The Safest Weight Loss Surgery
Imagine your stomach as a balloon. Weight loss surgery is like making the balloon smaller so you can't fit as much food inside, which helps you lose weight. The safest surgeries are like making small changes to the balloon without too much cutting or rearranging.
- Laparoscopic Adjustable Gastric Banding (LAGB): This surgery is like putting a belt around the top of your stomach to make it smaller. The surgeon places a band around the upper part of your stomach, creating a small pouch above the band. This pouch can hold only a small amount of food, which makes you feel full faster and eat less. The band can be adjusted over time to control the amount of food you can eat.
- Laparoscopic Gastric Sleeve Surgery (Sleeve Gastrectomy): This surgery is like cutting off a big part of the balloon. The surgeon removes a large portion of your stomach, leaving a smaller sleeve-shaped stomach. With a smaller stomach, you feel full quicker and eat less. This surgery also removes the part of the stomach that makes a hormone called ghrelin, which can help reduce hunger.
The Diet After Weight Loss Surgery
After weight loss surgery, your stomach is smaller, so you need to be careful about what and how much you eat. Your diet will change as your stomach heals and adjusts to its new size. Here's a simple guide to the diet after weight loss surgery:
- Liquid Diet: Right after surgery, you'll start with clear liquids like water, broth, and sugar-free gelatin. This helps your stomach heal and prevents dehydration.
- Pureed Diet: After a few days, you'll move on to pureed or blended foods like yogurt, smoothies, and mashed potatoes. These foods are easy to digest and gentle on your stomach.
- Soft Diet: As you continue to heal, you can add soft foods like scrambled eggs, cottage cheese, and cooked vegetables. These foods are still easy to chew and digest.
- Solid Foods: Eventually, you'll be able to eat solid foods again, but you'll need to focus on protein-rich foods like chicken, fish, beans, and tofu. These foods help you feel full and provide the nutrients your body needs to stay healthy.
- Portion Control: With a smaller stomach, you'll need to eat smaller portions throughout the day. Try to eat five or six small meals instead of three big ones. This helps prevent overeating and keeps your blood sugar stable.
- Avoid Sugary Foods: Sugary foods and drinks can cause dumping syndrome, which can make you feel dizzy, sweaty, and nauseous. Avoid sugary snacks, sodas, and desserts to prevent this uncomfortable side effect.
- Stay Hydrated: Drink plenty of water throughout the day to stay hydrated and prevent constipation. Avoid drinking with meals, as this can fill up your stomach too quickly.
- Follow Your Doctor's Advice: Your doctor or dietitian will give you specific guidelines to follow after surgery. It's important to follow their advice closely to ensure a safe and successful recovery.