Center for Videoscopic and Laser Surgery

Bariatric Newsletter
JUNE, 2006 / page 1 of 2
For My Bariatric Patients from Dr. J. Barry McKernan

Special Note:
Kathleen Atkins, RD, has done a great job in
contributing to this month's Newsletter.
We look forward to the next newsletter
as she has her say in the July issue focusing on Activity.

Surgical Intervention

Why Laparoscopy?

The Next Step

Scheduling Appts.

Out-of-Towners

Want to see how an animated re-creation of how a laparoscopic procedure begins? Click here to watch.

Want to hear what one of our patients has to say?
Click here to watch

A Quote from the Dr.

"History teaches us that what seems sensible in one era, becomes barbaric in another. It is so difficult for me to see the practicality of the open method today. This is why I devote 100% of my practice to laparoscopic general surgery. My credo is 'use finesse'."
Dr. J.B. McKernan

A Dietitian's Point of View: "Back to Basics.NUTRITION"

     Proper nutrition is critical for lasting success after bariatric surgery. Practice these guidelines and you will be on your way to a healthy weight that can last for a lifetime. Everyone responds a little differently, so, eat a variety of healthful foods that work best for you.
     When thinking about the basics of nutrition, what did you know BEFORE surgery? Protein vs. Carbs. Both are needed for a healthy body and much needed energy. The building blocks of protein, amino acids, are needed to repair the body and allow for new growth (i.e. surgical incisions, scrapes and strains from working out, overcoming sickness, etc.) The correct type and amount of carbs give you long lasting energy.
     Now, let's look at protein and carbs from a POST-SURGICAL view. The same foods are there, but, you must now learn what is tolerable with Bariatric surgery and what is not.

Protein.eat protein first to ensure a minimum of 50 to 60 grams of protein per day:

Foods	Easy To Tolerate	Difficult To Tolerate
Meats	Flaky fish, moist chicken (without skin), lean lunch meats, eggs/liquid eggs, chopped meat	Shellfish, turkey (if dry), red meat (especially steaks), pork
Dairy	Low fat/low sugar: yogurt, cottage cheese, non-fat or low-fat/non-fat milk	High fat hard cheeses, ice cream, regular milk, milk shakes, puddings
Legumes, beans, nuts, seeds	All cooked legumes and beans (skins soft or removed), smooth peanut butter or other nut butter, tofu (and other soy products)	All hard nuts, seeds, uncooked legumes or beans, chunky peanut butter
Protein Supplements (if needed)	Low-sugar, low-fat oral supplements in liquid or pudding consistency; powdered protein, powdered skim milk	High-sugar, high-fat oral supplements; nutrient enriched bars coated with chocolate or the like; bars with a dry consistency or with nuts.

Carbs.Carbohydrate foods are important too. Rule of thumb:
If the label reads more than 10 grams of sugar per serving, put it back!

Foods	Easy To Tolerate	Difficult To Tolerate
Vegetables	Cooked vegetables (excluding asparagus, tough skins). Chew raw vegetables well.	Some raw stringy vegetables such as celery.
Fruits	Bananas, canned fruit in natural juices. (Some people tolerate summer fruits better than winter fruits.)	Dried fruits, hard fruits, skin of fruit, citrus fruits
Breads, pasta	Well-cooked pasta, grainy breads	All types of breads (grainy breads seem to be better tolerated)
Concentrated sugars	None	All concentrated sugars
Crackers, snack foods, other	Minimal. Choose low-fat whole grain types	Most

Fat.guidelines for fat intake postoperatively

Foods	Easy To Tolerate	Difficult To Tolerate
Spreads	Small portions of margarine, low-fat cream cheese, or low-fat mayonnaise	Butter, mayonnaise, cream

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