Every year, too many overweight men and women throw away money on different surgeries, such as gastric bypass, in order to lose their belly fat. As opposed to smart dieting and exercising, the medical procedures to slim down are painful, expensive, and rarely have a lasting effect on the body.
In other words, weight loss surgery is not the best way for you to slim down and get your body back into shape.
Gastric bypass, also known as bariatric surgery, is known to help individuals look better, as well as increase their bodies' mobility. The procedure has become ten times more popular than it was only one decade ago.
In fact, more than 150,000 people have it performed every year in the United States alone. Surprisingly, many insurance companies even pay for the surgery.
During a gastric bypass operation for weight loss, a person's stomach is divided into an upper and a larger lower pouch, with the small intestine connecting the two. The results are a reduction of belly fat, as well as an altered physiological response to eating.
The weight loss surgery also helps to fight off diabetes and other heart related illnesses. Patients sleep through the complex procedures that last anywhere from 1 to 4 hours each, followed by a brief stay in the hospital.
The most common side effect of gastric bypass surgery is the body's inability to absorb nutrients and calories. Once the procedure is performed, food does not enter certain parts of the stomach or the small intestine.
But this is where your body gets most of its nutrients. As a direct result, you can suffer from anemia, osteoporosis or other serious conditions from malnutrition. Of course, folks can always take vitamins to help with the deficiencies, but they will become dependent on the vitamins for the rest of their lives.
Besides iron and zinc deficiencies, patients are known to lack vitamin A, vitamin B1, vitamin B12, vitamin D, zinc, calcium citrate and protein after having the operation. Many other serious side effects go hand-in-hand with gastric bypass weight loss surgery.
Nausea and vomiting become commonplace after eating due to the smaller connection between the stomach and the intestines. Ulcers and abdominal hernias frequently develop as well. Dehydration is not unusual, and dreaded gallstones are also known to develop. People often feel bloated and repeatedly experience the hiccups.
At the same time, it's expected for bodies to form some food intolerance, as well as a change in their bowel habits. Even excessive, smelly and embarrassing gas becomes expected from people who experienced gastric bypass surgery. Many patients have even died from the surgery after forming blood clots in their legs or lungs.
The surgery to get skinny does have some wonderful benefits for overcoming hypertension, diabetes and high cholesterol. However, too many people who do not need gastric bypass weight loss surgery are having it done for cosmetic reasons.
Many of those with money to spend think that it's easier than eating smart and developing an exercise routine. However, the dangerous side effects do not outweigh the benefits. Is weight loss surgery really worth risking your life?
Now that I am in my forties, my belly has blown up like a balloon. I grew so fat that I began to fear for my health. I even debated having weight loss surgery performed.
I was told to rely on a smart diet and exercise, along with powerful HCG Injections to experience quick and safe
weight lossresults. Thanks Doc!
Teen obesity is increasing dramatically. The number of dangerously overweight teens is increasing drastically, so do the popularity of weight loss surgery among young population.
Despite the fact that the cost of weight loss surgery is extremely expensive, and insurance companies do not often cover this procedure, more and more men women and teens who have not been able to maintain weight loss through dieting alone are now looking to get rid of their excessive body weight through surgery.
Today, a variety of surgical options to lose weight are available, with many of them offering best possible results. These procedures include lap band, gastric bypass, gastric sleeve and mini gastric bypass.
The Facts for Families data sheet by American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP) shows that the number of obese teens in the United States has grown to epidemic proportions in recent years, with 17 percent (or 12.5 million) of all children and adolescents considered obese.
The severely obese teens are at risk for serious medical conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, sleep apnea, and joint problems. The surging teenage obesity rate has contributed to the weight loss surgery trend around the world.
Is weight loss surgery right option for teens? Many studies have billed the surgical ways to lose fat in teens as both safe and effective but many doctors still hesitate to recommend surgical intervention for teens.
While some experts caution that surgery isn't an option for most teenagers, suggesting that teens can achieve ideal weight with the help of changes in lifestyle and diet as well as physical activity and medical treatments, some others believe these non-surgical techniques do not work effectively in aiding weight reduction in the morbidly obese teenagers.
Since several studies have shown some of the benefits of bariatric surgery for morbidly obese adolescents, the weight loss surgery has found acceptance as an effective weight reduction strategy for teen population. However, the surgery is still very rare in this group.
A small percentage of teenagers are considering undergoing the surgery to aid them in their battle to lose a significant amount of their extra body fat.
Surgical Options for Obese Teens
For those abnormally overweight teenagers who have just not been able to lose weight with doctor-approved diet and exercise plan alone, there is weight loss surgery to help them in their fight against the dreaded stomach bulge and enhance their lifestyle.
