JUNE 8 2019 LISTENER 35
NUTRITION
Kiwifruit are rich
in vitamin C , but a
new red variety has
added benefits36
FOOD
Ideal for family
desserts, apples
and pears are at
their best now38
PSYCHOLOGY
Savouring positive
experiences is part
of the formula for
a happy existence41
the stomach, from a sac to a narrow tube with about
80% less capacity. Weight is lost because smaller
portions of food make the patient feel full, and the
procedure also reduces some appetite-stimulating
hormones. Aside from that, the stomach digests
calories and absorbs nutrients normally.
“Nutritionally, you can maintain health without
the use of supplements, although most people will
take a multivitamin,” says Ulmer.
In bypass surgery, the gastrointestinal tract
is rerouted and the stomach reduced to a small
pouch, so nutrients aren’t absorbed very well and
patients rely on vitamin and mineral supplements
to stay healthy. The gastric band fell out of favour
because it is less effective over time and involves
having a foreign object in the body, which always
carries risks, says Ulmer.
HEALTH BRIEFS
G
ET
TY(^) IM
AG
ES
LEARNING ABOUT BMI
Previous research has shown
every 3.6 years spent in educa-
tion can reduce a person’s
risk of heart disease by a third.
Now, UK scientists are uncover-
ing why. They used genetic and
statistical analysis to show that
40% of the effect is explained
through body mass index
(BMI). Additional years in edu-
cation were linked to a lower
BMI and a reduction in blood
pressure.
SLEEP OF THE WEARY
Getting more exercise than
normal for one day may be
enough to affect sleep later
that night, according to a
new study led by Penn State.
Researchers found that when
teenagers got more physi-
cal activity than usual, they
got to sleep earlier, slept
longer and slept better that
night. For every extra hour
of moderate-to-vigorous
physical activity, the teens
fell asleep 18 minutes earlier
and slept 10 minutes longer.
TOOTH OF THE MATTER
Researchers from Ohio have
identified the dog breeds that
pose the highest risk of biting
with severe injury. Pit bulls and
large mixed-breed dogs with
wide and short
heads are
the ones to
watch out
for, par-
ticularly
for young
children
who are
the most
likely to
require
medical treat-
ment following
a dog bite.
“They may have
struggled with
weight their whole
life, resulting in
hypertension,
joint pain and
back problems.”
Gastric-sleeve surgery costs more
than $20,000 and, although district
health boards are funding more proce-
dures, demand is outstripping supply.
High-profile success stories, such as
that of politician Paula Bennett, who
shed 50kg following a gastric bypass,
have helped the image of bariatric sur-
gery. But success is not guaranteed and
about 40% of patients will eventually
regain some or all of their lost weight.
“If you’re not going to buy into the
change process, then two years later,
the weight is going to come back,” says
Ulmer. “The brain has to come along
with the physical side of it. Emotional
eating or making bad food choices
means what I do is going to work for
a bit, but not in the long-term.”
In the first weeks following surgery,
the drastically resized stomach forces
patients to eat very small amounts of
pureed food, which makes weight loss
easy. Although the stomach never
returns to its original size, it relaxes
enough for three meals a day to be
eaten, but they are side-plate-sized
rather than big portions. This is
when self-control, commit-
ment and healthy food and
drink choices are crucial.
“People who, six
months down the track,
want to replicate what
they had pre-surgery run
into trouble,” says Ulmer.
“You have to create a
new normal that you
can see yourself con-
tinuing with in five
or 10 years.” l