Dr. Sneha Sama

Are you a heavy drinker who has undergone a Weight Loss Surgery (WLS)? In this case, you need to limit your alcohol consumption as alcohol may have a different effect on you after undergoing a WLS. It is common for a person to get quickly inebriated after consuming alcohol on an empty stomach as alcohol takes a long time to pass through the stomach into the intestines, where the processing occurs. Hence, after having a WLS, the chance of this phenomenon increases because your stomach is made smaller and holds lesser food. This is common after a gastric bypass surgery or a gastric sleeve surgery. The effect of the alcohol is much stronger.

How it happens?
Alcohol gets partially metabolized in the stomach, but the processing which is undergone in the stomach is not enough for inebriation. The real processing takes place in the small intestine, when the stomach processes food. The small intestine’s opening remains closed most of the time in order to retain food in the stomach, so that the digestive juices can break it down. When the food is passed on to the small intestine, the gap is filled up by alcohol. The alcohol follows the food into the small intestine. A steady flow of alcohol is created, which is responsible for making us feel drunk. In gastric bypass patients, compared to normal people, the effect of alcohol is experienced faster and the level of alcohol in the blood gets enhanced.

Several changes occur in our body after a WLS and the changes keep on occurring as the weight reduces. The body becomes much more sensitive to small changes that occur. The body responds more to different smells and chemicals. Further, alcohol also cause health hazards. It is a carbohydrate having no nutritional value, which leads to an increase in weight.

After having a weight loss surgery, it is quite possible for many people to become alcoholic, in spite of not having any history of being an alcoholic. Chances are that a person who is already in the habit of drinking, will become more likely to develop the habit of drinking alcohol in excess. After a WLS, a person should be very careful about his or her drinking habits as drinking one or two glasses of wine may cause the same effect as that of drinking six to seven glasses. It is important to let close friends and family members know about the problem as they may be able to help you with proper control and management of alcoholism. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a Dietitian/Nutritionist.

If you are suffering from arthritis, you should consider making some dietary modifications for improving the symptoms and preventing them from worsening. Arthritis is a chronic, systematic inflammatory diseasethat causes damage to joints and connective tissues. Your diet plays a significant role in controlling suchinflammation. The food items you consume may increase your inflammation and also lead to other conditions such as diabetes, heart diseases and obesity. You should keep away from all kinds of inflammatory food and instead consume food items, which are anti-inflammatory in nature. Here is a list of 5 types of food,which you should strictly avoid, if you are suffering from arthritis.

1. Fried and processed food: You must cut down on your intake of fried and processed food items. You should try andavoid food such as fried meat or processed frozen meals. Avoiding such types of food will reduce the inflammation and the body’s natural defense is likely to get restored as well.
2. Lower your intake of AGE: AGE or advanced glycation end product is a form of toxin. It appears when food items are grilled, heated, fried or pasteurized. This causes damage to certain proteins in our body. The body breaks the AGEs using cytokine or inflammatory messengers. Depending on the place where the AGEs develop, inflammations may worsen. Therefore, avoid all food items, which are associated with AGEs. You must cut down the amount of sugar in your everyday diet as high amount of sugar leads to increased AGEs, thereby resulting in inflammations.
3. Dairy products: Dairy products contain a certain type of protein, which may result in increased arthritis pain. This protein may lead to irritation of the tissues around the affected joints. Switching to a diet containing no animal product is a good idea for arthritis patients.
4. Alcohol and tobacco: Different health hazards are caused by the consumption of alcohol and tobacco and joints are affected as well. Smokers are more prone to developing rheumatoid arthritis and heavy drinkers are at an enhanced risk of developing gout.
5. Corn oil, salts and preservatives: Corn oil is present in many baked food products and snacks. In arthritis affected patients, the inflammation is triggered by corn oil. Fish oil can be used as an alternative, which gives relief to the inflammation. Food items, which contain excess salt and chemical preservatives should be avoided as they may result in enhanced joint inflammations. Your consumption of salt should be reduced.

An arthritis patient should maintain a balanced diet and a healthy body weight. The food items which trigger inflammation should be abstained from as much as possible. It is recommended to consult a dietician for getting a healthy diet chart. If you wish to discuss any specific problem, you can consult a dietitian-nutritionist.

Fast Food, by and large, is detrimental to the health. Multiple studies have shown this in the past decade. It aggravates many diseases and is responsible for medical conditions such as obesity, respiratory problems, cardiovascular diseases and hypertension. Amidst multiple negative qualities, many fast foods are actually not that bad for the body. If taken in right proportions, some of the fast foods mentioned below can be extremely useful for the body.

1. Popcorn: Apart from being one of the best accompaniments for movies, popcorns greatly helps in curbing hunger. Home-made popcorns have fewer calories and are a very good antioxidant. The good part about popcorn is the fact that it is not heavy as other fast foods and doesn’t make you feel lethargic. However, it should be ensured that more than one bowl of popcorn is not consumed at a time.
2. Baked snacks: Baked snacks are a much-preferred choice in the snacks category these days. Owing to their low fat and carb content, they not only serve as tasty snacks but are good for the overall health as well. The fact that baked snacks are made up of whole wheat, makes it a more attractive offering. Baked snacks, when prepared with a dash of spice, can be a good alternative to other unhealthy snacks in the market.
3. Processed Cheese: Processed cheese contains Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA). The latter is found to have anti-carcinogenic properties. A recent study showed that the CLA found in processed cheese is much more than other dairy products. Processed cheese is also a good antioxidant. This being said, too much intake of processed cheese can be harmful to the body.
4. Dark chocolate brownie: If dark chocolate is consumed with whole wheat brownie, it acts as a good ingredient for patients suffering from cardiovascular diseases. When consumed with a few nuts, dark chocolate brownie becomes a power house of fibre. People with a sweet tooth can find this preparation a good alternative for other fast food items such as chocolate, ice cream and pastries.
5. Chocolate Bars: This is another treat for a person with a sweet tooth. Dark chocolate bars are rich in antioxidants. It brings down blood pressure level and is found to be effective for the heart. This should not be consumed more than 100 grams per day.
6. Stout Beer: Dry stout beer with its rich creamy content is as good as a dose of aspirin. This form of liquor improves blood circulation level and reduces the risk of cardiac arrests. One pint of this beer every alternate day will serve the purpose of quenching your alcohol thrust while ensuring that no harm is caused to your health. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a doctor and ask a free question.

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