Lactose intolerance after bariatric surgery is just a fact of life for many of us.  Why does this happen, and what can we, as gastric bypass patients, do about it?

Why Gastric Bypass Patients Get Lactose Intolerance

Your body uses digestive enzymes called lactase to digest lactose, the sugar found in dairy products.  In most stomachs, milk waits around to be slowly released into the intestine.  The body processes a little bit of lactose at one time instead of all at once.  It only needs a little bit of lactase at any given time.

After gastric bypass surgery, however, milk goes through the stomach much more quickly.  Even if your body was perfectly okay with dairy products before your weight loss surgery, your intestine might be getting more dairy than it’s used to.  This effectively overwhelms the lactase and gifts you with those unpleasant symptoms like acid reflux, bloating, and worse.

What You Can Do After Gastric Bypass Surgery

If your lactose intolerance appeared after bariatric surgery instead of before, you can still have dairy if you do it right.  Eat smaller quantities, more slowly.  Have just a bit of milk with your meal—better yet, try some rice milk or soy milk.  Yogurt may digest slowly enough to treat your body right, but only if you acquired lactose intolerance after bariatric surgery.

Don’t Forget Your Calcium!

Just because you can’t have large quantities of dairy all at once doesn’t mean that you should slack on your calcium intake.  Calcium does more than just give you strong bones.  It helps you absorb important nutrients like Vitamin C, helps regulate nerve, muscle, and blood vessel function, and even helps regulate your blood pressure.

 If you can’t take much milk in your system, a calcium supplement is one of the best ways to go.  We prefer a calcium supplement made for gastric bypass patients.

There are a few dangers after gastric bypass surgery, but many aren’t as apparent as one would assume. Gastric bypass surgery involves some risk, as with any surgical procedure. However, there are dangers that are associated specifically with gastric bypass.

Most of the dangers come from people who don’t follow proper aftercare recommendations from their doctor. After spending lots of money and time having a bariatric procedure done, they end up regaining weight because they don’t stick with their aftercare program. Regaining weight can cause significant psychological and physical stress.

The #1 Mistake after Gastric Bypass Surgery

In order to minimize the dangers after gastric bypass surgery, you need to follow your doctor’s aftercare recommendations precisely. Most doctors’ recommendations will be very similar, with a few specific recommendations. The most important thing to remember is that you need to change your lifestyle and your habits after surgery.

Many people make the mistake of jumping back into their old patterns. They end up thinking that they can go back to eating the way they used to eat. They neglect their bodies’ needs for nourishing food. They procrastinate on developing an exercise routine.

How to Change Your Dietary Habits after Bariatric Surgery

Diet and exercise changes after gastric bypass surgery need to be permanent. Your diet needs a makeover. Sugary snacks, high carbohydrate meals and greasy foods are out of the picture.

Nourishing meals full of whole food ingredients that are high in protein and low in carbohydrates should be the norm. Add in bariatric vitamins that include all of the vital nutrients your body needs for best results.

Don’t Forget to Move That Body!

Exercise needs to become part of your routine after gastric bypass surgery. Many people become intimidated by exercise and think that hard exercise is the only way to go. This can be discouraging and make them want to quit.

You don’t have to run a half marathon in order to be fit. You don’t have to become a body builder. Gently exercising during the day will be enough to help keep your weight in check. Simply standing during activities you’d normally sit down at and walking at a gentle pace are great ways to get your body receptive for more activity.

You can add aerobic exercise, like bike riding or fast walking at your discretion–but only after you are ready and your body has recovered from surgery. These things will help you keep your results after gastric bypass surgery.

You can avoid the dangers after gastric bypass surgery by eating properly and working in gentle exercise. If you do this, you’ll be sure to reap the full benefits of your weight loss surgery.

Bariatric nutrition is an important component to your gastric bypass surgery. This may seem obvious but your bariatric diet will be quite different after the procedure. Things like doughnuts, barbecued pork ribs, and potato chips should not be part of your bariatric diet. 

If you had an affinity for these kinds of foods, the switch may be a little rough at first. Taking it slow will maximize your chances for success. As with any diet, consulting with your medical professional is a good idea after gastric bypass surgery. 

Bariatric Nutrition at a Glance

The nature of the bariatric bypass calls for a carefully regimented diet. You will need to monitor your fat and salt intake, as these things will slow down your recovery period and even hinder your success. Fiber should be a cornerstone of your new diet, as you will need to regulate your digestion.

Complex carbohydrates can be eaten in moderation. Your vegetable intake should increase while your processed food intake should go down considerably. Protein is the mainstay of bariatric nutrition and should make up at least 50% of your daily caloric intake.

Where to Get Your Bariatric Vitamins & Minerals After Bariatric Surgery

Bariatric nutrition also depends on supplements. The nature of your diet will leave certain deficiencies. Bariatric vitamins and supplements will replenish your body and help maintain the nutritional balance. Your ongoing success with your new weight loss will depend on your body’s intake of vitamins and minerals.

Thinking holistically will keep you focused on your goal of living life in a healthy new way. Your old habits made you obese – it’s high time to make changes and adopt a new way of living.

Change Your Eating Habits, Change Your Life

Many people find that after they switched their diets that their energy levels increased significantly. This is due to the low quality processed food they consumed before the procedure.

Subsequent benefits were also experienced such as clear skin, memory improvement and increased sex drive. Part of this shift is due to the reduction in weight but much of it lies in the power of bariatric nutrition. This is more than a diet: it’s a lifestyle upgrade!

Avoid Fat Soluble Vitamin Deficiencies After Gastric Bypass Surgery

Dr. Stephen Bittiker noticed that post gastric bypass patients develop a deficiency in fat soluble vitamins. Vitamins with lecithin can help this along with Vitamins A, D, E, and K. They are fat soluble. He also recommends taking a digestive enzyme suited for bariatric patients. 

What is Weight Loss Plastic Surgery? | Facial Plastic Surgery

Patients who choose to have weight loss surgery when nothing else helps them lose weight have some different types of surgery to consider. Lap Band Surgery makes the stomach smaller and leads to restriction of food intake. Surgical malabsorption reduces the intestine to reduce absorption of calories from food eaten. Gastric bypass surgery combines the restrictive and malabsorption surgery by a small stomach pouch to limit the amount of food you eat.

Is Your Gastric Bypass Making You Malnourished?

The goal of gastric bypass surgery іѕ tο һеƖр уου lose weight іח order tο avoid tһе co-morbidities οf obesity, аחԁ therefore, уουr diet following surgery іѕ аƖѕο specially designed tο achieve tһіѕ objective, аחԁ аƖѕο tο maintain tһе weight loss…You may be at risk for becoming malnourished. Tһе warning signs tο watch out fοr include lethargy, fatigue, shortness οf breath, pallor, tingling οf extremities, brittle nails, hair fall, bleeding gums, ԁаrk under eye circles, dry scaly skin, painful oral ulcers οr fissures, poor wound healing, easy bruising аחԁ frequent infections.

Gastric Bypass Complications

Post Surgery: Chronic protein and nutritional deficiencies. It can be difficult to make sure you take all vitamins prescribed post surgery and to make sure you eat the right foods to guarantee your body receives the nutrition and protein it needs. With such a reduced volume of food intake, you must be careful to make the right food choices each time you eat.