2 for 1 Vitamin Sale!!!

Our vitamin affiliate, Puritan’s Pride, is offering a 2-for-1 sale now through Thanksgiving to our loyal patrons. Take an inventory of your vitamin cupboard and see what’s missing, now is a great opportunity to stock-up. Remember that the LivingAfterWLS site is funded exclusively by our affiliates – any purchase you make from them keeps us online and providing new content for your LivingAfterWLS lifestyle.

Not sure what vitamins you need to be taking? Visit the LivingAfterWLS Vitamins Page.



Gobble Up Your Vitamins this Thanksgiving

Vitamin Sale Extended for LivingAfterWLS

Due to the overwhelming response from LivingAfterWLS readers Puritan's Pride, our vitamin affiliate, has extended the buy one get two FREE sale just for us. You can still enjoy the tremendous savings if you order by Monday September 12. Link below.


Hurry! Buy 1, Get 2 FREE Vitamin Sale Ends 9/07/05

Puritan's Pride Vitamins:3-for-1 Sale Ends Soon!

As you know taking vitamin supplements is a key component to living well after gastric bypass surgery. LivingAfterWLS is affiliated with Puritan’s Pride products because I know they are effective nutritional supplementation after gastric bypass. Be assured I will only recommend products in which I have personal knowledge and faith.

Recently Puritan's Pride has been offering a 3-for-1 sale on all vitamins. This sale ends next Wednesday - So if you plan to order vitamins in the near future please take advantage of the tremendous savings.

Hurry! Buy 1, Get 2 FREE Vitamin Sale Ends 9/07/05

So many LivingAfterWLS readers have written with questions about vitamins that I've created a special page to specifically address our unique need for supplementation after WLS. The page is called Vitamins After WLS and you can link here or from the left column. I've included product links with our affiliate, Puritan's Pride and also posted several articles about the vitamins we need and how they can improve our living after WLS.

Best wishes,
Kaye

LivingAfterWLS Affiliated with Puritan's PrideQuality Vitamin Supplements

I am pleased to announce LivingAfterWLS has affiliated with Puritan’s Pride Quality Vitamins. This is exciting for two reasons:

First, I have been taking Puritan’s Pride vitamins since my gastric bypass in 1999. My husband has taken Puritan’s Pride vitamins exclusively for many years. Prices are reasonable (Check out the Buy 1 Get 2 Free Sale) and service is consistently efficient. I am a believer in the Puritan’s Pride product and attribute my state of balanced nutrition in part to my Puritan’s Pride supplements. For quality, consistency and value you can’t beat Puritan’s Pride.




Secondly, an affiliation with Puritan’s Pride will generate revenue for the site which will support continued growth as we expand our community into a full-fledged interactive community tool for living after weight loss surgery.

When it’s appropriate I’ll link to Puritan’s Pride products that I know are effective nutritional supplementation after gastric bypass. Be assured I will only recommend products in which I have personal knowledge and faith. Please link through the site and give Puritan’s Pride a try. I think you will be quite pleased.

Best Wishes,
Kaye

Minimum Vitamin Supplementation After WLS

To Do: Buy Vitamins Online – Get Free Shipping

At 6 weeks out gastric bypass patients are advised to begin a full-vitamin course that will continue for the lifetime of the patient. Dilligently taking vitamin and mineral supplements will ensure the nutritional health of the gastric bypass weight loss surgery patient. Complete with links to our personally endorsed affiliate Puritan's Pride, here is a list of vitamins that most bariatric centers recommend in the United States:

Multi-Vitamin

Multi-Vitamin – Take one to two high potency adult vitamins per day.Purchase a gender and age specific formula. Puritan's Pride offers an adult complete chewable if you are having difficulty swallowing pills immediately after surgery.

ADULT CHEWABLE MULTI-VITAMIN Tablets

WOMENS EXCLUSIVE FORM/SOLOTRON

ABC SENIOR (SENIOR ALPHA Z)

Vitamin B-12

Vitamin B12- Take one B12 2500mcg tablet daily. Look for a sublingual tablet, the kind you place under your tongue to dissolve and absorb directly into your soft tissues. These are usually little pink pills. A good diet contributes to disease prevention, but sometimes stress and eating on the run can have nutritional consequences. One way to ensure that you are getting your Daily Values for B-Vitamins is to take dietary supplements. Vitamin B-12 is essential for normal formation of blood cells and contibutes to the health of the nervous system.

B12 (2500MCG) SUBLINGUAL

Calcium

Calcium: Take two 500 mg. chewable tablets a day, 1 morning, 1 night. If you can’t find chewables you can take a tablet, but be sure to take them at different times as your body can only absorb about 500 mg. calcium at a time. Some patients prefer Calcium Citrate in tablet form.

Chewable Calcium

CALCIUM CITRATE 200 MG.