However, the teenagers need to be both physically and emotionally mature before undergoing the operation.
Like adult obese patients, teens can opt any of the two types of weight loss surgery- Restrictive or combined Restrictive and Malabsorptive procedures.
Restrictive form of weight loss surgery is less invasive, limiting the intake of food by shrinking the size of the stomach. This type of surgery makes a patient feel full even after consuming very small amount of food. The restrictive weight loss surgery procedures include the gastric band, the gastric balloon, and the gastric sleeve.
The combined restrictive/malabsorptive procedures could be much more complicated weight loss surgery options for teenagers.
The operations in this category, including the Roux-en-Y bypass (long limb or distal gastric bypass), reduce a person's food consumption capacity by reducing absorption of nutrients and calories by the digestive system.
Although in several studies weight loss surgery procedures proved safe and effective in treating obese teens, still it is vital that the prospective patients are closely evaluated to ensure suitability for the surgical intervention.
Family support and a strict dietary regimen for the rest of their lives after the surgery are very important to evade their risk of regaining the weight they lost.
There's more to gastric bypass than surgery and rapid massive weight loss. Patients who undergo weight loss surgery (WLS) sign-up for a lifetime of rigid behaviors to guarantee their long-term success.
Just imagine: If you knew what those behaviors were, could you lose the weight and keep it off without surgery? Take a look at the four rules WLS patients live by:
The first rule for living after Weight Loss Surgery (WLS) is Protein First - that means eating protein for three daily meals, and protein must be 50 percent of food intake. Animal products are the most nutrient rich source of protein and include fish, poultry and meat.
Dairy protein, including eggs, is another excellent source of protein. Nuts and legumes are also good sources of protein, but sometimes difficult for the bariatric patient to consume.
Science is proving that a protein rich diet will prompt weight loss and increase energy. The body contains over fifty-thousand different active proteins all made out of the same building blocks: amino acids. Amino acids are made of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen and nitrogen as well as sulfur, phosphorus and iron. Many diseases - including obesity - indicate an amino acid deficiency.
Weight loss surgery patients don't have a choice, they must eat lean protein or they will get sick, anemic, and weary. Weight loss will cease if they eat processed carbohydrates instead of lean protein. Dumping or vomiting may also result if patients do not eat lean protein for the first half of every meal.
The distinction must be made between high fat proteins and lean proteins. A gastric bypass patient cannot tolerate high fat proteins such as bacon, fatty beef or sausage products or greasy fried chicken: these foods cause nausea and vomiting. In addition, these high fat protein rich items are contributors to obesity and should be avoided by anyone wishing to control their weight.
Rule 2: Drink lots of water
Dieters are often told - drink water. Drink a minimum of 64 ounces a day - eight glasses a day. Gastric-bypass patients don't have a choice: they must drink lots water. Other beverages including coffee, tea, milk, soft drinks and alcohol are forbidden.
Water is the essential fluid for living. Water is one of the most important nutrients the body needs to stay healthy, vibrant and energetic. A tell-tell sign of a gastric bypass patient is the ever-present water bottle.
The human body is a magnificent vessel full of water. The brain is more than 75 percent water and 80 percent of blood is water.
In fact, water plays a critical role in every system of the human body. Water regulates body temperature, removes wastes, carries nutrients and oxygen to the cells, cushions the joints, prevents constipation, flushes toxins from the kidneys and liver and dissolves vitamins, minerals and other nutrients for the body's use.
Nutritionists say a precise measure of the body's need for water is to divide body weight (pounds) in half and drink that many ounces every day. That number could well exceed 200 ounces a day for morbidly obese people actively engaged in weight loss.
The body will panic if actual water intake is significantly less than required. Blood cannot flow, waste processes are disrupted and the electrolytes become imbalanced. Proper hydration prevents inflammation, promotes osmosis and moistens lung surfaces for gas diffusion.
It helps the body regulate temperature, irrigate the cells and organs and promotes all functions of elimination. Certainly by drinking plenty of water many people could resolve inflammation and elimination problems that result from insufficient water intake. Adequate water facilitates weight loss.
Gastric bypass patients are instructed to avoid snacking. No exceptions.
Snacking is the worst possible thing a WLS patient can do. If patients snack they cease to lose weight and could possibly regain weight. In addition gastric bypass snackers risk severe swings in blood sugar levels and glucose overdose, they fail to move forward to the healthy life that surgery makes possible. They feel like failures when the WLS does not result in weight loss.
The nature of gastric bypass surgery gives patients an edge on beating the snacking habit. When a patient eats three protein-rich meals a day the body's fuel requirements are met and satiation results.
Hunger does not occur if water is sipped throughout the day. If a patient is taking vitamins they will not be nutritionally wanting. Given that, patients who snack are doing so out of the very habit that contributed to obesity.
