...about weight loss...and hormones

The realities of weight loss are fantastic and very rewarding...

...but some changes in your body are not always pleasant. Some women may experience symptoms during or after weight loss that aren't so great...they could include fatigue, hot flashes, night sweats, night sweats, memory lapses, difficulty concentrating, joint pain, vaginal dryness, dry skin, loss of libido, just to name a few. 

These symptoms are frequently associated with menopause and could be a result of low estrogen levels.   Here's why:

"Estrogen attaches itself to fat cells. The more fat cells that are in the body, the more estrogen is produced. Excess weight that is stored in the belly is an indicator of high levels of estrogen.

Unfortunately, high levels of estrogen in the fat cells can hinder the body's ability to burn fat, which makes it more difficult to lose weight. Exercise and a high-protein diet is an effective way to lose weight and lower the estrogen levels in the fat cells for those with estrogen dominance." *internet source

But lowering your estrogen levels can trigger changes in other ways...when you lose fat cells, you lose estogen stores.  Because symptoms of low estrogen levels can be quite subtle and widely vary, women may not recognize at first that their issue is low estrogen.

I experience some changes the first year after surgery.  During the months prior to gastric bypass surgery, I had to discontinue my hormone replacement therapy.  After surgery, I made the decision not to go back on the hormones, but several months later, I thought I was going crazy...and my body was falling apart...

Did I lose weight for this?   ...I don't think so...there are answers and solutions...after doing some research and consulting with my GYN I returned to the hormone replacement, my symptoms dissipated and life returned to normal.

It's important to listen to your body and learn all you can about the changes you are going through.  These changes in weight loss affect not only your physical body, but also cause hormone fluctuations which also affect you emotionally, mentally, and psychologically. 

Know your body and the symptoms of low estrogen levels.  I encourage you to make sure that you have regular checkups with your doctor and ask for a bone density test so that you are aware in any changes as you grow older. 

There is a whole new way of life that awaits after weight loss surgery...go enjoy it...yes you can...you have many more miles to go!

I was thinking the other day about things that had been beneficial to me staying on track with my eating.  One "biggie" in particular is having things on hand insures that I can reach for the better food choices. 

I most always purchase frozen vegetables, (along with fresh, of course) opposed to the canned variety.  The experts say that frozen produce tends to be picked at their ripest, which insures maximum nutrient strength because not only are they in their natural environment longer and can absorb more nutrients from the soil, but unlike canned veggies contain less sodium and are fully ripe.  

Let's go to the freezer.  These are some of my freezer staples:

• frozen veggies/ steamables are my favorites, fast and easy
• single serving veggies are great for "in a hurry" no butter or cheese please, I prefer to add my own seasoning
• frozen fish/ such as tilapia/ not the breaded variety
• frozen bananas/ cut into 4ths/ if I freeze them myself, I control the ripeness and the portion size
• whole wheat bread, I eat so little bread, that freezing is the answer to freshness
• water bottles/ 1/2 full,  on the run, just add water and your favorite tea and your ready to go

ok, so what's in your freezer! Share what works for you...Let's hear from you...yes you can, you have many more miles to go...

Did you know that the way you cook certain veggies can actually enhance their nutrient power? 

According to Prevention Magazine and Dr. Elizabeth Johnson, a scientist at Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University, "You get more carotenoids, for example, from steamed spinach than from a spinach salad." 

This doen't just apply to spinach, but a handful of other veggies as well.  Take broccoli, steamed, it has higher concentrations of many carotenoids, including beta-carotene and lutein.  It also retains 70% more vitamin C as well as kaempferol, a cell-saving flavonoid. 

So what that really means to you...the consumer...is that brocolli may help reduce inflammation, prevent aging and boost your immune system or help fight free radicals...now that has my attention! 

Other veggies include, carrots, root veggies, and tomatoes.  For more info getting the most power out of your veggies, check out the new December 2009 issue of Prevention.  Yes, we can, we have many more miles to go!

"It is what we know already that often prevents us from learning."  Claude Bernard

Do you know why a duck's quack doesn't produce an echo?

 Neither does anyone else!

Do you know what the 57 represents on Heinz ketchup?

 Heinz once had 57 variety of pickles!

Did you know that 315 entries in Webster's 1996 dictionary were misspelled?

Did you know that ketchup was sold in 1830 as a medicine?