Iron

Iron – Men should not supplement iron. Women are advised to take 1 Iron Bis-Glycinate 28 mg tablet or capsule daily. Look for a formula that contains Vitamin C, Folic Acid and Vitamin B-12 as these added vitamins help the body absorb supplemental iron. Once patients begin taking the iron they report an marked increase in energy. Take only Bis-Glycinate iron or Ferrous Gluconate. These are softer forms of iron and will be gentle on the stomach.

EASY IRON

Vitamin C

Vitamin C – Take two to four 500mg. chewable tablets a day. You cannot overdose on Vitamin C and it will build your antioxidants thus helping to improve your energy level. Many bariatric centers recommend patients take chewable C throughout the day.

C-1000 W/ROSE HIPS

Female Fatigue After WLS: Iron Deficient?

I’ve been feeling a tired and slow lately. Just don’t have my usual get-up and go. Naturally, I blame the gastric bypass – it gets the blame whenever I don’t feel well. After careful assessment I realized I have forgotten to take my vitamin for almost three weeks now. I am probably iron deficient – a risk all gastric bypass patients face.

We’ve all heard of anemia – a dangerous iron deficiency disease. In fact, iron-deficiency anemia is second only to obesity as a nation-wide health problem in the United States. Nine out of ten women in this country do not get their RDI of 18 milligrams of iron a day. That means their heart, brain and all other tissues are not receiving enough oxygen – iron is the chemical element in the red blood cell hemoglobin that delivers oxygen throughout the body.

If a person is short on iron they suffer a loss of energy, low-level fatigue – the blahs!

Brain activity, breathing, cellular respiration and every activity of the body depend on iron in the blood. Rosy cheeks and a glowing complexion indicate iron needs are met. Energy levels are up and an overall sense of wellness pervades.

Gastric bypass patients are at risk of iron deficiency because iron found in meat, poultry and fish is normally absorbed by the duodenum and small intestines. The nature of the bypassed system prevents adequate iron from foods from being absorbed. In addition, patients cannot physically eat enough food to meet the Daily Reference Intake (DRI).

To avoid iron deficiency and the resulting loss of energy female patients must take an iron supplement daily.

EASY IRON

Iron supplements: ferrous fumarate, ferrous gluconate or ferrous sulfate are recommended for all weight loss surgery patients. The body more readily absorbs iron when it is taken with vitamin C or a glass of orange juice. Your bariatric center may recommend a specific iron supplement for you. I take Puritan’s Pride® Easy Iron; a capsule that contains 28 milligrams of iron glycinate, a gentle form of iron that is highly absorbable and well tolerated. It also contains Vitamin C, Folic Acid and Vitamin B-12 to further aid iron absorption by the body. I take it by itself between meals with water. Iron can interfere with zinc and calcium so I do not take my other supplements at the same time.

Iron is a key element in the body’s energy-producing system. As you lose weight and become more active you will thrive with bounding energy. Be sure to maintain it by supplying your body with the iron it needs. In your annual blood test your serum ferritin level will measure your iron level and the nutritionist at your bariatric center will make the appropriate recommendations for supplementation.

It should be noted that iron RDI’s are different for men and pre-menopausal women. Men over 19 years old should intake 8 milligrams of iron a day, preferably from food sources; women aged 19 to 51 should intake 18 milligrams, supplementation is suggested. After menopause women need intake only 8 milligrams to meet iron needs.

Always assess your nutritional intake if you lack energy. There’s probably something you are missing, that once you get it back in your system you’ll be feeling prime and proper in no time! If you don't know what vitamins & minerals you should be taking see your bariatric center.

Vitamin B-Complex

The malabsorptive nature of the gastric bypass system prohibits adequate amounts of B-complex vitamins from food sources from entering the body of weight loss surgery patients. Annual blood tests indicate that patients who do not supplement their diet with B-Complex Vitamins are deficient.

B-Complex vitamins are found in both meat and plant foods. Most dietary supplements contain the B-Complex vitamins, but many WLS patients elect to take an additional B-Complex tablet. There is risk of B-Complex deficiency due to malabsorption and limited food intake. B-Complex tablets can be purchased in sublingual form – a small tablet placed under the tongue to be dissolved and absorbed through the soft tissues of the mouth.

B12 (2500MCG) SUBLINGUAL

It has long been believed, although not scientifically supported, that mega doses of B-complex vitamins will combat everyday stress, boost energy and control food cravings. I can recall years ago my moody grandmother taking a trip to see the town doctor for a B-12 shot. Much to grandfather’s relief she returned from the visit cheerful and seemingly stress-free. In those days it was common for women “going through the change” to take B-12 shots.

The Vitamin B complex refers to all of the known essential water-soluble vitamins except for vitamin C. These include thiamine (vitamin B1) riboflavin (vitamin B2), niacin (vitamin B3) pantothenic acid (vitamin B5) pyridoxine (vitamin B6) biotin, folic acid and the cobalmins (vitamin B12). Each member of the B-complex has a unique structure and performs unique functions in the body. B-Complex vitamins support energy production, the immune system, proper cell division and support the nervous system.

