Gastric Sleeve Diet

Mental Health

Obesity can have a debilitating impact on mental health. It can cause low self-esteem. It can also prevent individuals from taking part in activities such as exercise or certain forms of recreation which can support mental health. Diet can also effect mental health: high intake of sugar or alcohol, for example, can sometimes exacerbate mental health issues. Studies have shown that many patients who have undergone bariatric surgery have experienced significant improvements in their mental health.

Cardiovascular Health

Weight loss surgery can significantly improve cardiovascular health. An individual’s risk of coronary heart disease, heart attack and stroke can reduce significantly. Maintaining good dietary and lifestyle habits will ensure that these benefits are maintained.

Studies have also shown that weight loss surgery can reduce problems related to hypertension and myocardial infarction. When the body weight is reduced, blood pressure, cholesterol, and cardiac health all improve. These factors together can dramatically improve life expectancy. Excess weight can also impact the bones and joints. Bariatric surgery can also help to prevent or manage joint pain and arthritis.

Weight loss surgery will not only help you to lose weight. It will have a range of positive health impacts.

Pre-Op Diet & Lifestyle

The success of your bariatric surgery is highly dependent on your BMI, your weight, and your general health before surgery. You should discuss a pre-op diet with The Health Store Turkey’s nutritionist in order to prepare for surgery. They will provide you with a detailed, sustainable plan and will be specific in their advice about what you should and should not eat.

Establishing positive eating habits before surgery will also help you to maintain a healthy diet after your operation. If you can avoid foods and drinks that are high in calories and fat and exercise for at least 30 minutes a day, you will already be on your way towards a healthy, sustainable lifestyle. If you are committed to making a change, you can form positive habits relatively quickly.

Losing weight around the stomach may also open up the possibility of laparoscopic surgery. This is a less invasive form of surgery that uses small incisions as opposed to the large incision required for open surgery. Laparoscopic surgery has an even lower risk of complications and requires a shorter recovery period than open surgery.

Your pre-op diet can be very influential in terms of the success of your surgery and your transition to a new lifestyle after surgery.

Post-Operative Diet

After your surgery, you will gradually reintroduce certain foods. Your post-op diet will be carefully managed. You will begin with a liquid diet immediately after surgery, before moving on to pureed foods. You will then gradually add soft foods. Solid foods will be reintroduced gradually as you recover and your stomach adjusts to its new form.

While the dietary phases will vary from patient to patient, there are four general stages of a post-op diet. The gradual process will take place over several weeks.

Week One

Your immediate post-op diet will be focused on helping your body to recover from surgery and adjust to its new form. In the week immediately after surgery, you will follow a clear liquid diet. This will help you to adjust while providing you with the nutrition you need to recover. A clear liquid diet will also help you to avoid any post-op complications. It also takes into account the possible side effects of anaesthesia and potential abdominal discomfort.

This phase of your recovery will usually last around one week. You will consume clear liquids such as:

• Broth
• Sugar-free gelatine
• Sugar-free ice cream
• Vegetable stock

Week Two

You will probably not have much of an appetite immediately after surgery. As you recover and your appetite returns, you will move on to the second phase of your post-op diet. This phase will also last around one week. This phase will still feature clear liquids, but will also reintroduce pureed and soft foods.

Protein is an essential part of any diet. This is particularly true in the aftermath of surgery. This stage of your post-op diet will ensure that you get the necessary grams of protein each day to help your body recover and adjust. There are plenty of high-protein foods you can consume in liquid form. Liquids including milk and protein shakes will also help you to get the necessary grams of protein. You will eat foods such as greek yogurt, thin soups, applesauce, and possibly pureed foods such as chicken and tuna. Soft foods such as mashed potato and scrambled eggs may also be gradually reintroduced.

During this phase, you must also avoid drinking water with your meals. Water will flush food through your system too quickly for it to be processed properly. You will be advised to wait 30 to 60 minutes after meals before drinking any water.

Week Three

During the third week after surgery, solids will gradually replace the liquid, soft and semi-solid foods consumed up to this point. You may still consume clear liquid and pureed foods, but they will be used to supplement other foods as your body adjusts. A normal meal during this week might consist of both soft food and pureed or liquid nutrients.

