Download Support Group Newsletter Summer 2016

Support Group Newsletter
Volume 5, Issue 4
Summer 2016
In the News
NSV
“Biggest Loser Winners Regain
Weight”
National media outlets reported on a new NIH
study that found many competitors on NBC's "The
Biggest Loser" leave the show with a slower
metabolism, making it more difficult to keep off
weight.
Physicians studied 16 former contestants from
Season 8 of The Biggest Loser, who lost anywhere
from -75 to -240lbs through the show. And what
they found was, “most of that season’s 16
contestants have regained much if not all the
weight they lost so arduously. Some are even
heavier now.”
The study found that during and after losing
weight, contestants' resting metabolic rate (amount
of calories burned when at rest) slowed down.
Participants come out of the weight-loss
competition burning about 500 fewer calories a
day and contestants who drop the most weight see
the greatest slowing of their metabolisms As the
years went by, their metabolisms did not recover.
The extreme dieting and extreme exercise alters
metabolism and, over time, makes it harder and
harder to lose weight.
To read the article in its entirety go to
http://nyti.ms/1TeVWnG
Many thanks to JoAnn Tropiano for sending the
information and link!
(Non Scale Victory)
Michelle S. suffered from a condition called
Pseudotumor Cerebri
Pseudotumor cerebri occurs when the pressure
inside your skull increases for no obvious reason.
Symptoms mimic those of a brain tumor, but no
tumor is present. Obesity has been associated with
Pseudotumor Cerebri, which occurs in 1 to 2
people in 100,000. About 4 to 21 obese women in
100,000 develop the condition. Obese women
under the age of 44 are more likely to develop the
disorder.
The increased intracranial pressure associated with
Pseudotumor Cerebri can cause swelling of the
optic nerve and result in vision loss.
Approximately 96% of people afflicted with
Pseudotumor Cerebri experience complete
resolution after bariatric surgery.
Michelle is now 6 months post Sleeve
Gastrectomy. At her recent visit not only had she
lost 72 pounds in 3 months, but she reported that
there is no longer any pressure on her optic nerve!
Truly a fantastic Non Scale Victory!
Congratulations to Michelle!
If YOU have a Non Scale Victory you wish to
share, please email me – [email protected]
– and I will report it in a future newsletter.
Support Group Newsletter 1
Fitness Apps to Get Your Child Moving!
(and maybe yourself, too)
Come on in, the water is fine!
Swimming is, without question, an effective way
to burn calories. And, since swimming is a nonimpact sport, it's neutral on common problems
areas like the lower back and knees. But how
much of a calorie-burning workout is it, truly?
First, your weight plays a big factor in how much
is burned. Generally, the more you weigh, the
more you burn.
These estimates are from research data from the
American College of Sports Medicine. They are
based on one hour of swimming, rather than the
total distance an athlete covers.

A 130-pound person swimming freestyle
for one hour will burn 590 calories
swimming fast, and 413 calories
swimming slower.

A 155-pound person swimming freestyle
for one hour will burn 704 calories
swimming fast, and 493 calories
swimming slower.

A 180-pound person swimming freestyle
for one hour will burn 817 calories
swimming fast, and 572 calories
swimming slower.

A 205-pound person swimming freestyle
for one hour will burn 931 calories
swimming fast, and 651 calories
swimming slower.
According to the President’s Council on Fitness,
Sports and Nutrition, only one in three children
are physically active every day. What are they
doing? Children nowadays are spending more the
seven and one-half hours a day in front of a
screen, whether it’s a TV, computer or
smartphone/table.
Smartphone apps and games are now available
that encourage exercise and nutritional awareness.
And more good news – many of them are FREE!
Here are a couple of examples:
Treasure Dash – Race for Lost Wonders
This game is played by standing up and jumping
in place to get your character to move and who
will move around the game as the child moves.
7 Minute Workouts with Lazy Monster
In ”Lazy Monster” a little orange monster leads
various workouts that don’t require exercise
equipment and can be completed in 30 second
intervals. To keep kids coming back, the game
has a rewards system with points that unlock other
workouts.
NFL Play 60
This game gets the child up and moving in
place to outrun a coach. They can collect coins to
earn points and unlock new characters and power.
Eat & Move-O-Matic
This app is an informative way for children to
learn how many calories are in the foods and how
long they will have to exercise to burn them off.
Support Group Newsletter 2
Our Before and After bulletin board
is filling up!
These members recently celebrated
their 1 year
Surgi-versary!
Please submit your photos! They have
a major impact on potential patients
who see them at the new patient
seminars.
MJ MB ER DD JH RD JJ
FW MH CM OMG CS
Did You Know?
Together they have lost a total of
888lbs!
Kudos to our 2 & 3 year alumni
CB DC LD NB and UP who have
together maintained a weight loss
of …
321.4 lbs!!
Best Follow Up Award goes to
BH who at 5 years has kept off
101 lbs.!
The word 'gymnasium' comes from the Greek
word gymnazein, which means 'to exercise
naked.
The attachment of the human skin to muscles
is what causes dimples
The number one cause of blindness in the
United States is diabetes
The first Band-Aid Brand Adhesive
Bandages were three inches wide and
eighteen inches long. You made your own
bandage by cutting off as much as you
needed.
The first known heart medicine was
discovered in an English garden. In 1799,
physician John Ferriar noted the effect of
dried leaves of the common plant, digitalis
purpurea, on heart action. Still used in heart
medications, digitalis slows the pulse and
increases the force of heart contractions and
the amount of blood pumped per heartbeat.
Ben and Jerry’s was originally going to be a
bagel business. They ended up changing
their minds when they found out how much it
would cost to get all the needed equipment
for making bagels.
Support Group Newsletter 3
Sunscreeen FAQs
From the American Academy of Dermatology
The summer is here… FINALLY! Time to heat
up the BBQ, dust off the beach chairs and find
your flip flops. The arrival of summer also means
protecting your skin from the harmful effects of
the sun.
Who needs sunscreen?
Everyone. Sunscreen use can help prevent skin
cancer by protecting you from the sun’s harmful
ultraviolet rays. Anyone can get skin cancer,
regardless of age, gender or race. In fact, it is
estimated that one in five Americans will develop
skin cancer in their lifetime. The following
physical characteristics also increase the risk for
sunburn, skin damage, and skin cancer:
Blond or red hair
Blue or green eyes
Fair skin
Freckles
Moles (also called nevi)

Use extra caution near water, snow and sand as
they reflect the damaging rays of the sun, which
can increase your chance of sunburn.
Get vitamin D safely through a healthy diet that
may include vitamin supplements. Don’t seek the
sun.
Avoid tanning beds. Ultraviolet light from the
sun and tanning beds can cause skin cancer and
wrinkling. If you want to look tan, you may wish
to use a self-tanning product, but continue to use
sunscreen with it.
When should I use sunscreen?
The American Academy of Dermatology
recommends everyone use sunscreen that offers
the following:

Wear protective clothing, such as a long-sleeved
shirt, pants, a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses,
when possible.
Check your birthday suit on your
birthday. If you notice anything changing,
itching or bleeding on your skin, see a
board-certified dermatologist. Skin cancer
is very treatable when caught early.
What sunscreen should I use?