If a dieter must snack they must be mindful of their choices. Fruits, vegetables and lean proteins will contributed to wellness and weight loss. Processed carbohydrate convenience foods fail to meet nutritional needs or facilitate weight loss and should be avoided.
Successful WLS patients understand that snacking is bariatric purgatory. When they begin to snack weight loss will cease and weight gain will certainly result. Successful weight loss patients - those who maintain their weight loss years after surgery - do not snack.
The same is true for all successful dieters regardless of the means by which they initially lost weight.
The final rule, the one WLS despise the most, patients must exercise every day.
Nothing is more disappointing than hearing a gastric bypass patient brag that they didn't have to exercise to lose weight. It's true; patients will lose weight without lifting a finger. But patients who do not use the time of rapid weight loss to incorporate exercise into their lifestyle are doing themselves a grave disservice.
Obesity cripples the body. Bone tissues are compromised, joints are swollen, the vascular system is inadequate and the skeleton overburdened. As weight is lost, the burden on the bones, joints and vascular system is decreased.
However, the body is a magnificent machine. Given proper nutrition and physical motion it will rebuild its broken framework. The systems can become strong and vital.
The most effective way to heal the body from the ravages of obesity is to exercise. Exercise means moving the body: walking, stretching, bending, inhaling and exhaling. Exercise is the most effective, most enjoyable, most beneficial gift one can bestow on themselves in the recovery from life threatening, crippling morbid obesity.
People who successfully maintain their weight exercise daily.
Successful weight loss surgery patients will tell you these are the four rules they live by, that the gastric bypass is only a tool to facilitate mindful behavior for better health.
They will confirm that weight control, even with surgery, takes a lifetime of diligent attention to their bodies and behavior. They will assure you it isn't easy, but the results are worth the effort.
Kaye Bailey is a
weight loss surgery success story having maintained her health and goal weight for 5+ years. An award winning journalist, she is the author of many articles about life after gastric bypass. Ms. Bailey is the webmaster of
http://www.livingafterwls.com and
http://www.livingafterwls.blogspot.com Fresh & insightful content is added daily, check in often.
Chicken legs and chicken thighs are often left behind by those following the weight loss surgery high protein diet who favor the leaner lighter breast meat.
For years dark meat poultry has been rejected by dieters as too high in fat to play a beneficial role in a healthy weight management lifestyle. But this nutrient dense meat has a place in the bariatric diet and in these difficult economic times dark meat poultry is an affordable choice at the market.
A 3-ounce serving of dark meat chicken, skin removed, provides 166 calories, 21 grams protein, 8 grams of fat (2 grams saturated) and 76mg of cholesterol. But meat should not be judged on its nutritional profile alone: dark meat poultry is an excellent source of the B vitamins niacin and riboflavin and a good source of zinc.
And bundle packages of chicken drumsticks and thighs are ridiculously affordable too, often priced less than $1 a pound. Many nutritionists say that the benefits of the nutrient dense dark meat make it the preferred choice to white meat poultry provided the skin is removed before eating and a low-fat cooking method is used to prepare the chicken.
Weight loss surgery patients are prone to B vitamin deficiencies. In addition to B vitamin supplementation patients should regularly include foods that are rich in B vitamins in their diet. Niacin, vitamin B3, is important in the body's production of energy from food.
Niacin helps keep the skin, nerves, and digestive system healthy and is required for normal growth and the synthesis of DNA. Riboflavin, vitamin B2, plays an essential role in the production of red blood cells, energy production, and growth. As we age it is believed we do not consume enough riboflavin and may become deficient in this important B vitamin.
At the market look for chicken thighs and drumsticks packaged separately. Thighs are available boneless and bone-in. My favorite piece is the whole chicken leg with the thigh and drumstick intact and the skin on.
Ten-pound bags of chicken legs are available at most super-stores for around.75 cents a pound, a fine bargain when feeding a crowd. Chicken legs can be seasoned and roasted in the oven, skillet fried, or grilled outdoors. Poultry should be cooked to an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
A meat thermometer is the best method for testing chicken for doneness. Without a thermometer to test for doneness pierce the skin and meat with a sharp knife or skewer allowing juices to run. If the juices run clear the meat is cooked.
Serve dark meat poultry with fresh vegetables and citrus fruit. When eaten with poultry, citrus fruits, cabbage, broccoli, red bell peppers, kale, strawberries, kiwifruit will enhance iron absorption from the poultry thus promoting overall health and wellness.
Kaye Bailey (c) - All Rights Reserved
Join the LivingAfterWLS Neighborhood: Your safe haven circle of friends making the most of their weight loss surgery experience.
