5 Things You Should Know About Barimelts

This is Tim. Tim the Barimelts guy.  And he wants you to know something. No matter how many times I inappropriately harass him make reference to his boyish good looks, it's really all about the vitamins. (Nods slowly, mesmerized...)

Huh? What was I saying? Yes, the vitamins!

So here's the deal. Newer post-ops. Tell me if this has ever happened to you. You have all these requirements. You're overwhelmed. You gotta get this much water and these many grams of protein and this much exercise and on top of all that? You have to take vitamins! 

I know a big problem for me was that I'd take my vitamins and - regardless of if they were chewable or swallow pills - I got full off of them! Freaked me right on out.

Well that's one of the problems Barimelts is trying to solve. So I asked Tim a few questions about what makes them so special and why we should give them a try.

Nik: So there are a lot of bariatric vitamins out there? What makes Barimelts different?

Tim: Other than being “the new kids on the vitamin scene,” the biggest difference is that BariMelts are NOT chewables. They dissolve before you swallow, so there isn’t any extra work from your system to break them down like with most products that are full or partially intact when you swallow. If you want to read more about that process, here's a great explanation on our website. 

Nik:     So they really do dissolve in your mouth? Exactly how long does this take?

Tim: They do!  Here are the typical times, which can vary from person to person:

Multivitamin:

• 60-90 seconds with no chewing
• 30-45 seconds when the tablet is lightly broken up in the teeth and then allowed to dissolve

Biotin / Iron / B-12 Plus

• 45-60 seconds (these are small enough to be take sublingually).  Faster if lightly broken up in the teeth.

Calcium:

• 30-45 seconds when lightly broken up in the teeth and allowed to dissolve

Nik: How do you decide on the flavors? And what exactly are Barimelts flavored with? Sugar??? 

Tim: We chose the flavors that we got the best feedback on.  This often depends on the ingredients in the formula.  For example, the Multivitamin has a lot of components in it, so we used our special blend of natural fruit flavors to get the taste right.

For sweeteners, we only use all-natural (e.g. monk fruit, and sometimes a small amount stevia – never any artificial flavors or sweeteners like sucralose).  All the products are sugar-free except Calcium, which has less than 2 g per sugars serving. Also, all our products contain ingredients that are Gluten-Free, GMO-Free, and Dairy-Free. 

Nik: And how many calories do Barimelts have? You know I have to watch my girlish figure! 

Tim: All BariMelts are zero-calories except Calcium, which has less than 9 calories per serving. 

Nik: Many Foodies have tried (and hated) various vitamins, so understandably they are wary of trying new things. How can they try before they buy a full month's supply? (Did you get what I just did there?)

Excellent! You're a poet and you didn't even know it!

Barimelts offers a sample pack for $2.95 either at our website or on Amazon.  It also comes with a special discount code they can use on their first purchase to get back what they spent on the sample. Now I know there are a lot of Canadian Foodies out there. Unfortunately we're not shipping to Canada yet, but I want you to know we're working on it! Once we're up and running, the Foodie Nation will be among the first to know!

So...there you have it Foodies. Straight from the hunk's horse's mouth! 

Remember that Barimelts is one of the prizes up for grabs during week two of the Bariatric Foodie Pledge. For those who are pledging this week, be sure to check-in your goal this weekend (check-in is open Saturday at noon EST until Sunday at noon EST) but if you follow Bariatric Foodie on Facebook or Twitter you should get reminders! 

Speaking of...you should also follow Barimelts on Facebook and Twitter to stay up to date with their product offerings and maybe even the chance to help them decide future flavors!

What happens if I don't take my vitamins?

This week's #BFHolidayChallenge is to take all your vitamins every day. I often get asked, "What happens if I don't take my vitamins?" Here is my story about why vitamin compliance is a critical habit for weight loss surgery patients to learn.

It was late. Way late. So late, in fact, that I almost wondered why I was bothering with dinner at all. The day had been an absolute disaster and I’d have loved to sink into bed and pray for a better tomorrow, but unfortunately my two young children were hungry – and none too amused that it was 9 p.m. and they had not yet been fed dinner!

