Daffodil Days 2012

When I'm in charge Daffodil Days will be a national holiday. Here are this year's American Cancer Society Daffodils with collector Boyd's Bear "Shar N. Hope". This one's for you KimS. ♥

ACS Daffodil Days

About Daffodil Days

You can give hope to people facing cancer and save lives by supporting the American Cancer Society Daffodil Days program. The Daffodil Days program is your chance to fight back against cancer by raising funds and awareness to help beat the disease. While the Daffodil Days program involves offering daffodils every spring to donors in appreciation for their contributions, it is about more than just giving beautiful flowers - it is everyone's opportunity to create a world with less cancer and more birthdays, where cancer never steals another year from anyone's life.
The dollars you raise through the Daffodil Days program do make a difference. Your support allows the American Cancer Society to save lives and create a world with more birthdays by helping people stay well and get well, by finding cures, and by fighting back against cancer.

About Gift of Hope

Each Daffodil Days participant has the opportunity to donate a Gift of Hope in any denomination. A Gift of Hope donation funds cancer research, educational programs, advocacy, services for cancer patients and their families, and furthers the mission of the American Cancer Society. The Gift of Hope also enables your American Cancer Society to deliver flowers anonymously to cancer patients at medical centers and facilities in your community. Gifts of Hope are not delivered to specific cancer patients, nor are the donor's name attached to the gift.

Leftover Corned Beef? Try these Recipes!

Cooking with Kaye Newsletter:
Inspired Irish Recipes
For St. Patrick's Day & Beyond  

Weeknight Cheater:

Corned Beef Quesadillas

This puts an unexpected Tex-Mex twist on your corned beef leftovers that is sure to be a big hit with the family. Look for low-carb tortillas in the deli section of your supermarket. Pre-made and toasted quesadillas reheat quickly in the microwave oven for a delicious lunch the following day. 

Ingredients:
1/2 pound corned beef, cooked and sliced
1/4 pound Monterrey jack cheese, shredded
1 (4-ounce) can diced green chilies, drained
4 small low-carb tortillas
Cooking spray 

Spray a medium (10-inch) non-stick skillet with cooking spray and place over medium heat. Meanwhile layer a tortilla with 2 slices of corned beef, 1 Tablespoon Monterrey jack cheese, 1 Tablespoon diced green chilies. Top with a second tortilla. Slide into the preheated skillet and heat, watching closely for the tortilla to brown and the cheese to melt. Turn once and cook on second side. Remove to cutting board, slice and serve warm. Garnish with tomato slices, avocado and sour cream or salsa if desired.  

*Consider using whole grain tortillas for added fiber and nutrients.

More recipes in the Newsletter

General Store: Spring Coupon save $3 at Checkout

Coupon Code: SPRING2012 takes $3.00 off orders of $29 or more at checkout. Great time to shop & stock-up on quality #WLS supplies to support your life-long weight management goals.

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Good Luck and Weight Loss Surgery: Are you one of the "Lucky" ones?

LivingAfterWLS Weekly Digest March 20, 2012

Over the weekend we marked St. Patrick's Day - a celebration of Ireland's culture of which luck plays a starring role. Legend and folklore entwine luck in song and tale about the Irish people. Symbols of luck - the four leaf clover and pot of gold at the end of the rainbow - abound. And classic Irish blessings bestow luck upon the deserving. So here at LivingAfterWLS under our own beautiful rainbow we searched for the pot of gold to find how luck plays a role in our weight loss surgery experience. Please join us in the wearin' of the green as we explore the lucky side of weight loss surgery in this You Have Arrived Newsletter. And please enjoy a pot of slow cooker stew (recipe below) on us - You are sure to feel lucky with this in your bowl.

Link to Newsletter

Irish Beef Pot Roast with Vegetables Recipe

Use the slow cooker and have this delicious St. Patty's Day dinner ready for dinner. 

Irish Beef Pot Roast with Vegetables Recipe - Diabetic Recipes from Diabetic Gourmet Magazine

Ingredients

• 1 boneless beef bottom round rump roast or beef bottom round (3 to 3-1/4 pounds)
• 2 packages (24 ounces each) fresh pot roast vegetables (potatoes, onions, carrots, celery)
• 2 packages (.75 to .88 ounces each) mushroom or brown gravy mix
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 cup beer
• Chopped fresh parsley (optional)

Directions

1. Prepare pot roast vegetables: cut potatoes in half (or into quarters if large), onions into 1/2-inch wedges, and carrots and celery into 2-inch pieces; set aside.
2. Combine gravy mixes, flour, salt and pepper in large bowl. Add vegetables to bowl; toss to coat well. Remove vegetables from flour mixture and place in 5 to 6-quart slow cooker. Add beef roast to bowl, turning to coat evenly with flour mixture. Remove roast and place in slow cooker in center of vegetables.
3. Whisk beer into remaining flour mixture until smooth; add to slow cooker. Cover and cook on LOW 10 to 11 hours, or on HIGH 6 to 7 hours, or until beef and vegetables are fork-tender. (No stirring is necessary during cooking.)
4. Remove roast and vegetables. Skim fat from gravy. Carve roast into thin slices. Serve with vegetables and gravy. Sprinkle with parsley, if desired. 