Plastic Surgery after Extreme Weight Loss - Get Your Body Back Into Shape
It's wonderful to lose all those pounds and even more wonderful to have the body you've always wanted! What a relief to lose all those pounds! There are lots of great ways to lose serious pounds, and they leave you feeling like a new 'You'.
"Extreme Weight Loss" means losing 100 or more pounds at once. Another word for it is "Freedom!" At the end of each extreme fat loss plan is the final step - Plastic surgery to take care of those leftover trouble spots.
Those leftover spots can be much bigger than you imagine. After extreme weight reduction, you are left with extra skin and fatty tissue hanging around lots of places where you don't want it.
The worst areas for leftover tissue are the abdomen (the body's number 1 trouble spot for ANYTHING!), neck, thighs and butt. Plastic surgery targets these areas.
You have heard of a face lift. How about body lift? It's not as dramatic as it sounds. The body lift works mostly on the abdomen, thigh and behind, but can also remove any excess skin or fat that is hanging around on your body.
The body lift removes excess tissue and also gives the tissue that remains a boost. This makes the shape of the overall body look natural after extreme weight loss. The goal is to get it just the right, so you can't tell there was ever any excess fat at all.
There are some other lifts that can come in handy after extreme weight loss. These include neck lifts, which target areas of excess skin around the neck. This excess skin can cause problems such as rashes if it isn't taken care of. There are also thigh lifts and arm lifts that target specific areas.
The basic idea of any lift is to raise the tissue underneath so that it looks more natural.
Don't Forget the Face Lift
After you lose a lot of fat, a face lift is always a good idea. Even if it is only a minor operation, it can work wonders to remove any trace of all that extra fat that you just said goodbye to.
One of the biggest problems after extreme weight loss is that the cheeks have a caved-in look. All that extra fat is gone, but you are left looking like you were just rescued from a desert island and you haven't eaten in two weeks. Nobody wants to look like they are starving!
A good face lift after extreme weight loss doesn't have to be huge. The idea is just to raise the tissue and get your face back to its natural shape.
You usually hear about people seeing the plastic surgeon to add more onto their breasts. But, after extreme fat loss, you will want to get rid of those giant, drooping breasts. Look at some "before and after" pictures, and you will understand!
After extreme weight loss, most women get breast reduction work done. Some men do, too! This can be a big problem for men. Man-boobs are embarrassing, when you are overweight, but after the extra fat comes off, you definitely don't want them hanging around.
The problem is that after extreme weight loss, the breasts are not only big, but irregular in shape. Breast reduction simply restores your breasts to their natural shape.Some women also choose breast augmentation.
After losing a lot of fat, breasts are often droopy and saggy. Breast augmentation can make them perky and more natural.
The idea between the "butt tuck," or "butt lift," is to restore some contour and shape to your behind. After losing a large amount of fat, the butt hangs off your backside like a deflated inner tube.
Plastic surgery can restore the shape and muscle to your behind, making it more shapely and natural.
The first step is to talk to a plastic surgeon. At your consultation, ask lots of questions and find out what your plastic surgeon thinks is best for your body. After you have taken off the pounds, the next step is to get your body back into its natural shape.
Gastric sleeve surgery has proved to be a life saver for many people suffering from obesity. However, the surgery has lost some of its sheen with several studies pointing to the possibility that a sizeable number of patients may have an increased appetite for alcohol after the surgical procedure.
According to a study by Wendy C. King and coworkers in the Journal of the American Medical Association, people who opted for gastric bypass surgery showed an increase in alcohol consumption two years after surgery.
While some of these patients were not heavy drinkers before they underwent the bariatric surgery, the others had not been drinkers at all.
The notion that gastric sleeve surgery is followed by alcoholism had become so big of a concern that it caused Oprah Winfrey to dedicate one of her television shows on this in 2006.
Probing into Gastric Sleeve and Alcoholism
Even though a number of medical researchers claim to have found the link between gastric sleeve surgery and alcohol-addiction after the surgery, many others have attributed alcoholism to factors other than the surgery itself.
Let's have a look at some of these factors:
Is it Alcoholism or Merely a Switch from Food-Addiction?
Most obesity-sufferers are addicted to food. After the surgery the addiction to food is transferred into addiction for other substances, one of them being alcohol.
Psychologists call this phenomenon "addiction transfer." This means that many people who struggle with compulsive behaviors, such as overeating and substance abuse, often find that they overcome one addiction only to develop another, months or even years later.
Addiction transfer also has a neurological basis which proves that the same biochemical processes are at work in behaviors such as compulsive eating and excessive alcohol intake.
A study published in The Archives of General Psychiatry in January 2011 examined the neurobiological similarities between behaviors that drive obesity and those that drive substance abuse.