Recent research conducted by the National Institute on Aging found that women over age 65 with a vitamin B12 deficiency were twice as likely to suffer from depression as those with a full store of the vitamin. Maybe Grandma was right to visit her doctor for that shot of cheerfulness. Today things are easier, slip a tab of feel-good nutrients under your tongue.

Risk of Magnesium Deficiency & Personality Change

Have you ever felt like you were completely losing your mind? Like the world was swallowing you up and little things were out of your control and unmanageable? Like you were confused, tired, out of sorts and simply wanted to collapse? Has everyday noise become intolerably loud in your head?

That’s how I was feeling a few months ago. I was confident I’d lost my mind and suffered a serious change of personality (for the worse, I may add).

My husband noticed my personality change too. He’s a good and wise man and quietly did some research. This is what we learned and how we set about correcting my “problem.”

As we know the gastric-bypass patient is at risk for vitamin and mineral deficiency. I religiously take my supplements. However, I was not taking the RDI of Magnesium which is 400 milligrams/day. Magnesium rich foods are raw rice bran, raw wheat germ, yellow cornmeal, corn, soybeans, soy milk, tofu, raw seeds and nuts, leafy greens, yellow vegetables and fruits, whole cereal grains, milk products & seafood. Meat and poultry are not particularly good sources of magnesium. Clearly, a weight loss surgery patient will not meet their magnesium requirements through diet.

From Dr. Bernard Jensen’s "Guide to Body Chemistry & Nutrition” I quote: “I want to point out here that the classical deficiency symptoms for magnesium include neuromuscular signs, such as tremors, weakness, muscle spasms and irregular heartbeat; gastrointestinal signs such as nausea and vomiting; and personality changes that display confusion, apprehensiveness and depression. In the “old days” people with magnesium deficiency were often (mistakenly) taken to mental institutions because they acted so radically different that they literally seemed to be mentally ill."

In other reading we learned magnesium deficiency leads to a hyper-sensitivity to sound: "It is well established that nutritional effects may result in hypersensitive hearing. Many individuals who are deficient in magnesium suffer from sound sensitivity, and they often experience an improvement after receiving magnesium supplements. A suggested 20 milligrams per each 10 pounds of body weight per day, is an appropriate amount of magnesium. Improvement would occur within a few days if the cause of the sensitivity is a magnesium deficiency.” This statement appeared in The Sound Connection, 1998, Vol. 5, No. 3.

I started immediately taking a magnesium supplement and within a few weeks I felt like a new woman back to my old self again. The hyper-sensitivity to sound diminished and life did not seem so overwhelming. Case in point – exactly two weeks after beginning the magnesium supplement my stepsons and their children arrived unexpectedly at our home for dinner. To make matters worse, we had the kitchen disassembled for a minor remodel project. I happily adapted and cooked dinner for 7 without having a breakdown. That’s when I knew the magnesium was working.

Patients should talk with their bariatric center if they experience these conditions or concerns. Annual blood tests will indicate if a patient is deficient in magnesium and other essential vitamins and minerals.


MAGNESIUM WITH ZINC

© 2005 Kaye Bailey - All Rights Reserved

Hair Loss: Supplement with Silica Complex

Surprisingly, hair loss is one of the reasons female pre-operative patients sit on the fence before deciding to have gastric bypass surgery. Obese people, particularly obese women, often have lush gorgeous hair. Of course they do – it’s well fed and nourished! How many of us have been described as the woman with “beautiful hair and a pretty face”? What person in their right mind would give up one of their beautiful features?

Hair loss usually occurs in the fourth of fifth month following weight loss surgery. During the phase of rapid weight loss, caloric intake is marginal. This puts the body in a state of panic called starvation. Think about the pictures of prisoners of war. Most victims of this atrocity are without hair because they are literally starving to death. A healthy body normally sheds ten percent of hair follicles at any given time. When a body is starving roughly thirty to forty percent of hair follicles are sacrificed as the body channels nutrition to more vital areas. During this phase hair loss is dramatic, often patients find clumps of hair on the shower floor. Remaining hair becomes drab and lifeless.

I knew hair loss was a potential result of weight loss surgery, but because I’m a “cup-half-full” person, I didn’t believe that hair loss would happen to me! That just happens to other people, I told myself! Imagine my surprise when my blonde locks were littering the bathroom floor like hair saloon. I shed some tears over that.

The hair loss is a transient effect of your gastric bypass surgery and will be resolved when nutrition and weight stabilize. When my hair began falling out, my husband, who has been a proponent of vitamin supplements all his life, found a vitamin specifically formulated for building strong healthy hair.
The vitamin I take for healthy hair and nails is Silica Complex.

SILICA COMPLEX TABS

It contains calcium, magnesium, zinc, boron, betaine and horsetail extract. Consumption of this supplement almost immediately retarded my hair loss and renewed my dull lifeless hair. I will continue taking this supplement throughout my life. Three years after surgery my hair is long, full and lustrous – one would never know I had suffered significant hair loss. In hindsight, I would certainly begin taking this supplement prior to my surgery. In the very least I would begin taking it soon after surgery before the signs of hair loss were apparent.