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Tag Archives: efas

Will I Need to Take Vitamins and Supplements After Weight Loss Surgery?

Posted on June 11, 2018 by

I Can & I WillYes, you will need to take vitamins.  Supplements are helpful but not a requirement.  Actually, whether or not you have weight loss surgery, you should be taking vitamins.  Supplements can be helpful as well, especially if you are trying to lose weight.  You should also make sure your vitamins/supplements are pharmaceutical grade so that the quality of their content is monitored and guaranteed.  The nutritional store at the Center for Weight Loss Success only carries such vitamins and supplements and our patients love them.  (www.cfwls.com)

The common vitamins that will likely be recommended for you (may vary depending upon the surgeon) include the following:

Multivitamins: Taking vitamins will be a lifelong commitment for all patients who have had weight loss surgery.  In the beginning, you should take two chewable complete multivitamins each day.  At one month after surgery, you may be able to progress to taking two regular vitamins daily.  We recommend two vitamins each day during the first year when your weight loss is most rapid.  After the first year, you should continue to take one multivitamin a day.  Women may want to consider a prenatal vitamin if pre-menopausal.

B-Complex: Usually around 1 month after surgery, we recommend that you also add one B-Complex vitamin each day (or even 2 per day).  The B vitamins assist in muscle and nerve functioning and have been shown to increase a person’s energy level over time.  You cannot overdose on B vitamins.  If you take in more than you need, you will simply rid yourself of any excess through your urine.  It is common for B vitamins to cause your urine to be darker or a brighter yellow.  This is normal.  If you prefer, B-Complex is also available as an injection at the office as appropriate.

Essential Fatty Acids (EFA’s):  Take them – they’re just good for you.  By taking fish oil supplements, Omega-3 fatty acids are ingested in their biologically active form.  They can be directly used to support cardiovascular, brain, nervous system, and immune function.  The mini-soft gels are smaller and have a natural lemon flavor to prevent a “fishy” after taste.  Our product is ultra-filtered to guarantee removal of mercury and other possible contaminants.  Most people should take 2-4 soft gels per day.  They are also helpful to prevent constipation.

Magnesium-Potassium: During weight loss your body will tend to waste both magnesium and potassium.  Both of these minerals are essential to normal muscular and cardiovascular function.  Magnesium is involved in over 300 biological reactions throughout the body.  It can help prevent/treat fatigue.  If you are prone to muscle cramps – you need to add this supplement.  Typical doses are 1-4 tablets daily with food.

Don’t Fear the Fat!

Posted on February 08, 2016 by

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Fat is one of 6 nutrients essential to good health. (Water, Protein, Vitamins, Minerals and Carbohydrates are the others). We can’t live without them. Unfortunately, fats have been demonized in the past few decades. The public was encouraged to cut out or drastically cut back on fat. Our fat intake dropped from 40% of our diet to 34%. Yet, the fat reduction didn’t help with our weight problems and the obesity epidemic spiraled higher.

Fats are more calorie dense than carbohydrates and protein, but it’s not just the weight of the food that matters. What matters most is what the food does inside; how they break down and are used by our bodies. When the food industry removed fats from our food, the fat was replaced with sugar or other staches.  ALL carbohydrates break down into sugar. They are the reason why Americans continue to struggle with their weight. Fat is not the culprit, it’s the carbohydrates.

*Our bodies use 3 types of fats for fuel:
Monounsaturated: These are the healthier fats found in olive oil, nuts and avocados.
Polyunsaturated: Mostly healthy fats found in sunflower oil, flax seed oil, salmon, and grape seed oil.
Saturated: Found in butter and lard, less desirable for the diet.

*Other types of fats:
Cholesterol: It’s been given a bad rap but is essential for life and normal cellular function. The body manufactures 85% and the rest is found in foods we eat. The building blocks of cholesterol are CARBS! So, to reduce cholesterol you must reduce the amount of carbohydrates you consume.
Triglycerides: Essential for life, provides calories, and can be burned for energy. To reduce triglycerides, you must reduce carbohydrates.
Trans Fats: These are man-made fats designed to preserve the shelf life of food. There is a direct association between intake of trans fats and increased risk of heart attacks. They can be found in fried foods, baked goods, crackers, and vegetable shortening. Consuming even trivial amounts can cause damage.

*The GOOD fats:
EFA’s are polyunsaturated fats that are essential for life, but the body can’t produce them. These fats are not used much as fuel, but they are the lubricant that keeps the engine going. The American Heart Association recommends 1 gram a day, but we should ingest even more.
Omega 6: Easily available in food.
Omega 3: Found in tuna, sardines, almonds, and walnuts.

Insulin is a master hormone made by the pancreas that allows your body to use sugar from carbohydrates for energy or for storage. It helps to maintain normal blood sugar levels. Lipoprotein lipase is an enzyme needed to store fat in the cells. Insulin levels rise when we eat carbohydrates. It then turns on the lipoprotein lipase, which causes fat storage. Therefore, it’s not FAT that leads to fat storage, but CARBS! You can’t store fat unless your carbohydrate intake is high enough to release insulin.

Remember that fats are vital to good health! If you’re eating a fairly low-carb diet, you shouldn’t fear fat. Eating fat won’t make you fat. Everyone should consume more Omega-3 fatty acids and reduce carbohydrates. We sell EFA’s in our nutrition store here at The Center for Weight Loss Success. It’s your life. Make it a healthy one!