Foods to avoid while on Saxenda are not to make someone hate some foods but to avoid those foods that can cause reactions like nausea while you take the drug. This is to help you reach the maximum result of your weight loss goal. Going through weight loss does not only mean you will take drugs but there are lifestyles you must adopt like your sleep, exercise and eating habits.
Using Saxenda does not cause interactions with food but there are few foods you should take while taking the drug so as to help you reduce the side effects and achieve the best results. Read on to understand more about the drug, how it works, foods to avoid and what to eat and side effects.
WHAT IS SAXENDA?
Saxenda or liraglutide is a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to be used in treating people with overweight and obesity. It is combined with healthy changes to exercise and food intake to help people with weight loss and to manage their weight for a long time.
This drug Saxenda, is manufactured by Novo Nordisk. This company also produces GLP-1s Wegovy and Ozempic. The active ingredient in Saxenda known as Liraglutide is also prescribed for people with type 2 diabetes under the brand name Victoza.
HOW DOES SAXENDA WORK?
Saxenda works by imitating the natural hormones the body produce, these hormones are known as incretin. The incretin hormones are responsible for sending signal to the brain, endocrine, and gastrointestinal systems that the body has been consumed.
This leads to complex surge of hormones and neurotransmitters and they help to communicate feelings to your brain, endocrine, and gastrointestinal systems that you are full. The result is that food leaves your stomach at a slow rate.
Saxenda, just like other GLP-1 medications can improve the blood sugar levels in people who have impaired glucose tolerance or diabetes. Saxenda does not work on your weight loss alone, it only makes it easier for you to stick to habits and lose weight.
To get the best result, you must combine the drug with modifications like what you eat, how and when you exercise, sleep and emotional health. For instance, you should get fewer fast digesting carbohydrates and more of whole foods, engage in at least 150 minutes of exercise or physical activities, improve your sleep quality and manage things that give you stress.
FOODS TO AVOID WHILE ON SAXENDA
It is usual to crave for some of your best and regular foods but eating them while on Saxenda or other GLP-1 medications will cause some unpleasant reactions. Some of the reactions can be flatulence, bloating, nausea, reflux, stomach cramps, change in taste and a lack of sense of satisfaction.
Some foods to avoid are:
- Fried Foods: These are foods cooked by frying in hot fat such as cooking oil. These foods include fried egg, plantain or banana chips and frittata, corn dog, doughnuts, egg roll, French fries, fried chicken, fried noodles, peanuts, samosa, scotch eggs, deep fried turkey, fried cheese or butter, and others.
- Foods High in Saturated Fat: Pastries and pies, coconut and palm oils, coconut cream, fatty meats such as lamb chops, milk nd white chocolate, cakes, toffee, biscuits, puddings, sausages, bacon, kebab, burgers, butter, margarine, lard, ghee, dripping, goose fat, suet, and full fat diary products.
- Processed Foods: Nut, cookies, instant noodles, potato chips, white bread, sausages, tinned vegetables, breakfast cereals, ready meals or microwave meals.
- Sugar-Laden Foods: Candies, cookies and cakes, pies and cobblers, doughnuts, pastries, sweet rolls, and sugar sweetened drinks.
- Carbonated Drinks (sodas): other sugary drinks such as cola, pop, fruit punch, tonic, soda, energy drinks, sweetened powdered drinks and lemonades.
- Fast Food: unhealthy restaurant foods
WHAT TO EAT WHEN TAKING SAXENDA
People who are overweight or obese are usually given a calorie limit each day which can be around 2000 to 2500. You should not only consider the calorie content of any food but also the nutritional content or value. You should ask your self the effects of any food on your blood sugar, if there are vitamins and minerals, if the food will keep you full for some period of time even with the low calorie content.
It is important to include some foods in your diet plan, some of them are:
- Foods that are Rich in Protein: Eating lots of protein is very important to your body and health. These foods almost all the functions in your body, keep you full for a long time and help you to maintain a healthy body weight. Examples of such foods include spinach, beans, turkey, lentils, tuna, prawns, chicken, eggs, chickpeas, kidney beans and others.
