will be referred to a nutrition specialist, generally a dietitian.
Registered dietitians are nutrition experts that have passed specific higher education, accreditation, and internship requirements. They may work in hospitals, nursing facilities, or private practices to provide nutrition therapy and advise patients about their health and diet. Like dietitians, nutritionists also work to counsel patients about food and health. Some nutritionists have degrees in nutrition or food science, but the title 'nutritionist' is not protected by law. In the United States, anyone is allowed to call themselves a nutritionist, regardless of their education level.
Nutrition counseling can be useful for anyone who is looking to get to a healthy weight, manage a chronic illness through diet, or simply lead a healthier lifestyle. Some examples of issues that benefit from nutrition counseling include:
During a nutrition counseling appointment, the provider -- doctor, nutritionist, or dietitian -- typically will look over a the patient's medical history and talk to them about their current diet, their goals, what kinds of food they like, and any problems that they are currently struggling with in their health or diet. Then the specialist will help the patient set food goals and create a customized plan to help them meet their nutritional needs. Nutrition specialists may also offer classes, workshops, cooking demonstrations, and more. Their role is not to lecture the patient about what one should be eating, but to offer education and resources to make eating healthy foods easier.
Weight Loss Surgery (Bariatric Surgery)
Bariatric or weight-loss surgery is a surgical procedure performed to help significantly obese patients lose weight when more traditional methods, such as dieting and exercise, have not helped. Depending on the type, these surgeries change the gastrointestinal tract to limit how much food can be eaten and also change how food is absorbed by the body. Of the various bariatric surgeries available, the most common is gastric bypass.
By far the most common of the gastric bypass surgeries is called Roux-en-Y. During this surgery, part of the stomach and small intestine are detached from the gastrointestinal tract, in order to make the tract smaller. The surgeon divides the stomach into two parts. The working stomach, at the end of the esophagus, is now tiny - only the size of a walnut. This makes patients feel full after eating a small amount of food. Then the small intestine is also divided, and after bypassing a section of the small intestine to reduce food absorption, the intestine is attached to the small stomach pouch. The patient now has a working stomach and intestine like before, only much smaller.
Because gastric bypass is used to treat extreme obesity, it can reduce the risk of some of the problems associated with obesity. Gastric bypass can help treat or reduce the risk for such conditions as heart disease, high blood pressure, sleep apnea, and type 2 diabetes. However, it is a major surgery and also carries risks itself. Any surgery can lead to infection, bleeding, or blood clots, and weight loss surgery in particular carries risks of leaks in the gastrointestinal system, malnutrition, bowel obstructions, and vomiting.
Typically patients are considered candidates for gastric bypass surgery if they have a BMI greater than 40, or sometimes if they have a BMI between 35 and 40 but are suffering from obesity-related illnesses such as diabetes. The outlook is generally good, with most patients losing between 50-75% of their excess weight in 1-2 years. However, patients must follow strict diet guidelines so that the stomach can heal, starting with no food at all, then followed by a liquid diet for some time. For many severely obese patients who have tried strict diets before without success, gastric bypass surgery is the tool that allows them to finally achieve their weight loss and health goals.
She has a state license in New York.