I decided to throw together something quick. Chili. The kids love chili, especially spicy chili. I figured this was perfect because it doesn’t take long to make, it produces lots of leftovers, and those leftovers taste better with each passing day.

So as soon as I got home from my class, I set to chopping onions and green peppers, browning ground turkey and draining cans of beans. It only took me about 30 minutes to make the chili and when it was done I called my children down to help set the table. I was determined we’d sit down to eat together.

My oldest daughter was the first downstairs so I set her to work. I pointed to the cabinet to ask her to hand me a…a…

What is that thing called? The thing. That you put soup in. And chili in. The thing???

Forgetting the word for "bowl" scared me and made me get my short-term memory loss checked out!

Yes, people. Standing there in my kitchen, rushed and stressed, I forgot the word for bowl.

Scared Straight

Now if any of you have had a family member with dementia, you can understand why I was freaked out by this incident. But as I thought about it later that night, I realized that my memory had been fairly shoddy lately. I’d walk into a room and not remember why I was there. I’d put my keys down and just a minute later couldn’t find them. And heaven help me if I didn’t immediately put an event on a calendar. I missed quite a few because I failed to jot it down, then forgot it completely.

There are myriad medical conditions that can cause memory loss. When I went to the doctor to inquire about mine, the doctor ordered labs and when they came back I got a stern talking to. My doctor asked one simple question that “outed” me, “Have you been taking your b12 supplement regularly?”

I had not. At that time I took it by injection. I was instructed to do so monthly. One fact I’ve since learned is that the less often I am required to do something, the more likely I am to forget to do it. So I forgot my monthly injection – for many, many, many months.

(NOTE: This was a problem for me because, as a RNY patient, I no longer have the ability to properly absorb B12 in the body's natural way - because that portion of my stomach is missing. So instead we need to take sublingual B12 which allows the B12 to be instantly absorbed into the bloodstream through the skin under your tongue.)

While my doctor was hesitant to deem that the only source of my short-term memory problems (after all I was also a working single mother and that carries a certain amount of stress which can also exacerbate short-term memory problems), the fact that mine was low at the time led us both to believe it was contributing to my problems. Again, my past freaked me out.

B12 is no joke!

My grandfather, before he died, suffered from dementia. At first he was thought to have developed Alzheimer’s Disease – a disorder that can only be 100% confirmed after death. As it turns out, he did not have Alzheimer’s Disease, but a very severe b12 deficiency. So hearing that I was low kind of scared me straight.

So what did I do? Well, several things. First, I asked if I could switch to a more regular regimen of taking b12. My doctor told me that I could switch to a daily sublingual tablet (one that melts under the tongue) instead of doing the monthly shot. (IMPORTANT: When figuring out what’s best for you, ALWAYS talk to your own doctor. My method and your method may not be the same!)

I also took advantage of an app called “My Med Schedule” to remind me to take ALL my vitamins, not just b12. It was easy to set up and I get daily reminders for all my vitamin doses. I still am not perfect about vitamins all the time but at least the reminder is there and persistent.

Lastly, I had to accept the fact that my short term memory problems might not go away, so I had to work with them and not against them. So I put my bottle of b12 tablets next to my toothbrush. I brush my teeth every day. When I brush my teeth, I see the bottle and I take my b12. I am the same way now with most things I want to remember. Put something I don’t want to forget next to something I can’t forget. I put my work ID next to my house keys, and my car keys are attached to my house keys, etc.

The Bottom Line

I share this with you all to encourage you to do whatever YOU need to do to stick to your vitamin regimen. In my case it vitamin B12 was low, but you can have many different kinds of deficiencies and they can cause many different kinds of problems. Here are a few things to think about:

·       Vitamin deficiencies can take a while to show up in lab work. I get a lot of folks who are a year or so post-op who tout their good lab numbers despite not being vitamin compliant. Remember your body usually has a store of vitamins it can draw on when deficient. Unfortunately that means that in some cases when your lab work comes back with a deficiency the stuff has actually hit the fan.

·       Some deficiencies can cause permanent damage. B12 deficiency is one of them. If you have severe memory loss, nerve damage, etc. as a result of this deficiency it can be irreparable and sometimes the best your medical team can do is help you manage.