- Fruits and Vegetables Rich in Vitamins: Fruits and vegetables are packed with many vitamins and they are low in fats as well. There are so many fruits and vegetables to add to your diet depending on your preference. Examples include sweet potato, asparagus, broccoli, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, kale, carrots, chard, cabbage, squash, turnips, pumpkin, bell peppers, green beans, peaches, pears, apples, plum, pawpaw, pineapple, mangoes, bananas, blueberries, cherries, strawberry, melons, tomatoes, avocado, citrus like orange.
- Whole Grains: These foods are high in fiber and complex carbs, they will keep you full for a very long time without increasing your blood sugar. They should have at least 3 grams of fiber per serving. Examples of such foods are buckwheat, oats, cracked wheat, whole wheat pasta, quinoa, whole wheat tortillas, barley, whole grain wheat or oats and brown or wild rice.
TIPS THAT CAN HELP YOU GET THE BEST RESULTS FROM SAXENDA
- Exercise is very important while taking this drug, keeping different muscles in the body active influences the the body to absorb sugar from the bloodstream and convert it to energy. Exercises can also keep the blood sugar levels regulated.
- Be consistent in taking Saxenda, there is no time of the day that is best for taking Saxenda. You must make sure to take it every day around the same time, you should try not to miss your dose any day.
- Pay close attention to portion control as eating too much food can make you overweight and obese. You can use a smaller plate to control your portion and help you from eating much.
- You do not have to stick to same recipe or meal. You can search for different recipes of the recommended foods to spice them up. You can be creative with your food choices.
- Drink at least four bottles of water every day. The goal is to stay hydrated always.
- To avoid tempting yourself, do not buy the food you are not supposed to eat.
- You can cut up fruits and vegetables to make snacks with. You can munch them instead of buying fast foods and snacks.
- Avoid taking alcoholic drinks
- Stick to the recommended foods avoid those you are not supposed to eat.
WHO CAN TAKE SAXENDA?
Saxenda is designed to be used in adults whose body mass index are greater than 27 (overweight) and those with body mass index that is greater than 30 (obesity).
Before taking Saxenda, you should tell your doctor if you are or have any of the following:
- Pregnant or trying to be
- Breastfeeding or planning to breastfeed
- A heavy alcohol user
- Had a history of allergic reaction to liraglutide
- Pancreatitis
- Endocrine tumors in your pancreas, pituitary, thyroid, parathyroid or adrenal glands
- If you or your family have a history of Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia syndrome type 2 (MEN2)
- Have had diabetic retinopathy or vision problems
- Have kidney disease, kidney failure, or other kidney problems
- Disease or problems with your gallbladder
- Gastrointestinal disease
- Have had or have history of thyroid cancer or thyroid tumor.
SIDE EFFECTS OF TAKING SAXENDA
There are mild effects of this drug that go away with time.
These common side effects are:
- Constipation
- Nausea
- Pain and discomfort in the stomach
- Diarrhea
- Decrease in appetite
- Vomiting
- Fatigue
- Indigestion
Some severe side effects may be:
- Low blood sugar
- Increase in heart rate
- Several pain in the abdomen
You should see a doctor if you notice any of the mild side effects not going away after some time or you experience the severe side effects.
SHOULD YOU EAT BEFORE TAKING SAXENDA?
It is not compulsory that you eat before taking Saxenda as the drug can be taken at any time of the day. However, it is recommended that you take the drug at the same time each day, you just have to choose a time that is most convenient for you each day. Saxenda comes in an easy-to-use prefilled pens that you can inject into your upper arm, thigh or abdomen. The injection is painless and your doctor will give you instructions on how to use it.
CONCLUSION
There are certain foods that should not be taken with Saxenda as they will disrupt the effect of the injection in your system. These foods include fried foods, processed foods, high saturated fat foods , sugar added foods and others. Stick to the recommended foods to help Saxenda give you the best result.