LAWLS Bookstore

Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Nice Graphic: CDC Food Safety Free Download


Here is another very good food safety PDF from the Centers for Disease Control. Great resource for your Kitchen 411 binder. Use the link below to connect to the download graphic:

"Steps to Safe and Healthy Fruits & Vegetables from the CDC
"From the Store to Your Table. Fruits and vegetables are healthy to eat. But did you know that harmful germs, like Salmonella, E. coli, and Listeria, can sometimes be on fruits and vegetables. There are steps that can help keep you healthy - and your fruits and vegetables safer to eat -- from the store to your table."


Get the printable infograph: CDC Food Safety

Bag Salad Implicated in Illness Outbreak

I saw the news about the same time I was preparing our family dinner that included a salad of fresh greens straight from the bag: Bag Salad Implicated in Illness Outbreak. Like many hungry Americans preparing the evening meal I took pause to consider the implications of serving my safe and easy bagged salad.

What is the risk? Should we take our chances and hope our salad was safe to eat? Who can you trust regarding food safety? And what the heck is Cyclospora?

Here's a segment of the USA Today report on August 30:

"An outbreak of a diarrheal disease that has sickened 372 people in 15 states since June may be linked to a bagged salad mix.

"The evidence points to a salad mix containing iceberg and romaine lettuce, as well as carrots and red cabbage, as the source of the outbreak reported in Iowa and Nebraska," Steven Mandernach, chief of the Food and Consumer Safety Bureau of the Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals, said in a release Tuesday.

"The investigation by Iowa and Nebraska health officials found that at least 80% of people in those states infected in the cyclospora outbreak had eaten a prepackaged salad mix.

"A seven-person Food and Drug Administration team has begun a trace-back investigation to identify where the ingredients in the salad mix came from.

"Cyclospora is an intestinal illnesses caused by the microscopic parasite Cyclospora cayetanensis. It is transmitted when feces enter the food or water supply and are consumed. The disease causes watery and sometimes explosive diarrhea and is treated with antibiotics. Symptoms can also include fatigue, anorexia, bloating, stomach cramps, vomiting, muscle aches and a low fever.

"Cases have been reported in Arkansas, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Texas and Wisconsin. Health officials do not know whether all the reported cases are part of the same outbreak."
Neither state nor federal agencies have named the manufacturer or salad mix that was contaminated with the cyclospora. It is safe to expect that most salads contaminated have expired and should be discarded (the contamination dates back to June 28, 2013).

For consumers the first act of caution should be discarding any expired packaged produce. When shopping always check expiration dates and be certain the produce you purchase has been refrigerated. Experts generally agree that salads labeled "washed" or "triple-washed" do not need to be washed again at home.

The Food Safety and Nutrition Department at Clemson University addresses the issue of safe handling of lettuce and leafy greens in a 2012 publication. They advise:
Ready to Eat” Lettuce/Leafy Green Salad
If a “ready to eat” lettuce or leafy green salad is received in either a sealed bag or rigid plastic container labeled "washed", "triple washed" or "ready-to-eat" it does not need additional washing before you eat it unless specifically directed on the label. Washing ready-to-eat green salads is not likely to enhance safety. Furthermore, the risk of cross contamination from handling and food contact surfaces may outweigh any safety benefit that further washing may have.

If you choose to wash “ready to eat” lettuce or salad before use, wash your hands thoroughly with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds before handling and rewash hands as necessary. Clean the sink, colander, salad spinner and any utensils that will contact the lettuce with hot soapy water. Use cold running water to wash lettuce/leafy green salads to reduce the potential for cross contamination. Dry in a clean salad spinner or wipe dry with a paper towel that has not been previously used for another purpose."
Clemson has provided the full text of this two-page publication in a convenient downloadable PDF for reference in your own kitchen. Link below:

Download the PDF



Tuesday, July 30, 2013

Featured Articles: LAWLS Weekly Digest

Tons of great information supporting your weight loss surgery journey.

LivingAfterWLS Weekly Digest July 30, 2013
As a follow-up to our practice theme, in August we will focus on Back to Basics. August is a terrific month to review the basics, set goals, and actively get back to working the WLS tool in a manner that it in turn the tool works for us. In today's Digest we visit the Four Rules in a brief refresher.  Also today please see a clarification to last week's article on liquids, and don't miss the featured recipe: Tuna and White Bean Salad.

Featured Articles:
Losing the edge; forgetting the promises
Weight Loss & the High Protein Diet
Clarification: Caffeine, Carbonation, Alcohol
Understanding the Four Rules
Recipe: Tuna & White Bean Salad

Link to Digest



A Storm of Enthusiasm is Coming to Your WLS World!

LivingAfterWLS Weekly Digest: July 30, 2013
Practice leads to Back to Basics

Greetings!

We are about to turn the page on a new month as summer slowly slips away. I hope you are well and have been enjoying some favorite activities of LIVING during this slower-paced season. Thank you so much for selecting this correspondence from the many that fill your Inbox, I appreciate the time you spend with me.