Sometimes, the patient has trouble coping with his emotions or regulating them which leads to compulsive disorders such as overeating. Therefore, even though the eating disorder may be cured after the surgery, the emotional disturbance remains. This leads to others forms of compulsive disorders, such as alcoholism.
Alcoholism after gastric sleeve surgery may also be the result of poor coping skills. Many people with obesity have poor coping skills. In such cases, alcohol may become a coping strategy for such people.
Weight loss surgeries-gastric sleeve surgery, gastric bypass, duodenal switch-have proven to be the most effective treatment for clinical obesity that is not curable by regular lifestyle modification. They are not only the most reliable means of getting rid of excess weight, but also resolve several obesity-related diseases including high blood pressure and sleep apnea.
It is important to study the medical history of the patient, including any instances of substance abuse, and to provide pre-operative counseling to the patient before advising him/her to undergo a bariatric procedure.
It is also important that patients who undergo weight loss surgery should be aware of the risk of alcoholism and other addictive habits that may develop after the surgery.
Despite a weight loss surgery being related to certain risks and complications, bariatric procedures have gained popularity over the years. People are also traveling abroad in hordes to avail affordable weight loss surgeries abroad.
Thousands of Americans cross the border every year to undergo.
Rashmi Kalia writes for a website that provides affordable, gastric banding, gastric bypass and
gastric sleeve in Tijuana Mexico. She has a keen interest in fitness and medical writing, and has written extensively on diet and health related issues.
Many people are trying to lose weight in order to lose cellulite. While it is possible to reduce cellulite while you are trying to lose fat the extent of its reduction may not be as desired. Anti-cellulite treatment involves more than just losing pounds.
That is why liposuction, which is an easy way to lose body fat, makes the problem more visible. Even young and skinny people have fat under their skin but cellulite usually develops after thirty and women are the worst sufferers from belly cellulite as well as cellulite thighs.
Many women as well as men are unsuccessfully trying to lose fat because they have no clue about the nature of cellulite. The ugly dimpled appearance on their belly, thighs and bums simply refuses to go away.
Before they try lose to it they must understand its nature. It involves the accumulation of fat cell lumps between connective tissues which get distorted and stretched as the fat lumps expand.
This puts pressure on the lymphatic system which is unable to drain the cellulite affected area properly of toxins, fat cells and fluids that get accumulated and become a part of the cellulite structure.
Because of the complex nature of the problem your cellulite reduction regimen must be specifically targeted to getting rid of cellulite and weight loss. There are many ways to lose it and these include exercise, diet, laser treatments and cellulite cream or solution.
Lifestyle and environmental factors also have their role to play when you are trying to get rid of this problem. Therefore it is important to realize that while it may be easy to lose belly fat fast it takes some knowledge and diligence to lose cellulite.
A diet based anti-cellulite treatment involves changing your dietary habits so that it helps you to reduce those dimpled areas around your belly, thighs and buttocks. You must make up your mind to give up junk food and other such dietary habits.
Although unhealthy food is not wholly responsible for the development of cellulite it is responsible for the accumulation of fat and toxins in parts of the body which assists in the formation of body fat cellulite.
An anti-cellulite diet also improves circulation and thereby tissue health, increases the production of the "feel good" hormones, reduces blood pressure and cholesterol levels, improves the body's immunity, reduces stress and improves body flexibility and coordination. It reduces fat while it improves the elasticity of the skin.
An effective diet should consist of fresh fruits and vegetables, and salads comprising of raw cabbage, tomatoes, cucumber, carrots, lettuce, etc. many fresh fruits contain compounds that have the capacity to fight free radicals present in the body.
Your meals should consist of lean protein such as lean red meat, tuna and chicken. Others consist of oily fish, seeds and nuts. Consult a qualified dietician to suggest a healthy diet suitable for your body constitution. While a proper diet will not suffice by itself it can help you to lose cellulite faster.
Exercises are good for general health and fitness but not all exercises to lose weight can be used to lose cellulite. For this purpose you need to focus on exercises that focus on the specific areas like cellulite thighs and other body areas like the stomach and bums.
These exercises will help in losing body cellulite and at the same time they will boost your energy level and reduce anxiety and stress. A regular exercise regimen to get rid of the problem will also help in shaping and toning up your body.
Regular jogging, walking and swimming are cardiovascular exercises that help reduce cellulite in general. Anaerobic exercises work the muscles cellulite by helping to metabolize unwanted fat and prevent its accumulation.
This type of exercise also increases blood circulation and helps in removing toxins and fat cells from the affected skin tissues promoting cellulite free skin.
Exercises like the lateral squat and back rows can really help. A 20 minute strength training program that focus on the cellulite infected areas of the body, done a few times a week, along with 20 minutes of jogging can really help to lose cellulite. Although exercise does really help it must be done regularly under trained supervision and it takes some time before you can see positive results.
