"Should I take biotin for my hair loss?" "My hair’s falling out since my surgery. What can I do to stop it?" I’m asked both of these questions frequently in my Facebook group. Are you experiencing this too and have the same questions? What can you do about it? The right nutrition strategies are so important after your surgery. I’ll answer the biotin question plus share specific foods to include in your diet for new hair growth.

Offers and Resources:

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What are you having for dinner tonight? Do you need some quick ideas? I’m a big fan of sheet pan dinners. I’m make them often using salmon, shrimp or chicken. You can try some easy sheet pan dinners if you want: https://www.breakingdownnutrition.com/sheetpandinners

Resource page with links : https://breakingdownnutrition.com/resources

I know you may be losing your hair. Here’s some good news you’ll like. After rapid weight loss, typically from bariatric surgery, hair loss is very common. It’s not permanent and your hair should grow back.

So should you take biotin for your hair loss? Maybe a friend is taking it and swears by it. Maybe you read online that if you take biotin, you’ll have new hair growth in no time. While biotin, a B vitamin, is important for hair health, you should get enough from your bariatric multivitamin. In addition, small amounts of biotin are found in lots of different foods, especially eggs, nuts, salmon, sunflower seeds and some vegetables including sweet potatoes. Once you are back to eating a regular diet, you can include these foods that contain biotin. Even if you feel your diet is not quite there yet, consuming too little biotin may not be a problem anyway because intestinal bacteria produces biotin.

Too much biotin, and this amount has been suggested to be around 20 mg a day, interferes with the testing of thyroid function and causes false lab reports. So if you have Hashimoto’s disease for instance or take thyroid medications, you could get inaccurate results on thyroid function which could also affect medication dosage. Taking your bariatric multivitamin is typically not a problem as the amount is appropriate, probably .6 mg day versus 20 and additional supplementation is not a good idea.

I know, you want hair growth right now. I hear you so I get the interest in biotin. It feels terrifying but it’s totally normal to lose 5-15% of your hair from bariatric surgery and the rapid weight loss that follows. Typically it does’t last more than 6 months. It’s just a pain in your patootie to go thru. And 6 months seems like forever but hair goes thru cycles.

This episode also covers the reasons that hair loss happens, the 4 phases of a hair follicle and the strategies to put into place now.

What do you think about when you hear the term bariatric-friendly food? Boring, maybe tasteless? What is bariatric-friendly food anyway? Is it easy to prepare and yummy to eat? I want you to meet culinary dietitian Regina Ragone who has spent years creating delectable recipes for Family Circle Weight Watchers magazines. She has test kitchen secrets to share for making bariatric-friendly food you will love.

From knives to cutting boards, salt and frozen foods Regina shares many things she learned in the test kitchens. Great discussion you don't want to miss.

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Podcast Guest:

Regina Ragone, MS, RDN

Culinary Dietitian

Website: https://www.reginaragone.com/

Email: contactus@breakingdownnutrition.com

Rate, Review & Follow on Apple Podcasts:

"I love Dr. Susan and Bariatric Surgery Success." If this sounds like you, would you please rate and review my podcast on Apple podcasts? Yes, I'd love a 5 star review! LOL Be sure and say what you love most about the podcast. Thank you for your time!

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Do you receive my weekly newsletter called Breaking Down Nutrition? If not, what are you waiting for? It’s a quick way to keep up on nutrition for your bariatric lifestyle. Sign up today on my website: Breaking Down Nutrition. You’ll be the first to know about helpful nutrition tips and recipes, giveaways, product specials and the latest podcast and upcoming interviews that you don’t want to miss like this one with Regina.

Have you had alcohol since your surgery? Did you notice that you got tipsy from just a few sips? Were you thinking to yourself...hey, what’s going on here…I've only had a few sips and feel a buzz.

That’s because alcohol absorbs way faster after metabolic and bariatric surgery especially if you had gastric bypass or a gastric sleeve. Is alcohol risky? How much can you drink and how fast will you become intoxicated? If you drink alcohol after surgery or you have friends or family who’ve had surgery and drink alcohol, this is must-know info.

