|
|
 |
 |
 |
|
|
 |
|
|
 |
 |
Gluten has been in
the news lately |
We have had a number of people who have gone on gluten free diets and have found that they have improved greatly. Symptoms of gluten intolerence range from abdominal discomfort, increased flatulance, skin changes (acne) and eventual inability to retain adequate levels of protein and calcium. Gluten has been more in the news lately because Chinese suppliers are acused of putting the chemical melamine into wheat gluten that was added to American pet food, and possibly fed to 20 million chickens.
But gluten is a protein found in what, rye, and barley. The disease commonly associated with it is Celiac disease, and there is a blood test that measures levels of antitissue transglutaminase ( anti-tTG). People with celiac disease have high levels of this antibiody, but is only accurate in a small number of people. Sometimes a small bowel biopsy is done. But the real confirmation is eating a gluten free diet and seeing if the syptoms disappear.
One patient had a gastric bypass in 2000, and did well until she introduced those carbohydrates back in her diet. As she did she began having increasing diarrhea, with a lot of fatty stool, more flatulance, skin changes, and increasing weight loss. Eventually developing severe anemia requiring blood transfusions, iron transfusions -- and having multiple endoscopies. She was so ill that she was on TPN (intra venous nutrition by vein) for ten weeks, and began to recover, when we suggested she might have celiac disease. She began to eat a gluten free diet and recovered quite well. None of the tests for celiac disease are positive in her, but if she eats a bit of bread, or a cracker she develops abdominal pain, discomfort, and diarrhea. She has not required a transfusion since that time. We have since diagnosed several patients who have had the duodenal switch with gluten intolerance, and all of them have done well on a gluten free diet.
If you have experienced these symptoms you might want to consider trying a gluten free diet for a while. This does not seem to effect lap-band patients, as they do not have any of their intestines re-routed. However, for the short term we would suggest that many avoid gluten, until the food supply can be assured: if you eat chicken-- go for organic chicken or free-range chicken. Gluten is hard to avoid as it is found in anything that has flour -- but there are some gluten-free pastas available, as well as crackers. We would still recommend fresh fruits and vegetables, and avoiding those highly processed foods. |
|
|
 |
|
|
 |
 |
The Last 30 Pounds
soon on podcast! |
Over the next few weeks we will be using our podcast to introduce our book "Losing the Last 30 pounds." While we would still love you to purchase the book, we will have the book available on podcasts through www.terrysimpson.info -- and available through itunes. This is a fundamental book about weight loss, and we think you will enjoy it.
We are introducing our new book "The Lap-Band made elegantly simple," as a podcast over the next few weeks-- as the book is put into its final form.
We have discovered that podcasts are a great way to keep in touch with our patients, serving as a support mechanism and giving information in a way that can reach all. Our lap-band patients get their own private versions of podcasts available at www.southwestweightloss.com.
We will let you know when the book is available. Losing the Last 30 pounds is available from our office, as well as www.amazon.com |
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
| Thou shalt reduce calories |
Reduced calorie consumption is the only known way to increase longevity in humans and animals. There are many anti-aging physicians who promote various growth hormones, some will inject people with stem cells, and various vitamin mixes. But the only proven method of increasing longevity is through reduction of calories.
This was first noted in the 1930's when they noticed that rats and mice that were placed on low calorie diets lived 30 per cent longer than those that consumed a "normal" amount of food. Recently, this was shown in primates (monkeys -- not the former soft rock band, but our fuzzy cousins -- and if you don't believe that we came from monkey's that is fine, but we do share 98% of our DNA with them, and they do resemble my x- brother in law). But primates who were placed on low calorie diets not only lived longer, but had less cancer, were more active, and had less joint problems.
One of the best graphs in medicine is the number of calories consumed during a lifetime. It is one of the most constant variables under human control. Once you have consumed a certain number of calories, your chance of living beyond that point are a lot less. Think about it-- how often have you seen an 80 year old with 80 pounds of weight to lose? Probably haven't. You may find someone who has smoked like a chimney, or drank like a wild Alaskan salmon, but when they are wishing happy birthday to the 100 year olds -- those folks are all thin.
Weight loss surgery works by calorie restriction. The malabsorptive portions of some operations (the RNY and DS) work well early on, but in the long run the major way patients lose weight is by restriction of their caloric intake. |
|
|
|
| Wild Salmon - not farm raised |
|
|
 |
Farm raised is not as
tasty as the wild ones |
Summer is coming, and so are the salmon runs. In fact yesterday, in Alaska, the Copper River was opened for its first salmon run. My brother, a fellow author, lives on the river - and while I like stopping by his place in Copper Center Alaska and drinking a fine cup of coffee, what I like even better is tasting fresh Alaska salmon.
98 per cent of the salmon sold in the U.S. is farm raised -- meaning it is raised in a pen somewhere in British Columbia, Canada -- and sent down for consumption.
If you are lucky to find a place that has real Alaska salmon -- please get it. My favorite place in Phoenix is on 32nd and Camelback -- called Wild Alaska Salmon. He is a fisherman from Kenai, catches the salmon, has it processed and ships it to his place in the lower 48.
For those of you who live in other cities -- there are a number of places you can have fresh salmon shipped to you from Alaska. It is worth it.
Here are a few tips: Salmon is best made on a grill -- usually on a cedar plank. The only seasoning you need is salt and lemon. If you get salmon at a restaurant and smell the fishiness-- send it back. Fresh salmon does not smell like fish, old salmon does. |
|
|
|
 |
 |
 |
|
