Bariatric Health Hacks to Maximize Recovery, Boost Energy & Look Your Best Naturally

Congratulations on taking a big step towards a healthier you! Bariatric surgery can be a powerful tool to jumpstart your weight loss journey, but it's just the beginning. To truly shine inside and out, you'll need a well-rounded approach that incorporates proper diet, strategic supplementation, regular exercise, and a positive mindset.

At Live To Shine, a wellness company owned and run by women who are passionate about empowering women to reach their full potential, we understand the unique needs of those who have undergone bariatric surgery. That's why we created this guide to help you navigate your post-surgical journey with confidence and achieve long-lasting success.

The Best Diet After Bariatric Surgery: Nourishing Your Body Naturally

Following surgery, adopting a nutrient-dense diet is crucial for weight loss, healing, and overall health. Here's how to nourish your body post-bariatric surgery:

1. Focus on lean protein sources: Include lean meats, poultry, fish, tofu, and Greek yogurt in your diet to aid muscle repair and feel fuller for longer.
2. Make whole foods the foundation: Base your meals on whole, unprocessed foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and seeds. These foods provide essential nutrients and fiber.
3. Load up on fruits and vegetables: Fill half of your plate with non-starchy vegetables and fruits to increase your fiber intake and get essential vitamins and minerals.
4. Choose complex carbohydrates: Opt for whole grains, legumes, and starchy vegetables for long-lasting energy and essential nutrients.
5. Limit added sugars and processed foods: Minimize your intake of sugary drinks and processed foods to prevent weight gain and metabolic problems.
6. Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of water throughout the day to aid digestion and support overall health.
7. Eat smaller meals more often: Consume smaller meals throughout the day to prevent overeating and maintain steady energy levels.
8. Include healthy fats: Incorporate healthy fats from sources like avocados, nuts, seeds, and olive oil for heart health and satiety.
9. Practice mindful eating: Chew your food thoroughly and savor your meals to prevent overeating and improve digestion.
10. Consult a professional for personalized advice: Seek guidance from a healthcare professional or nutritionist for personalized dietary advice and support.

The Best Vitamins for Post-Bariatric Health: Supporting Your Wellness Journey

Bariatric surgery alters the digestive system, reducing its ability to absorb essential vitamins and minerals from food. As a result, deficiencies in vital nutrients can occur post-surgery.  Therefore, it's essential to ensure proper intake of essential vitamins and minerals to support overall health and prevent deficiencies. 

Transdermal vitamin delivery bypasses the digestive system, ensuring better absorption and utilization of essential nutrients. By incorporating transdermal vitamin patches into your post-bariatric surgery routine, you can optimize nutrient intake and support your journey towards improved health and well-being.

We recommend:

1. Multivitamins:A multivitamin provides a convenient and comprehensive way to supplement these vital nutrients, filling in any nutritional gaps and supporting overall well-being. Additionally, multivitamins for post-bariatric patients often contain higher levels of certain vitamins and minerals to meet increased nutritional needs and promote healing. By taking a multivitamin as part of your daily routine, you can help prevent deficiencies, support your body's healing process, and optimize your long-term health outcomes after bariatric surgery. At Live To Shine, we offer theMultiVitamin Plus Patch, which delivers vitamins and minerals directly into your bloodstream through transdermal absorption. 
2. Vitamin B12 and B Complex:  After bariatric surgery, taking B vitamins is crucial for several reasons. First and foremost, B vitamins play a vital role in supporting overall health and well-being, particularly in the context of post-surgery recovery. Among the B vitamins, vitamin B12 is of particular importance following bariatric surgery, as the procedure can impair the body's ability to absorb this essential nutrient effectively. Vitamin B12 is essential for various bodily functions, including nerve health, red blood cell production, and DNA synthesis. Deficiencies in vitamin B12 can lead to symptoms such as fatigue, weakness, neurological issues, and anemia. Therefore, supplementing with B vitamins, especially vitamin B12, helps prevent deficiencies and supports optimal health post-bariatric surgery. Additionally, B vitamins are essential for energy metabolism, which is particularly important during the recovery phase when the body is undergoing healing and adaptation to the surgical changes. Overall, taking B vitamins post-bariatric surgery is essential for ensuring proper nutrient intake, supporting recovery, and maintaining overall health and vitality. OurB12 Plus Energy Patch  contains the full range of B Vitamins Plus Vitamins A, D, E and K providing a convenient and efficient way to maintain optimal levels through transdermal delivery.
3. Calcium: taking calcium post-bariatric surgery is crucial for several reasons. Bariatric surgery can affect the body's ability to absorb calcium effectively, leading to an increased risk of calcium deficiency and subsequent bone health issues such as osteoporosis. Calcium is essential for maintaining strong and healthy bones, as well as for supporting muscle function, nerve transmission, and blood clotting. By supplementing with calcium post-surgery, individuals can help prevent bone loss, maintain bone density, and reduce the risk of fractures and osteoporosis. Additionally, calcium plays a vital role in overall health and well-being, supporting various physiological functions beyond bone health. Consider using ourCalcium Magnesium Vitamin D Patch for enhanced absorption and support. Transdermal delivery ensures better absorption and utilization of calcium, promoting bone health and reducing the risk of deficiency.
4. Vitamin D: Without adequate vitamin D, calcium absorption is compromised, increasing the risk of bone-related issues such as osteoporosis and fractures. Additionally, vitamin D plays a critical role in immune function, muscle health, and overall well-being. Supplementing with vitamin D post-bariatric surgery helps prevent deficiencies, supports bone health, and promotes overall health and vitality, ensuring optimal recovery and long-term well-being. Our Calcium Magnesium and Vitamin D patches offer a convenient way to ensure adequate vitamin D levels, bypassing potential absorption issues in the gut and providing a more efficient delivery method.
5. Iron: Prevent anemia with iron supplements.Supplementing with iron post-bariatric surgery helps prevent iron deficiency anemia, supports optimal energy levels, and promotes overall health and well-being.
6. Folate (Vitamin B9): Support cell division and DNA synthesis with folate supplementation.supplementing with folate post-bariatric surgery helps prevent deficiencies, supports overall health and well-being, and promotes optimal recovery and healing.  We’ve got your covered with ourB12 Plus Energy Patch which contains folate.
7. Vitamin A: Ensure immune function and skin health with vitamin A supplementation. Transdermal vitamin A patches offer a convenient and efficient delivery method, promoting skin health and supporting overall immune function. Again, we’ve got your covered with ourB12 Plus Energy Patch which contains Vitamin A. 
8. Vitamin K: Support blood clotting and bone health with vitamin K supplementation in our B12 Plus Energy Patch. Transdermal vitamin K patches ensure efficient absorption and utilization, helping to maintain optimal levels for various physiological functions.
9. Thiamine (Vitamin B1): Support energy metabolism and nerve function with thiamine supplementation. Transdermal thiamine patches offer a reliable way to maintain consistent levels of this essential nutrient, especially for individuals with gastrointestinal issues affecting absorption.
10. Sleep:  Sleep disruption is common among individuals who have undergone bariatric surgery due to various factors. Firstly, changes in hormone levels, particularly ghrelin and leptin, which regulate hunger and satiety, can affect sleep patterns. Additionally, rapid weight loss and changes in body composition can lead to discomfort, such as acid reflux or difficulty finding a comfortable sleeping position. Furthermore, psychological factors such as stress, anxiety, or adjustment to lifestyle changes post-surgery can also contribute to sleep disturbances.  Quality sleep is crucial for overall health and well-being, and disruptions in sleep patterns can have significant implications. Adequate sleep is essential for physical recovery, hormone regulation, cognitive function, and emotional well-being. Poor sleep quality or insufficient sleep duration can lead to a range of health issues, including increased risk of obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, mood disorders, and impaired immune function. Therefore, addressing sleep disturbances post-bariatric surgery is essential for promoting optimal health, supporting recovery, and enhancing overall quality of life.   We’ve got you covered with ourMelatonin GABA Sleep Patch to support restful sleep and aid in managing sleep disruptions effectively. The combination of Melatonin to help put you to sleep and GABA to calm a busy mind with 12 hour continuous release is a recipe for a great night’s sleep. 

