Easy Tip: Wake-up, Breathe, Stretch and Boost Metabolism

Good morning dear readers! Yesterday in the Inspired Reminders bulletin we talked about the benefits of little bursts of physical movement to boost mood, increase metabolism, and simply make us feel good. I hope you had a chance to take a look at the bulletin. If you missed it please check it out online in our archive: Spring is Here! Let's Shake the Wiggles Out. Continuing that theme today let's talk about another basic of living: breathing.

Deep breathing and stretching
provides immediate mood and energy boost!

When was the last time you treated yourself to a good stretch upon waking? Are you like me, hit the alarm and hit the ground running to get to your busy day? Try this tomorrow morning as you wake to greet the day. Before rising take some big inhales and slow exhales: Oxygen is the energy of life.

Studies suggest that deep breathing contributes to a longer life, and improved mood, stress reduction, and the release of harmful toxins. With deep breathing the blood becomes oxygenated which improves all functions in the body including the metabolism of nutrients and vitamins: So very important after WLS. Further studies suggest that extra oxygen from deep breathing burns excess body fat more efficiently thus leading to improved weight loss. What a great benefit from a free and painless task!

Next stretch your limbs and body to loosen the muscles and open the cells to receive this healthy oxygen. Our cats already know that a good leisurely stretch is the best way to wake from sleep, we can learn by their example. A good morning stretch does not have to be the formal stretching that comes after exercise class. Think back to kindergarten when we stretched tall to touch the sky and bent low to touch our toes. Now sway left to right, right to left like a tree in the wind. Rotate your head and stretch your neck and spine.

By now your good mood morning is underway and you've barely stepped out of bed! It's not just your imagination either: Stretching encourages the release of endorphins, providing a sense of tranquility and euphoria. You are now chemically predisposed to having a good day!

Check out: Do you suffer from Sitting Disease? Try this quick fix!

The Four Rules of WLS: Our January Topic

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For me January is always the month to get back to the basics and put things to right in the areas of my life that need some order and re-focus. Not surprisingly, my health management always requires an effort of reordering and focus on the dawn of a new year. I don't know why I drift away from the basics of weight loss surgery health management as the year progresses but I do with the same predictability as the phases of the moon.

So, with your indulgence I'm using the LivingAfterWLS Blog and our different newsletters to study and refresh my understanding of the Four Rules of weight loss surgery. You've already seen some posts related to the Four Rules and I'll continue to work through each rule in detail as the month marches along. Today I'm sharing the Four Rules Summary, with permission, from The 5 Day Pouch Test Owner's Manual. This is a brief rundown on the rules and why we have them - a good reference point to support the rest of our Four Rules discussion. Be sure to click the link for our Four Rules infograph - a free download poster for you to enjoy!

Thanks for joining me this year and I'm looking forward to feeling my best as I set to right my health in this new year!

Four Rules: Weight Loss Surgery basics

Shared with permission from The 5 Day Pouch Test Owner's Manual (2nd Edition) by Kaye Bailey
"As patients we are well aware that WLS is frequently perceived by outsiders as an easy means to weight loss that requires little or no effort by the patient. It turns out there is nothing easy about the post-WLS lifestyle. At the time of surgery we agreed to follow Four Rules of dietary and lifestyle management guidelines for the rest of our life in order to lose weight and maintain a healthy weight. This is our burden and our responsibility if we wish to keep morbid obesity in remission.
All surgical weight loss procedures including gastric bypass, adjustable gastric banding (lap-band) and gastric sleeve, promote weight loss by decreasing energy (caloric) intake with a reduced or restricted stomach size. The small stomach pouch is only effective when a patient rigorously follows the Four Rules: eat a high protein diet; drink lots of water; avoid snacking on empty calorie food; engage in daily exercise.

"In our introduction to a bariatric program we were taught and agreed to follow the standard Four Rules which work in concert with our surgically altered stomach and digestive system to bring about rapid massive weight loss. In fact, most of us were asked during the psychological evaluation if we could commit to following the Four Rules. Like me, I bet you said “Of course” with complete confidence.  What I missed in the orientation was that these rules would be a way of life for the rest of my life. The Four Rules and other WLS dietary basics are discussed in greater detail in Chapter 9. For now let’s take a quick look at each rule as it applies to WLS patients.

"Protein First: At every meal the WLS patient will eat lean animal, dairy, or vegetable protein before any other food. Protein shakes or supplements may be included as part of the weight loss surgery diet. Patients are advised to consume 60-105 grams of protein a day. Eating lean protein will create a tight feeling in the surgical stomach pouch: this feeling is the signal to stop eating. Many patients report discomfort when eating lean protein, yet this discomfort is the very reason the stomach pouch is effective in reducing food and caloric intake. Animal products are the most nutrient rich source of protein and include fish, shellfish, poultry, and meat. Dairy protein, including eggs, yogurt, and cheese, is another excellent source of protein.

