Food Selection for Gastric Bypass PatientsWritten by Protica Research
Dieters who dejectedly complain they are figuratively “stuck” with their excess fat may be surprised to learn there is a scientifically-accurate truth to their statement. Fat cells -- which are created when body is unable to convert excess calories to energy -- are permanent. Fat cells cannot be removed by any diet known to humanity [1]. They can, however, be reduced in size. This is experience enjoyed by people who lose weight [i]. There is, however, an increasingly popular – and controversial – method to eliminate fat cells permanently via an external, non-diet method. Scientifically referred to as a Gastric Bypass Operation, but more popularly known as “stomach stapling”, this procedure literally staples part of stomach together. The result is that food intake becomes severely restricted, and body begins process of malabsorption, or a decreased ability to absorb nutrients. In addition, duodenum [2] is bypassed to prevent absorption of nutrients that could cause excess calories, and as such, creation of additional fat cells [ii]. In addition to this, a more complex and less frequent procedure called Extensive Gastric Bypass or “biliopancreatic diversion” involves removal stomach parts, and circumvention of duodenum and jejunum – or in laypersons terms, circumvention of first part of small intestine, and middle portion small intestine. The result is an even greater malabsorption capacity. The bulk of concern surrounding stomach-stamping procedures is emanating from medical community. Some experts are worried that individuals opting for this rather dramatic surgery are not prepared to make post-procedure lifestyle changes. They point out that since stomach stapling reduces size of stomach, and therefore amount of food that a person can digest is severely reduced, an individual must be fully equipped to eat wisely after procedure. This “wise eating” must include both volume of post-procedure food that is eaten, and number of calories that are eaten on a daily basis [iii]. These experts are also quick to point out that failure to adequately prepare people for post-procedure wise eating habits often leads to various forms of malnutrition. These include anemia due to Iron and B12 deficiencies, hair loss, calcium deficiencies, nausea, vomiting, excessive sweating, diarrhea, and loss of water-soluble essential vitamins such as C, Niacin, and B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, Biotin, and Folic Acid [iv]. The jury on whether stomach stapling is a “fair” choice, or one that is driven by unhealthy body-image stereotypes propagated by media and elsewhere, is hotly debated and will continue to dominate conversations about this controversial procedure. Yet what cannot be lost in this debate is that, everyday, real human beings are facing an uphill battle after their stomach stapling surgery. For these people, whether they chose to have surgery due to body image issues or not, rationale is rather academic once surgery is over. What they clearly need at this point are nutritional supplement solutions that cater to their new eating limits and framework. Profect, which is a nutritional supplement created by Protica Research, does not support proliferation of unhealthy body image expectations that people are inundated with each day; especially impressionable youth. Yet with this being said, Profect has been engineered to provide those who have opted for this dramatic weight-loss surgery with an ideal source of post-procedure food.
| | Safely Transitioning Off Meal Replacement PlansWritten by Protica Research
Meal replacements have been part of diet landscape for decades. They have helped numerous people lose weight, and more importantly, they have helped people learn difference between healthy and unhealthy eating choices. Both quantity and quality of life improvements can be credited to concept of meal replacement solutions. Those that have successfully relied upon a meal replacement plan can reflect fondly on how plan helped address a fundamental diet obstacle: choosing what to eat. One of greatest challenges that a dieter faces – if not greatest – is discovering what to eat, and what to avoid. Answering latter is usually easier, since most experienced dieters are rather well aware of what they should not be eating. Yet they are often left wondering: what should I eat? Dieters who are fortunate enough to be able to answer this with a simple: I’ll eat my meal replacement foods often see their diets succeed beyond its vulnerable infancy [i]. Dieters who rely on willpower alone, or follow a poorly designed “fad” diet, often do not lose weight. The most that these dieters usually experience is maintenance of current weight, or perhaps a few pounds lost, likely through water loss. As with most weight loss solutions, there are some potential pitfalls that can undermine dieters. And perhaps most ironic of these pitfalls exists for those dieters who have chosen a meal replacement route to achieve their weight loss goals. This difficulty is explained, and solved, below. Diets supported by meal replacement plans are often successful; and herein exists potential problem. Once a dieter has lost his or her desired weight, there is a transition period from meal replacement food to “normal” food. Without proper nutritional supplements in place to ensure that this transition is both smooth and long-term, a high number of dieters revert back to their pre-diet unhealthy eating habits. The result, regrettably, is regaining of weight; and for many dieters, yet one more failed attempt to shed pounds and inches [ii]. The blame for this regained weight is typically, and incorrectly, assigned to two sources. The first target for this misplaced blame is meal replacement plan itself, which promised long-term weight loss yet apparently failed to deliver. The second misplaced blame, and one that can do most damage, is directed towards dieter him/herself. It is just “another failure”, and a crushing blow to self-esteem. However, as noted above, this blame is misdirected. The cause of problem is neither meal replacement plan, nor dieter’s lack of willpower. The culprit here was that once meal replacement plan had done its job, there was no strategy in place to maintain that accomplishment over long term.
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