Nouveau

Breaking the stigma

Obesity has now been recognised by the WHO as a chronic disease . The changes that happen in your hypothalamus after years of losing and regaining weight, biochemically sets you up for failure.

It is well established that worldwide more than 2.1 billion people are either overweight or obese (that’s a staggering quarter of the world population). The reason is that obesity is a complicated chronic disease. It is complicated because it has different causes and develops over years in which the body has made different adaptations which need to be addressed. Furthermore, it is a chronic inflammatory disease process which affects various organs differently and alter brain chemistry.

Over time it can lead to various secondary diseases:

Diabetes

Kidney failure

Dementia

Cardiovascular disease

Cancer

Retinal damage

Arthritis

Chronic back pain

Gout

Incontinence

Gallstones

Thrombosis

Anxiety

Infertility

Depression

Sleep apnea

Asthma

Non alcoholic fatty liver disease

In short it affects quality of life profoundly and decreases life span by about 10 years.

If it is treated as a disease and the adaptations that have happened are addressed, it can be reversed permanently. With the guidance of professionals, losing weight can be an exciting and rewarding journey that can result in permanent weight loss.

The medical field has come to realise that putting money into the research of treating obesity will ultimately save us from the burden of chronic disease on our society, which means that we finally have sophisticated ways to address Obesity as a disease.

The Nouveau approach

Start a new beginning. We take the journey with you by encouraging and supporting you, navigating the multiple factors that add up to obesity and its subsequent chronic diseases. With every kilogram of weight loss, you gain health, longevity and quality of life.

Why this program was created

After seeing patients experience a little bit of weight loss and then discover that they can do more, have an increased quality of life, that they can interact better with their friends, their family and with everything around them. Hearing them say that they are better partakers of life, has really been the biggest encouragement for us to create a program like this

The program

The program is designed to be a six month committed walk with a Doctor, Dietician and Psychologist.

Our general practitioner plays a vital role by providing a thorough physical examination, identifying any underlying medical conditions, and monitoring the individual's overall health throughout the program to ensure safe and appropriate weight loss.

The dietitian would develop a personalised nutrition plan for each individual based on their specific needs and goals. This would include providing guidance on healthy meal planning, portion control, and making healthy food choices to promote weight loss while still meeting nutrient needs.

Our psychologist provides emotional support and guidance including helping patients identify and address any underlying emotional or psychological issues that may be contributing to their weight gain and developing strategies for coping with stress and emotional eating. A healthy mind cultivates a healthy body and a healthy body fuels a healthy mind.

view sample plan

view sample program

Sample plan
(each plan is tailored according to the individual’s needs and budget)

Initial doctor visit
You will see a Doctor on your first contact session, who will be working out a strategy for you to get to your decided goal.

Psychology group session 1
• Filling emotional voids (Eating for pleasure, love, and avoidance of pain)
• Identity, body-image, key influences that have shaped us  

One on one therapy
If issues are identified that require one on one sessions, it will be discussed and booked further by the Psychologist and medical aid rates will be charged.

Psychology group session 2
• What does a balanced life look like?
• Understanding emotions, discerning emotional cravings and how to deal with them  

3 month evaluation
You will see the Doctor again after three months to assess whether you are still on track to reach your goal.

Psychology group session 3
• Healthy ways of coping with stress, anxiety and depression
• Steps to Lasting Change

6 month evaluation
6 month evaluation: You will see your doctor again after six months to assess your further requirement for chronic medication and to conclude your journey.

Telephone/online consultation with the doctor every two weeks

You will be seeing a dietician every month to assess and adjust the plan as needed

You will have the chance to interact three times with a Professor in Physiology, to better understand your physiological makeup and why we address certain issues on your weight loss journey.

Sample plan
(each plan is tailored according to the individual’s needs and budget)

Initial doctor visit
You will see a Doctor on your first contact session, who will be working out a strategy for you to get to your decided goal.

Psychology group session 1
• Filling emotional voids (Eating for pleasure, love, and avoidance of pain)
• Identity, body-image, key influences that have shaped us  

One on one therapy
If issues are identified that require one on one sessions, it will be discussed and booked further by the Psychologist and medical aid rates will be charged.

Psychology group session 2
• What does a balanced life look like?
• Understanding emotions, discerning emotional cravings and how to deal with them  

3 month evaluation
You will see the Doctor again after three months to assess whether you are still on track to reach your goal.

Psychology group session 3
• Healthy ways of coping with stress, anxiety and depression
• Steps to Lasting Change

6 month evaluation
You will see the Doctor again after three months to assess whether you are still on track to reach your goal

Telephone/online consultation with the doctor every two weeks

You will be seeing a dietician every month to assess and adjust the plan as needed

Telephone/online consultation with the doctor every two weeks

You will be seeing a dietician every month to assess and adjust the plan as needed

You will have the chance to interact three times with a Professor in Physiology, to better understand your physiological makeup and why we address certain issues on your weight loss journey.

The cost

The cost of the course is R8500

This includes 3 full consultations with your doctor and 9 telephone consultations. This also includes six sessions with your dietician, 3 group sessions with your Psychologist and three interactions with a Professor of Physiology.
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The fee does not include blood tests or prescribed medication.

"If you want to go fast, go alone, if you want to go far, go together"
– An African Proverb
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Your journey is a journey for life. You don't have to embark on it alone.

Apart from your clinical team, we would like you to be encouraged by others that have embarked on the same journey as you, whether in the past or in the present.