"Lots of Water: Like most weight loss programs, bariatric surgery patients are instructed to drink lots of water throughout the day. Most centers advise a minimum of 64 fluid ounces of water each day. Water hydrates the organs and cells and facilitates the metabolic processes of human life. Water flushes toxins and waste from the body. Patients are strongly discouraged from drinking carbonated beverages. In addition, patients are warned against excessive alcohol intake as it tends to have a quicker and more profound intoxicating affect compared with pre-surgery consumption. In addition, non-nutritional beverages of any kind may lead to weight gain and increased snacking.

From our Four Rules Infographic. Link Here to see the full poster & download free!

"No Snacking: Patients are discouraged from snacking which may impede weight loss and lead to weight gain. Specifically, patients are forbidden to partake of traditional processed carbohydrate snacks, such as chips, crackers, baked goods, and sweets. Patients who return to snacking on empty calorie non-nutritional food defeat the restrictive nature of the surgery and weight gain results.  It is seemingly contradictory that the 5DPT allows snacking. High protein snacks are allowed because they keep the metabolism active, they satiate hunger, and they help relieve the symptoms of carbohydrate withdrawal.

"Daily Exercise: In general patients are advised to engage in 30 minutes of physical activity on most days of the week. The most effective way to heal the body from the ravages of obesity is to exercise. Exercise means moving the body: walking, stretching, bending, inhaling and exhaling. Exercise is the most effective, most enjoyable, most beneficial gift one can receive when recovering from life threatening, crippling morbid obesity. Consistent exercise will keep morbid obesity in remission and help compensate for lapses in following the three other rules. People who successfully maintain their weight exercise daily"

Free Four Rules Infograph from LivingAfterWLS

Do you suffer from Sitting Disease? Try this quick fix!

Hello Dear Readers. I wish you a mindful Martin Luther King Jr. Day and I hope your reflections today celebrate the good things in life.

Do you remember back in 2013 when the American Medical Association (AMA) declared obesity a disease? Here's a link to the announcement, just a little refresher:  Obesity a disease, not a choice

That same month (June 2013) the AMA announced, with less fanfare, that sitting was the new smoking and the term "sitting disease" gained awareness and attention from the leading health organizations. The AMA bluntly declared that sitting down for too long is hazardous to your health. Numerous studies support this claim and implicate the change of workplace behavior from active and service oriented jobs to sedentary desk jobs as the leading cause of "sitting disease."  The AMA points out that excessive sitting contributes to an 18 percent increase in dying of cardiovascular disease and a 17 percent increase of dying from cancer. And here's the scary part -- 86 percent of office workers report sitting at work all day, every day.

 "The science is absolute: The more you sit, the more you get sick. And the more you get on your feet and move, the quicker you regain your health and vitality." Reader's Digest "Reverse Diabetes".

 I'm one of the 86 percent and after undergoing weight loss surgery to control my obesity it seems quite counter-intuitive to then engage most of my waking hours sitting and compromising my hard-earned good health.

My workday as a research journalist is spent sitting. Sitting for very long periods of time either reading or writing about obesity management and health management. Ironically, prolonged sitting  is about the most ineffective way to pursue a healthy life that I know of. But do not despair! We can include small but significant changes in our sedentary day that will increase our energy levels, burn extra calories, tone muscles, improve posture, increase blood flow and boost metabolism.

Excessive sitting impacts our body’s metabolic system: “Today, our bodies are breaking down from obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes, cancer, depression and the cascade of health ills and everyday malaise that come from what scientists have named sitting disease.” ~ James Levine, MD, PhD.

Years ago in when I was stiff, uncomfortable, and grumpy from prolonged sitting a colleague told me "Stop what you are doing, stand up, slowly do six medium knee bends, then stretch overhead, and concentrate on your breathing for 90 seconds. Just pause your day and do it, then go back to what you were doing."  Really? It sounded hokey to me. But you know what - I felt instantly energized and less hopeless about the state of my sedentary life.

How To: Knee Bends

For a medium knee bend stand with your posture straight, but relaxed, feet shoulder width apart. Elevate your arms in front of you, parallel to the ground, palms down. Slowly lower into a knee bend about half-way to sitting position. (A deep knee bend is lowering to sitting position.) Raise, pause, repeat. Six times. Then lift your arms above your head and take slow deep breaths concentrating on inhaling and exhaling for 90 seconds. That's it. Try it. I hope you are pleasantly surprised as I was to find how effective this little movement is in improving my overall wellness and reducing tension throughout the day.

