Bariatric Women’s Support is another of my favorite Facebook WLS groups. Why? Well, BWS is well-run and its just for women who’ve had or want weight-loss surgery (WLS). Plus they offer a number of services that other WLS online support groups do not. Let’s take a closer look at Bariatric Women’s Support: Bariatric Women’s Support […]
When you reach the end of your weight loss journey and realize just how much it’s improved your life, you may want to share that with everyone you meet so they can be as happy and healthy as you are. And if you want to take it a step further, you might consider changing careers […]
Connect with patients just like you 24/7 in a Facebook bariatric support group. Online bariatric support groups can be used to receive support, celebrate physical and emotional accomplishments, provide anecdotal accounts of the “bariatric lifestyle” for preoperative patients, and comment on challenges with mental health and experiences of weight bias, according to a study published on ScienceDirect. And […]
In part one of my question and answer session with Susan Harrow Rago, MS, RD, LDN, much of the discussion was on nutritional counseling for weight loss. In this second segment of our Q&A, Susan Rago shares her weight loss tips on eating healthy to lose weight in the real world where time, money, and […]
Nutritional counseling with a registered dietician nutritionist (RDN) will identify how many calories to eat per day to lose weight steadily and safely through a planned healthy, nutritious diet designed specifically for your lifestyle and healthcare needs. Also, a registered dietician nutritionist can treat any chronic obesity-related diseases with medical nutrition therapy. I am therefore […]
Permanent weight loss is not a guarantee of bariatric surgery. You must do the work to not slip back into ingrained behaviors, habits, and ways of relating to food, as well as physical inactivity. In this 3-part interview with Lori Rosenthal, a bariatric dietician, we examine some of the healthy behaviors necessary and pitfalls to […]
A reader of My Bariatric Life recently contacted us to voice her concerns about the difficulty of establishing a bariatric support network. Her concerns are well-founded and not unusual. Many bariatric patients struggle to find the balance needed to address their personal recovery needs in the post-weight loss surgery world. Many bariatric patients also meet […]
A familiar face and a kind word can sometimes make all the difference. Family support after bariatric surgery is not only a wise choice for the patient, but the family itself might feel hurt if support is not asked for. After all, the purpose of family is to nourish the best interest of all who […]
There are a number of issues that bariatric patients will need to address before and after obesity surgery. Prior to weight loss surgery, there will be an evaluation to determine the patient’s overall physical condition and to assess whether the individual is an appropriate candidate for bariatric surgery. Bariatric patients will not only establish an intimate relationship […]
My experience with my bariatric surgeon’s support group is that it was useful in preparing me pre-surgery and for a short-term post-op in managing my new anatomy. However, it did little to educate me on how to maintain permanent weight loss. My surgeon told me, “I do the surgery. The rest is up to you.” So, […]
As you are aware, we are at risk for mineral deficiencies developing after #bariatricsurgery. And the further out we are from surgery the greater the likelihood. Although there are a lot of mineral supplements on the market, I've done my research and Stone Blood Shilajit is a product that I've started using twice each day: 15 drops in my morning coffee and 15 drops in my protein shake at night.
Why did I switch to Shilajit? Because it is a highly absorbable form of 85+ nutrients created from the long process of breakdown of minerals and plant matter over a very long period of time. So it cannot be man-made in a lab. Plus it's high concentration of fulvic acid increases cell membrane permeability and allows for better absorption of the minerals. Shilajit also contains high levels of iron and likewise helps the body to absorb that, so it may help in preventing my #anemia from recurring.
So I highly recommend my fellow #bariatric patients talk to their #bariatrics nutritionists about Shilajit. Note that people with certain health conditions should not take Shilajit, and it is possible to be allergic to it, and we should always talk to our doctors before taking a new supplement. The said, here are a several clinical benefits to consider:
Healthline, a very reputable consumer health information website, states "Shilajit contains fulvic acid and more than 84 minerals! so it offers numerous health benefits. It can function as an #antioxidant to improve your body's immunity and memory, an anti-inflammatory, an energy booster, and a diuretic to remove excess fluid from your body."
Also the NIH and ScienceDirect have numerous studies on Shilajit. So you may want to do an internet search for these. But what I find most interesting are the findings on aging, exercise tolerance, and energy:
One study noted that fulvic acid, one of the key compounds in shilajit, acts as an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compound. As such, it may help reduce free radicals and cellular damage in the body, which are two key factors in aging. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3296184/
Another study noted that people who were obese who took an oral supplement of purified shilajit responded better to exercise than those who did not. Researchers noted that the shilajit seemed to activate genes in the body that helped the skeletal muscles quickly adapt to the new workout. This could mean less fatigue and more strength over time, says Medical News Today -- an respected website for physicians. www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0378874112003893
And another study found that shilajit helped reduce symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome in test subjects. Researchers noted that shilajit might help improve cell functions in the body, which means it may reduce fatigue at the source of the problem and increase energy levels naturally. www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0378874112003893?via%3Dihub
Shilajit was traditionally sourced in India and Tibet, and has been used in Ayurvedic medicine for centuries. But the product that I buy, Stone Blood Shilajit, is mined by hand from the Rocky Mountains according to the Himalayan practice. It's the very first North American Shilajit and I think that's really exciting. You can learn more on the product website. This is NOT an affiliate link. stonebloodshilajit.com #MyBariatricLife #WLS #gastricbypass #gastricsleeve