In order to get rid of the problem you have to make a few lifestyle changes and give up those unhealthy lifestyle habits that contribute to the accumulation of body fat and toxins. A sedentary lifestyle in conjunction with unhealthy food habits is partly responsible for the problem.
Making small changes like walking to the nearby store rather than using the car, using the stairs instead of the lift at least part of the way, cycling to nearby areas, waking up early to make time for some exercise in fresh morning air and other little things following the footsteps of our forefathers will help you to lose cellulite.
The Best Cellulite Treatment
From my own experience I can say that although the above methods do work they work slowly and the best way to lose cellulite fast is to use a
cellulite cream like Cellulean Cellulite Solution or Dermology Cellulite Cream, that come with free trial offers, in conjunction with one of the above methods for long term relief. To learn more about losing cellulite with these visit
http://www.squidoo.com/cellulite-creams-for-cellulite-treatment.
Vegetarians who are suffering from morbid obesity and undergo Weight Loss Surgery (WLS) for the treatment of obesity are challenged to follow the weight loss surgery high protein diet when they do not partake of red meat, poultry, fish, or seafood.
The first rule of a bariatric diet is to eat protein first in an effort to consume as much as 105 grams of protein a day. The balance of dietary intake should be at least 60 percent protein with the other 40 percent food intake being low glycemic carbohydrates and healthy fats.
These are the standard guidelines for patients of all gastric weight loss surgeries including gastric bypass, adjustable gastric banding (lap-band), and gastric sleeve.
To the diet savvy, eating a high protein diet is no magical secret. We know that a high protein, low carbohydrate diet prompts weight loss. The body is made of protein. Muscles, bones, skin, hair and virtually every other body part are essentially protein, which consists of basic building blocks called amino acids.
Amino acids help the body heal from surgery and fuel metabolic life processes around the clock. With the elimination of animal proteins from the diet vegetarians must turn to plant and dairy food for their protein needs. Legumes, low-fat dairy foods, soybeans and soy products, and nuts and seeds are all viable sources of protein for WLS vegetarians.
Legumes: Dried or canned beans such as kidney, cannellini, black beans and navy beans are nutritional powerhouse foods that may be enjoyed daily. One 7-ounce serving of beans provides 15 grams of protein.
In addition beans are an excellent source of dietary fiber and they are mineral rich providing B vitamins, iron, zinc, magnesium and phytochemicals. Beans are versatile and can be added to soups, salads, casseroles and stir fries.
Low-fat dairy foods: Dairy foods are another excellent source of protein, but patients of weight loss surgery must eat dairy with caution. Some surgical procedures affect a state of lactose intolerance in patients: it is wise to consult with a bariatric nutritionist if symptoms of lactose intolerance occur.
When dairy is tolerated WLS vegetarians can enjoy a 1 cup serving of skim milk, a 6-ounce serving of low-fat yogurt or a 1-ounce serving of low-fat cheddar cheese each providing nearly 10 grams of protein along with calcium and vitamins A, B, and D.
Soybeans and soy products: Soybeans are protein dense: a 7-ounce serving provides 24 grams of protein as well as iron, zinc, vitamin B, and phytochemicals. But Americans have been slow to make soybeans a dietary staple, perhaps because of a few too many tofu-experiments gone bad.
New soy-based products take tofu from the strange health food cart to mainstream meals in the form of veggie burgers and veggie tacos. Calcium fortified soy-dairy products such as milk and cheese are commonly available in most supermarkets and make suitable replacements for animal dairy products without lactose impact.
Nuts and seeds:A small 1-ounce serving of nuts provides about 5 grams of protein and a rich source of antioxidants including vitamin E and selenium. Nuts are high in fat so the portion must be carefully measured. Under these conditions nuts can provide a healthy snack, or a crunchy topping for salads or desserts.
Weight loss surgery vegetarians must mindfully monitor their dietary intake to ensure adequate protein needs are met. When protein intake is not met weight loss will stall or weight gain may occur.
WLS vegetarians should eat a wide variety of protein foods each day to supply their amino acid needs. This can be accomplished by keeping a pantry stocked with legumes, whole grains, nuts and seeds and soy products, and a refrigerator filled with low-fat dairy.
Kaye Bailey (c) 2010 - All Rights Reserved
Kaye Bailey is an internationally recognized writer, speaker and weight loss surgery advocate. She is the author of the highly successful weight loss surgery back to basics plan: 5 Day Pouch Test and the 5 Day Pouch Test Owner's Manual. Her follow-up book, Day 6: Beyond the 5 Day Pouch Test, was published in December 2009.