You will meet others on the same journey during your Psychology group sessions, and during consultation, we will also put you in touch with others who would like to share their story with you. In time, we aim to form an online support platform.

Connect

How do I start?

Get in contact with us

Click on the “request a meeting” button and fill out the form that appears. You can also call us on 041 368 3706 or email us at roux@agnet.co.za

Confirmation

We will send you a confirmation email to make sure that you understand the cost of the program, the customers we accept, and that “booking a meeting” is the beginning of your journey with us.

Book your meeting

We will send you a meeting request and organise a date and time that works for both the doctor and you.

Course payment

The full course payment will be required for enrolment, as we want to ensure your commitment to the full course to better establish your success.

First meeting

Upon receiving payment, we will send you questionnaires which needs to be filled in and sent back at least two days prior to your first consultation. You will also receive pre-reading material.

Your journey begins

You meet your doctor. After reviewing the information received from your questionnaires, a bespoke program is created for you.

Qualifying criteria for the program
A BMI (Body Mass Index) of 28 and over with a weight related condition, like Diabetes Type 2, Hypertension, Gout, Heart disease etc. Or a BMI of over 30. BMI is worked out as kg/m2. Calculate your BMI here

Our health care workers, your team

Marieke Kensley

General Practitioner

MBChB

Marieke completed her MBChB in Bloemfontein. After completing her internship at Groote Schuur Hospital and her Community Service in Kimberley Hospital, she worked in the field of Haematology and Oncology for three years. She then realised that she enjoys the diversity of General Practice, as well as the continuation of care that it offers the whole family.

She had the realisation that the burden of Chronic Disease on Primary Health Care is getting bigger and bigger. Most of which is preventable. For this, patients require a lot of support, motivation and a good understanding of their Physiology.

Once chronic disease has been established, there is still a way to reverse most of it which is lifestyle related. Marieke is passionate about aiming to reverse chronic disease and lower the burden of chronic medication, as she has seen how quality and quantity of life can be improved.

Marieke attended the Global Obesity Summit in Vienna in 2022, and has attended several other courses and seminars in the field of Obesity, which has shaped the way she approached weight loss in her practice.

Tegan Coetzee

Dietician

BSC

After graduating at UKZN, Tegan started her professional journey in 2012, working in the small town of Port Alfred in the public sector.

She enjoyed the hospital setting as it involved working together with the interdisciplinary team, as well as servicing the local clinics and getting involved in community health days and radio talks.

From there she moved to the larger city of Port Elizabeth when a position opened at a public hospital, and she enjoyed her time there thoroughly.

It was then time to spread her wings and go into private practice in 2018.

She currently attends to patients at Aurora Hospital, and sees private patients at Greenways Medical Centre.

Julie Hollely

counselling psychologist

MA Couns Psych (NMMU)

reg. HPCSA

Julie qualified as a Counselling Psychologist in 2007. Over the last 16 years she's worked predominantly in private practice with people of all ages, as well as in employee well-being and non-profit settings. She's also been extensively involved in developing and delivering training in the areas of emotional and overall wellness. Over the past few years Julie has worked exclusively with adults, particularly in the areas of personal emotional difficulties, relational and interpersonal issues, anxiety, depression, burnout, trauma, coping skills and building resilience, general holistic wellness, as well as issues pertaining to self-esteem, awareness and acceptance. She is passionate about helping people live a fulfilled, peaceful and joy filled life.
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On a personal note, "I have been happily married for 11 years and have two children. I love what I do and feel honoured to journey with people as they share their stories with me. I always endeavour to create an accepting, emotionally safe and containing therapeutic space for my clients to use as a springboard to restoration and wholeness."

Meinè Loots

Dietician

BSc.Dietetics (RD)

MBA

Meinè completed her degree, BSc.Dietetics, at the University of the Free State in 2008, and has been a registered, qualified dietician since 2009.
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She is passionate about female health, maternal and fertility nutrition.
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"Once I understood how proper nourishment could alleviate the pain caused by diseases like endometriosis, enhance our bodies to be more fertile and influence the epigenetics of our babies, I felt more in control and understanding of my own body. Since then, I have become passionate in spreading the good news and helping others has given me a sense of purpose."

Proper nutrition can assist females with PCOS, Diabetes, IR, Obesity, IBS, Endometriosis, Hypo- and Hyperthyroidism, Metabolic syndromes, and Infertility. Prenatal nutrition is of utmost importance, as the first 1,000 days from preconception to the child’s second birthday is when their genetics are programmed. This influences brain development, the immune system, and health for the rest of their life.
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Each patient deserves a nutritional program that is tailor-made to their unique situation and medical needs. We use scientifically based guidelines to prepare an individualised meal plan, optimised for the individual body’s specific needs.

Saartjie Roux

Physiology professor

acr

MSc (PU for CHE)

D Med Sci (UP)

Prof Roux did her Masters on cardiovascular diseases and her Doctorate on brain neurotransmitters. She has lectured Physiology for almost 30 years at Nelson Mandela University. Her research focused on obesity, diabetes and cancer. She and her students presented their research at different conferences locally and internationally. Their research was published internationally in peer reviewed journals and received wide recognition with her work being cited more than 1 150 times.
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She is well accepted among her peers locally and internationally. She served on the board of the Physiology Society for South Africa and was a board member and treasurer of the African Society of Physiological Sciences. She was on the editorial board of the African Journal of Physiological Sciences and a review editor for Frontiers in Pharmacology.
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Saartjie has a passion to explain Physiological processes to people so that they are empowered to recognize misinformation on health issues.