Our July Theme, Practice Practice Practice, has focused on the constant effort health management requires of us, particularly weight management with surgery. Your feedback has shown us this topic has been quite an eye opener for many of us as we share the expectation that we should have been able to get WLS done right from the very start. But time has shown it is an endless pursuit of following the rules, self-assessment, constant learning, and a few detours along the way. There are days when I wonder, "Am I ever going to get this right?" and look at me - the focus of my workday is on understanding life after weight loss surgery!

As a follow-up to our practice theme, in August we will focus on Back to Basics. August is a terrific month to review the basics, set goals, and actively get back to working the WLS tool in a manner that it in turn the tool works for us. In today's Digest we visit the Four Rules in a brief refresher.  Also today please see a clarification to last week's article on liquids, and don't miss the featured recipe: Tuna and White Bean Salad.

I often talk about the "Storm of Enthusiasm" that is necessary in the movement toward change. You felt the Storm of Enthusiasm in the days and weeks prior to surgery and your new chance at finally getting control of your health and weight. In the next few weeks we will recapture that Storm of Enthusiasm together! I can hardly wait. The following is a brief excerpt from the 5 Day Pouch Test Owner's Manual:  (Continue reading in our Archive)

Thursday, July 25, 2013

Beyond Water: Refreshing Beverages You Will Love

Published today:
Cooking with Kaye Newsletter: Refreshing Beverages to Beat the Heat


"I know I found my way to morbid obesity drinking gallons of Diet Coke; maybe you too? We are strongly encouraged to eliminate carbonated soda from our diet after weight loss surgery at the same time we are instructed to drink lots of water. As much as I enjoy a refreshing glass of water it does get boring. Really Boring! We crave variety and flavor. The recipes I share today effectively take the boring out of the water glass while providing healthful nutrients, vitamins, and fiber. I hope you will enjoy a refreshing cool beverage today and say goodbye to boring."

Check your Inbox for this fun and informative newsletter, or link below to view live in our online archive. CHEERS!


Cooking with Kaye July 25, 2013





Featured Articles:
Liquid Refreshment After WLS
Recipe: Icy Tomato Granita
Recipes: Lemonade
Recipe: Raspberry-Lemonade Cocktail
Iced Tea: 10 things you didn't know
Recipe: Fruit & Berry Smoothies

Gmail Subscribers: Don't miss our EZINES


Technical Note for our Gmail Subscribers

Gmail's inbox has changed again. To help you navigate the changes, we've taken a closer look at the service's new customizable tabs. Designed to make your inbox more approachable, tabs organize your incoming mail into categories, giving you an at-a-glance look at what's new.

We take great pride in our LivingAfterWLS emails and maintain an 85/ 15 percent ratio of editorial content (85%) to promotional content (15%). Our promotional content provides revenue so we may offer our newsletters free. In some instances the new Gmail tab may file our newsletters under Promotions rather than placing them in your Primary tab. The technical news site Mashable has a terrific tutorial on customizing your tabs so you can find our emails and other important correspondence where you expect to see it. Link to the Tutorial  

Not signed-up for our great newsletters? Go Here - They are free and they are terrific!

Wednesday, July 24, 2013

Diet soda contributes to weight gain after WLS

What everyone must know about diet soda - Especially weight loss surgery patients!!

"In fact, according to a group of researchers at Purdue University, drinking diet soda may not only be as bad for your health as the regular stuff, but it may be causing you to pack on the pounds."

Taken from our LivingAfterWLS Weekly Digest July 23 titled, "Diet Soda is Making Us Sick: New studies implicate diet soda in weight gain and deadly disease." Link to the bulletin for this important information - free in our online archive.
Click Now!

Tuesday, July 23, 2013

LAWLS Digest: Diet Soda is Making us SICK!

Hot off the press - the LivingAfterWLS Weekly Digest -- Terrific Topic. 
View newsletter in our archive:  Link Here
 
 
Diet Soda is Making Us Sick
New studies implicate diet soda in weight gain and deadly disease
 
Here we are in the heart of summer and I do hope  this message finds you well and thank you so much for selecting this correspondence from the many that fill your Inbox, I appreciate the time you sIce Waterhare with me. While summer for me offers abundant opportunity to be more active than any other season, it also poses a problem for me. High temperatures and bright sunshine spur cravings for a refreshing iced Diet Coke with a squeeze of lemon. This was my mainstay beverage before weight loss surgery and now and again I find myself indulging in that old refreshing thirst quencher.
But I know this is not a sensible choice following weight loss surgery and a recently published study confirms that partaking of diet soda is detrimental to health and weight loss efforts. I know I'm not alone in the WLS Neighborhood when I reach for an ice cold Diet Coke, so this week's bulletin is all about the "don'ts" of diet soda and carbonated beverages after WLS. It is as much a reminder for me as it may be for you. Bottom line - carbonated soda does not support our weight management with WLS.
While we can stack the evidence against carbonated beverages (diet or regular) a mile high the single most basic reason to eliminate carbonated soda from our diet is it simply has no nutritional value. It is empty. 
This truth, above all else, should be used to inspire us to make better beverage choices. Will you pledge with me to make healthy beverage choices most of time? I'll toast our good health with a refreshing glass of iced green tea with a squeeze of lemon. Join me!