It provides guidance for long-term weight and health management with all bariatric surgical procedures. Ms. Bailey is known for her powerful "You can do this!" manner and her belief in the power of personal responsibility. She is the founder of LivingAfterWLS, LLC parent company to the LivingAfterWLS.com and 5daypouchtest.com websites.
Supporting both websites is the LivingAfterWLS Neighborhood, an online compassion-driven community for weight loss surgery, gastric bypass and gastric banding patients.
The thyroid is an important gland for regulating cell growth and metabolism in the body. This small gland is situated just below the Adam's apple (or larynx) in the throat. It is somewhat butterfly-shaped, consisting of two halves that are connected by a small piece of tissue called an isthmus.
The job of the thyroid is to absorb iodine and then convert it into two types of thyroid hormone: T3 and T4. These hormones are released into the blood and travel to every cell in the body, helping cells convert oxygen and calories to energy for use by the body. This entire process is controlled by the pituitary gland.
In the case of some people, the thyroid gland can become diseased, causing it to not produce enough thyroid hormones so needed by the body for its normal functioning. This is called hypothyroidism.
Alternatively, thyroid problems can lead to the gland producing too much thyroid hormone, which is called hyperthyroidism.
Common symptoms of hypothyroidism include excessive weight gain, depressions, anxiety, hair loss and sexual dysfunction. Weight gain is one of the problems because the body is less able to metabolize energy and oxygen without the help of the thyroid hormone.
Meanwhile, symptoms of hyperthyroidism can include heart palpitations, inability to tolerate heat, breathlessness, and trembling hand - among others. Excessive T3 and T4 hormone on the blood can cause the body's cells to "speed up," making the heart beat faster and causing related symptoms.
When serious thyroid issues arise, your doctor may recommend that part or all of your thyroid be removed via surgery. Once the surgery is complete, your thyroid will no longer be equipped to produce the same amounts (or any) of thyroid hormone that it did in the past. At this point, you may ask, "Will I be able to lose weight after thyroid surgery?".
The answer is: yes, provided that you take the proper thyroid supplement and otherwise live a healthy lifestyle. A supplement is simply a synthetic thyroid hormone that is usually taken once per day before or just after breakfast. The supplement will provide you with the thyroid hormone your body needs.
If you have not already talked with your doctor about whether you will need to take a thyroid supplement after surgery, be sure to initiate the conversation yourself: taking responsibility for one's own health is always the best policy.
If you are currently overweight due in part to a thyroid problem, it is not the case that the pounds that you have been gaining over the years will just start to shed off immediately. That is because it can take some time for you and your doctor to find the right thyroid supplement dosage (e.g., 125 micrograms, etc.), which could take a matter of months.
However, once the right dosage mix is found, your thyroid hormone levels (T3 and T4) will return to the normal, pre-thyroid condition, levels. At that point, you will find it much easier to lose the pounds that you want to lose.
Facing thyroid surgery can be a little bit scary, but in actuality it is a common procedure that thousands of people undergo safely every year. If your interest is in losing weight after surgery, you will. Just give it time, take your thyroid supplement, and live a healthy, active lifestyle.
Bariatric (weight loss) surgery is an effective weight loss procedure performed on people who are dangerously obese and have failed to lose pounds with a healthy diet and exercise.
Bariatric surgery is billed as the life-changing procedure that improves an individual's physical and mental health as well as appearance. According to the American Society for Bariatric Surgery (ASBS), major developments in the field of bariatric surgery, particularly laparoscopy, has made it the most effective treatment for morbidly obese patients.
There are a variety of weight loss surgeries, including gastric bypass, gastric sleeve and gastric banding, that aim to reduce the amount of food you can consume at a given time by reducing the stomach size or/and bypassing some of the small intestine so that fewer calories are absorbed into the bloodstream.
These weight loss surgeries have been seen as an increasingly attractive option for obese patients in recent years. But people who have had any kind of bariatric surgery could experience side effects that can be dangerous and even life-threatening.
Nausea, Vomiting and Abdominal Discomfort
Eating too quickly, taking large bites, not chewing well enough, eating foods that are too dry or tough or consuming food in large quantity at one time can bring on abdominal discomfort in many people after weight loss surgery. Eating less than 'mindfully' can cause nausea, vomiting and other complications.
Dehydration, Constipation
Ingesting water inappropriately after bariatric surgery can lead to dehydration. It is essential to drink about 2 liters of liquid a day during the first few weeks after weight loss surgery.
Consuming fluid in larger quantity could create complications as well. Constipation is another bariatric surgery complication that may occur due to lack of water consumption. So, be sure to maintain adequate fluid intake after bariatric surgery.
