A gastric sleeve procedure surgically reduces the stomach to about 15 percent of its previous size. Since the stomach is smaller, people who have had the surgery feel fuller faster and therefore, see a reduction in overeating.
Post-surgery, patients must follow a strict diet that enables the body to recover and adjust to a smaller stomach size. This includes eating smaller portions more frequently throughout the day.
Here are some facts on gastric sleeve surgery and dietary suggestions:
- Gastric sleeve surgery is so-called because the stomach resembles a sleeve afterward.
- The reduced stomach size makes it difficult for someone to overeat.
- The surgery’s success depends on a person’s willingness to stick to a healthy lifestyle.
- The gastric sleeve diet follows four distinct phases for getting back to a healthful eating pattern.
The surgery is irreversible and can help people lose 60 percent or more of their excess body weight.
It also reduces the body’s ability to produce a hunger hormone called ghrelin. This lets most people feel hungry less often after their surgery.
However, research from 2011 and published in the journal Obesity Surgery, suggests that gastric sleeve surgery causes nutritional deficits.
So, rather than trying the gastric sleeve diet, someone might want to consider reducing their portion sizes and sticking only to healthy foods first.
No matter where you are in your diet journey, contact Dr. Michael Choi for a FREE consultation today. He will guide you into making the right steps for your health.