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You can share the message of hope, healing and transformation with your purchase from NewHopeGirls.com Use code TRANSFORM to save 15%

Resources:

EP 100 on alcohol and transfer addiction with guest bariatric psychologist Dr. Connie Stapleton.

A recent post from one of my facebook group members said…”I’m interested in the effects of alcohol after surgery. I’m struggling a bit and seem to get quite intoxicated very fast. It’s worrying me.”

Should you drink alcohol after bariatric surgery? If so, how much can you drink before you’re buzzed and what other effects on surgery can alcohol have that you might not like?

Topics covered:

*how long to wait after surgery to drink alcohol

*how alcohol affects various surgeries

*what is happening in the body the first 6 months and why you can't drink alcohol

*alcohol sensitivity

*vitamin and mineral deficiencies

*weight regain

*transfer addiction

*5 tips to navigate the bariatric lifestyle IF you drink alcohol

“How much weight can I expect to lose after bariatric surgery?” This is probably the most common question that Gayle, Isabel and I are asked. How much will I lose the first month, at 3 and 6 months and then a year down the track? What IS realistic for you to expect? Are there factors that will affect your weight loss? Bariatric dietitians Gayle and Isabel join me to answer all your questions. Don’t miss this podcast. It's going to be a good discussion.

Podcast Guests:

Bariatric Dietitian Isabel Maples, RD

Bariatric Coordinator

UVA Health in Haymarket, Virginia

Email: ggw5ud@uvahealth.org

Gayle Brazzi Smith MS, RDN, CSOWM, LDN

Registered & Licensed Dietitian

Weight Loss and Bariatric Surgery Institute

Orlando, FL

Email: gayle.brazzismith@orlandohealth.com

Website: OrlandoHealth.com/Bariatrics

Ads:

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You can share the message of hope, healing and transformation with your purchase from NewHopeGirls.com Use code TRANSFORM to save 15%

Resources:

Check out my freebie for 10 protein tips that work daily

EP 168: Keto, No

EP 132 15 bariatric friendly carbs

EP 127 can you really eat carbs?

EP 30 bariatric surgery and alcohol buzz

What if you could get a ‘leg up’ on your bariatric surgery? If you had a nutrition game plan to put into action before surgery to boost your chances of success even more. Bariatric surgery is a terrific tool to help you lose weight and so much more. The surgery can improve blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease called MASLD in the medical world. It’s basically an umbrella term for medical conditions tied to a buildup of fat in the liver. You may have heard of fatty liver.

Surgery is just one of the spokes in the wheel to success. Hand in hand with surgery is your lifestyle, particularly nutrition and your willingness to make changes that become part of the way you live from now on. I’ll share a five step nutrition game plan. Follow it ahead of your surgery to put yourself in the best possible position for a successful outcome. And if you’ve already had surgery, use this game plan as a check list to see how you’re doing and what you might tweak a bit.

Visit Procarenow.com for all of your vitamin, calcium and protein needs. Use Code: Susan10 to save some money

You can share the message of hope, healing and transformation with your purchase from NewHopeGirls.com Use code TRANSFORM to save 15%

Resources:

sheet pan dinners https://bit.ly/3IgGtpK

tracking apps:

Nutritionix Track https://www.nutritionix.com/app

Lose It! https://loseit.com

My Fitness Pal https://www.myfitnesspal.com

Episodes mentioned:

EP 147 how to find the added sugars in your food

EP 53 must have vitamin-mineral supplements part 1

EP 54 must have vitamin-mineral supplements part 2

Go keto! It’s definitely your answer after bariatric surgery or so you’ve been told. But is the keto diet the way to go after bariatric surgery? Maybe the scale is starting to creep back up and you don’t like it at all. Go keto and lose that weight. But will a keto diet truly keep the weight off? And what about your muscle mass?Does a keto diet protect that? My answer, keto no, it’s not a top shelf strategy for after bariatric surgery. I’ll tell you why.