Featured Articles:
  • How Diet Soda Contributes to Obesity
  • Caffeine, Carbonation, Alcohol
  • 7 Side Effects of Drinking Diet Soda
  • Summer Fresh Smoothies
July 23, 2013 LivingAfterWLS Weekly Digest


LivingAfterWLS and Kaye Bailey consider it a privelege to publish quality email newsletters in support of your healthy weight loss and weight management with weight loss surgery. Make sure you never miss an issue by subscribing to have this terrific content delivered free to your Inbox.

Look in the left column of our newsletters for this image and click to join our list:


Go directly to sign-up: Join Us


Copyright Consideration:
You are our valued reader. We respect your rights and privacy by never sharing your information with a third party. Please respect our creative rights by honoring copyright laws and prevent plagiarism.





Also in our Archive:

5 Day Pouch Test July Bulletin
Secret to successful WLS

Special Edition Digest
Must Read:
Obesity Reclassified.
"Obesity is a medical condition, not a moral failure."

5 Day Pouch Test June Bulletin

Don't Blame the Equipment

Cooking with Kaye
June 18, 2013

The Tricky Salad Plate

Weekly Digest: June 10, 2103
Summer Living After WLS:
The Heat is ON!

Weekly Digest: June 1, 2013
Summer LivingAfterWLS:Make this Your Best Year Ever


In Season Now: Cantaloupe & Melons

Oh how I adore melon season!


 Many gastric bypass patients report melon to be one of the easiest of fruits to enjoy after surgery. Melons are generally low in natural sugar, ripe on flavor and easily digestible. They are rich in Vitamin C, Vitamin A, Potassium, Vitamin B6, folate and dietary fiber.

How to Select and Store

The key to purchasing a quality melon is to find one that is ripe. If you tap the melon with the palm of your hand and hear a hollow sound, the melon has passed is ripe. Choose a melon that seems heavy for its size, and one that does not have bruises or overly soft spots.

Melons & Food Borne Illness

Because of heightened sensitivity to foods and food borne illness gastric bypass patients must exercise extreme food safety precautions. Follow these simple guidelines to help keep your fruit fresh as well as safe.

When you buy cut melons, be sure they have been buried in ice or displayed in a refrigerated case, not just displayed on top of ice. Uncut melon does not need to be refrigerated.

Before cutting, the outer surface of the melon should be washed with drinking water to remove surface dirt.

Hands and all equipment and utensils (cutting boards, knives, etc.) need to be washed thoroughly with hot soapy water, and rinsed.

Cut melons must be refrigerated at 41º F or below.

Cut melons may be served without refrigeration for a maximum of 4 hours (such as at a brunch, picnic, or buffet). At the end of that time, any leftover melon must be thrown away.

A Few Quick Serving Ideas:

Add some sparkling water to fresh squeezed cantaloupe juice for a delightfully refreshing drink in the warm months of the year.

In a blender or food processor, purée cantaloupe and peeled soft peaches to make delicious cold soup. Add lemon juice and sweetener (sparingly) to taste.

Top cantaloupe slices with yogurt, and chopped mint.

Slice melons in half horizontally, scoop out seeds and use each half as a basket in which to serve fruit salad.

Thursday, July 18, 2013

Recipe: Lemon Broccoli Chicken

Oh does this look yummy! I found this recipe on the label for Campbell's Condensed Cream of Broccoli Soup! A side dish of steamed broccoli with a squeeze of lemon would make a perfect meal! Here's the details:

Lemon Broccoli Chicken


Ingredients:
1 Lemon
1 tablespoon vegetable oil (I'd use canola)
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1 (10.75 ounce) can Cream of Broccoli Soup
1/4 cup milk
Salt and Pepper

Directions:
Cut 4 thin slices of lemon. Squeeze 2 teaspoons juice from remaining lemon into a small bowl.

Heat oil in skillet. Cook chicken 10 minutes or until browned.

Add Soup, milk, lemon juice and salt and pepper. Top with lemon slices. Heat to a boil. Cover and cook over low heat for 5 minutes or until chicken is done. Serve warm.

Serve this for dinner tonight and enjoy!

The Science of Success: 5 Consistencies

by © 2008 Christine Carter, Ph.D.Link to the Original Article by Dr. Carter

People who rise to greatness tend to have five things in common:

1. They practice hard, in a really specific way. Nobody makes the list of true greats effortlessly. Accomplished people devote hours upon hours to what researchers define as "deliberate practice." 

