You want me to eat what? Post-Op Bariatric Surgery by Niki King RN, HN-BC

I recently cared for a very special friend of mine who had the gastric sleeve. Here are some of the things we had to overcome that I have a sneaky feeling Many others will find helpful! For the first week after the procedure, you’ll continue with the same clear liquid diet you followed in the days leading up to surgery. This will help to avoid postoperative complications, including bowel obstruction, gastric leakage, diarrhea, constipation, and dehydration. Your body needs time to heal, and this regimen will help with that goal. Tips to keep in mind include:

• Make sure to drink plenty of clear liquids. If you have trouble remaining hydrated, talk to your doctor about electrolyte drinks to try, such as low-calorie Gatorade. OK, well I ask “How about GREEN JUICE?” Why does NO ONE talk about GREEN Juice? I am on day 6 and cannot even tolerate much water but when I drank green juice, my body just craved it and I was able to tolerate it very well.

• Yes, the body knows what it needs. It is self-regulating…when we listen 🙂 I ordered here in California from a juice bar using a delivery service app.. I  had spinach, parsley, green apple, ginger, cucumber and kale. I used a strainer just to make sure there were no tiny chunks and my tummy felt amazing! This also will help with getting the bowels back to normal.

• THIS will help with regular movements as well as getting the nutrients I need. YES YES YES.. I WILL BEGIN JUICING AT HOME IN A FEW DAYS. It also stimulates the muscle memory to KNOW “hey, I need this” and I can make it myself and enjoy the interactive process of connecting on an energetic level with my foods.. Feeling Gratitude and Blessing the nutrients is always a beautiful thing as well. Being PRESENT and CONNECTING with our bodies was foreign to so many, so now is the time to “Slow down, touch your belly and say “I love you so much, thank you for helping me to get here today” and HONOR your story. 

No shame, negative self-talk or abusive behaviors belong here. Today is the time to honor YOU. I like to place my hand on my tummy and say “thank you” I know you thought you were protecting me, it’s ok now, I’ve got this!. Bless your sweet tummy and FEEL the BRIGHT future ahead of you and how your body will love you back both in health and strength and looks. We must CONNECT/BE PRESENT/BE MINDFUL of our past in order to move forward and not just bypass it.. Acknowledge where it took us, and now where you are going. It’s going to be a great journey. Your attitude of gratitude is the first step loves.

• Did you know “the GUT Biome is REALLY the BRAIN of our bodies?” Once you learn this, you can stop blaming yourself for many of the ways you used to treat yourselves.. Many Doctors are now just learning this as it was not taught in medical school. We are evolving as a Consciousness on the planet and that includes. Yes, doctors, healthcare professionals like myself and others who work with others as leaders… Whew!!! It’s like missing puzzle pieces.. but now you will forever be changed. FREE summit showing all of this info here

• Caffeine may contribute to acid reflux and dehydration, and should also be avoided. GOOD, I agree. However; some green tea or matcha green tea is also good to mix in some organic greens to get further nutrients I have found as well.
• Bone broth and canned soups.. UGH. NO.. OMG, the last thing she want to smell is DEAD animal proteins. Gross. It literally gagged her. She tried it and it stuck to her lips like thick sticky dead animal fat.. NAUSEATING.. PLEEEEZ!  PASS!
• “Now, I know protein is very much needed, but let’s figure out some “fresh, healthy, high vibe LIVE options shall we?”
•  How about making your own vegetable broth soup? Add your own flavors? OK watch the sodium and think about “how to add some protein powder to a flavor You actually love and use herbs? Of course, remember to have a fine mesh strainer as we do not want any chunks no matter how small getting into that fresh new tiny tummy!

 

• Vegan Bone Broth Alternative

  My version contains lot’s of nutritional goodness that is great for overall health but particularly focuses on plenty of gut-healing properties. Feel free to switch up, leave out or add in any ingredients you like, to suit your diet and taste.