·       WLS patients have DIED because of vitamin deficiencies. I don’t say that to upset you but to let you know this IS important. Failing to take your vitamins doesn’t have the same immediate negative effects as, say, eating sugar and dumping but it can be so much more harmful!

So I hope sharing my story has inspired you all, not only to take this week’s #BFHolidayChallenge, but to figure out a good, convenient and, most of all, sustainable system for taking your vitamins. Because you have to do it – for the rest of your life.

If you're unsure what vitamins you should take, here are the American Society of Metabolic & Bariatric Surgery guidelines for:

• RNY
• Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy
• Lap-Band
• Duodenal Switch

If you've not had a conversation with your surgical practice about vitamins, make sure you talk about it the next time you are seen!

And if you have any questions about my story, leave them in the comments below. I’m happy to answer.

Winners of the Bariatric Foodie Season of Giving - Week Four!

Firstly thank you, thank you , THANK YOU for rocking this BariMelts giveaway.

Long-time Foodies get sick of this spiel but I do have to reinforce why your participation is important! Getting stuff to give away is not easy. Companies determine what and how much they’ll give away through a blog based on several factors. One of them is the readership size, as told by Google. But I can actually make a more powerful case by citing participation in past giveaways.

In fact, your awesome participation in the Recharge giveaway is part of what I cited to ask BariMelts to give three Foodies the chance to win their products. Because you participate, whether you won or not, you are contributing to our ability to get more and better stuff to give away. And who knows? Next time the winner may be YOU! So keep participating!

I would be remiss not to also THANK BariMelts for participating in the “Bariatric Foodie Season of Giving.” I promise once the product fully launches I will let you all know so you can check them out. But for now, the three Foodies who won the complete line of BariMelts products are:

• Diana Douglas
• Melody Yeary
• Monique Massi

I sent you each an email to let you know how to claim your prize, but just in case you didn’t get it, I need you to email me with your name, address and phone number (for delivery purposes only) to bariatricfoodie@yahoo.com no later than 11:59 p.m. (PST) Sunday, January 5! If I don’t hear from you by then I have to redraw. Don’t make me do that!!!

We have one more giveaway left in the Season of Giving and I’m going to post about it later this evening. Stay tuned, Foodies.

2014 is going to be a GREAT year for us!

The Bariatric Foodie Season of Giving - Week Four!

What? You thought it was over???

No! We've got TWO more giveaways to do! That should ride us into "2014 Bariatric Foodie Pledge" Season nicely (click this link to check out last year's Pledge to get familiar - it's so much FUN!).

This week's giveaway is a little bit different. To explain how, I made a video BUT if you don't have 3:19 minutes (or just don't feel like listening to me talk) the run-down is below the video! (Or if you wanna skip it all and go to the contest widget, scroll down but do stop and read the information listed under IMPORTANT STUFF...cuz...like...it's important stuff....)

The Run Down

This week's giveaway item is BariMelts! It's a new vitamin product for bariatric patients and I got the opportunity to sample them at the Obesity Action Coalition's "Your Weight Matters" Convention in Phoenix. I liked the product and so I reached out to them to see if I could get some for my Foodie Nation.

As it turns out they are doing a full-on launch of their products in 2014: a website, Facebook Page, Twitter handle...the whole nine! You know what this means? You guys are getting the chance to win a product that few post-ops have tried yet!

So let me tell you a bit about this product.

BariMelts will offer four products:

• Multi-vitamin
• Calcium + Vitamin D3 & Magnesium
• Iron + Vitamin C
• B-Complex

And of course I had to ask all the important questions I think you guys would want to know.

• These are flavored vitamins, but they are made using only natural flavors and sweeteners.
• The tablets really do dissolve in your mouth (I've tried them, they do!) so there's no need to take them with water (which can be really helpful for newer and/or "on the go" Foodies)
• They are made in the United States (Florida to be exact and were formulated by a team of scientists/pharmacists)

If you have any other questions, leave them in the comments and I'll ask them and get right back to you! 

My full review of the vitamins is forthcoming BUT I didn't want to wait to give some away. THREE Foodies will get the chance to win the full line of vitamins. 

