Does Gastric Bypass Surgery Cure Diabetes?

Does Gastric Bypass Surgery Cure Diabetes? Diabetes is a serious condition that impairs the ability of the body to process blood sugar, which is also known as blood glucose. It is a severe and complex medical condition that affects the entire body. It requires stringent self-care, and if complications do arise, then Diabetes can have a severe impact on the quality of life and even reduce life expectancy. At present, there is no definite cure for Diabetes, but one can live an enjoyable life just by managing the condition and learning more about the disease.

Does Gastric Bypass Cure Diabetes?

There are mainly three types of Diabetes – all are serious and complex. The three types are – type 1, type 2, and gestational Diabetes. However, it is essential to note here that although type 1 and type 2 diabetes can stem from being overweight or leading a sedentary lifestyle, some diabetes is present from childhood days.

How is the body affected by Diabetes?

When someone develops Diabetes, the body is unable to maintain the optimum level of glucose in the body. Glucose is a form of sugar that the body uses as the primary source of energy. However, abnormal levels of glucose can lead to serious health complications in the future. For the conversion of glucose into power, the body uses a hormone called insulin. When the production of insulin becomes irregular or is no longer produced, a person develops the condition of Diabetes. The glucose is then not turned into energy and stays in the blood, which results in high blood glucose levels. The blood glucose level can be monitored through self-care and regular treatment. There are two things about Diabetes that should be remembered at all times –

  • All types of Diabetes are complex and require management and daily care.
  • The medical condition of Diabetes never discriminates; anybody can develop Diabetes.

How is Diabetes treated?

If a person is diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, the doctor will surely advise lifestyle changes for the betterment of health and to support weight loss. A person who has been diagnosed with Diabetes will be asked to meet a nutritionist as only a specialized person can help a person afflicted with Diabetes to lead an active and balanced life. A person must also take necessary steps to reduce his Body Mass Index so that he can manage his condition without any medication or with only minimal medicines.

The use of insulin

People with Type 1 diabetes and some people with Type 2 diabetes may be prescribed by the doctor to inject or inhale insulin so that the blood sugar levels do not become too high. Some people may have to use insulin regularly to maintain a low blood glucose level consistently. If you are taking insulin, then self-monitoring is essential to detect episodes of very low glucose.

The insulin helps people to leave an active lifestyle and stories of sportsperson extending his career with the help of insulin is not unheard of. However, in addition to insulin, a doctor may advise other types of medicines to keep the Diabetes under control.

 

How can Gastric Surgery help Diabetes?

Diet and medical therapy have minimal short-term success for severe obesity, and the percentage for long-term success is almost zero. Weight loss surgery or Bariatric surgery, which was only used for treating obese patients, is now being explored as a cure for Type 2 diabetes. There have been pioneering studies in this matter, and the results have been very encouraging. Bariatric surgeries have resulted in a decrease in diabetic medications and a fast improvement in blood sugar levels. People who have a mild form of Diabetes can hope to achieve complete resolution after surgery. In a nutshell, surgery helps to control and almost eliminate conditions of Diabetes by

-Lowering the level of blood sugar
-Improving health problems which are related to Diabetes
-Eliminates the need for medicines for Diabetes

Which surgery is better: Gastric sleeve or Rny (bypass)?

The following two are the most common form of bariatric surgeries performed on patients in the US and elsewhere.

1) Sleeve gastrectomy/Gastric sleeve surgery

Gastric sleeve surgery is a kind of operation that aims to remove a large portion of the stomach and thereby aids in weight loss. The stomach that remains is narrow and become a smaller reservoir for food.

Medical researches have stated that gastric sleeve surgery has some effects on the blood glucose level and bring about changes in the gut hormones. All these help in the improvement of diabetes condition. The rate of remission for Diabetes after gastric sleeve surgery is also very high, and in some cases, the results are very similar to the other surgical option – gastric bypass.

2) The Roux-en-y gastric bypass is a type of surgery that looks to alter the GI tract so that the food bypasses the significant portion of the stomach. This operation results in significant weight loss and helps in the improvement of the diabetes condition.

Which type of surgery is better?

Gastric bypass surgery is the most preferred form of surgery for Diabetes as the patients exhibit positive results even before the loss of weight starts. Diabetes symptoms and weight loss indeed go hand in hand, but gastric bypass surgery helps in the remission of the disease much quicker. Several types of research have been conducted over the years. After a considerable number of successful operations, it has been proved, beyond doubt, that gastric bypass surgeries result in more weight loss, a lower waist circumference, reasonably low blood glucose level than the procedure of gastric sleeve surgery. So serious complications have ever occurred in carrying out Roux-en-y gastric bypass surgery.