Quick Reminder: Rule #4 Daily Exercise - Try Walking

Bariatric professionals are taking note to educate us one the importance of reducing sedentary time as part of our overall weight management program with surgery.  Dr. Christopher Still* suggests education about the dangers of prolonged sitting and suggestions to remedy excessive conditions should be part of our WLS toolbox. He notes, "Just as the contributors and effects of obesity are multi-faceted, so too are the approaches we take in fighting them. Educating patients on the health risks of prolonged sitting and encouraging less sedentary time is another tool in our toolbox."

An excellent website for information to reduce prolonged sitting is: JustStand.org

*Dr. Christopher Still, DO, FACN, FACP, Co-Clinical Editor, Bariatric Times; Medical Director for the Center for Nutrition and Weight Management at Geisinger Obesity Research Institute, Geisinger Medical Center, Danville, PA.

No energy? Walk Toward the Light

Frosted Winter by Kaye Bailey

Oh What a Winter! How's the weather where you are? My home is in the high desert of Wyoming at 7,000 feet above sea level. We expect harsh winters and prepare for them. But this winter, which began December 21, 2016 is already testing my sensibilities. The temperature has stayed at or below zero, wind chill factors are life threatening, and snowfall is currently being measured in feet now, not inches. Yesterday's storm took us over 5-feet snow accumulation so far this season! FIVE FEET!

Like anyone in a far northern climate this is the time of year I crave sunlight and sun warmth. An increasing number of studies suggest this isn't just the winter blues or cabin fever. Research concludes that for overall health a daily dose of sunlight is essential.  Starting the day with exposure to natural sunshine can go a long way to improving health and protecting against disease and illness.

Open the curtains first thing in the morning to bright the morning sunshine inside. Bright morning light is a powerful regulator of the biological clock cycle, according to the National Sleep Foundation. More importantly exposure to sunshine helps your body control the production of the sleep-inducing hormone melanin which can lead to groggy mornings. "When natural sunlight hits the skin it triggers the body's production of vitamin D. Vitamin D is also known as “the sunshine vitamin.” It is a crucial ingredient for overall health; protects against inflammation, lowers high blood pressure, helps muscles, improves brain function and may even protect against cancer."

Your body is meant to be in the sun, and exposure to sunlight during the day is crucial to your well-being. It is advised to get at least 10-15 minutes of sunlight daily.

Exposure to sunlight has a huge impact on depression, seasonal affective disorder and sleep quality. According to Forbes, “in 2012, 60 million Americans filled prescriptions for sleeping pills, up from 46 million in 2006 (as reported in The New York Times). 

When sufficient natural sunlight is not available due to weather and climate conditions or when working night shifts it may be necessary to incorporate daily sunlight sessions with artificial light as a means to improve health. This alternative medicine is called Light Therapy.

“More than 80 percent of people with low energy, fatigue or the Winter Blues may expect to benefit from light therapy. Although it varies from person to person, most feel the effects of light therapy within two to four days.”

– Norman Rosenthal, M.D.Light Therapy Pioneer

Winter Blues: Everything You Need to Know to Beat Seasonal Affective Disorder

Our bodies take cues from the environment – especially from light. When our schedules are driven by man-made light, it may negatively affect our circadian system. Underexposure to natural light can result in winter blues, fatigue, sleeplessness, impaired concentration and mental focus. According to Rosenthal, energy lamps help the body re-calibrate and stabilize by cuing its natural energy enhancers and providing light to replace what’s missing during the winter months.

Check out this affordable Portable Light Therapy Energy Lamp: Just $39.95 on Amazon

Sunshine for Weight Loss
Adding a little sunshine to your life can even promote weight loss. Reasonable winter outdoor activities such as hiking, sledding, walking, snow shoveling/removal, skiing, snow shoeing and the like provide an opportunity to burn calories and achieve sensible amounts of sunlight exposure.  You will be surprised to see what spending a little time outdoors can do for your health. Be sure to dress properly for weather conditions and cultivate awareness of rapidly changing weather to avoid being caught in blizzards and storms. Have fun and be safe!

Quick Reminder: Walking Improves Health, Boosts Metabolism

Walking Fights Disease

Studies show that even small amounts of brisk walking can improve health.

• 18 minutes of brisk walking reduces the risk of coronary heart disease by 36%.
• 21 minutes of brisk walking reduces the risk of stroke by 43%.
• 30 minutes of brisk walking reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes by 30%.

Improve Mood
To improve your mood walk 60 minutes a day. Researchers at University of North Carolina followed women who walked 30 or 60 minutes a day for 3 days a week for 6 months. Those who trekked the longest reported feeling four times more positive about their bodies and their abilities to get through the day than those who walked half as long. Try to schedule a 60 minute workout at least once a week.

More ways to boost metabolism: LivingAfterWLS Weekly Digest

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?