IMPORTANT STUFF (if you've skimmed thus far, please read this!)

Because BariMelts is such a new company, we want to get the word out there about this new option! As such, the rules for this giveaway are a bit different than others. You may claim as many of the entries in the widget below as you want, however, in order to be selected as the winner you have to have either liked BariMelts on Facebook or followed @BariMelts on Twitter. From there, grab up as many entries as you can!

I really want us to rock out this contest because I've told the BariMelts folks about the power of the Foodie Nation in getting the word out about a product. So let's DO this!

This giveaway is open to Foodies in the 50 United States and Canada.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Is there such thing as too many vitamins?

By Kelly  Morris

(Please note that this article is the result of research done by Foodie News writer Kelly Morris. Kelly is not a nutritionist or a physician, but is simply reporting her findings through this article. The contents of this article are for informational purposes only. Please consult your own physician regarding your personal vitamin dosages and lab reports. )

Weight loss surgery folks usually worry about vitamin deficiency, since they're fairly common after surgery and can cause such serious problems. The opposite problem, though, known as vitamin toxicity, can sometimes happen. It is possible to take too much of a good thing.

Vitamin toxicity usually only occurs when people take large amounts of vitamin supplements. It’s highly unlikely that anyone would get too much of any one vitamin just from the food that they eat. Weight loss surgery folks are advised to take a number of vitamin and mineral supplements, though. In order to make sure we don’t take too much of anything, it’s important to get blood tests done at least once a year.

What happens if we take too much?

Some vitamins, like the B vitamins, are water soluble, so we don’t normally store those in our bodies. If we take more than we need, the excess is usually eliminated from our bodies in our urine. Other vitamins, though, like vitamins A and D, are fat soluble and we do store those in our bodies. Therefore it’s possible for too much of those vitamins to build up and cause problems. Minerals, like zinc and iron, can also build up in our bodies and cause problems.

Vitamin D Toxicity

According to the Mayo Clinic, vitamin D toxicity is rare, even in people that take large doses of vitamin D3. They say people that take 50,000 IU D3 daily for several months may develop toxicity, however. Problems associated with vitamin D toxicity include the buildup of too much calcium in your blood, nausea and vomiting, and kidney problems. Now, weight loss surgery folks may require large doses of D3, but if you’re taking a large dose, it’s really important to get labs done frequently to make sure your level doesn’t get too high.

Vitamin A Toxicity

Vitamin A toxicity is also rare, but since it is a fat soluble vitamin, it can occur if you take large doses regularly. According to Medscape, symptoms of vitamin A toxicity can include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, headache, blurred vision, muscle and joint pain, and hair loss.

Iron Toxicity

Iron deficiency is fairly common in weight loss surgery folks, especially those with malabsorptive surgeries. However, taking very large doses of iron can lead to iron toxicity. Ironically, some of the symptoms of iron toxicity are similar to the symptoms of iron deficiency, including headache, fatigue, and hair loss. Therefore, if you have symptoms of iron deficiency, it’s a good idea to get your iron level checked before you increase your iron supplementation just to make sure the problem really is an iron deficiency. Iron toxicity can lead to liver problems, which can be quite serious.

Zinc Toxicity

Zinc toxicity is also rare, but the National Institutes of Health reports that taking large doses, such as 150 mg to 450 mg daily, can lead to toxicity. Symptoms of zinc toxicity include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and headache. Zinc toxicity also prevents the proper absorption of some other minerals, like iron and copper.

How much is too much?

That’s going to vary from person to person, based on which type of weight loss surgery you had and how well your body absorbs things. To find out if you’re taking too much of anything or if you need to take more, make sure you get your labs done at least once a year.

Keep in mind that the vitamins and minerals I talked about here are not the only ones that can be harmful in large amounts. It’s a good idea to talk to your doctor before taking large doses of any vitamin or mineral. 

Next month I’ll tell you about calcium: why we need it, what kind we need, how much we need, how to make sure we’re absorbing it, and more. As always, feel free to contact me at bariatricfoodie@yahoo.com if you have any questions about vitamins and I’ll do my best to help, though you need to talk to your doc if you need medical advice.