Other posts you may find useful:

Bariatric Diet Tips for Satisfying Cravings

We all have some kind of food craving from time to time. Unfortunately, these cravings are usually for foods that ar very high in calories, fat, and sugar. Dealing with cravings is difficult for anyone, and it is very important to know whether a particular craving was physiologically or psychologically driven. Your body may be telling you of something it actually needs, or maybe the brain is just playing tricks with you. These Bariatric diet tips help satisfy cravings and keep you on track for success in your new lifestyle change.

Bariatric Diet Tips for Satisfying Cravings

Bariatric Diet Tips for Satisfying Cravings

The physiological cravings are usually caused by very poor protein intake, inadequate calorie intake or wrong kind of carbohydrates that can cause fluctuations in the blood sugar level of an individual. Psychological cravings, on the other hand, are mainly caused by stress and being over-tired. So it is very important to understand the root cause of your psychological cravings. You must maintain a food diary wherein you are supposed to write what you are eating and how much and how you are feeling? It will shed some light on the cause of these cravings. Here are a few tips on how to prevent a potential craving.

Do not skip meals

If you are skipping meals or your snack-time then you are putting yourself at risk for experiencing a kind of extreme hunger later on in the show. With cravings, there is also an increase in the number of unhealthy choices in food. You must give your body all that it needs before you start losing control.

Plan well ahead

You must take note of the time when your cravings strike. If the cravings mainly strike when you are hungry, then you must start eating healthy snacks between meals. The snacks must be carefully planned so that you can keep the hunger and the cravings at bay. The concept of portion control is also very vital here. Each of the snacks should be lower than 200 calories. Shoot for healthy choices like peppers and bean dip, hard-boiled eggs with a few multi grain crackers, fruit smoothies with protein powder, and yogurt with nuts or granola. Always blend a protein with a complex carbohydrate. Try these 100 Snacks And Appetizer Recipes For Meal Planning.

Stay fully hydrated

Dehydration is a leading cause of almost all kinds of cravings. This is because when we are not hydrated properly, our bodies start looking for a source of quick energy which we term as cravings. Sugar delivers a quick jolt of energy, but it lags far behind in terms of nutrition. It means that sugar plays a very minuscule role in supporting the biological functions of the body. One can make drinking water tastier by adding slices of fresh fruit or simple healthy garnishes to the water, like cucumber slices coupled with fresh mint leaves, or lemon juice with several organic orange slices. If you have undergone any kind of bariatric procedure then the concept of staying hydrated becomes extra important for you. The amount of water that your body needs will depend upon a host of factors like the activity level, age, and gender. I have 10 Water Infusion Recipes for you here.

Bariatric Diet Tips for Satisfying Cravings

The balance needs to be maintained

Protein remains the topmost priority in almost all our meals but it is also very important to include some healthy carbohydrates like fruits, and whole grains, along with healthy fats like peanut butter and olive oil. You need to consider your present dietary stage in case you have recently undergone bariatric surgery. We all go through the same stages: liquid diet, pureed food, soft food, and then gradually back to things like salads and ground beef.

Resist the sweets

Let’s face it, these might have helped get you to the point that you needed the gastric surgery! Resisting the sweets can be a tough proposition, and we suggest that it is not a good idea to deprive yourself of the food that you love. Try intuitive eatting instead, so you may indulge in very small servings of the desired treat. For example, if you are craving for chocolate, then you can have a small piece of dark chocolate. Try to avoid that so-called sugar-free candy, as it has a very high-fat content and it contains lots of calories. It seems like it should be heathier, right?

Avoid the problem places

Is there a certain place that triggers you? When you have a very strong craving, you must try your best not to move towards those places where resisting something will be a very big challenge. This may include places like a fast-food restaurant you used to frequent, those office vending machines in the early afternoon, and the food court in the shopping malls. Those people with the free smaple trays can really suck you in and the next thing you know? You are looking at a plate of Chinese food that has 1,500 plus calories while being high in fat.

Learn to control your hunger

When you are in the process of establishing a regular meal pattern, you need to strictly rely on eating by the clock rather than eating according to hunger. It is common to loose that ability to be “hungry” after surgery, so the clock is your friend. This helps keep your metabolism stronger, and you will be burning calories more efficiently. This will ensure that you remain in full control of your hunger pangs or the cravings.

In our food-rich society, it is natural that you will be bombarded with great choices of both healthy and unhealthy foods. When you follow a regular meal pattern then you will be in better control of your cravings.

Other bariatric tips you may find helpful: