2013

Bariatric Formulated Multivitamin and Mineral Supplements are Necessary for Optimal Health After Weight Loss Surgery

December 27, 2013

Recently, there have been news headlines saying that you are wasting your money buying vitamin and mineral supplements. These headlines were based on a recent study that looked at the effectiveness of vitamins in regards to disease prevention. The study suggested that you would be better of saving your money and eating a balanced diet. However, we recommend that all bariatric surgery patients take daily multivitamins and mineral supplements to prevent possible deficiencies. Are you wasting your money? Here is our answer: Maybe. But before we get to how not to waste your money, let’s make one thing clear: daily multivitamin and mineral supplements are a requirement after weight loss surgery in order to ensure proper nutrition. This is true regardless if you are eating a healthy, organic, well-balanced diet or not. Bariatric surgery like the Gastric Bypass and Sleeve Gastrectomy affect how some nutrients are being absorbed. Even if you had a purely restrictive procedure like the Lap-Band, the quantity of food consumption is so greatly reduced that it would be very difficult to reach optimal nutrition on food... Read More

Giving kindness to your post-bariatric surgery body

November 27, 2013

The holiday season is in full swing in Connecticut. The weather is getting colder and it seems that everyone is busy cooking or shopping for friends and loved ones. The holidays remind us to take some time to reconnect with our family and refocus on what is important: love and kindness for one another. It is also a good time for a reminder to be kind and loving to yourself. Patients who had bariatric surgery such as Gastric Bypass, Sleeve Gastrectomy or Lap-Band have a lot to be thankful for. They are better able to lose weight and keep it off, enjoy better health than before surgery and tend to have lots of new found energy that can come in quite handy during the busy holiday season. However, not all patients are as enamored with their body. Most bariatric patients can expect to lose between 50 to 80% of their excess weight with the help of bariatric surgery and the very hard pre- and post-op work that comes with a healthy lifestyle. Depending on the surgery type and the total... Read More

Fall Recipes Can Be Very Bariatric Friendly

November 14, 2013

Fall, with it’s chilly daytime temperatures, is in full swing in Connecticut. Most of us are looking for delicious comfort foods that keep both our body and soul warm. We are looking for simple recipes that make our homes smell wonderful and that require spending minimal hours in the kitchen, so we can curl up with a good book by the fire and enjoy some time relaxing before dinner. The good news is that slow cooking, such as stewing or using a crockpot, make meats extraordinarily tender and bariatric friendly. After bariatric surgery, such as the Gastric Bypass, Sleeve Gastrectomy or the Lap-Band, some meats can be harder to digest. Mainly, this is because foods need to be chewed thoroughly, since the stomach is not able to further break down food. Meat that is dry, such as chicken breast meat or tougher cuts of beef, can be difficult to digest for some. The key to easy digestion is to keep lean protein moist. Fall cooking naturally lends itself to tender meat. As a bariatric patient, you want to look for... Read More

Adding up the sugar

November 1, 2013

Now that Halloween is over, it is a good time to reevaluate how much sugar is in your (and your family’s) diet. Sugar is the downfall of weight loss surgery. It can slow down weight loss and also cause weight to be regained. Although it is true that about 80% of patients who had Gastric Bypass will experience dumping syndrome (lightheadedness and GI related symptoms after eating simple carbs), it is by no means a deterrent long term. Even patients who experience dumping syndrome will lose this negative feedback over time. The best policy is to adhere to a healthy lifestyle, regardless if you had a Lap-Band, Sleeve Gastrectomy or Gastric Bypass. A healthy lifestyle after bariatric surgery means choosing foods that are nutritionally dense, such as lean proteins, whole grains and fresh vegetables, while limiting fried foods and simple sugars such as candy, fruit juice, sugar, white pasta and white flour. Of course, daily exercise, getting enough sleep and taking time for yourself make adhering to a healthy lifestyle easier. Naming the Sweet Stuff It is hard to know... Read More

Tools of Success for Bariatric Surgery

October 11, 2013

You have often heard that Bariatric Surgery, or Weight Loss Surgery, is a tool for fighting obesity and its related diseases. It is a very effective tool. We now have decades of studies that show the effectiveness of procedures such as the Gastric Bypass and Lap Band. We also have nearly 10 years of data on the Gastric Sleeve and its effectiveness against obesity and comorbid conditions. Bariatric surgery works. It helps patients lose weight, keep it off and most importantly avoid or control diseases such as diabetes, heart disease and cancer. Unfortunately, sometimes we forget that Bariatric Surgery is not a miracle worker. It takes dedication and very hard work. This is where the other tools in your toolbox need to come in: nutrition, exercise, behavior management, follow-op and support. Let’s look at these in a bit more detail. Nutrition: Bariatric surgery helps patients feel satisfied with less food. It is the patient’s responsibility to ensure that the food is nutritious. Feed your body decadent, healthy food that is rich in protein, low in fat and low in sugar... Read More