Bone Broth Helps Bariatric Surgery Patients Stay Satisfied On Liquid Diets

Bariatric surgery is looked down upon by some people. 

The cynics say it's taking the easy way out. Instead of eating right and exercising, all you have to do is go under the knife and presto! You're magically skinny. 

It's obviously not that simple. And the truth is, for some people, there's no option other than bariatric surgery. 

Take Refika Turnier, for example. 

The soon-to-be 60 year old lab researcher from Frederick, MD, who works at the U.S. Army's Fort Detrick base on cancer and HIV, isn't one to make excuses. 

But when lymphedema and shortness of breath made it impossible to exercise, Refika saw no other option than the surgery. 

Refika made the right decision. She's lost over 80 pounds and has managed to keep it off. 

Check out Refika's before and after pics:

  

The picture on top is Refika on the right, on vacation in Turkey. She says she couldn't go more than a handful of steps without getting out of breath. She couldn't really enjoy the trip. Can you see why for some people, bariatric surgery is absolutely necessary?

The bottom picture is Refika, post-surgery and 80 pounds lighter. She's at center, enjoying a trip to Germany where she says she had a lot of pep in her step and felt like she had a new lease on life!

Bone Broth for Bariatric Patients

We're extremely happy for Refika. And when we received her email telling us how much our Bone Broth has helped change her life, we were overjoyed. 

"I was at a low point in my life. I knew something drastic had to change. I elected to have the surgery and am so glad I decided to do it. It gave me the boost of confidence I needed to live life to the fullest once again," says Refika. 

She continues, "Before and after the surgery, my doctor restricted me to a diet limited to clear liquids. I had the surgery in winter and I live on the East Coast, so drinking cold protein shakes is not very satisfying."

Refika says she's so glad she came across LonoLife because having warm, nourishing cups of it every day allowed her to keep the weight off without feeling deprived.

Better than a Protein Shake in Winter

In fact, I love how Refika put it in her email. She says, "In the winter when the wind is whistling through my house, it's a godsend to be able to drink something nutritious, warm and savory."

Furthermore, Refika says that she finally chose LonoLife as her go-to bone broth because other brand's of it weren't a convenient option, not to mention they didn't meet her needs for authentic, savory taste. 

"I love the convenience factor of the stick packs and K-Cups," says Refika. "I keep them at my desk at work." 

Sodium: a nutrient of concern in bone broth?

As for sodium levels for bariatric patients, Refika says her nutritionist says it's not a nutrient of concern, at least not for her.

For people on a liquid diet, electrolytes are essential and obviously more difficult to come by without solid food. Sodium is one of those critical electrolytes for firing up muscle contractions and for nerve communication. 

And our bone broth is much lower in sodium than most commercial brands. A single serving of our bone broth contains about 500 mg sodium. Compare that to broth cubes (most of which aren't real bone broth) that contain nearly 1000 mg. 

One more note about sodium and LonoLife bone broth. Refika's nutritionist is correct that it shouldn't be a nutrient of concern if you're on a bone broth diet. The recommended limit of sodium is over 2,000 mg. So that means you could have about 4 servings per day of LonoLife bone broth. Of course if you have hypertension, please check with a nutritionist or medical professional. 

Bone Broth Diet

Refika is also grateful for LonoLife Bone Broth  because most protein shakes taste chalky and sweet. She loves how savory our high-protein single serve bone broths taste. 

"As a bariatric patient, it's very nice to know that the needs of this population are being met. I'm sure there are a lot of people with similar health issues that could benefit from your product. It's really wonderful and it's helped me tremendously. Thank you."

You're very welcome, Refika! 

You know, one of the most trendy diets of late is the so-called Bone Broth Diet. Some people say it's a great way to detox for a few days. It allows your digestive system to take a break while still getting essential amino acids to fuel your muscles. 

Philosophically, LonoLife is about balance. It's ok to cheat once in a while, but overall, we believe in eating wholesome, balanced meals with traditional foods. As for snacking, smart snacking with things like nuts, seeds, fruit and, of course, bone broth is the way to keep you from craving junk carbs. 

But for people like Refika who are on a liquid diet mandated by their doctor, bone broth is indeed a godsend. And we're humbled and grateful that we have made a huge difference in Refika's life....