Blog Posts

The importance of eating and chewing slowly

December 20, 2019

Have you ever been told that you should chew your food a specific number of times before swallowing, and you should set your utensil down after every bite as you chew carefully? Well, it turns out there could be some truth to it. In fact, it is very helpful not only for individuals trying to lose weight and be more mindful while they eat, but individuals who have had the LAP-BAND® Procedure.

The LAP-BAND works best when you are not in a hurry as you eat. You should take your time and chew very well. Take a small forkful, put it down, and chew thoroughly. Only pick your fork back up after you’ve finished chewing and swallowing. Your food needs to be mush in order to easily pass through the band. If you don’t chew well, you may feel a little sick.

Chewing slowly will help you feel full. The LAP-BAND sends the signal to your brain that you are full, so if you are eating too quickly, your band and brain don’t have enough time to process. You may eat too much and feel overly full once you are done. That is why you need to give your band a minute for it to process. You may even feel the food move through the band. The key is to pay attention to your food and your band to know when you’ve eaten enough to feel satisfied. Not only does eating slowly help with eating less, but you also enjoy your food more.

Some studies show that individuals who eat quickly may weigh more than individuals who eat slowly. They may also be prone to gaining weight over time. It may have something to do with hormones. Ghrelin makes you feel hungry, while leptin makes you feel satisfied. As you eat, hormones will be released to help you feel full and stop eating. The release of these hormones can take upwards of twenty minutes, which is why you need to slow down and give your brain time to receive these signals. If you eat slowly, there is often an increase in fullness hormones.

Eating slowly, in addition to helping you eat less and feel full, can lead to improved digestion and nutrient absorption.

Sources:

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Important Lap-Band® System Safety Information

The ReShape Lap-Band Systems are approved for adults with a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 40 or higher, or a BMI of at least 30 with health conditions related to obesity, who have not seen success with other weight loss methods, like supervised diet, exercise, and behavior modification programs. Choosing this surgery means committing to changes in eating habits for the long term.

The Lap-Band procedure is not approved for individuals under 18 yo, those with conditions that may make them poor surgical candidates or lead to poor results, such as inflammatory or cardiopulmonary diseases, problems with the stomach and digestion, symptoms or family history of autoimmune disease, scarring of the liver, individuals unable or unwilling to follow the necessary dietary restrictions, individuals with alcohol or drug addictions, or those currently pregnant. Individuals who become pregnant after band placement may require deflation of their bands.

The ReShape Lap-Band Systems, a long-term tool, may need to be adjusted if you get pregnant, sick, or malnourished. Be careful with anti-inflammatory drugs as they could make the band wear away. Like any surgery, placement of the Lap-Band may have complications such as risks from drugs and methods used, general surgery risks, how well your body handles a foreign object, or in rare cases, risk of death.

As with any surgical procedure, there are risks associated with metabolic and bariatric surgery that you and your doctor should discuss. Potential risks associated with the Lap-Band include nausea, vomiting, heartburn, stomach blockage, constipation, swallowing difficulty, diarrhea, abnormal stools, abdominal pain, weakness, incision pain, infection, fever, hernia, chest pain, band movement, stomach pouch expansion, unusual healing, pain at the port site, port movement, and/or hair loss. Additional surgery might be needed. Losing weight quickly could lead to complications requiring more surgery. 

Talk to your doctor, and/or visit our website at www.lapband.com/safety/ for more information on its benefits and risks.

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