Am I Going Bald?

“My hair is thin.” My hair is falling out. My hair is dry and brittle. I just run out of energy…..” These are some of the most common reason bariatric surgery patients come to see me. Typically they are eating between 2 and 4 of the vending machine peanut butter crackers for one meal and a few noodles at the other meal. Many times they just simply aren’t hungry, and this is a welcome feeling for them. Well, thinner is greater, but thinner hair isn’t usually as well received. minimum protein allowance for the RDA-40 grams.

This still requires some thought and planning, and for patients completely burned out on the word Diet, I stress that this lifestyle changemust be simple to be successful. Frequently on finding out that an inadequacy of food intake has created a noticeable, undesirable (hair loss) effect a patient will want to “turn over a new leaf”, i.e. Bring all their food from home, stop dining out, go to lunch instead of eating at their desk, and while all these thoughts have merit, all we really need to do is eat more protein. Thoughts with merit about nutritional changes are often associated with expressions such as ‘I must try harder, I will have to discipline myself, and I will have to find the time.’ Think about it, no one wants to work harder to eat. Eating should be a social, aesthetic, tasty and healthful experience, not an onerous drudge.

When I review nutrition with the bariatric support groups, we almost always touch on protein. Here are some of our suggestions for quick and easy protein. Skip the vending machine crackers. Purchase your favorite jar of peanut butter and your favorite crackers and store them in your desk or car or wherever you are and your protein isn’t. Eat 1 or 2 tablespoons of peanut butter and 2 or 4 crackers.

Try hard-boiled eggs. Boil them with food coloring, this makes them more attractive and lets you know (with different colors) which batch is freshest. Many patients do not do well with scrambled eggs, but hard-boiled eggs are tolerated well. Take a few to work to eat, and leave some there if a refrigerator is available. Do not worry about the cholesterol in the eggs. Your total fat intake should be very low and your overall weight loss will be your best tool for lowering your cholesterol.

Low fat cheese is a possibility. Watch the portion size. IF you buy an 8oz block, cut it in half and then cut each half into 4 squares. Each square will equal 1oz. Eat one or two squares at a meal. I recommend low fat cheeses because they have better flavor and texture than fat free cheeses.

Skim milk (or 1% milk) is a great source of protein. You can even make “double milk” by adding 1/3 cup of nonfat dry milk powder to 1 cup of milk. This has twice the protein of a regular cup of skim milk. If you are lactose intolerant and milk gives you gas, cramping and/or diarrhea, try Lactaid milk, Lactaid tablets or liquid, available over the counter in the drugstore.

Beans and bean soup. If beans taste good to you, such as split pea soup, but they give you gas try BEANO. This is an enzyme sold over the counter in the drugstore which, if eaten with the beans, will reduce or alleviate symptoms.

Sliced or shaved deli meat, or cooked ground meat. Cooked beef, unless it is ground, is not usually tolerated well by our patients.

Try to get 40 grams of protein a day. One cup of milk equals 8gms of protein. One ounce of meat equals 7gms of protein. One egg equals 7gms of protein. A half a cup of beans/peas equals 3-4gms of protein. A half a cup of starch such as pasta or rice and cereal equals 2-3gms of protein.

Eat well and be well.