Got a vitamin question? Kelly is happy to research it for you! Hit her up at bariatricfoodie@yahoo.com!

What Vitamins Should Duodenal Switch Patients Take?

(Check out last month's article: What vitamins should RNY patients take?)



In previous months we’ve talked about the vitamins that are recommended for lap band patients, vertical sleeve gastrectomy patients, and gastric bypass patients. Today, we’re going to talk about the vitamins duodenal switch (DS) folks need.

The DS is both a restrictive and a malabsorptive surgery. The smaller stomach helps patients eat less food and the rearrangement of the intestine causes them not to absorb all the calories that they do eat. The rearrangement of the intestine also causes them not to absorb vitamins and minerals well. They generally need to take even more vitamins than gastric bypass patients do.

The vitamins you need will probably vary based on your individual needs and the results of your blood tests, but here are the basics that the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery recommends for all DS patients:

• An adult multivitamin, containing 100% of the recommended daily allowance (RDA) of at least 2/3 of all nutrients, including 18 mg iron and minerals like zinc and selenium, twice daily
• 1800 mg to 2400 mg calcium citrate (not calcium carbonate or tricalcium phosphate), divided into three or four doses of about 600 mg each, taken at least two hours apart
• An additional 18 mg to 27 mg iron for menstruating women
• 10,000 IU vitamin A
• 2000 IU vitamin D
• 300 mcg vitamin K
• B-50 complex is optional
• Other vitamin and mineral supplements may be needed, based on the results of your blood tests; for instance, some DS patients need to take additional B12

Notice that the ASMBS recommends a multivitamin made for adults. If you prefer a chewable multivitamin, or if your surgeon or dietician recommends chewable vitamins, you can purchase chewable vitamins made for adults. Children’s vitamins usually lack some important nutrients that DS folks need. You can purchase special bariatric vitamins if you wish, but these aren’t necessary. Just make sure your multivitamin has 100% of the RDA of most nutrients.

The ASMBS also recommends calcium citrate over other forms of calcium, including calcium carbonate. That’s because calcium citrate is absorbed more easily and because it doesn’t increase the risk of kidney stones. Calcium blocks the absorption of iron, so take your calcium at least two hours away from your iron supplement. If there’s iron in your multivitamins and you want to absorb that iron, take your calcium at least two hours away from your multivitamins, too.

Notice that the ASMBS recommends both men and women take a multivitamin that contains iron. If your multivitamin doesn’t have iron, or if you menstruate, you’ll need extra iron. There are many different types of iron from which you can choose. I like carbonyl iron because it’s less like to cause constipation or an upset stomach than some other forms of iron, like ferrous sulfate. 

The ASMBS recommends using a retinol form of vitamin A, like retinol palmitate or retinol acetate, rather than beta carotene because they are absorbed more easily. Vitamin A often comes in soft gels filled with oil, but since DS folks malabsorb fats, they don’t absorb vitamins in oil well. Use dry vitamin A instead.

When it comes to vitamin D, it’s important to know that there are two forms of vitamin D, D2 and D3. According to the Vitamin D Council, D3 is much more effective for everyone, not just weight loss surgery patients. As with vitamin A, vitamin D3 sometimes comes in soft gels filled with oil, but DS folks absorb dry D3 better. Note that some post ops need significantly more vitamin D than recommended by the ASMBS to maintain a good level and you should adjust your dose as needed based on your blood tests.

As with vitamins A and D, vitamin K should be taking in dry form. The ASMBS recommends vitamin K be taken with caution by patients receiving coagulation therapy, which includes drugs like Warfarin and Coumadin. Talk to your doctor about whether or not to take vitamin K if you are on one of these medications.

Talk to your bariatric surgeon or a registered dietician with experience treating DS patients if you have questions about what vitamins you should take. You’re always welcome to contact me, as well, at bariatricfoodie@yahoo.com and I’ll do my best to help, but I’m not able to provide any medical advice.

Now that we all know what vitamins we should be taking and why, next month I’ll tell how it’s possible to take too much of a good thing and talk about vitamin toxicity. Until then, take your vitamins (but only in the proper amounts)!