Seek shade when appropriate, remembering that
the sun’s rays are strongest between 10 a.m. and 2
p.m. If your shadow is shorter than you are, seek
shade.
Broad-spectrum protection
(protects against UVA and UVB
rays)
Sun Protection Factor (SPF) 30 or
higher
Water resistance
A sunscreen that offers the above helps to protect
your skin from sunburn, early skin aging3 and
skin cancer. However, sunscreen alone cannot
fully protect you. In addition to wearing
sunscreen, dermatologists recommend taking the
following steps to protect your skin and find skin
cancer early:
Every day if you will be outside. The sun emits
harmful UV rays year-round. Even on cloudy
days, up to 80 percent of the sun’s harmful UV
rays can penetrate your skin.7
How much sunscreen should I use and
how often should I apply it?
Use enough sunscreen to generously coat all skin
that will be not be covered by clothing. Ask
yourself, “Will my face, ears, arms or hands be
covered by clothing?” If not, apply sunscreen.
Most people only apply 25-50 percent of the
recommended amount of sunscreen.
Cont. on page 5
Support Group Newsletter 4
Cont. from page 4
Follow the guideline of “1 ounce, enough to fill a
shot glass,” which dermatologists consider the
amount needed to cover the exposed areas of the
body. Adjust the amount of sunscreen applied
depending on your body size.
Apply sunscreen to dry skin 15 minutes BEFORE
going outdoors.
Skin cancer also can form on the lips. To protect
your lips, apply a lip balm or lipstick that contains
sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher.
Sunscreen products are regulated as over-thecounter drugs by the U.S. Food and Drug
Administration. The FDA has several safety and
effectiveness regulations in place that govern the
manufacture and marketing of all sunscreen
products, including safety data on its ingredients.
Sunscreen labels now provide you with more
information about what type of UV protection a
sunscreen offers and what a sunscreen can do.
On the label, you’ll see whether the sunscreen:
Reapply sunscreen approximately every two
hours, or after swimming or sweating, according
to the directions on the bottle.
Is Broad Spectrum, which means the sunscreen
protects against UVB and UVA rays and helps
prevent skin cancer and sunburn.
Broad spectrum sunscreens protect
against both UVA and UVB rays. What is
the difference between the rays?
Has an SPF of 30 or higher. While SPF 15 is the
FDA's minimum recommendation for protection
against skin cancer and sunburn, the American
Academy of Dermatology recommends choosing
a sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30.
Sunlight consists of two types of harmful rays that
reach the earth — UVA rays and UVB rays.
Overexposure to either can lead to skin cancer. In
addition to causing skin cancer, here’s what each
of these rays do:
UVA rays (or aging rays) can prematurely age
your skin, causing wrinkles and age spots,
and can pass through window glass.
UVB rays (or burning rays) are the primary
cause of sunburn and are blocked by
window glass.
The United States Department of Health &
Human Services and the World Health
Organization’s International Agency of Research
on Cancer have declared UV radiation from the
sun and artificial sources, such as tanning beds
and sun lamps, as a known carcinogen (cancercausing substance).
There is no safe way to tan. Every time you tan,
you damage your skin. As this damage builds, you
speed up the aging of your skin and increase your
risk for all types of skin cancer.
Has a Skin Cancer/Skin Aging Alert in the Drug
Facts section of the label, which means the
sunscreen will only prevent sunburn and will NOT
reduce the risk of skin cancer and early skin aging.
Is Water Resistant (effective for up to 40 minutes
in water) or Very Water Resistant (effective for up
to 80 minutes in water). This means the sunscreen
provides protection while swimming or sweating
up to the time listed on the label.
Sunscreen manufacturers now are banned
from claiming that a sunscreen is
"waterproof" or "sweat proof," as the FDA
has determined that those terms are
misleading.
Even when using a water-resistant sunscreen,
you should reapply after getting out of the
water or after sweating.
Who regulates sunscreens?
Cont. on page 6
Support Group Newsletter 5
Constipation After Weight Loss Surgery
Cont. from page 5
What type of sunscreen should I use?
The best type of sunscreen is the one you will use
again and again. Just make sure it offers broadspectrum (UVA and UVB) protection, has an SPF
of 30 or higher and is water. A sunscreen with an
SPF of at least 30 blocks 97 percent of the sun’s
rays. Higher-number SPFs block slightly more of
the sun’s rays, but no sunscreen can block 100
percent of the sun’s rays.
Can I use the sunscreen I bought last
summer or do I need a new bottle? Does
it lose its strength?
If you find a bottle of sunscreen that you have not
used for some time, here are some guidelines you
can follow:
The FDA requires that all sunscreens retain
their original strength for at least three
years.
Some sunscreens include an expiration date. If
the expiration date has passed, throw out
the sunscreen.
If you buy a sunscreen that does not have an
expiration date, write the date you bought
the sunscreen on the bottle. That way,
you’ll know when to throw it out.
You also can look for visible signs that the
sunscreen may no longer be good. Any
obvious changes in the color or
consistency of the product mean it’s time
to purchase a new bottle.
Your skin is the largest organ you have so it's
essential you take care of it, especially during the
summertime, when UV levels can wreak havoc on
exposed skin. While those killer rays may feel
sensational, the effects of sun exposure may not
be as agreeable over time. 
Constipation is never comfortable.
Being constipated means your bowel movements
are difficult or happen less often than normal.
Almost everyone has it at some point in life, and
it's usually not serious. Still, you'll feel much
better when your system is back on track.
The normal length of time between bowel
movements varies widely from person to person.
Some people have bowel movements three times a
day. Others have them only once or twice a week.
Constipation is not uncommon during the first few
months following weight loss surgery.
Immediately after surgery the normal movement
of your digestive tract that moves food from one
end to the other will be less than normal. Changes
to your digestive tract and the composition of food
moving through will be different.
Causes of Constipation Following Bariatric
Procedures
The most common causes of constipation in
bariatric surgery patients are as follows:





Reduced food intake
Reduced intake of water
Reduced physical activity
Side effects of iron and/or supplements
Side effects of narcotic pain relievers
The combination of multiple or all of the above
can result in some major problems with
constipation that can alarm patients as they
recover.
Because of potential problems with hemorrhoids,
hernias, and intestinal blockages, it is important to
prevent constipation. Here are some ways to
prevent or treat constipation:
Cont. on page 7
Support Group Newsletter 6
Cont. from page 6
GERD

If you are on an iron supplement, it may be
necessary to take a stool softener.

Exercise daily to increase bowel motility

Add fiber supplements such as Benefiber
or Metamucil to your water
Gastroesophageal reflux (GER) happens when
your stomach contents come back up into your
esophagus.

Drink at least 64 oz. of water or other
sugar-free, caffeine-free, non carbonated
fluids daily
Stomach acid that touches the lining of your
esophagus can cause heartburn, also called acid
indigestion.

Always consult your bariatric surgeon
about stool softeners or laxatives.
Does GER have another name?
Doctors also refer to GER as
By the third week following your surgery, your
bowel habits should start to return to normal.
acid indigestion
acid reflux
acid regurgitation
heartburn
reflux
How common is GER?
Having GER once in a while is common.
What is GERD?
Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a
more serious and long-lasting form of GER.
What is the difference between GER
and GERD?
GER that occurs more than twice a week for a few
weeks could be GERD. GERD can lead to more
serious health problems over time. If you think
you have GERD, you should see your doctor.
“It’s not who you think you are that holds
you back; it’s who you think you’re not.”
~Unknown
How common is GERD?
GERD affects about 20 percent of the U.S.
population.
Cont. on page 8
Support Group Newsletter 7
Cont. from page 7

laryngitis—the swelling of your voice box
that can lead to a short-term loss of your
voice

pneumonia—an infection in one or both of
your lungs—that keeps coming back

wheezing—a high-pitched whistling sound
when you breathe
Who is more likely to have GERD?
Anyone can develop GERD, some for unknown
reasons. You are more likely to have GERD if you
are

overweight or obese

pregnant woman

taking certain medicines

a smoker or regularly exposed to
secondhand smoke
Symptoms and Causes of GER and
GERD
What are the symptoms of GER and GERD?
What are the complications of GERD?
Without treatment, GERD can sometimes cause
serious complications over time, such as
Esophagitis
Esophagitis is inflammation in the esophagus.
Adults who have chronic esophagitis over many
years are more likely to develop precancerous
changes in the esophagus.
Esophageal stricture
An esophageal stricture happens when your
esophagus becomes too narrow. Esophageal
strictures can lead to problems with swallowing.
Respiratory problems
With GERD you might breathe stomach acid into
your lungs. The stomach acid can then irritate
your throat and lungs, causing respiratory
problems, such as

asthma—a long-lasting disease in your
lungs that makes you extra sensitive to
things that you’re allergic to

chest congestion, or extra fluid in your
lungs

a dry, long-lasting cough or a sore throat

hoarseness—the partial loss of your voice
If you have gastroesophageal reflux (GER), you
may taste food or stomach acid in the back of your
mouth.
The most common symptom of gastroesophageal
reflux disease (GERD) is regular heartburn, a
painful, burning feeling in the middle of your
chest, behind your breastbone, and in the middle
of your abdomen. Not all adults with GERD have
heartburn.
Other common GERD symptoms include:

bad breath

nausea

pain in your chest or upper part of
abdomen

problems swallowing or painful
swallowing

respiratory problems

vomiting

the wearing away of your teeth
Cont. on page 9
Support Group Newsletter 8
Cont. from page 8
Lifestyle modifications may also help.
What causes GER and GERD?
GER and GERD happen when your lower
esophageal sphincter becomes weak or relaxes
when it shouldn’t, causing stomach contents to
rise up into the esophagus. The lower esophageal
sphincter becomes weak or relaxes due to certain
things, such as