2. They practice consistently. K. Anders Ericsson, author of a landmark study on this topic, says that "elite performers in many diverse domains have been found to practice, on the average, roughly the same amount every day, including weekends." 
3. They gain experience over the long haul; researchers call it the 10-year-rule. Most successful people average ten years of practice and experience before becoming truly accomplished.
4. Most greats have had significant failures-it goes with the territory. 

5. They believe persistence leads to success. Great performers have been shown to believe that their persistent effort will lead to success; researchers call this self-efficacy.
Read the Expanded article in our July 5 Day Pouch Test Bulletin

Wednesday, July 17, 2013

Try This Recipe: 5-Spice Beef with Soba Noodles



This featured recipe is published with permission from page 129, Cooking with Kaye: Methods to Meals. Enjoy it tonight!

 

Five-Spice Beef with Soba Noodles

Indy Chef, satisfies carb cravings, beef provides potent protein nutrients


This is a complete meal with the perfect balance of protein, complex carbohydrate, dietary fat, and whole grain carbohydrates found in the heart-healthy soba noodles. Chinese five-spice powder is a pungent mixture of five ground spices. Most five-spice blends combine equal parts of cinnamon, cloves, fennel seed, star anise, and Szechuan peppercorns. Look for it on the spice aisle of your favorite grocery store.

Ingredients:

1 (8-ounce) package whole grain soba noodles
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
3 tablespoons soy sauce, reduced sodium
1 teaspoon five-spice powder
1 (16-ounce) flank steak, trimmed, cut into ¼-inch strips
2 teaspoons canola oil
2 green onions, minced
2 teaspoons bottled minced garlic
2 ripe tomatoes, each cut into 6 wedges
2 green onions; cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped

Directions: Cook soba noodles according to package directions. While noodles cook, combine hoisin sauce, soy sauce, five-spice powder, and steak in a large bowl; toss to coat. In a large high-sided skillet or wok heat oil over high heat. Add minced green onions and garlic; cook and stir 30 seconds until aromatic. Add beef mixture; cook 5 minutes stirring frequently. Add tomato wedges and green onion pieces; cook 2 minutes. Divide soba noodles among four plates and top each with equal portions of the beef mixture.

Nutrition: Serves 4. Each serving provides 374 calories, 28 grams protein, 12 grams fat, 36 grams carbohydrate, 2 grams dietary fiber.

Try This: This recipe adapts easily to different protein. Try it with poultry, firm fish, or shellfish. ~ Add red or yellow bell peppers to include more antioxidant immunity boosting nutrients in your diet. ~ Hoisin sauce provides sweet and spicy complex flavor. Find bottled Hoisin sauce, also called Peking sauce, on the International foods aisle.


Visit the Cooking with Kaye board on Pinterest


Learn more about Cooking with Kaye 

Try something New - Protein First Recipes You'll Love!

Tired of the same old bland boring meals after WLS? Now is the time to join me in the kitchen with Cooking with Kaye - Protein First Meals You Will Love. 134 all new recipes and detailed techniques to take you beyond the meal to create recipes you and your family will love. Hard-back, comb binding, 196 pages. Must have for any WLS household. Introducing Kaye's new "Pace of Preparation" to identify recipes that meet your time schedule and serve your dietary needs. Meals for the blended household (WLS & non-WLS eaters), couples, singles, all of us. Introductory price guaranteed through December 31, 2013. Order your copy today!

Coupon Code HEAT2013 takes $3 off your orders of $29 or more in the General Store.





Cooking with KayeCooking with Kaye: Methods to Meals
Protein First Recipes You Will Love


Kaye Bailey's highly anticipated cookbook.
134 Irresistible Recipes - Tips & Hints - Nutritional Wisdom
Introducing Kaye's "Pace of Preparation"
Available Now!
Kaye Bailey's all-new highly anticipated cookbook Published Nov. 20, 2012. "Methods to Meals: Protein First Recipes You will Love" features 134 all new recipes and detailed techniques to take you beyond the meal to create recipes you and your family will love. Hard-back, comb binding, 196 pages. Must have for any WLS household. Introducing Kaye's new "Pace of Preparation" to identify recipes that meet your time schedule and serve your dietary needs. Meals for the blended household (WLS & non-WLS eaters), couples, singles, all of us. Introductory price guaranteed through December 31, 2012. Order your copy today! Cooking With Kaye: back cover

Supporting your weight loss surgery health management goals one delicious meal at a time.


Introductory Price: $23.95
Complimentary "Four Rules" magnet with each order ($1.95 value)
Low Introductory Price Guaranteed through 12/31/2012
(Publishers Price: $27.95 - Save $4)
SKU #LAWLS-CWKM2M
Reserve my copy of Cooking with Kaye

Tuesday, July 16, 2013

Refresher: Why working for your health with WLS matters

Are you struggling to remember why you had weight loss surgery and why working for your health must be a priority? I have those days too. Let's take a look at a few key learning points from Day 5 of the 5 Day Pouch Test found on page 89 of your 5 Day Pouch Test Owner's Manual, Second Edition:

Losing weight is a matter of health: it is not a competitive sport. Contrary to popular culture, weight loss is not a contest. Weight loss is a lifesaving initiative owned by the one taking action. This is your journey: enjoy it at your pace.

Learn to measure your worth by means other than the bathroom scale. Focus on your whole self: your intelligence, social grace, spiritual connections, and professional and scholastic achievements.

Develop strategies for navigating in the real world. When we have surgery we changed and then we return to the exact environment we lived in prior to surgery: the very environment that contributed to our obesity. The only chance we have to make the surgery work is to evolve strategies for navigating our new body in the old waters.

Always practice kindness. Be kind to yourself, our ongoing theme. Express gratitude for your weight loss tool and for your personal empowerment. Celebrate doing the best you could to find a middle ground to respect yourself and your traditions and your new WLS body. This you deserve.
Please take a few moments to consider these key learning points and add a few of your own. We are all in this together!



All New 2nd Edition-
5 Day Pouch Test Owner's Manual 5DPT Manual 2nd Edition

The complete 5 Day Pouch Test plan including inspiration, instructions, and recipes in Kaye Bailey's classic empowering style. 180-page easy to read paperback with hints, tips and encouragement that enables you to take charge of your weight loss surgery tool. 2nd Edition includes new guidelines from the FDA, USDA, and the ASMBS. 16 new 5DPT recipes; more FAQ’s; more inspiration from Kaye. Improved format. Same great plan shared with Kaye's encouragement and enthusiasm. Same low first edition price $22.95. Get back on track with Kaye! You Can Do This!
View Table of Contents
SKU #LAWLS-5DPT03
SALE! $22.95
Add 5DPT Manual to Cart
Learn more about the new second edition:
An Interview with Kaye Bailey


Baseball and Weight Loss Surgery? You Bet!!!

Today is the Major League Baseball All-Star game at Citifield (Home of the New York Mets) in New York City.  In the June 2013 issue of the 5 Day Pouch Test Bulletin (View Here) I shared some of my favorite baseball metaphors as they apply (in my mind at least) to our weight loss surgery experience.  Today seems like the appropriate time to share them here, in the LivingAfterWLS Blog.  I hope you enjoy. 

Be sure to link to the full bulletin for more baseball and weight loss surgery content - I think you'll enjoy and be inspired.  And take a look at the recipe Lemony Chicken Soup - Delicious. If you work too cold air conditioning there is nothing better than a cup of soup - even when it's scorching hot out-of-doors. 

OKAY - Here are the metaphors - Play Ball! 


Don't Blame the Equipment: Just Make the Play
by Kaye Bailey


Now, just for fun I've shared some of my favorite baseball quotes and my little interpretation of how they fit our LivingAfterWLS life - I hope you enjoy!  
"I don't care how long you've been around, you'll never see it all." Bob Lemon
No matter how familiar we get with life after weight loss surgery, our bodies will never stop surprising us in what they can accomplish and what they won't put-up with. (Kaye)

"I only had one superstition. I made sure to touch all the bases when I hit a home run." Babe Ruth
I only have one superstition in weight management: I make sure to touch all Four Rules every day. (Kaye)

"I was never nervous when I had the ball, but when I let go I was scared to death." Lefty Gomez
When we take control of our WLS equipment we have nothing to fear. When we surrender control of the equipment to other forces we must be absolutely scared to death. Don't let go of the ball. (Kaye)

"If my uniform doesn't get dirty, I haven't done anything in the baseball game." Rickey Henderson
Life after WLS can be messy: Let's go for it! (Kaye)

"The best possible thing in baseball is winning the World Series. The second best thing is losing the World Series." Tommy Lasorda
It is possible, always possible, to put a positive spin on the outcome we accomplish. While some might say not winning the World Series is losing, others might say they took second place, and that's not too bad. Put a positive spin on things and everything changes. (Kaye)

"It ain't over 'till it's over." Yogi Berra
Weight Loss Surgery should not be measured from start (surgery) to finish (goal weight). It ain't over until the game (of life) is over. (Kaye)



Check out the 5 Day Pouch Test Bulletin: June 2013

Friday, July 12, 2013

Are you Walking after WLS? Rule #4-Daily Exercise

Smart Fitness - Walking
by Kaye Bailey - LivingAfterWLS Library


"Step for step, mile for mile, walking is the best cardiovascular activity you can include as part of your weight loss surgery success story. Walking is easy, accessible, inexpensive, individual and effective. It is the gold-star sport for real people with real lives. Formerly stigmatized as cheap transportation and a senior citizens’ sport it is now a credible and fashionable form of exercise. And it’s been around for a long time – anthropoids stood upright and put one foot in front of the other thousands of years ago and we haven’t looked back since."


Read the Full Article


The RIGHT way to Stretch:

  • Relax into the stretch
  • Never force the stretch, and never bounce
  • Hold the stretch 5-10 seconds, ease off the stretch, then relax into the stretch once again for another 5-10 seconds
  • Take a relaxing breath as you start each stretch. Inhale through the nose, exhale slowly through the mouth
  • Keep your shoulders relaxed at all times
Most injuries during stretching occur due to improper stretching technique. Remember to be gentle, relax, and never force a stretch.

How is your walking program going this week?

Soup in Summer? A Great Idea!

Summer is a time of abundant vegetables available locally grown at affordable prices. Through the hot summer and into fall farm stands dot America's byways as local growers bring to the public an abundance of freshly grown vegetables, fruits and berries. People who control their weight with bariatric weight loss surgery (WLS) can benefit from a stop at the farm stand for fresh vegetables to transform into healthy soup.

A recent study from Pennsylvania State University indicates that people who include a daily serving of soup in their diet are more likely to lose weight and maintain a healthy weight than those who do not enjoy soup in their diet. A homemade vegetable soup is considered a low-energy-density food that is rich in fiber, vitamins, and nutrients. It is "low-energy" because the calories (energy) in the food are low in comparison to the volume of the food. For example, a 1-cup serving of vegetable soup is seldom more than 100 calories, depending on the amount of fat used in preparation. On the other hand a 1 cup serving of ice cream contains 300 calories making it a high-energy-density food with little nutritional value.

The study found that soup as a first course, or a mid-morning or mid-afternoon snack, is filling to the point that further calorie consumption through the day decreases. It is believed that soup helps sustain satiation because the fiber from vegetables slows digestion. In addition, carbohydrates from homemade vegetable soup tend to be low-glycemic and do not adversely affect glucose response in the same way simple processed carbohydrates do. As a result our metabolic process is steady and we do not feel an energy surge or drop that is often experienced when eating simple carbohydrates.


Promotion:
LivingAfterWLS is pleased to present our own Feed the Carb Monster Soup Mixes. Avoid carb cravings with our delicious and nutritious soup mixes. When used with the 5 Day Pouch Test or your regular post-weight loss surgery diet these soups are effective at curbing carb cravings without the calories or guilt.


Many weight loss surgery patients who complain of "carb-cravings" find that eating a 1-cup serving of soup is an effective way to stop those cravings and curtail feelings of "head-hunger." People who feed "head-hunger" with simple processed carbs tend to eat significantly more calories without satiating those cravings. This eventually leads to weight gain, even after weight loss surgery.

A good homemade vegetable soup can be put together quickly and keeps for up to a week refrigerated. Consider soup making as a series of layers, starting with savory onions and garlic. Heat a healthy monounsaturated fat such as olive oil or peanut oil over medium heat. Add one chopped onion and a clove of minced garlic and cook and stir until soft and translucent. While the onion and garlic cook wash and chop the vegetables for your soup. Select fresh seasonal vegetables that are crisp and unblemished. Vegetables that are good in summer soup include zucchini and summer squash, fresh tomatoes, green beans, carrots, turnips, spinach, napa cabbage, green onions, and fresh herbs. Fill the soup pot with as many fresh vegetables as you like, add the herbs during the final minutes of cooking.

For liquid add low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth, tomato juice, or seasoned vegetable juice such as V8 diluted with water. Simmer the vegetables and liquid just until the vegetables are tender and flavors combine. For weight loss surgery patient a thick soup is desired to provide a denser meal and avoid a "slider food" that slips through the stomach pouch too quickly. Portions should be carefully measured at 1-cup per serving and this should be eaten in 15 minutes or less. Taking longer to eat soup will result in greater consumption and a decreased feeling of fullness.

In general, a 1 cup serving of vegetable soup will provide 3 grams of protein and 15 grams of healthy carbohydrate in addition to fiber and beneficial phytonutrients including vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. While our dietary focus with weight loss surgery is to eat a high protein diet, a freshly made vegetable soup is a healthy nutritional compliment to that diet. Vegetables are known to lower the risk of many cancers, heart disease and stroke and strengthen the immune system. For many with weight loss surgery raw vegetables or salads may cause gastric distress, but most WLS patients report a high tolerance for vegetable soup.

Kaye Bailey (c) - All Rights Reserved

For more terrific weight loss surgery friendly recipes link to LivingAfterWLS Kitchen

The Secret to Lasting WLS Success

Shared from the:

The Weight Management Secret
We haven't heard before

This will change how you think about WLS

 
I hope this message finds you well and thank you so much for selecting this correspondence from the many that fill your Inbox, I appreciate the time you share with me.
In this Bulletin I have taken the liberty of exploring an idea that came to me during a research project I was involved with recently. What if getting WLS surgery right wasn't about the goal weight or my favorite Four Rules or any other little list of instructions.

What if WLS living is about dedication to an ideal goal that, like any other worthy pursuit, requires practice?
What if we put ourselves in training for healthy living? Forget relying on intuition or instructions alone.
What if we take each day as a new training session for healthy living and practice what we know in the pursuit of improvement.
What if daily practice is what makes the difference between hopelessness and thriving?
Is that the secret of making WLS work for us and work for life?  Please take a look at the feature article "Take a Tip from the Professionals" and consider how you can employ the theories of practice into your WLS lifestyle. I've found some really great quotes and shared them throughout this newsletter - they are inspiring to me and I hope you will also find them inspiring.  While you are here please enjoy one of my favorite recipes shared from Cooking with Kaye: Sweet Italian Sausage with Veggies and Pasta. It is delicious and makes practicing this high protein diet satisfying.  I've also shared a terrific piece by Dr. Christine Carter on the Science of Success.  You guessed it - it's all about practice.
Thank you for joining me this month for our 5DPT Bulletin. I wish you the very best today and always!
CHEERS!
Kaye

Note: In case you missed it last month, we published our mid-year Special Edition of the 5 Day Pouch Test Bulletin - the most commonly asked questions so far this year. Check it out in our archive: 2013 June Special Edition Bulletin

Thursday, July 11, 2013

Auto-upgrade to Priority Shipping - All Orders Today!

LivingAfterWLS General Store

Hey LivingAfterWLS Friends - Our technical problems with check-out earlier today in the General Store have been resolved. We are now able to receive & process your orders. We apologize for this interruption of service - all orders placed today (July 11) will be automatically upgraded to Priority Shipping. Thank you for your patience.

Link below to the LivingAfterWLS General Store- Your premier resource for our exclusive publications and thoughtfully selected support products for your WLS success.



July Coupon: Save $3 off orders of $29 or more.
Enter code: HEAT2013 at checkout to take $3 off your order!!!
Offer expires midnight 7/31/2013.


LivingAfterWLS General Store Home

Wednesday, July 10, 2013

Are you a slave to Carbs?

Are you a slave to snacky carbs or as we call them "slider foods"? Is this keeping you from reaching your full potential with WLS? How about a refresher course on carbohydrates and the role they play in our high protein weight loss surgery diet. Check out our 5 Day Pouch Test Bulletin free in our online archive. So much good information and inspiration here - take a look! Link to Bulletin

Opening Article: 5DPT Bulletin March 2013

Greetings! 

We know from our search engine reports that many of you find LivingAfterWLS and the 5 Day Pouch Test by looking for answers about eating carbohydrates after weight loss surgery. Perhaps you, like so many other post-WLS patients find yourself taking little nibbles of soft snacky carbs with increasing frequency. Maybe you've regained some weight and are feeling frustrated and discouraged. Maybe you are embarrassed feeling you've broken your WLS tool. You are not alone. And you have the power to change directions and improve you health and weight management. Today's bulletin offers loads of information that empowers you to make changes you can live with.

Most of us, before surgery, agreed to follow the Four Rules and we likely banished processed carbohydrates from our diet - for life. That's because we understood that eating them before surgery contributed to our obesity - the result would be the same eating them after surgery.  But somewhere down the road we relax the rules and dip into the snack bowl. It is not that we are weak human beings. It is because soft carbs are more comfortable to eat than protein and in our society soft carbs are ever present. After weight loss surgery we call these snacks slider foods.
 
"The very nature of the surgical gastric pouch is to cause feelings of tightness or restriction when one has eaten enough food. However, when soft simple carbohydrates are eaten this tightness or restriction does not result and one can continue to eat, unmeasured amounts of food without ever feeling uncomfortable. Many patients unknowingly turn to slider foods for this very reason. They do not like the discomfort that results when the pouch is full from eating a measured portion of lean animal or dairy protein, and it is more comfortable to eat the soft slider foods. Slider foods have played a significant role in every case of post-WLS weight regain that I have ever heard about." (5DPT Owner's Manual page 34)
 
Today we look at the role of carbohydrates in the post-WLS diet and learn how to include nutrient dense complex carbs in our Protein First meals. When we find a balanced plate that works specifically for our individual WLS-pouch we enjoy feelings of fullness, feelings of wellness and accomplishment, and we are likely to lose weight and sustain a healthy weight loss.
You can Do this!
Kaye

Link to Bulletin


Is it too late for me to do the 5DPT?

One of our LivingAfterWLS Friends asked, Is it too late for me to do the 5DPT? Maybe you are asking yourself the same thing. Here is the standard answer from our 5DPT Bulletin and a link to another helpful article. I hope you find it helpful. Have a fine healthy day everyone!
"Question: I had surgery X-many years ago. Is it to late for me to do the 5DPT?

Answer: Only you can answer this question. I know of people who had bariatric surgery back in the 1980's --when the procedure was a simple staple line down the stomach-- who have successfully done the 5DPT. Many times when people ask me if it is too late to do the 5DPT it is out of fear: fear they will learn their pouch no longer works or fear they will learn the pouch does work. The simple back to basics 5DPT will not cause you harm and it is only 5 days of your life. So it is up to you to decide if it is too late."


Tuesday, July 09, 2013

Was your 5 Day Pouch Test a Success?


View in our Gallery 

Infographic: "Was my 5 Day Pouch Test a success?" Helpful reminders for any stage of life after weight loss surgery. Please note - weight loss measured in lost pounds is not an indicator of success in this infographic.

Check it out! 5DPT Success:






Check-up: Do you know your BMI?

Have you checked your BMI lately? Use the American Heart Associations online calculator to see your BMI status and make a plan for continued health and weight management with WLS. From the American Heart Association:

Body Mass Index (BMI Calculator)

pe-img-weight-bmi-preview The benefits of maintaining a healthy weight go far beyond improved energy and smaller clothing sizes. By losing weight or maintaining a healthy weight, you are also likely to enjoy these quality-of-life factors too.
  • Fewer joint and muscle pains
  • Greater ability to join in desired activities
  • Better regulation of bodily fluids and blood pressure
  • Reduced burden on your heart and circulatory system
  • Better sleep patterns
  • More effective metabolism of sugars and carbohydrates
  • Reduced risk for heart disease and certain cancers
Your BMI is a good indicator of whether you're at a healthy or unhealthy weight. Find your BMI and what it means with our handy BMI Calculator.
  • BMI stands for Body Mass Index
    This is a numerical value of your weight in relation to your height. BMIs are good indicators of healthy or unhealthy weights for adult men and women, regardless of body frame size. A BMI of less than 25 kg/m² indicates a healthy weight. A BMI of less than 18.5 kg/m² is considered underweight. A BMI between 25 kg/m² and 29.9 kg/m² is considered overweight. A BMI of 30 kg/m² or higher indicates obesity.
  • Excess weight increases the heart's work.
    It also raises blood pressure and blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels and lowers HDL (good) cholesterol levels. It can make diabetes more likely to develop, too. Losing as few as 10 pounds can lower your heart disease risk.
  • To calculate your BMI:
    • Type your height and weight into the calculator.
    • Select a status option if you're under 20 years old, highly trained/athletic, pregnant or breastfeeding. If one of these situations applies to you, the BMI may not be the best method of assessing your risk from overweight or obesity.

This content was last reviewed on 01/10/2013.
AMA BMI Calculator

Lemon Ginger Iced Tea - Comfort That Tiny Tummy


Not the Queen's Tea

Perhaps you, like me, enjoyed the July 4th food and festivities more than your little tummy pouch could appreciate and you've got a tummy ache or grumpy pouch. It happens this time of year when picnic tables are filled with rich foods, spicy sauces, and seasonal abundance. If you are still feeling blue from the red-white-blue revelry give this simple tea recipe a try and baby that tender pouch. I'm icing-up my glass right now. Cheers!

Lemon Ginger Iced Tea!

There is a certain clean feeling that comes from drinking tea - I think if you are not already including green tea in your healthy weight management plan that once you do, you'll be hooked. Give it a try! Herbal tea counts towards water intake and provides many health benefits.

Ingredients:
2 cups water
1 teaspoon ground ginger
2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
6 green tea bags
juice of 1 lemon
low-calorie sweetener of choice, to taste

Directions: Add water, ground ginger, and lemon peel to medium saucepan and bring to boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to where it sustains a gentle boil and cook for about 7-8 minutes. Remove from heat and add the green tea bags. Steep this tea mixture for 10 minutes, stirring or dunking the bags often.
Remove tea bags and stir lemon juice into the tea liquid. Cover and refrigerator for up to 1 to 2 weeks.To make a cup of iced tea, pour 1/4 cup of the concentrated tea mixture into a tall glass and stir in 3/4 cup of cold water, add sweetener as desired.  Add ice cubes and enjoy!

More recipes:
 Day 6 - Beyond 5 Day Pouch Test

Monday, July 08, 2013

Book Bundles: Save 25%

General Store Homepage

LivingAfterWLS is pleased to offer exclusively books from our publishing line including Kaye Bailey's critically acclaimed 5 Day Pouch Test Owner's Manual and her follow-up Day 6: Beyond the 5 Day Pouch Test; and the all new recipe collection, Cooking with Kaye: Methods to Meals. In addition we are actively building our media library to include publications that will empower you to achieve greater success with weight loss surgery.

LAWLS Bookworm Bundle - Save 25% on Bundle!

LAWLS Bookworm Bundle Save 25% and build your WLS Library with quality publications! Exclusively sold at LivingAfterWLS Kaye Bailey's work is internationally acclaimed and supported by bariatric centers, nutritionists, support groups, and people just like you doing their very best LivingAfterWLS with bariatric surgery.

Bundle includes: 5 Day Pouch Test Owner's Manual 2nd Edition (2012); Day 6: Beyond 5DPT (2009); Cooking with Kaye-Methods to Meals (2012). Over 250 recipes; 600 pages of effective empowerment supporting your healthy weight management. Publishers suggested retail price $82.95 - Save $21 with bundle.
Free goody bag with purchase ($2.95 value).

SKU #LAWLS-BWB3
Suggested Publisher Price: $82.95 - Purchased separately $72.95
Bundle Price: $61.95 - (Save $21.00)
Add Bookworm Bundle to Cart.