For 20 years, Valley Health's Metabolic and Bariatric Program has been changing lives in the Northern Shenandoah Valley — and it's almost never about the number on the scale. On this Community Health Day edition of The Valley Today, host Janet Michael sits down with Dr. Christopher Reed (Medical Director and Surgeon), Tiffany Sommer (Nurse Practitioner), and Jennifer Adsit (Registered Dietitian) to talk about why obesity is an incurable disease that requires lifelong support, and how a team-based approach has built the program's reputation.

The conversation moves through the multiple "pathways" patients can take — medical weight loss, GLP-1 medications, endoscopic procedures, and surgery — why surgery is still the most durable option for the right patient, and what life actually looks like before, during, and after treatment. Plus: a preview of the program's 20th anniversary celebration on June 10th, open to past, current, and potential future patients alike.

WHO'S ON THIS EPISODE

• Dr. Christopher Reed — Medical Director and Surgeon, Valley Health Metabolic and Bariatric Program
• Tiffany Summer — Nurse Practitioner, Valley Health Metabolic and Bariatric Program
• Jennifer Adsit — Registered Dietitian, Valley Health Metabolic and Bariatric Program

IN THIS EPISODE

(00:00) 20 years of the program — and why a team approach is unusual in this field

(01:00) Why post-op life matters more than the surgery itself

(02:00) Cutting through diet misinformation — evidence-based, sustainable change

(03:30) Portion control over elimination — meeting patients where they are

(04:30) Obesity as an incurable disease and why malnourishment drives much of it

(06:30) The full menu of options — medical, endoscopic, and surgical

(08:00) When surgery isn't the first step — using the medical program to prepare patients

(09:00) The moment patients connect food and how they feel

(11:30) What a first appointment really looks like — pathways, not pressure

(14:00) Why surgery still has the best durable weight loss — and what GLP-1s leave out

(15:00) The risk calculator that personalizes every surgical recommendation

(16:30) The pre-op process — dietitian visits, behavioral health, and the checklist

(18:30) Post-op care for life — labs, vitamins, and why follow-up matters

(19:30) The six-month visit — energy, mobility, and lives changed beyond weight loss

(21:30) Building healthy habits the whole family benefits from

(24:00) The 20th Anniversary Celebration on June 10th — details and how to RSVP

(26:00) Free support groups, virtual and in-person

(27:00) The adolescent program — comprehensive care starting at age 14

EVENT DETAILS

Valley Health Metabolic and Bariatric Program — 20th Anniversary Celebration June 10, 2026

Winchester Medical Center Campus, Conference Center

Open to past patients, current patients, potential future patients, and community providers

Raffle prizes including vitamin gift baskets and wellness center memberships

RSVP via the program's Facebook page

LINKS & RESOURCES

• Valley Health Metabolic & Bariatric Program: valleyhealthlink.com (Our Services → Metabolic and Bariatric Program)
• Program Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/VHSBariatricProgram
• Free monthly support groups — virtual and in-person, with guest speakers and gift card giveaways
• Adolescent program available starting at age 14

THE VALLEY TODAY with Janet Michael — A decade of conversations.

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