Visit Procarenow.com for all of your vitamin, calcium and protein needs. Use Code: Susan10 to save $

You can share the message of hope, healing and transformation with your purchase from NewHopeGirls.com Use code TRANSFORM to save 15%

"I love Dr. Susan and Bariatric Surgery Success." If this sounds like you, would you please rate and review my podcast on Apple podcasts? Yes, I'd love a 5 star review! LOL Be sure and say what you love most about the podcast. Thank you for your time!

If you haven’t followed the podcast, be sure to Follow/Subscribe

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Takeaways

The keto diet is not recommended after bariatric surgery as it is high in fat and low in protein, which is not ideal for building and maintaining muscle mass.

A high protein diet is essential for healing, muscle building, and maintaining a healthy metabolism after bariatric surgery.

The keto diet can cause digestive issues such as diarrhea and constipation, which can interfere with nutrient absorption.

Weight loss after bariatric surgery should focus on reducing excess body fat while preserving muscle mass.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction: Is the Keto Diet Suitable After Bariatric Surgery?

03:13 The Importance of Protein in a Bariatric Lifestyle

07:00 The Drawbacks of the Keto Diet for Bariatric Patients

10:49 Preserving Muscle Mass for Long-Term Weight Loss

Congratulations, you’ve worked hard on your journey and, lost a significant amount of weight. But now, you have this …hanging skin… sometimes called an apron… that may cover your thighs and genitals, and your back. You’ve been thinking about having it removed. Maybe a panniculectomy is right for you. A panni what? A panniculectomy is often done after bariatric surgery or other extreme weight loss to remove excess skin. Bariatric surgeon Dr. Alexandra Zubowicz joins me to answer all your questions about a panniculectomy versus a tummy tuck. You don’t want to miss this interview.

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You can share the message of hope, healing and transformation with your purchase from NewHopeGirls.com Use code TRANSFORM to save 15%

Podcast Guest:

E. Alexandra Zubowicz, MD, FACS, FASMBS

General, Bariatric and Minimally Invasive Surgery

UVA Health

HAYMARKET: 15195 Heathcote Blvd, Suite 350

Haymarket, VA 20187

WARRENTON: 480 Fletcher Dr, Suite 3

Warrenton, VA 20186

571-284-3440

Thrive Medical Spa and Wellness

15030 Washington St

Haymarket, VA 20169

540-690-9249

Resources:

Check out my freebie for 10 protein tips that work daily

Some of the questions I ask Dr. Alex:

1. Some of my listeners may have heard the word panniculectomy and had the surgery and others are hearing it for the first time now and asking…what did you say? So let’s start by explaining what a panniculectomy is and why you might need this surgery.
2. What’s the difference between a panniculectomy and a tummy tuck? abdominoplasty? AND how do you choose a surgeon? Who’s qualified to do panniculectomies?
3. Is a panniculectomy considered a cosmetic procedure?
4. What is a realistic outcome that you can expect? Since it's not a full abdominoplasty (tummy tuck), what are some ways to improve cosmetic appearance after panniculectomy?

Leafy greens feel so light and airy so you don’t necessarily think of them as being a nutrition powerhouse. But they are! Leafy greens make the who’s who list when it comes to nutrition. And they’re bariatric friendly. I'm sharing with you six nutrition benefits of leafy greens you’ll want to take advantage of now in your bariatric lifestyle.

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You can share the message of hope, healing and transformation with your purchase from NewHopeGirls.com Use code TRANSFORM to save 15%

RESOURCES: sheet pan dinners https://bit.ly/3IgGtpK

Takeaways

• Leafy greens are a nutrition powerhouse and offer numerous health benefits, making them a smart choice for a bariatric lifestyle.
• The fat-soluble vitamins in leafy greens are best absorbed when eaten with a little fat, and vitamin K consumption specifically thru leafy greens should be managed for individuals on anticoagulant medication.
• Leafy greens contain minerals and fiber, are low in calories and natural sugars, and provide significant levels of bioactive compounds that protect DNA and promote overall health