There is also a possibility that you may develop intolerance to some foods, mainly to dairy food items like milk and milk products. Some patients struggle to digest cheese or ice cream, or any other gummy foods like bread, pasta, and rice as well as steak and pizza.
Hair loss or hair thinning, fatigue, dry skin, abdominal pain and mood swings are other bariatric surgery side effects.
Many bariatric surgery patients can experience "dumping syndrome," which occurs as the result of rapid emptying of undigested stomach contents into the small intestine. This complication mostly happens following gastric bypass surgery.
Although the condition itself is not considered a serious health concern, the associated symptoms can be extremely unpleasant. They include nausea, shaking, weakness, sweating, faintness, tiredness, nightmares, rapid heart rate, excessive hunger and stomach cramping after meals.
Malabsorption and Malnutrition
The potentially severe complications can include malabsorption, where body fails to absorb nutrients from the gastrointestinal tract effectively. The deficiency of calcium and iron in the body can cause anemia, diarrhea, and even bone disease.
Nutritional deficiencies after the surgery can have an everlasting effect on your life. The NIH statistic shows that nearly 30% of bariatric surgery patients develop nutritional deficiencies like anemia or osteoporosis.
Although rare, but some patients may deal with a serious complication called Non-Insulinoma Pancreatogenous Hypoglycemia Syndrome or very low blood sugar levels. Bariatric patients with this complication may experience severe neurologic symptoms, including frequent episodes of confusion throughout the day, visual disturbances and seizures.
A review of nearly 17,000 bariatric operations performed from 1995 to 2004 in Pennsylvania suggested that weight loss surgery patients can also be at greater risk of suicide.
Some studies have associated the weight loss surgery with a higher-than-expected risk of death. According to the study results, not only the older patients, even the younger patients may die after the surgery.
Cost-effective
Bariatric Surgery in Mexico is becoming increasingly popular among clinically obese patients who cannot spend a fortune on expensive weight loss surgeries in their native country.
Breast Implants in Mexico is equally popular with US and Canadian women.
Gastric Band vs Gastric Bypass
Gastric band surgery has quickly replaced gastric bypass surgery as the primary weight loss surgery for extreme obesity. the procedure is not only less invasive, it's a shorter procedure, fully reversible and adjustable for life.
Moreover, less time is spent in recovery and surgical complications occur in less than 1% of patients (as opposed to 19% of the gastric bypass patients).
Gastric band surgery essentially works by using a silicone band to create a smaller pouch above the stomach, which acts as the new, smaller stomach. The patient eats substantially less, almost half the amount as they would have prior to the procedure, and feels full sooner.
Doctors are not sure how the mind is tricked, but they do know that the procedure is effective in helping obese patients lose weight slowly and consistently.
What is the procedure like?
Specifically, gastric band surgery involves minimally invasive surgery, or keyhole surgery, to place an adjustable band manufactured with biocompatible materials around the stomach, creating a smaller pouch above the stomach.
This essentially narrows the passageway into the patient's stomach, which makes the patient feel full while consuming 50% less calories than they would have prior to the procedure. A tube attached to the adjustable band is connected to a port which is used to adjust the band tightness as the patient loses more weight.
This injection port is placed under the skin, and the band tightness is adjusted by adding saline to make it tighter, or removing saline to make it looser. This port is placed under the skin so the patient's surgeon can access it easily to make adjustments to the band.
What are the benefits of Gastric Band surgery?
- The primary benefit of gastric band surgery is the customizable weight loss the band can provide. By inserting the port, the patient's surgeon can quite easily insert or remove saline to adjust the width of the band.
- Weight loss occurs slowly, at a healthy rate. The patient will lose approximately 50%-60% of their initial weight, over a consistent amount of time.
- The procedure is reversible, unlike gastric bypass. Once the gastric band is removed, the stomach returns to its original form and function.
- Since there is no stapling or removing of any parts, there is no change to the patient's anatomy. The patient continues to digest food normally, it is the rate at which food is processed that is now slower which makes the patient feel full faster.
- The gastric band surgery as a weight loss procedure has less risks, fewer side effects and a shorter recovery period, not to mention less scarring, than other procedures such as liposuction, tummy tucks and gastric bypass.
Surgeons and patients alike are turning to the gastric band procedure as the best choice for weight loss surgery. The procedure can have a dramatic impact on a variety of obesity-related conditions, including:
- Type II diabetes
- Asthma
- Hypertension
- Sleep apnea
- Infertility
- Back pain
- Mobility
- Depression and anxiety
If you suffer from obesity, and obesity-related conditions, consider consulting a specialist at a surgical centre to learn more about weight loss surgery.
Jackson Bradford is a health and business enthusiast who writes about a variety of different topics. To learn more about
gastric band surgery visit the Western Surgery Centre.
