Carbonated Drinks & why you shouldn’t drink them!

Carbonated Drinks after weight loss surgery - Long Term VSG

What are carbonated drinks?

A carbonated drink is a drink that bubbles and fizzes with carbon dioxide gas. There is a natural process (Mineral Water) and also the man-made process (canned mineral water, soft drink or soda).

...But, are they bad? The overconsumption of sugar-sweetened soft drinks is associated with obesity, type 2 diabetes, dental caries, and low nutrient levels. Experimental studies tend to support a causal role for sugar-sweetened soft drinks in these ailments, though this is challenged by other researchers. "Sugar-sweetened" includes drinks that use high-fructose corn syrup, as well as those using sucrose.

Many soft drinks contain ingredients that are themselves sources of concern: caffeine is linked to anxiety and sleep disruption when consumed in excess, and some critics question the health effects of added sugars and artificial sweeteners. Sodium benzoate has been investigated by researchers at University of Sheffield as a possible cause of DNA damage and hyperactivity. Other substances have negative health effects, but are present in such small quantities that they are unlikely to pose any substantial health risk provided that the beverages are consumed only in moderation.

The consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages is associated with weight and obesity, and changes in consumption can help predict changes in weight.

The consumption of sugar-sweetened soft drinks can also be associated with many weight-related diseases, including diabetes, metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular risk factors, and elevated blood pressure.

Now that you know how Soda or soft drinks affect your health let’s talk about how it also is a bad choice after Weight Loss Surgery... Due to the gas that this types of drinks have in them they can hurt your stomach also they create a sensation of fullness (or bloating symptom) which can prevent you from eating your meal at your planned schedule and makes you feel uncomfortable, also due to the fact that they have sugar added (even if they are Light) they can stop the weight loss process and get you into a stall. So avoid them if you want a better achievement on your weight loss journey.

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Genetics and Obesity are related!

Today we are going to talk about how your genetics are sometimes against you and your weight, but why?... Well Obesity and genetics a directly related and combines with some environmental influences they are 70% responsible for your body’s weight.

And here at Long Term WLS / VSG we understand that bariatric surgery may be the only way to effectively alter these genetically predetermined body processes.

But why my genes are causing me obesity?

Evolution yeah that’s it evolution is one of the main reasons. We are designed to survive and that’s how our bodies has been adapting itself going through survival requirements have coincided with environmental factors over the course of human history.

Let’s stop the history lesson for a moment and go back to what happens internally and let’s talk about hunger. Your genetics determine the amount of hunger-causing hormones that are secreted by your body into your bloodstream and how your brain interacts with those hormones.

Three types of internal body secretions have been found to regulate hunger:

• Hormones from the digestive system, including ghrelin, peptide YY and GLP-1, let your brain know when more nutrients are “needed” based on your body’s requirements.
• Hormones from fat cells (“adipocytes”) such as leptin keep your brain informed about your body’s level of energy deposits (fat cells).
• Neuropeptides in the brain regulate food intake by responding to signals from hormones secreted by the body.

Ghrelin is the first of three hormones sited most frequently in conjunction with obesity. When your stomach is empty, ghrelin is secreted into your blood stream by your stomach. After you eat, the amount of secreted ghrelin drops, then slowly rises until your next meal. Lower ghrelin means less hunger.

Neuropeptide Y neurons in the brain are activated by ghrelin. When your blood carries more ghrelin to the brain, your neuropeptides create “hunger signals” leading you to feel hungry and eat.

The third most commonly-referenced hormone associated with obesity is leptin, which is secreted by fat cells!

If dieting has not worked for you, ghrelin, peptide YY and leptin are likely to be a few of the main culprits because as you diet…

• The amount of ghrelin your stomach secretes increases, causing your brain to receive more hunger signals.
• The amount of peptide YY your digestive system secretes decreases, causing you to feel hungrier.
• As your leptin-secreting fat deposits dissolve, less leptin is released into your blood causing your brain to want to eat more in order to restore its fat deposits.

Now to complete the cycle you have to know that your weight also has an important role here. Each of our bodies has a set weight that it “wants” to maintain. If your body weight goes above your set point, your metabolism will speed up in an attempt to burn off the excess weight. If your weight falls below your set point, your metabolism will slow down to allow more fat accumulation.

Now we that we know how genetics affect let’s talk about how weight loss surgery helps. Let’s keep it in two ways:

1.       Hormones and weight loss: surgery impacts the hormones that affect hunger

2.       Metabolism and weight loss: surgery increases the body’s fat-burning metabolism

Surgeries that bypass or remove part of the stomach, including gastric bypass surgery, gastric sleeve surgery and duodenal switch surgery may reduce feelings of hunger by…

• Reducing the level of ghrelin secreted into the blood stream by the stomach
• Increasing the level of peptide YY secreted into the blood stream by the lower digestive system

Ghrelin and peptide YY plasma (blood) levels are unchanged after lap band surgery (gastric banding) and vertical banded Gastroplasty surgery.

Therefore, it could be suggested that the procedures that remove or bypass part of the stomach (i.e. gastric bypass, gastric sleeve and duodenal switch) could aid in long-term weight loss by causing patients to feel less hungry. At a minimum, sustained weight loss should feel easier to achieve after these procedures due to fewer hunger signals reaching the brain.

Also bariatric surgery has been shown to increase glucose metabolism causing the body to burn energy (fat) more quickly. Increased metabolism is the result of and directly proportionate to the amount of fat lost after weight loss surgery...

For the meat lovers ♥

Red meat contains large amounts of iron, creatine, minerals such as zinc and phosphorus, and B-vitamins: (niacin, vitamin B12, thiamin and riboflavin). Red meat is the richest source of lipoic acid, a powerful antioxidant.

Red meat also contains small amounts of vitamin D. The liver contains much higher quantities than other parts of the animal. And it’s also well known for being a great source of protein.

Now we have to make choices on witch type of cut are more beneficial for a healthier meal. The tastiest cuts of beef are often the ones with more fat. But when you're concerned about your health or you're trying to watch your weight, you want the leanest cuts of beef. 

But which ones are the leanest cuts?

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) regulates whether cuts of beef can be labeled as "lean" or "extra lean" based on their fat and cholesterol content. So the best way to get the leanest cut is to check labels...

To make sure you are having a lean cut a 3.5-ounce serving (about 100 grams) that contains less than:

·         10 grams total fat

·         4.5 grams saturated fat

·         95 milligrams cholesterol

Now in order to get an extra lean cut make sure that in a 3.5-ounce serving (about 100 grams) that contains less than:

·         5 grams total fat

·         2 grams saturated fat

·         95 milligrams cholesterol

The following ones are considered a great choice for extra lean cuts:

·         Eye of round roast or steak

·         Sirloin tip side steak

·         Top round roast and steak

·         Bottom round roast and steak

·         Top sirloin steak

If you still have questions about which cuts of beef are lean or extra lean, ask your butcher or grocer. If you're dining out, ask the restaurant server or chef for recommendations for lower fat options. But keep in mind that the same cuts of beef can have different names. For example, a boneless top loin steak may also be called a strip steak, club sirloin steak or N.Y. strip steak.

Other tips when choosing cuts of beef:

·         Choose cuts that are graded "Choice" or "Select" instead of "Prime," which usually has more fat.

·         Choose cuts with the least amount of visible fat (marbling).

·         When selecting ground beef, opt for the lowest percentage of fat.

·         Limit consumption of beef organs, such as liver, to about 3 ounces (85 grams) a month since organ meat is high in cholesterol.

Even the leanest cuts of beef can become high-fat diet busters if you prepare them in unhealthy ways. Here are a few simple methods to control the fat:

• ·         Trim it. Cut off any visible, solid fat from meat before preparing, and then remove any remaining visible fat before eating.
• ·         Drain it. After cooking ground meat, put it into a strainer or colander and drain the fat. Then rinse the meat with hot water. Blot the meat with a paper towel to remove the water.
• ·         Chill it. After cooking, chill beef juices so that you can skim off and discard the hardened fat. Then add the juice to stews, soups and gravy.
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Now that you know how to choose your meat, eat healthy and stay healthy!

www.longtermvsg.com

Long Term VSG - Weight loss surgery promotional price:

• Gastric Sleeve surgery staring at $2999 USD
• Revision surgery starting at $4499 USD

The Work out Trifecta...

You might be wandering what’s that work out trifecta and it’s nothing from the outside world, actually is really simple it consist on doing Endurance training, Flexibility and Strength. Yeah that’s it by doing this three steps you can embark on a fitness journey.

Let’s begin with Endurance training!

• Walking is the best way to go by doing a walking plan and setting an initial daily goal. Then increase the goal by 10% each day that you walk. A great way to go about this is to count your steps using a pedometer. To set your baseline goal, clip on your pedometer and walk for 20 or 30 minutes throughout the day. Spread your walks throughout the day so you don’t get too tired… three 10 minute walks, for example...

• After a few weeks, you’ll be well on your way to better shape and will be ready to take your endurance routine to the next level. As the walking gets easier increase the difficulty of your daily steps. First, start taking the stairs instead of the elevator whenever possible, or walk hills instead of flat ground if you have them in your area.

• As you keep on progressing in your endurance you can increase the difficulty by riding a stationary bike at the gym or if you have then at your house. Another fun work out you can do is hula hoping and with this you can strengthen your core, arms and legs.

• Also you can try swimming It contributes to endurance, strength and flexibility with minimal impact on the joints and works virtually every part of your body.

Now let’s go ahead and talk about a little bit of Flexibility...

Stretch… That’s the secret at the beginning its going to burn but also you will feel the euphoria that you are making changes in your life and after that pain there is a feeling good sensation and satisfaction that you are becoming more flexible.

Just as importantly, flexibility exercise for bariatric surgery patients improves coordination, increases blood flow to your muscles resulting in less soreness and more energy and improves chronic problems such as lower back pain.

To stretch properly, you should go far enough to “feel the burn” but not so far that it hurts. Hold the stretch for at least 10 seconds while feeling the burn, breathe deeply and consistently, and don’t bounce.