Increased pressure on your abdomen from
being overweight, obese, or pregnant.

smoking, or inhaling secondhand smoke

Taking certain medicines, including

those that doctors use to treat asthma—
a long-lasting disease in your lungs
that makes you extra sensitive to things
that you’re allergic to

calcium channel blockers—medicines
that treat high blood pressure

antihistamines—medicines that treat
allergy symptoms

painkillers

sedatives—medicines that help put you
to sleep

antidepressants—medicines that treat
depression
1) Don't lie down after eating.
2) Avoid foods known to cause reflux. If
you're at risk for GERD, avoid:
Fatty foods
Spicy foods
Acidic foods, like tomatoes and citrus
Coffee or any caffeinated beverage
3) Do Not Smoke Nicotine can relax the
muscles of the lower esophageal sphincter
(LES)
4) Cut back on alcohol. As with smoking,
alcohol can cause the LES to relax 
Following bariatric surgery, especially the
Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy, patients may
notice symptoms of GERD. If this occurs contact
your surgeon’s office and schedule an
appointment. You may be prescribed a PPI –
Proton Pump Inhibitor such as Dexilant, Prilosec
or Prevacid. PPIs reduce the production of acid in
the stomach. This leaves little acid in the stomach
juice so that if stomach juice backs up into the
esophagus, it is less irritating. This allows the
esophagus to heal.
Support Group Newsletter 9
CALENDAR
st
June 21
New Patient Seminar
7pm
Call 732-744-5955 to register
98 James Street
Suite 212
Edison, NJ 08820
Ph 732-744-5955 Fax 732-906-4967
th
July 4
Independence Day
www.jfkforlife.org
Check us out on our FACEBOOK page!
TH
JULY 13 & 21ST
SUPPORT GROUP
6:30PM
TH
JULY 14
BASTILLE DAY
UNJURY can be purchased through
Advanced Laparoscopic Surgeons in the JFK for
Life office in Edison. UNJURY is available in single
serve packets for $1.99 each or 17 serving
canisters for $22.95. Unflavored is $20.95. Also
available is a Starter Kit with 10 single serve
packets, a shaker and a thermometer for $21.20.
UNJURY is available in Chocolate Classic,
Chocolate Splendor, Strawberry Sorbet, Vanilla,
Chicken Soup and Unflavored. Contact Kelly
DeFabio, RD for details.
Join the OAC
JULY 19TH
NEW PATIENT SEMINAR
7PM
Call 732-744-5955 to register
AUGUST 10TH
SUPPORT GROUP
6:30PM
AUGUST 16TH
NEW PATIENT SEMINAR
7PM
Call 732-744-5955 to register
The Obesity Action Coalition (OAC) is a
more than 50,000 member strong non profit
organization dedicated to giving a voice to
the individual affected by the disease of
obesity. They assist individuals along their
journey towards better health through
education, advocacy and support. One of
their core focuses is the fight against weight
bias and discrimination. For more
information go to www.ObesityAction.org
Support Group Newsletter 10
Food and Transfer
Addiction
The Obesity/Addiction Connection
Although many complex factors may be involved
in excessive behaviors such as overeating,
gambling and drug abuse, they are similar in a
number of ways.


The brain is changed and reward circuits
are disrupted (whatever feels good needs
more to feel the way it used to feel)
Behavior eventually becomes involuntary
Symptoms of Food Addiction:






Repetitive consumption of food against the
individual’s better judgment
Loss of control of the amount of food
eaten
Preoccupation with food
Hiding your food to keep people from
knowing what you are eating
Preoccupation with body weight and
image
Continuation with food related behaviors
despite evidence that food is causing harm
Addictions WLS patients need to be aware of:







Prescription Pain killers
Gambling
Alcohol and other drugs
Shopping
Risk taking
Exercise
Tobacco
How to prevent addiction after WLS:
 Find healthy ways to get your endorphin
“fix”
 Listen to family and friends if they express
concern any behavior they may see as
excessive
 Develop coping strategies that do not
involve excess
 If a behavior becomes problematic, discuss
it with your therapist or health care
provider
 Make yourself accountable to friends and
family as you moderate your behavior
 STAY CONNECTED to your support
group!
What is Addiction Transfer?
Swapping the compulsive use of food for some
other compulsive behavior or substance.
On line screening tools:
www.alcoholscreening.org
www.drugscreening.org
www.overeatersanonymous.org
Who is at risk?
The bariatric patient who:



What to do if you think you have an addiction?
Does not recognize and confront his/her
own compulsive use of food.
Has a personal history or family history of
addiction.
Has a history of a pre- existing mental
health diagnosis.
Support Group Newsletter 11
A major global analysis
From the desk of Karen Rose, LCSW
published in The Lancet has
revealed a dramatic increase in
the number of people with
obesity in the world.
The number of people with the disease went from
105 million in 1975 to 641 million in 2014.
Underweight has diminished dramatically around
the world, and obesity is now the greatest
nutrition disease faced by mankind.
Thank you to Doreen Puliafico for sharing this
article about dispelling the myths around weight
loss surgery:
“Let's start with the big one: Weight loss surgery
is a cop-out for people.”
https://na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3a
%2f%2fwww.prevention.com%2fweight-loss%2f8misconceptions-about-weight-loss-surgery-that-youprobably-stillbelieve&data=01%7c01%7cpsullivan%40jfkhealth.org%7c8
6058dd652c64b10b42008d379864c46%7c2564b4e2dd4a49
9d8c4b62be7798f3d9%7c0&sdata=vYdS4oc4E4WRmeCd9
vCPVDlTW5RUnjZ9D5TYKDG2B30%3d
For additional information on this topic, go to
https://asmbs.org/patients/bariatric-surgerymisconceptions
If YOU find an interesting article or have a topic
you would like to learn more about, please email
[email protected]
OR
[email protected]
OR
[email protected]
Support Group Newsletter 12
Health Benefits of Probiotics
By Kelly DiFabio, RD
The human gut contains more than 400 types of
microorganisms that protect you from toxins and
help you digest and absorb the nutrients in your
food. Some of these are considered “good” or
“helpful” gut bacteria called Probiotics. Probiotics
can be found naturally in your body and can be
found in food and supplements. As you are
rebuilding your gut bacteria after Bariatric
Surgery it can be beneficial to include foods and
supplements to promote the growth of healthy gut
bacteria.
Benefits of Probiotics:
Research is ongoing about how and why
probiotics work. Some of the potential benefits
include:
Synthesizing vitamins
(particularly B Vitamins)
Boosting your immune system by
producing antibodies for certain
viruses
Decreasing the risk of developing dental
caries
Speeding recovery from bacterial
vaginosis
Reducing the problems associated with
inflammatory bowel disease (IBD),
Ulcerative Colitis, and Irritable
Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
Helping people with Lactose intolerance
digest dairy products more easily
Reducing antibiotic related diarrhea
Reducing blood pressure, cholesterol,
and insulin resistance
Food sources:
Yogurt (look for “Contains active
cultures” on the label)
Kefir
Cottage cheese
Fermented dairy products
Fermented vegetables - kimchee,
sauerkraut
Fermented soy products – miso, tempeh,
soy sauce
Organosulfuric compounds – Garlic,
onions, chives, citrus fruits,
broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower,
brussel sprouts
Supplement sources:
Probiotics can vary from brand to brand. It is best
to take a high quality probiotic supplement with
several different strains of Lactobacillus and
Bifidobacterium species versus mass quantities of
few strains. It is recommended the supplement
contain the specific strains: L. acidophilus, B.
longum, and B. bifidum, L. fermentum, and L.
rhamnosus. Be sure to check expiration dates of
your Probiotic supplements to ensure live cultures.
Brands such as Nature Made, Bariatric Advantage,
Renew Life Ultimate Flora Crital Care, Now
Foods, and Puritan’s Pride Premium Probiotic 10
supply excellent probiotic sources.
Prebiotic versus Probiotic:
While probiotics are live cultures in food and
“good” bacteria in your gut, Prebiotics are the
non-digestible food ingredients that provide food
for the good bacteria to grow. Add Prebiotic foods
to your diet to boost the effects of your Probiotics!
You can find Prebiotics in foods such as:
High fiber whole grains – oatmeal, Flax,
Barley
High Fiber vegetables – Asparagus,
Jerusalem Artichokes, Leeks, Dark Greens
Fruit - Berries, bananas
Legumes
Onions
Honey
Maple Syrup
Red wine
Support Group Newsletter 13
“I’ve lost all my weight. Why can’t I
just eat anything I want but in smaller
amounts ?”
To be successful after any bariatric surgery
you have to change your lifestyle. This
includes eating a healthy diet and
exercising.