Now that Kelly has wrapped up this basic series on ASMBS vitamin requirements, she's moving onto other pressing vitamin questions. Got one? Hit her up at bariatricfoodie@yahoo.com!

Foodie-sentials: What Vitamins Should VSG patients take?

Last month we talked about the vitamins lap band patients need to take daily, and now we’re going to talk about the vitamins vertical sleeve gastrectomy (VSG) patients need.

The requirements for VSG and lap band patients are fairly similar. That’s because both are restrictive procedures, which means that they limit the amount of food you can eat, and don’t contain a malabsorptive element, which means that since your surgeon left your intestine alone, you can absorb nutrients from the food you eat. It’s just that you can’t eat enough food to get all the nutrients, or calories, that you need, at least at first. That’s what elicits weight loss.

Your vitamin needs may vary depending on your body’s needs at the present time, but here’s what the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery says you should start with:

• One adult multivitamin, containing 100% of the recommended daily allowance (RDA) of at least 2/3 of all nutrients, including 18 mg iron and minerals like zinc and selenium
• 1500 mg calcium citrate (not calcium carbonate or tricalcium phosphate), divided into three doses of about 500 mg each, taken at least two hours apart
• B-50 complex is optional
• Other vitamin and mineral supplements may be needed, based on the results of your blood tests

Now, you may have noticed that there a lot of different multivitamins out there, some labeled as being designed specifically for bariatric surgery patients. The ASMBS guidelines say that you can use one of these specialty bariatric vitamins if you want, but it’s not necessary. In fact, some vitamins marketed to bariatric surgery patients really don’t have all the vitamins and minerals that the ASMBS says we need. For instance, the Wellesse bariatric liquid multivitamin contains no copper, zinc, selenium, magnesium, manganese, iodine, or potassium. The Twin Lab Bariatric Support chewable multivitamin contains no selenium, manganese, chromium. or molybdenum.

"In fact, some vitamins marketed to bariatric surgery patients really don’t have all the vitamins and minerals that the ASMBS says we need..."

Read the label on any multivitamin you are considering using to see if it has 100% of the RDA of most things in it and look for minerals like zinc and selenium. I hate to break it to you, but most children’s vitamins shaped like cartoon characters and vitamins that taste like gummy bears are not going to make the cut. 

If your multivitamin doesn’t have at least 18 mg of iron, take an additional iron supplement so you get a total of 18 mg a day. Yes, that includes men and women, and yes, even postmenopausal women need some iron. Without enough iron, we can’t transport oxygen in our blood to all our internal organs. Iron deficiency, also known as anemia, can cause fatigue, dizziness, headaches, and restless leg syndrome. It’s bad business and you want to avoid it! Remember to take your iron at least two hours away from your calcium supplement, since calcium blocks the absorption of iron.

Adult multivitamins are available in liquids, chewable tablets, and pills meant to be swallowed. Many patients start out with liquids or chewable tablets and then switch to pills that they swallow after a month or two. The ASMBS says it’s OK to make the switch whenever you can tolerate swallowing pills. And if you prefer chewables, it’s not necessary to switch at all.

Make sure the calcium you choose contains calcium citrate, not calcium carbonate (which is derived from certain types of stones or from shells like oyster shells), or tricalcium phosphate,  (also derived from certain types of stones or from the bones of animals like cows and pigs). The ASMBS recommends calcium citrate because it’s absorbed better. It also does not increase your risk of kidney stones the way calcium carbonate does.

Talk to your bariatric surgeon or registered dietician if you have questions about the best vitamins for you. You’re also welcome to contact me at bariatricfoodie@yahoo.com. I can’t give you medical advice but I’m happy to answer questions if I can.

Next month I’ll tell you about the recommended vitamin regiment for Roux-en-Y gastric bypass patients. Until then, my Foodie Friends, take your vitamins!

About Kelly

Here's a Kelly Fun Fact: She authored the BF Basics: Veggie Tales Series! Check it out and learn what it takes to be a post-op vegetarian!

Got a question for Kelly? Send it to bariatricfoodie@yahoo.com with the subject line "vitamins."