  The main stars are:

  • Wakame seaweed:
    Great source of omega 3 – one of the best for vegans, act as prebiotics which are great for intestinal health, full of vitamins and minerals (particularly good source of iron, calcium, magnesium and iodine). Not suitable for SCD diets, leave out as necessary.
  • Shiitake mushrooms:
    Aside from giving the most amazing flavour, these mushrooms have been shown to inhibit inflammation in the gut. They’re also full of amino acids, vitamin D, zinc and B vitamins.
  • Coconut oil or olive oil:
    Mainly to aid in absorbing nutrients but coconut oil also has other properties that help destroy bad bacteria, yeast and lower stomach acid.
  • Turmeric:
    Powerful anti-inflammatory to help with gut inflammation and gut permeability, plus adds delicious flavour and a beautiful colour.
  • Spinach or kale:
    Full of vitamins and fiber. Spinach has also been found to contain a sulfosugar that lowers gut inflammation.
  • Coconut aminos:
    To add flavor, amino acids and the benefit of probiotics that comes with fermented foods. May not be suitable for some diets as it’s considered a sugar, so leave out if necessary. You can find it in health food stores or on amazon. Maybe not good for the first few months post op bariatric surgery, but a good to know just as well.

  I was worried the seaweed might be overwhelming, as I don’t like sea flavors, but it wasn’t really noticeable and the little bit that was noticeable was actually delicious.

  It paired wonderfully with the mushrooms, ginger, chili and coconut aminos for an Asian-style flavor. SO good and wonderfully comforting.

• You might have seen a lot and heard a lot about Bone Broth and its “gut healing” properties in the news and media, as it seems to be a health trend at the moment.So I decided to look into what exactly it is about bone broth is apparently so fascinating… AND WAS VERY UNDERWHELMED!

 

• I’m not a health expert, but I DO have opinions from what I have seen and lived being a Registerd Nurse for 25 years, as well as working with others in the health industry who ARE doctors and such. This article is simply a pool of resources I have combined. Always do your own research and speak to your own doctor or find another… I have to protect my own tushy, so I must waive any legal responsibility… but I can speak my Truth.   But if you’ve been brainwashed into thinking bone broth is somehow crucial for good health, I’d like to provide my thoughts as well as an alternative recipe…

 

• Bone Broth is Nothing Special

  Turns out, the most beneficial nutrients and electrolytes in bone broth can be found in vegan-friendly sources and the one thing that sets itself apart, the thing that is impossible for vegans to find a veggie replacement for is the collagen.

  Collagen? I’ll make my own, thanks Our bodies can’t even digest collagen whole. We simply absorb the nutrients from our food which provides our bodies with the building blocks it needs to naturally create collagen, if and when it needs it.

  There is no evidence that there is an advantage to consuming these amino acids and minerals from bone broth over other foods.

• Eating collagen does not equal having more collagen. As put in this article from TIME magazine, “Just as the dietary fat you swallow doesn’t directly translate to body fat, swallowing collagen doesn’t become collagen in or between your bones.” Kantha Shelke, a food scientist and clinical nutritionist, says “Eating a diet rich in leafy green vegetables is ideal. Plants offer richer
• Sources in collagen building blocks and, in addition, provide nutrients not found in sufficient quantities in meats or broth.”Healing the stomach lining

  And as for it being healing for the stomach lining, particularly from the gelatin, there are some great plant-based alternatives for that too. Particularly fermented foods.There are many other foods that have been shown to contribute towards healing the stomach lining and digestive tract, such as seaweed, aloe vera, healthy fats and turmeric.

• Vitamins and minerals Obviously, all the calcium, potassium and other minerals found in bone broth are more than easy to find in plant-based foods plus they contain much, much more goodness. Not to mention you will be avoiding lead and other harmful heavy metals.

• So the animal product-reliant parts are not necessary and are over-hyped. It’s all in aid of making what our bodies already naturally produce and plant-sourced vitamins and minerals are the best option to actually help it do that.

  

  A Plant-Based Option Works The Same (If Not Better)

  REMEMBER, STRAIN THE BROTH OUT AFTER COOKING SAYS NIKI KING, RN, HN-BC, Clarity Breath-worker

  So now we’ve established that the bones in this healing broth are not only unnecessary but also not as nutritious as plant-based sources, it seems pretty clear that using a bunch of wholesome plant-based ingredients is going to be healing. And way more appealing, too.

  Drinking broth has been a go-to, for centuries, as a healing food for when we’re sick. Studies suggest that it’s more the effect of hot liquid that is beneficial, and not necessarily the minerals or nutrients in the liquid.

• CONSTIPATION… OMG THE DOCS are on autopilot it seems with the same old  script for Colace.. It’s not enough! How about enemas? Suppositories? Colema’s? How about BEFORE surgery doing them?  How about some MORE info on colon cleansing and gut health? Why did no one say anything? Ten days out and still no BM is way too late people! That lands you right back in the hospital with an impaction, more pain meds and starting the cycle all over again. Normally, I go to detox centers, retreats or friends of mine who run them as well and handle this yearly, but with Covid, that’s not happening.