You might also continue to use protein shakes alongside high-protein foods such as scrambled eggs, greek yogurt and soft meat and fish. You will also start to eat fruit and vegetables, which will form an important part of your new diet.

During the third week, you will also begin to exercise portion control and to adjust to the new size of your stomach. You must eat slowly and take small bites. It’s important to form these habits early. This will help you to adapt to your new physical condition. It will also help you to form sustainable, healthy habits.

Week Four

Around four to six weeks after sleeve gastrectomy, most patients are ready to begin a more permanent diet. However, it will be significantly different from your pre-op diet. You will have clear instruction from your doctor and nutritionist. You will work with them to form a plan for a sustainable, healthy diet.

Remember that your stomach will be significantly smaller after surgery. This means that you will have to adjust to a new appetite and new eating habits. As well as eating smaller amounts, you must also cut your food into smaller pieces, chew thoroughly, and eat more slowly. If you don’t do this, you may experience digestive issues, including discomfort, vomiting, constipation, and potentially more serious problems.

By this point, solid food won’t be an issue. However, you must still eat healthy, low fat foods that give you the nutrients you need without excessive sugar, carbohydrates and fats. You should also reintroduce types of food gradually in case you react badly to any of them. Your stomach may be less able to tolerate certain types of food or beverage. If you do react badly to something, you should immediately eliminate it.

You should increase your consumption of fruit and vegetables. You should eat lean meats and fish if you are not vegetarian. Avoid sugary drinks, fried foods, high-sugar sweet food, white bread, heavily processed food, and anything with very high levels of sugar or fat.

Long-Term Diet

Once you have completed the phases of your gastric sleeve diet, you will be ready to begin your new, sustainable lifestyle. Good dietary and exercise habits will allow you to maintain the health benefits and weight loss achieved through the gastric sleeve procedure. You will have a detailed plan provided by your medical team. While the demands of your new lifestyle may initially seem challenging, once you rigidly follow the plan for a few weeks you will already be well on your way to building sustainable habits. You will already have begun this process with your pre-op gastric sleeve diet.

It is important to maintain a low calorie diet while still ensuring that you get all of the nutrients you need. You can still get everything you need for a healthy lifestyle while significantly reducing the number of calories you consume. You should monitor how many calories you are taking in each day so that you can provide your nutritionist with detailed information and make sure that your habits are not slipping.

• Avoid food with high levels of fat, simple carbohydrates, and sugar. Try to find low-fat alternatives to any of these  foods that you particularly enjoy.
• Avoid alcohol completely if possible. Alcohol is high in calories but does not provide any kind of nutrition. If you do  drink  alcohol, drink small quantities and only on occasion.
• Avoid sugary and carbonated drinks. They are very high in calories. You can find sugar-free alternatives if necessary.
• Avoid sweetened liquids such as corn syrup, maple syrup, and fructose beverages.

Portion sizes are also an important aspect of the gastric sleeve diet. You can work with The Health Store Turkey’s nutritionist on identifying appropriate portion sizes. You will also start building the habit with your dietary practices before your surgery and during the third week of your post-op diet. Even eating healthy, low-calorie foods, it is possible to regain significant weight after bariatric surgery if you do not exercise portion control.

Remember that it is important to ensure that you are still getting enough of the key nutrients, particularly protein. Eating high-protein food like lean meats and fish, lentils, and beans, and drinking high-protein beverages like milk will help with this. Eat more fibrous vegetables and replace sugary snacks with fruit.

Finally, make sure to exercise for at least half an hour each day. This will help you to maintain the benefits of your surgery. It will also benefit your cardiovascular health, digestive system, and mental health.

The Bottom Line

The success of your bariatric surgery is highly dependent on your gastric sleeve diet before and after surgery. The Health Store Turkey will provide you with all the information and advice you need. While major lifestyle changes can seem challenging, they are absolutely achievable if you are motivated. We will ensure that you have the support you need. If you maintain a healthy lifestyle after surgery, you can maintain the benefits of your surgery for many years. Speak to The Health Store Turkey Team today.