Licensed In: New York
Mrs. Melanie Browning, RD, MS, CDE, CDN appears to accept the following insurance providers: MultiPlan, Optimum Choice, Optima Health, MAMSI, Magellan Health Services, United Healthcare Choice Plus, United Healthcare Choice, First Health PPO, Blue Choice, Great-West Healthcare, Coventry, TRICARE Reserve Select, Anthem, Aetna Managed Choice POS, Beech Street PPO, Aetna HMO, Kaiser Permanente, CIGNA PPO, CIGNA EPO, Aetna Medicare PPO, Aetna Medicare PFFS, CIGNA Indemnity, AmeriHealth, AARP, Medicare Advantage, TriWest, Coventry National Network PPO, Highmark, Amerigroup, United Healthcare, Medicaid, Humana, Cigna, Sentara Health Plans, WellPoint, United Healthcare Community Plan (AmeriChoice), Humana Medicare Advantage PPO, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Michigan, CIGNA PPO Plus, HealthyBlue PPO, Aetna Premier 200PD, MedStar Family Choice - Maryland Health Choice, CareFirst NASCO, Private Fee-for-Service Plans (PFFS), M.D. IPA Preferred (POS), CareFirst Maryland Indemnity or PPO, IH-PPO, TRICARE East Prime, DC/MD SHOP QHP Small Business Plans, Aetna Advantage 6350PD, CareFirst EPO, MedStar Family Choice DC Healthy Families, Optimum Choice Preferred (POS), OCI Direct (HMO), Medicare Direct, Alterwood Advanatge HMO & DSNP Plans, Aetna Open Choice (PPO), OA Plus, CareFirst Administrators, United Student Resources, IH-Network Only Plus, IH-POS, Aetna Classic 5000, Aetna Signature Administrator PPO/TPA, Healthy Blue (HMO, POS), CareFirst Community Health Plan of Maryland, IH-POS Plus, Jai Medical Systems - Maryland Health Choice, Aetna HMO-Open Access/Select OA/HealthFund/Health Network Option OA, CareFirst Maryland Point of Service Plan, Health Services for Children with Special Needs, Choice POS II, CareFirst Blue Card Program, Choice Fund PPO, IH-EPO Plus, Aetna VA Exchange, Aetna Managed Choice Open Access (POS), Aetna Better Health of Virginia, CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Advantage Core/Enhanced, Aetna Worker's Compensation Network, Options PPO Cardiac Global, Uniformed Services Family Health Plan, Aetna Advantage 5750, IH-Open HMO Option, HumanaChoice Honor's plan PPO, Aetna Basic, CareFirst FEP Blue Focus, Optimum Choice & Optimum Choice Preferred (POS) Cardiac Global, MedStar Family Choice DC Healthcare Alliance, IH-Open POS Plus, IH-Open EPO Plus, Core Essential (HMO), Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PLUS PPO, Select HMO/HealthFund/Health Network, MD IPA (HMO) & MD IPA Preferred Cardiac Global, CareFirst Blue Preferred PPO, Aetna Elect Choice/ Open Access (POS), IH-Open HMO, Aetna Advantage 6350, Erickson Advantage Plans, M.D. IPA (HMO), POS OA, Aetna Elect Choice/ EPO (Aetna Health Fund), Aetna Quality Point of Service (POS), IH-Open POS II, Johns Hopkins Advantage MD HMO, Aetna Classic 5000PD, CareFirst Dual Prime HMO-SNP, Priority Partners - Maryland Health Choice, Aetna Student Health Insurance, Private Health Care Systems (PPO), Choice POS, Lasso Healthcare - Medicare Medical Savings Account, IH-Indemnity, CareFirst MedStar PPO, CareFirst (NCA) Indemnity, Aetna Traditional Choice (PPO), United Medicare Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS) plans, IH-HMO, IH-Open Network Only Plus, HumanaChoice PPO, CareFirst Federal Employee Program (Std. & Basic PPO), Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PPO, Medicare FFS, Maryland Physicians Care MCO, Veterans Affairs Community Care Network, Advantra Platinum (PPO), Aetna Better Health of Maryland, BCBS Out-of-State Medicare Plans (Blue Advantage), Employee Health Plan, Choice POS II Open Access, Navigate, Police and Fire Clinic, Network OA, TRICARE East Select, TRICARE for Life East, Aetna Classic 3500 and CareFirst MedStar Select PPO.
According to our sources, Mrs. Melanie Browning, RD, MS, CDE, CDN accepts the following insurance providers:
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Ms. Melanie Browning is a specialist in endocrinology and nutrition in Olney, MD. These areas are among her clinical interests: allergy skin testing, gestational diabetes (diabetes during pregnancy), and heart problems. She is professionally affiliated with MedStar Health. Ms. Browning accepts several insurance carriers, including Anthem, Blue California, and Coventry.