Preventing Loose Skin and the Appearance of Aging: Nurturing Your Skin Health

Significant weight loss can lead to loose skin and premature aging. Here are some tips to maintain skin health:

1. 1. Keep Hydrated: Drink plenty of water throughout the day to keep your skin plump and elastic.
   2. Eat Well: Consume a variety of nutritious foods to provide your skin with the nutrients it needs to stay healthy.
   3. Consider taking supplements: In addition to the bariariatric supplements outlined above there are additional supplements that help your skin stay supple and smooth – we’ve written a book about it!  Its called Beautiful Aging and its available to download here:  https://bit.ly/BeautifulAgingBook
   4. Keep out of the Sun: Protect your skin from harmful UV rays by using sunscreen and wearing protective clothing.
   5. Moisturize daily: Apply moisturizer regularly to prevent dryness and irritation.
   6. Stop smoking: Quit smoking to improve your overall health and prevent premature skin aging.
   7. Limit alcohol consumption: Drink alcohol in moderation to stay hydrated and prevent skin dehydration.
   8. Stay Calm Find healthy ways to manage stress, as stress can contribute to skin problems.
   9. Get enough sleep: Aim for 7-9 hours of quality sleep each night to allow your skin to repair and regenerate.
   10. Look after your Skin: Establish a skincare routine that is tailored to your specific skin type and needs. Remember that the skin on your face is only 5% of the total skin on your body!  So skin care should involve your whole body!!

How to Stay Active Following Bariatric Surgery: Embracing Movement for Wellness

Staying active is essential for weight loss and overall health post-surgery. Here's how to develop an exercise plan:

• Begin with low-impact exercises: Start slowly – consistency is the key.  Gradually increase the intensity of your workouts to avoid injury.
• Incorporate aerobic activities: Include activities like walking, swimming, or cycling into your routine to improve your cardiovascular health.
• Strength training: Build muscle mass and strength by performing resistance exercises.
• Target your core: Strengthen your core muscles to improve stability and support your entire body.
• Improve flexibility: Enhance your range of motion and prevent injury by incorporating flexibility exercises into your routine.

Maintaining Positivity: Nurturing Your Mind and Spirit

Staying positive is vital for your overall well-being.

Here's how to cultivate positivity:

1. 1. Acknowledge the Journey: Weight loss is a marathon, not a sprint. Be patient and focus on making sustainable changes to your lifestyle.
   2. Celebrate Non-Scale Victories: Don’t just focus on the number on the scale. Celebrate improvements in your energy levels, mood, clothing size, or ability to perform physical activities.
   3. Set SMART Goals: Create Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-Bound goals. This will help you stay motivated and track your progress.
   4. Focus on Health: Shift your focus from aesthetics to how healthy choices make you feel. Aim to improve your overall health and well-being. Nothing is more attractive than a healthy body that glows with good health – make that your goal.
   5. Develop Gratitude: Practice gratitude for your body and the progress you’ve made. Keep a gratitude journal or acknowledge the support of loved ones.
   6. Build a Support System: Surround yourself with positive and supportive people who will encourage you on your weight loss journey.

In conclusion, embarking on the journey of post-bariatric surgery requires strength, resilience, and determination. It's a transformative path towards a healthier and more vibrant life, and you've taken the courageous step to embrace it. At Live to Shine, we're here to support you every step of the way.

Our mission is to empower you to achieve your health and wellness goals, helping you look and feel your best as you embark on this new chapter of your life. With our range of transdermal vitamin patches and commitment to your well-being, we're dedicated to helping you shine inside and out.

Together, let's embrace this new beginning with optimism and confidence, knowing that a brighter, healthier future awaits.