Interesting new procedure in bariatric surgery. Published by Medical News Today.

Stomach Origami - New Weight Loss Surgery

Stomach Origami - New Weight Loss Surgery

14 Mar 2012  

A novel weight loss surgery called gastric plication, that involves the stomach being folded into a smaller, more compact size, is currently a new clinical trial option at UC San Diego Health System for individuals wanting weight-loss surgery that does not permanently alter their anatomy or require an implanted device.

Santiago Horgan, M.D., chief of minimally invasive surgery and director of the UC San Diego Bariatric Metabolic Institute, said:

"This minimally invasive surgery is a new choice for patients who are more than 30 pounds overweight. By folding the stomach, we can reduce the volume by 70 percent. Patients can expect to lose up to 2 pounds per week following the procedure."

According to Horgan, the 1-hour procedure is comparable to the art of origami. Gastric plication is performed laparoscopically and is potentially reversible. In order to reach the stomach to place the folds, 1 to 5 incisions are made in the abdomen. One or two folds (depending on the size of the patient's stomach) are then created with non-absorbable sutures.

Horgan, explained:

"After surgery, with a smaller stomach size, a patient feels fuller faster and is likely to have an actual decrease in appetite. If, for some reason, we need to return the stomach to its original size, we can do so. Also, since the patient's anatomy is not rerouted, the patient does not have severe food restrictions."

Individuals undergoing the procedure are only hospitalized for 1 or 2 days and can return to normal activities in one week. Candidates must have a body mass index of at least 27.

The procedure not only helps with weight loss, but also has associated benefits according to Horgan. Several patients are able to reduce their diabetes, depression and blood pressure medications. These long-term results are the result of a combination of surgery, exercise and healthy eating.

This clinical trial surgery was performed by Horgan as well as Garth Jacobsen, MD, and Nikolai A. Bildzukewicz, MD, of UC San Diego Health System.

Written by Grace Rattue
Copyright: Medical News Today

Cooking with Kaye: Inspired Irish Recipes

Cooking with Kaye - Live online today in our archive:

Inspired Irish Recipes
For St. Patrick's Day and Beyond
8 Recipes - Great family meals


March 14, 2012
Happy St. Patrick's Day!

This week many of us will serve up a traditional classic corned beef and cabbage dinner in what has become a great Irish-American tradition. Corned beef seems to be one of those foods you either love or your hate; not many fence sitters on this one. After weight loss surgery if we have developed a salt sensitivity corned beef does not always sit well with us and cooked cabbage can cause gastric distress for us. The key is to enjoy small portions and remain hydrated before and after a traditional corned beef dinner. For me, a life-long lover of corned beef, I now find greater enjoyment in using the leftover corned beef to play a smaller role in reinvented main dishes. Today I share my classic corned beef dinner with you along with some make-over dishes that I think you will enjoy. And for dessert be sure and try my festive Shamrock Meringue Kisses - Guilt Free & Delicious!

Happy St. Patrick's Day! And may the luck of the Irish be with you!

Thanks for cooking with me!
Kaye Bailey

Link to full newsletter

Is the 5 Day Pouch Test dangerous to my health?

The March 2012 5 Day Pouch Test Bulletin is now live online in our archive. We answer the pressing question, "Is the 5DPT Dangerous to my health?"

Greetings Neighbors!

If you are receiving this message from me it is because you signed up to receive it and you probably already know a little bit about the 5 Day Pouch Test  and about me. Thank you.  

Recently someone wrote to say they were afraid to do the 5DPT because they read in a forum that the plan is dangerous. Dangerous how? I asked. Because it is a liquid diet, came the response.  Apparently there was some confusion about the plan as a whole. A liquid diet should only be followed under the care and supervision of a qualified health care professional. The 5 Day Pouch Test plan includes two days of eating liquid meals but the definition of liquids includes things beyond protein shakes and clear broth. Our Day 1 & 2 liquids include delicious soups made of wholesome vegetables and meat protein. It is not necessary to puree the soups as the chewing of braised meats and vegetables is a critical step in initiating the digestive process that leads to digestion and satiation. These soups are so wholesome and delicious that many people continue to enjoy the recipes beyond the 5DPT.

