Our surgeons use leading edge technology to perform innovative bariatric, general and colorectal surgeries designed to help patients achieve a healthier life.
Meet Our Team
Our surgical program has a dedicated team to follow you every step of the way. Your multi-disciplinary team includes surgeons, (bariatric) nurses, dietitians, mental health professionals, exercise specialists, bariatric advocates and other medical specialists who offer continuous compassionate support and guidance in a respectful environment.
The focus is to help each patient establish and achieve their goals.
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How To Use Social Media in Post-Bariatric Life
Social media has become one of the primary ways we gather information and news. Not surprisingly, because social media is such a big part of our lives, why wouldn’t it be where we look for important information on bariatrics, too? However, you’ve probably seen many ads and influencers that seek to capitalize on social media to sell their goods and become the next big thing.
Unfortunately, there’s a lot we still don’t know about the body, our metabolism, and our brain, and many uninformed influencers push problematic concepts as truth without much to back them up. In most cases, we can see right through it. Still, some are compelling and lead us to try methods that may not work, cost us money, or be downright dangerous. So, let’s talk about how best to use social media in your bariatric life to ensure you both lose weight and find new and exciting ways to maintain your goals.
Enter With a Dose of Skepticism
Ultimately, the definitive structure for your post-op lifestyle is provided by your surgical practice (us). The post-op instructions you receive, and the guidance given to you by our surgeons, nurses, and staff are based on thousands of procedures and what we’ve seen work- while also informed by plenty that we’ve seen that did not work well. So, to that end, if social media offers a tip or trick, cross-check that with what is allowed based on your postoperative instructions. If you still have questions or concerns, contact us for guidance.
Check Qualifications
Unfortunately, verifying someone online can be complex, and many influencers do not have the appropriate qualifications to advise you on postoperative life. However, many clinicians give advice online, and most can be vetted through other online sources or even the states in which they are licensed. Be sure to learn more about their background and never follow the advice of someone simply unqualified to offer it. From a bariatric patient’s standpoint, even a licensed clinician must have experience with bariatric surgery and the unique perspective to help with the needs of our postoperative patients.
Supplements and More
Across the Internet, we have seen a concerning rise in the peddling of supplements reported to offer incredible metabolic and psychological benefits. Some of these benefits are very compelling for bariatric patients and make it seem like they simplify the postoperative and weight loss process. However, whenever you see information about a supplement, we encourage you to remember that the FDA does not oversee supplements the way they do prescription drugs, and this is a regrettable truth because many people are injured every year by taking the wrong supplement or too much. The National Institutes of Health and some major universities have good information on supplements, offering summaries of their benefits, risks, and any unknowns often revolving around short- and long-term use. It may also be wise to check European Union and Australian guidelines for supplements as their governmental bodies tend to put more research and guidance into the supplement market. Most importantly, however, we cannot stress enough that the typical disclaimer of “Speak to your doctor before starting any new supplements or medication regimen” is proper and necessary.
Check a Diversity of Sources
These days, while we see lots of new and interesting viral information on TikTok and Instagram, there are many other sources to use that may offer excellent guidance on something you may have seen. Reddit, for example, has become very useful as a discussion center for bariatric patients, among other topics. Again, you’ll be well served by speaking to the dietitian or nutritionist at your bariatric practice to ensure the advice is appropriate for your post-op life.
Exercise on Social Media
It’s important to remember that most exercise-focused channels on social media are not geared toward bariatric patients. Therefore, some exercises you see may be inappropriate for your current situation. For example, if you carry excess weight, this puts a significant strain on your joints, mainly your knees, and therefore, some running or jumping exercises may worsen pain or speed up the progression of osteoarthritis. To that end, either follow bariatric-specific exercise channels or ensure that the channel you follow has modifications for your ability.
Fast Food Recommendations
Social media is a favorite place for finding fast food hacks to postoperative bariatric life. If we were to choose between not having a meal and going to a fast-food restaurant, we’d probably select fast food occasionally. After all, most fast-food restaurants have at least a few tasty and filling options that do not blow the caloric bank, nor do they introduce highly processed items. However, some social channels promote making decidedly poor choices in fast food. If it looks too good to be true, it probably is. So, stick to making your food when possible and be vigilant about what you eat if you go to a restaurant or fast food establishment.
The Bottom Line
Social media represents a double-edged sword. On one hand, we’ve never had more information at our fingertips than we do today, and the result is that there is something for everybody. However, social media is today’s Wild West, and plenty of “influencers” offer poor information that can be detrimental to your health and progress toward your goals. To that end, we encourage you to approach social media with a healthy dose of skepticism and take the information that you find with a grain of salt. This will allow you to make the most of this new and exciting medium while ensuring your safety. Remember that we are here for you and have committed to your post-bariatric life, so feel free to ask us about anything.
We encourage all our patients to contact us whenever they have a pressing question; we can be the definitive answer. Remember, we’re not looking to have you follow the postoperative packet to the letter. We encourage creativity both in the way you eat and exercise after surgery. We just look at it through the lens of safety first, which some online influencers may not.
