Bariatric Surgery for Weight Loss

To end my blog for the month of April, I thought I would post some information on Bariatric Surgery since it is such a hot topic in weight loss methods right now. This method of losing weight is designed for the severely obesity individual that finds it difficult to treat their condition through diet and exercise alone. The operation promotes weight loss and reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes by restricting food intakes, and in some operations, interrupting the digestive process to prevent the absorption of calories and nutrients. The best results are achieved when bariatric surgery is followed with healthy eating behaviors/changes and regular physical activity, so don't think having this surgery is going to be a quick fix to your weight issues (THERE IS NO QUICK FIX)!!!

There are four types of bariatric surgery offered commonly in the United States: 1) adjustable gastric band (AGB), 2) Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB), 3) biliopancreatic diversion with a duodenal switch (BPD-DS), and 4) vertical sleeve gastrectomy (VSG). Each surgery has its own benefits and risks which you and your doctro should consider in great detail before making a decision in preceeding with gastric surgery.

Here are discriptions of each surgery with a diagram at the end (taken from my resource):

AGB - works primarily by decreasing food intake. Food intake is limited by placing a small bracelet-like band around the top of the stomach to produce a small pouch about the size of a thumb. The outlet size is controlled by a circular balloon inside the band that can be inflated or deflated with saline solution to meet the needs of the patient.

RYGB - works by restricting food intake and by decreasing the absorption of food. Food intake is limited by a small pouch that is similar in size to the adjustable gastric band. In addition, absorption of food in the digestive tract is reduced by excluding most of the stomach, duodenum, and upper intestine from contact with food by routing food directly from the pouch into the small intestine.

BPD-DS - usually referred to as a “duodenal switch,” is a complex bariatric operation that principally includes 1) removing a large portion of the stomach to promote smaller meal sizes, 2) re-routing of food away from much of the small intestine to partially prevent absorption of food, and 3) re-routing of bile and other digestive juices which impair digestion. In removing a large portion of the stomach, a more tubular “gastric sleeve” (also known as a vertical sleeve gastrectomy, or VSG) is created. The smaller stomach sleeve remains connected to a very short segment of the duodenum, which is then directly connected to a lower part of the small intestine. This operation leaves a small portion of the duodenum available for food and the absorption of some vitamins and minerals. However, food that is eaten by the patient bypasses the majority of the duodenum. The distance between the stomach and colon is made much shorter after this operation, thus promoting malabsorption. BPD-DS produces significant weight loss. However, there is greater risk of long-term complications because of decreased absorption of food, vitamins, and minerals.

VSG - historically had been performed only as the first stage of BPD-DS (see above) in patients who may be at high risk for complications from more extensive types of surgery. These patients’ high risk levels are due to body weight or medical conditions. However, more recent information indicates that some patients who undergo a VSG can actually lose significant weight with VSG alone and avoid a second procedure. It is not yet known how many patients who undergo VSG alone will need a second stage procedure. A VSG operation restricts food intake and does not lead to decreased absorption of food. However, most of the stomach is removed, which may decrease production of a hormone called ghrelin. A decreased amount of ghrelin may reduce hunger more than other purely restrictive operations, such as gastric band.

Once a patient has reached which surgery to proceed with, they need to remember that each can have major complications since these surgery's are still relatively new. Another fact is that 10 percent of all patients who undergo bariatric surgery may have unsatisfactory weight loss or regain much of the weight that they lose due to unhealthy food behaviors that don't get addressed before, during, or after surgery.

I personally don't believe in gastric surgery since I know of a couple of people who almost died from this procedure. However, if your weight issues are extreme and you are someone with severe weight complications, then this may be your best (last) option in keeping yourself alive. So, for quite a number of individuals this method is saving lives and giving them a chance to really have a life...I just hope they don't take this fact for granted and that they start eating healthy, make behavior changes with food, and be sure to stay active in order to improve the quality of their lives!

Reference:

US Dept of Health/Human Services; Weight-Control Information Network: http://win.niddk.nih.gov/publications/gastric.htm

Support System

When you think about working out, do you think about doing it on your own or with a group?? When you think about what you are planning for dinner, are you planning for yourself or for more than one?? These are simple questions, but they are bringing up a point that I want to make. When you are trying to manage your weight and health, don't you find it easier and more supportive when you have a support system in place or someone else to work at it with you. I know that I do....That is why I have found that I really enjoy blogging on this topic. For me weight management is soooo stressful and it's a daily, everyday process in choice making. What am I planning to eat today, when am I planning to get in exercise, what type, and for how long....
I have found that by having the friends, family, and network system in place it can help me to stay motivated and encouraged. Especially with exercise - I live within three miles of my parents who are starting to get into their "golden years" and I want to make sure they stick around for as long as possible. So, when I am over there I will talk my Dad into taking hikes up at the park, playing catch with a softball, going for walks around the block, or helping to mow/do lawn work. These activities done with them encourages not only me, but keeps my parents moving and active.
Another big thing is when I go out to dinner, I like going out with my friends who know what a struggle food choices are for me. They help me by encouraging me with eating healthy foods while I eat healthy foods. Thus, we keep each other going and making good choices. Weight management isn't easy, but it makes it more fun/something you can live with if you have the friends and family in your life that will work at it with you. So, while you read this blog I hope you realize that I am here for you and will continue to encourage you because we are all trying to live a healthy lifestyle together!!!

Portion Control

I know trying to be healthy can be a lot of work and that many things can play a large part in helping you to reach your goals. One major area that can have an impact is how much food we put on our plates and the portion amounts that we actually eat. When you eat out or put food on your plate, do you realize just how many calories you end up eating?? Most of us really don't think about the portion size of our food when we sit down to eat. What we want is to have a plate that is full with a wonderful tasting meal - even when this works against us and is at the expense of our own health.

The portion size that you put on your plate is important because it impacts how many calories you take in. When you take in excess amounts of calories that your body does not need, then your body (being the smart machine that it is) turns around and will store this for later use. By storing the calories for later use you end up gaining weight which then impacts all area of your health from increasing your blood pressure to even leading to disease like diabetes. So, how do you control the portion size and make sure that you keep your calories within a healthy range?? Well, there are many wonderful ideas and suggestions out there to help you....Here are just a few to get you started:

1) Use smaller dishes at meals (use salad plates for your main meal, etc...)

2) Measure ingredients with a food scale

3) Serve food in smaller portions and don't go back for seconds.

4) Put away leftovers in separate/portion-controlled amounts. Consider freezing the portions you likely won't eat for a while.

5) Don't eat straight from the bag or carton (make a fancy table setting and treat yourself to a quiet environment).

6) Don't keep platters of food on the table (you may nibble and this adds up quickly).

7) Ask for half or child size portions when at a restuarant.

8) Ask up front for a doggie bag and pack half the meal for latter enjoyment.

9) Share a dessert with a group of people so you all get a taste of the treat or do a mini-shot (Many restuarant now offer mini-shot sized desserts).

And many more....

Portion control may seem like a lot of work at first, but in the long run it will help you to keep your body healthy. Isn't the smaller size actually worth is to you if it keeps you living longer?? I would like to think that less in means longer time to be around to enjoy the things that are important in life. Just like the type of food you take in is important so is the amounts. Here are two images to think about too. One shows changes in portions serving and another shows how to split your dinner plate in order to keep portions in control and gives you a variety of healthy options:

Inside PA

Does anyone else notice how the weather in Spring can end up derailing your outdoor exercise routine?? For me, I try not to let the weather get the best of me. Although I enjoy working out outdoors, I know that sometimes I won't always get the chance to be outside. I also know that I still need to figure out some sort of physical activity plan when going outside is not an option. Exercise is really important, not just because of all the health benefits; but, because it can make you feel better when the weather may be getting you down. Today I am looking at going with plan B since the skies outside my balconey doors are showing overcast skies and dark rain clouds.
What is Plan B you may be wondering - well, for me this is a list of indoor activities that can get my heart rate up and give me at least 30 minutes of some form of exercise. For me, I have to do something that I consider is fun - one of the things I have on hand is a number of exercise DVD's. I have everything from walking exercises, BellyDance Routines, Pilates, and some Hip-Hop dance options. This type of exercise lets me move my furniture around and release a lot of pent of energy in a fun and energetic way. Another form of indoor PA I have is that I own a boxing bag, and when my frustration levels are high I slip on my gloves and pound away at the bag. It is amazing how much cardio you can get from DVD's or having a simple piece of exercise equipment.
But what do you do when you don't have money to buy DVD's or equipment? This is when you have to use your imagination. I have found that I do simple muscle movements when I am in the kitchen like standing on one leg (waiting on microwave dinner to get done), or calf raises while cleaning dishes at the sink. Another option would be use your chairs to do tricept dips and ab crunchs on the floor. Even though you are stuck inside with weather making it hard to get out, you can always find a way to get 30 minutes of some exercise in. What other suggestions do you have, ideas?? I would love to hear them all...

Binge Eating Disorder

Did you know that the most common eating disorder isn’t Anorexia Nervosa or Bulimia Nervosa? Actually, the most common eating disorder isn’t even one that is recognized to be of its own category, but is part of the recognized eating disorder Bulimia Nervosa – the disorder is called Binge Eating Disorder (BED). Binge Eating Disorder is defined as an eating disorder where an individual/person consumes unusually large quantities of food without the use of compensatory measures to counter the binge eating and they feel that their eating is out of control. People with Binge Eating Disorder show characteristic behaviors such as: eating much more quickly than usual during binge episodes, eat until uncomfortably full, eat alone because they are embarrassed about the amount of food that they eat, feel disgusted/guilty for overeating, and try to hide their behavior from friends and family members.

The prevalence of Binge Eating Disorder is estimated to be approximately 1-5% of the general population and is found to be more common than even Anorexia and Bulimia themselves. This disorder affects women slightly more often than men – with estimates that say the ratio is 60% female to 40% male, and is usually seen more in older adults with an age range of 46 to 55 years old. Individuals who struggle with Binge Eating can be of normal or average weight, although most of the time the disease is more common with people who struggle with their weight and are severely obese. People who are obese and have binge eating disorder often became overweight at a younger age than those without the disorder. They might also lose and gain weight more often, a process known as weight cycling or “yo-yo dieting” due to their struggles with the emotional distress that this disease can be known to cause.

There is no known cause for BED and as many as half of all the people with this issue are depressed or have been depressed in the past. Some of the complications that can be caused by this disease can be heart problems, gallbladder disease, type II diabetes, high blood pressure, digestive problems, headaches, and of course weight gain. Most people who binge eat, whether they are obese or not, feel ashamed and try to hide their problem from their friends and family. They get so good at hiding their issue that even close family and friends may not recognized the fact that their loved one has this problem.

Eating disorders, no matter what type – Anorexia, Bulimia, or Binge Eating – is not something to ignore and will go away. It is a serious problem that needs professional help for the individual that is struggling with this issue. There are many resources and treatment clinics available that can help. I’ve included the health link to the National Eating Disorder website under my health links in the right hand column (There is also a good YouTube BED Documentary Video under the links site too). If you think someone you love my have this problem get them help. Eating disorders are some of the most common problems out there, but they are treatable as long as you get the proper help and treatment.

References:

National Eating Disorders Association, Binge Eating Disorder. Publican 2005: http://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/nedaDir/files/documents/handouts/BingeED.pdf

Weight-Control Information Network, US Dept of Health and Human Resources. Publican No. 04-3589, June 2008: http://win.niddk.nih.gov/publications/binge.htm

Flavor w/o Calories & Fat

Well, I don't know about anyone else, but where I live Spring sure feels like it's right around the corner thanks to all the overcast skies and rain we've been having. This has made it so that I have been stuck inside trying to entertain myself which is when I will start playing around with foods in my kitchen. Have you ever gone into the kitchen and tried to figure out how to make something taste better without adding in a lot of calories and/or fat?? I know in order to maintain your health and weight goals you really do need to learn how to be an explorer in your own kitchen and try new things. This may seem like a scarey thing to do because it is change, and change is extremely hard at times; however, it can be fun to, a new way to express yourself or just make a mess like a kid does when playing in a sandbox.

Since we are talking about exploring and finding new ingredients to use when making a flavorful dish, I want to ask people, what they have found to add to their dishes that make them healthy but leaves the calories and fat out?? Here is a small list of my own suggestions to get you started:
Herbs/Spices
Salsa
Ketchup
Mustard
Flavored, plain or balsamic vinegar
Lemon/Lime juice
Cocktail sauce
Well, this is part of my list that I have used in the past, what is yours?? Leave me a comment and add on - I would love to get new ideas and ingredient options to cook with....

P.S. The answer to my poll will come next week with my next blog topic. Until then take the poll and then come back to see if you are right.

Food Diary

You may be wondering what a picture of a sprial notebook is doing within a blog posting....Well, this notebook is rather important to my daily activities, and is another tool in my weight management belt. I use this notebook as my food diary where I record all the nutriention imputs/ outputs of my day.
What is a food diary?? If you never heard of the term or are wondering what a food diary is, it is some kind of record keeping system that you have in order to put down what food types, the calories, liquid levels, and exercise activities that you have throughout your daily day. Once you have put in all the necessary information, you then use those records to figure out your nutrition and other stats in order to see where you need improvements or how to make adjustments to better your health choices.
Even though my food diary is the "old fashion" system of a pencil and notebook, many online sources are available for individuals to use. These systems will keep track of all the math and give you many different records so that you can always be award of how your daily health is doing. I find though that I like the old fashion method. It keeps me to true to recording as accurate as information as possible. Plus, I can carry in my purse so that when I am out with friends it is something that will keep me reminded of making better choices during social situations where you can let go of your goals and eat like everyone else.
What type of food diary do you like to keep?? Is it online or old fashion?? Do you think this is an important tool to have to manage your weight goals?? If so, how do you use it??