The gastric sleeve allows you to eat any type
of food. But your new diet should be high
protein and very small amounts of simple
carbohydrates. Try to avoid sugar, sweets
and white flour. Foods that are spicy or
highly seasoned can cause gastritis or acid
reflux.
that make any significant contribution to
our diet.
Drinking alcohol also reduces the amount of
fat your body burns for energy. While we
can store nutrients, protein, carbohydrates,
and fat in our bodies, we can't store alcohol.
So our systems want to get rid of it. This
takes precedence over the metabolism of
protein, carbohydrates, absorbing nutrients
and burning fat.
So when you are considering what to eat or
drink, consider this…
Why you had surgery
Where you are
Where you want to be
“What About Alcohol?”
Alcohol is very high in calories and contains
no nutrients. Alcohol consumption should
be avoided for 3 to 6 months following your
surgery.
Remember that you will feel the effects of
alcohol much more quickly than before your
surgery. Take special care when driving!
“Why are calories in alcohol extrafattening?”
Living Near Fast-Food Places
Hurts Less-Educated Most
Alcoholic drinks are made by fermenting
and distilling natural starch and sugar.
Living in a neighborhood full of fast-food outlets
is especially unhealthy for people who are poorly
educated, a new British study suggests.
Being high in sugar means alcohol contains
lots of calories – seven calories a gram in
fact, almost as many as pure fat!
“Neighborhoods are clearly important in shaping
what all of us eat, no matter how educated we
are,” said researcher Thomas Burgoine, a fellow at
the University of Cambridge. “But this effect
appears to be much greater for those with lower
levels of education,” he said in a university news
release.
Calories from alcohol are 'empty calories',
they have no nutritional value. Most
alcoholic drinks contain traces of vitamins
and minerals, but not usually in amounts
Support Group Newsletter 14
Cont. on page 15
Cont. from page 14
The researchers wanted to understand how the
availability of fast food influences diet and
obesity. To find the answer, they examined survey
results from 6,000 adults ages 29-62 living in
Cambridgeshire, a county in England.
The study found that the least educated people had
unhealthier diets than the most educated, even if
they lived in the same neighborhoods full of fastfood restaurants.
In those neighborhoods, the least educated people
ate about one-third more unhealthy fast food a day
than the most educated people. That’s the
equivalent of nearly 9 pounds of unhealthy food a
year, the researchers said. The least educated
people were also the most prone to obesity.
While the study did not prove cause-and-effect,
the researchers think the findings show the value
of regulating the number of fast-food outlets in
neighborhoods.
“Our results suggest that these policies will be
effective across socioeconomic groups, but,
critically, particularly for the most disadvantaged.
This could help to reduce socioeconomic
inequalities in diet and health,” said study senior
author Pablo Monsivais, a public health researcher
at Cambridge.
This is important, Monsivais said, “because
attempts to encourage more healthy living at an
individual level have largely failed to reduce
health inequalities.” Some say such initiatives
have been especially ineffective among
disadvantaged groups, he added.
The study was published in the May 11 issue of
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
Who Doesn’t Like Ice Cream?
I don’t know too many people who don’t enjoy ice
cream now and then, especially in the summer. In
fact, I don’t know anyone.
If you are a fan, have you tried this?
Artic Zero
Fit Frozen Desserts
This skinny alternative really has just 75 calories
per serving! It isn’t too shocking when you
consider that makers of the treat replaced the
cream and milk typically found in ice cream with
water and whey protein. Example: Buttery Pecan
has 75 calories, 2.5 g fat, 10 carbs, 7 g sugar and
3 g protein.
Go to www.arcticzero.com to check out all their
products.
Support Group Newsletter 15
Remember!
B.G.T.Y.
Be Good To Yourself
What Are We Talking About?
VACATIONS
Promote Creativity
Reduce Stress
Help You Sleep Better
Strengthen Relationships
Enhance Memory
Prevent Burnout
Make Lasting Memories
The Staff at JFK for Life wishes everyone a
healthy, happy and safe summer!
Support Group Newsletter 16