Soup Recipes

I am aware that some people chose to eat protein shakes exclusively for Days 1 & 2 and some even add a few extra liquid days into the plan. Once they change the plan that much they are no longer doing the 5 Day Pouch Test: they are doing a liquid diet or liquid fast and ultimately they experience disappointing results.

The 5 Day Pouch Test, with its two days of liquids as the plan defines them, is not dangerous to your health. When the 5DPT is done correctly the liquid days give your digestive system a much needed break from the off-plan foods you may have been eating such as snacky non-nutritional carbohydrates. By eating both protein fortified drinks and nutrient rich soups one achieves the greatest results, gently breaking a carbohydrate snacking cycle and relieving the intestinal inflammation that results from slider food snacking. Those who follow the plan closely report the greatest feeling of satiation and fewer symptoms of carb-withdrawal than those who eat only protein shakes or clear broth for two days.
 

The 5DPT as it is written and presented online and in print is an organized approach to getting back to the WLS basics both mentally and metabolically. When followed with attention to details we hear great success stories that include restored feelings of pouch tightness and satiation, lost weight, increased energy and overall improved confidence and mental well-being. 

If you are going to invest five days into getting back on track then do it all the way. Take the program as a whole and immerse yourself in doing it right. Build that storm of enthusiasm and recreate the excitement you felt leading into surgery and the days and weeks that followed. Learn about yourself. Take notes and use the 5DPT 2-page journal. Learn your strengths and weaknesses and harness that knowledge to do better on Day 6 and Beyond.

You Can Do This!

Kaye

Read the full Newsletter

Three Benefits of Journaling for Successful Weight Management

Perfect for WLS weight management

People who undergo surgery for weight loss are often tempted to simply let the surgery do the work for weight loss without making an effort to adapt new healthier diet and fitness habits. But the surgical bariatric patients who wish to achieve weight loss and maintain a healthy weight for years to come will use the surgery as an opportunity to form new habits creating a new healthier way of life. Using checklists to set goals, make a plan, and promote accountability is a key way for weight loss surgery patients to make the most of their surgical opportunity to lose weight and maintain a healthy weight long-term. Here are three benefits checklists provide:

Map a Plan. We have all been heard saying things like, "I need to lose some weight" or "I need to plan my meals and eat better" or "I really should start exercising." And we know that saying these things seldom puts in motion the actions to accomplish results. The use of checklists can change words to results because they give us a place in which to map a plan. A good checklist will provide an opportunity to set a goal and then outline the steps required to achieve that goal. Just like a well-planned road trip a good check list maps the route for the journey to ensure the destination is reached.

Establish Accountability. We may not like to admit it as adults, but the simple fact is we perform better when we are held accountable. That includes being personally and possibly privately accountable to our self when pursing goals that are important to us. A good checklist holds us accountable with milestones and deadlines. Saying "I'd like to sign-up for a 5K race," doesn't hold the punch that writing down on a checklist, "Participate in benefit 5K three weeks from today" does. Seeing the goal written down keeps it present in our thoughts and actions. And the best part is that little check box in which we can put a great big X when the goal is accomplished. Accountability with checklists can be a private action, or it may be shared by like-minded people. People with shared goals may wish to share their checklists adding another layer of accountability that is both motivating and empowering.

Tactile Action. The literal act of holding a checklist, filling-in the blanks, and marking boxes is physically rewarding. But more importantly the act of writing a checklist, marking progress and accomplishing tasks or goals with a it gives us a pause to consider our goals and assess our progress. Effective time management strategies call for small blocks of time set aside to focus exclusively on making checklists, marking progress and noting accomplishment. For effective weight loss and weight management time should be dedicated each day to make and review checklists all the while keeping an eye on our big goals and the route we will take to achieve them.

Checklists can be as simple or as complicated you make them. When the goal is as important as long-term health and weight management the investment of time and thought in a well executed checklist nets great benefits.

Ultimate Pocket Diet Journal - Get yours today!

Lasting Success Book Bundle - Save 15% on Bundle!

Customer Top Rated
Lasting Success Book Bundle - Save 15% on Bundle!

Put the Power of the Pouch in your hands with Kaye Bailey's two best selling books plus the highly effective Ultimate Pocket Diet Journal. Our customer favorite Lasting Success Book Bundle includes The 5 Day Pouch Test Owner's Manual (2008); Day 6: Beyond the 5 Day Pouch Test (2009); and The Ultimate Pocket Diet Journal (by Alex Lluch 2006). 600 pages of inspiration, motivation, empowerment & know-how to get you on track with WLS and keep you there! Great recipes, inspiring hints and proven secrets! Spoken in Kaye's compelling voice of compassion and "You Can Do This" spirit. Great bundle ensuring your lasting success with Weight Loss Surgery.

Exclusively available at the LivingAfterWLS General Store