FYI: Beginners YOGA can help you with this and on the long run it also helps build muscle.

Now let finish this off with Strength! While it is the last it’s also really important to have it on you daily work out and it only should be started after your Endurance and Flexibility has been done.

As a good recommendation for starters, the exercise ball is a good way to go, these provide a great low-impact workout for core strength. Just sitting on them while watching TV or working at your desk will work your abs, sides and lower back. As you get stronger, start to incorporate exercises.

The size you need depends on your height:

·         Under 5 feet – 45 cm

·         5’1" – 5’8" – 55 cm

·         5’9" – 6’2" – 65cm

·         6’3" – 6’7" – 75cm

·         Over 6’8 " – 85cm

And as you progress start adding weights to the work out, you can start with dumbbells (from 1 to 5 pounds).
And also you can incorporate it to the other workouts and from there do your arm and shoulders exercises.

Well now that you know the 3 basic steps to do a full work out remember that you also have to use the correct equipment and clothing.

www.longtermvsg.com

Vitamins! Why are they so important after wls...

Vitamins and minerals are essential to our lives and they help us to have a healthier body, now that you have gone through a WLS they are more important so you can continue to be healthy and stay that way...

But why are they important?

Let’s put it this way, your body needs the right amount of the right vitamins and minerals to work at its full potential not just to keep you healthy, and also it can relate to a better weight loss.

Vitamins do regulate core processes such as:

• ·         Appetite and hunger

• ·         Brain activity

• ·         Nutrient absorption

• ·         Metabolic rate

• ·         Fat and sugar metabolism

• ·         Thyroid and adrenal function

• ·         Energy Storage

Food is the best way to get the vitamins and minerals that your body needs, but sometimes we aren’t able to get the amount that we need from our everyday diet, that’s where the supplement comes in...

Here comes the best part after what you as a WLS patientneed to know...! After a bariatric surgery your body is more vulnerable to vitamin deficiencies (depending on the procedure), that’s because the procedures normally reduces the body’s ability to absorb vitamins (malabsorptive procedures), another one is that it doesn’t allow your body to hold as much food from which to draw vitamins (restrictive procedures) or it can go both ways.

In addition, as many as 80% of bariatric surgery patients don’t get enough vitamins before surgery, so the right bariatric diet and bariatric vitamins are that much more important following surgery.

Primarily Malabsorptive:

• ·         Duodenal Switch

• ·         Laparoscopic Gastric Bypass Surgery

• ·        Mini GastricBypass Surgery

Primarily Restrictive:

• ·         Adjustable Gastric Banding (Lap Band Surgery)

• ·         Gastric Sleeve Surgery

• ·         Vertical Banded Gastroplasty

Making sure your body has the right amount of each vitamin will keep you healthy, help you lose weight and help your body keep the weight off!

Now let’s talk about gastric sleeve and which vitamins I have to be aware of as we all know a GS is a restrictive surgery so there is possibility on deficiency on some vitamins such as:

• ·         Thiamin (Vitamin B1)

• ·         Folate

• ·         Vitamin A

...So just be aware and try to find more resources of food to get the amount that is needed.

What happens when you don’t take the vitamins that you need?

Not having regular checkups (blood test) or ignoring the doctors or nutritionist guidelines can have severe problems on a long run. Some of these problems can be caused:

• ·         Calcium deficiencies (Can lead to osteoporosis)

• ·         Iron deficiencies ( Can cause anemia (when your body does not have enough red blood cells to carry oxygen throughout the body), increased feelings of fatigue and hair loss)

• ·         Folate (Folic Acid) deficiency (Can also lead to anemia)

• ·         Protein Deficiency (protein is one of the most important components of your body as it makes up most of your major organs. Not getting enough can lead to a myriad of problems, including muscle deterioration, organ failure, gallstones and even death)

• ·         Thiamin (Vitamin B1) deficiency (affects the heart, digestive system and nervous system. If not caught and treated quickly, learning and memory could be permanently affected. Ultimately, coma and death could be the result)

• ·         Vitamin A deficiency (Can lead to night blindness and increases the risk of disease and death from severe infections. During pregnancy after weight loss surgery, it increases the risk of night blindness and child mortality)

• ·         Vitamin B12 (can cause fatigue and tingling in the hands and can eventually lead to anemia and neurological disorders)

• ·         Vitamin D deficiency (can lead to liver and kidney disorders and bone softening diseases)

• ·         Vitamin E deficiency (causes neurological problems, anemia and can cause wounds to heal more slowly0

• ·         Vitamin K deficiency (increases the risk of osteoporosis and heart disease and can cause you to bruise more easily)

• ·         Zinc deficiency (will give you brittle nails and can lead to hair loss)

The only way to be aware if you have a deficiency in any vitamin is through a blood test. Symptoms that start to appear are often confused with other bariatric surgery side effects and aren’t often diagnosed by a physical exam.

In short, take bariatric vitamins very seriously. If you’re not prepared stick to a strict regimen forever, don’t move forward with surgery.

www.longtermvsg.com