OK

OK, so what does this have to do with weight loss surgery? 

There are a lot of things we think we know that keep us of learning!

Example: During the last support group I attended in September, the topic was on Lap-Bands.  I don't have a lap-band, and had I not been doing a blog on lap-bands I probably would not have cared about lap-bands...not to sound disrespectful, but there seemed to be no reason for me to go the meeting.  But fact is, I learned a lot that was helpful to me as a gastric bypass patient. 

I encourage you learn all you can about weight loss surgery. Approach your next meeting or event with an open mind.  I've learned that support groups are not only for learning but for supporting others along the way...and while you're there, you might just learn something important...like:

by raising your legs slowly and lying on your back, you can't sink in quicksand...good to know! Right?

Leonardo Da Vinci could write with one hand and draw with the other at the same time.

American Airlines saved $40,000 in 1987 by eliminating one olive from each salad served in first class.

Astronauts are not allowed to eat beans before they go into space because passing wind damages space suit. 

 Now that might be worth knowing...

Wearing headphones for just an hour will increase the bacteria in your ear by 700 times.

98% of all murders and rapes are by a close family member or friend of the victim.

ps...some of these statements are true and some of them may not be...do you know which ones are which?

Do you sometimes experience weakness, shaking, fainting, sweating,  irritability, get light headed, or an urgent need to eat?  These symptoms could be what is referred to after gastric bypass surgery as "late dumping". Basically, it's caused by a drop in blood sugar levels, called hypoglycemia. 

Hypoglycemia is a potentially dangerous condition, so it's very important to know the signs and effects of low blood sugar.

Late dumping (rapid gastric emptying) typically occurs 1-3 hours after eating. Late dumping is caused by fluctuations in blood glucose levels among patients whose digestive anatomy has been altered by bariatric surgery, like gastric bypass. When sugar is eaten it is rapidly absorbed into the bloodstream triggering a rapid rise in blood sugar levels. The pancreas responds by secreting an equally large amount of insulin to soak up the excess blood sugar. However, because the amount of sugar that instigated all this was so small, there is now too much insulin in the blood, and this triggers the common hypoglycemia symptoms of late dumping, such as: weakness, dizziness and fatigue.

Symptoms of "late" dumping are not to be confused with "early" dumping.  Dumping syndrome can be separated into early and late forms depending on the occurrence of symptoms in relation to the time elapsed after a meal. Both forms occur because of rapid delivery of large amounts of osmotically active solids and liquids into the duodenum. Dumping syndrome is the direct result of alterations in the storage function of the stomach and/or the pyloric emptying mechanism.  (eMedicine at Web MD)

You'll find more info on earlier post, (search hypoglycemia at the left sidebar).  I experienced some of these symptoms after increasing my exercise and activity this past spring.  The extra activity called for more immediate energy than I had available, so my body required more than I was "feeding" it.  I am happy to report that at the present time I have my blood sugars under control.  Mostly with diet, watching my carbs and sugar intake, only however, after adding alpha lipoic acid and cinnamon tablets to the mix of supplements each day did I see any results from my dietary efforts. 

Dr. Miles explained that sometimes it only takes a small change to get things off balance, and for some of us that threshold may be more sensitive than for others.  In hypoglycemia it only takes a small amount of sugar to get things off balance when you have an altered digestive system. Even though I had experienced a few intermittent episodes of low sugar during my three years after surgery, these episodes were routine and seemingly unresponsive to my best efforts of controlling my diet. 

Gastric Bypass Surgery symptoms are different for everyone and all the facts and side effects or what effect it may have on our body overall or for the long term are not known yet.  My advise, stay in contact with your surgeon or physician and just as important--stay informed, it's your body and you know it better than anyone.  Keep a watch on your blood sugar levels, and the way you feel especially when your feeling symptoms that could indicate a drop.  If you are several years out and no longer doing protein shakes, make sure you are eating enough protein and sorry to say, watching the refined carbs. 

I always carry food with me, a protein bar, an apple, crackers, and even glucose tables at all times, especially when my activities increase.  I am sure to eat a protein food before exercise, walking or even  shopping.  I eat a carb, such as an apple afterwards. 

After consulting several professionals for nutrition and medical help, I kept searching until I found the answer that worked for me!  You can too...yes, you can...we have many more miles to go!