The good news is there are several ways to enjoy the holidays without gaining weight. And we will cover that in depth in this article. First, let’s take a moment to dissect your internal dialogue regarding holiday eating: You’ve been enjoying steady weight loss since your bariatric surgery. But now you’re afraid you won’t be […]
The holidays are upon us! And surviving holiday gatherings as a bariatric surgery patient can be incredibly challenging. Food is everywhere and, of course, most of it is unhealthy. Navigating all of the parties, family functions, and office goodies can feel overwhelming. Most people tend to worry about weight gain this time of year, and […]
A bariatric bento box offers a great solution for every foodie who has had bariatric surgery. Unlike a traditional lunch box, the small compartments within a bento box allow for bariatric-friendly portions of healthy food. And as long as you select from 4 food groups for its contents, the bento box will be nutritionally sound […]
Few appetizers are more universally loved than antipasti. With endless combinations of healthy foods to suit every appetite, food preference, and budget, antipasto — a traditional Italian dish meaning “before the meal” — has become a favorite in households of every ethnicity. With that in mind, I’ve developed a Rustic Hearty Antipasti recipe with three […]
Are you sick of high health insurance costs? While you’re much better off with insurance than you are without it, it can still be a financial burden for many people. Here are a few ways in which you can spend less on your health insurance costs. Compare and negotiate health insurance costs Most people don’t […]
Yowza! My Chocolate-Covered Banana Keto Cheesecake marries four all-time favorite desserts into one! First, this decadent keto dessert rests upon a layer of moist brownie cookie crust. Next is the luscious filling of banana cream cheesecake, a Cheesecake Factory copycat recipe that’s so good you’ll never know it’s made without sugar or grain. Finally, as […]
Looking for something that you can take to a party this holiday time? Something you can also eat yourself (as in bariatric-friendly recipe) but looks and tastes wow? Then look no further because I have the perfect cheesecake recipe for you. It’s a simple enough baked one, but then the fun begins – you can […]
Can you drink alcohol after bariatric surgery? Cheryl (aka My Bariatric Life) and I know about addiction. Cheryl is open about her many years of struggle with food addiction before her gastric bypass surgery. As for me, I am a retired Addictions Counselor having worked primarily with alcoholism. I am sure that many of you […]
Whether the up-coming Thanksgiving celebration and holiday season is your first post-surgery, or you’ve been here before, you will be wary of the Main Event meal. No one seems to get into a stress about the turkey or other chosen centerpieces but the sides do cause some anxiety. So let’s address those bariatric-friendly sides straight […]
Grains, starchy vegetables, sugar, and artificial sweeteners are not part of my bariatric diet! But they sure are central to a traditional Thanksgiving menu. So for many years I missed out on pumpkin pie, rolls, and tea breads. But nowadays I serve a sumptuous grain-free Thanksgiving. That’s because I learned about nut flours! Wonderful baked goods can be […]
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 […]
Those who are overweight or obese tend to gain weight in excess at the holidays. While weight gain can follow any holiday, for most Americans the most difficult period is during the six-weeks between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day. Although weight gain is only a few pounds, it is weight that is never lost. Read: The Skinny […]
Weight Gain at the Holidays It is believed that weight gain at the holidays will be somewhere between three and ten pounds. This seems logical given the amount of food we eat between Thanksgiving and New Year’s, but it is not so. The truth is that most Americans gain only one pound over the holidays. […]
Our discipline to diet and health will be tested time and again across the holidays. And so you should implement a holiday plan for success if you are sincere about maintaining your current weight through the tangle of holiday temptations. Controlling portion sizes is a vital addition to your plan. Learn more, read, “The Skinny on […]
The holidays are here. And you may be feeling a little nervous about the challenges of upcoming celebrations if your weight loss surgery was recent. Then again, you may be over confident and think that weight loss surgery is all you need to protect against weight regain. In either case, some holiday survival tips are […]
Tips for Eating Healthy at Parties I love a celebration among family and friends! But there is the very real threat of temptations galore that call to me like the siren’s song. In Spring and Summer with Memorial Day weekend, graduations, 4th of July BBQs, pool parties, weddings and events of this nature, it seems I […]
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
