New Neighborhood Mugs - Treat Yourself!

Just received my order of merchandise from the new LivingAfterWLS merchandise Store- Neighborhood Inspired hosted by Cafe' Press! I am so thrilled with the quality of products, the depth of the images, the simple beauty of our Neighborhood Inspired themes. Check out this mug celebrating The Neighborhood!  Products are created when you order and shipped directly to you - better for the environment; better for your pocketbook! Get yourself a mug today and be Neighborhood Inspired!  Lots more products coming - keep checking in with us!

Neighborhood Inspired Goods & Gifts

Neighborhood Inspired Store Link

Sending Safe Wishes To East Coast Neighbors - The Neighborhood

Sending Safe Wishes To East Coast Neighbors - The Neighborhood

Just dropping in to send some very big hugs and warm wishes to our east coast Neighbors. It is very hard for us to understand the scope of fear and uncertainty you must be feeling as you watch the models of Hurricane Irene. But please know that both Jim and I are very concerned and sending you our best vibes and even a few prayers for your safety. Please check in with us when you can and please take care. You have many Neighbors who care about you!

Below is an article on Emergency preparedness for our kind of medical condition - take a moment to make sure your special needs are taken care of in your emergency preparation:

Emergency Preparedness For Weight Loss Surgery Patients
Weight loss surgery patients should take some extra steps in preparing an emergency readiness kit for use in the event of a natural or national disaster. Here are some good suggestions for preparing a special needs kit for the bariatric patient.


By Kaye Bailey

Following weight loss surgery patients make a multitude of adjustments in their lives to accommodate the dietary and nutritional needs of an altered gastric digestive system. Even if weight loss has long been accomplished patients who have undergone gastric bypass, gastric banding or gastric sleeve surgical procedures must, for the rest of their life, maintain rigorous nutritional and dietary habits in order to be healthy. After time these adjustments feel like second nature to the patient and even those around them. But in preparing an emergency kit for use in the wake of a natural or national disaster it is essential that weight loss surgery patients treat themselves as "special needs" and ensure their nutritional and dietary needs are provided for in the event the emergency kit is put into service.

Flood, fire, national disaster, or the loss of power from high winds, snow, or ice frequently jeopardize the health and safety of thousands of Americans each year. This year weather events and natural disasters have been particularly harsh throughout the world and many thousands have found themselves without food, shelter or warmth. While we cannot prevent natural or national disasters we can assemble emergency supply kits to improve our survivability when disaster strikes.



Plan Ahead - Build Your WLS Emergency Preparedness Kit
A well-prepared basic emergency supply kit will contain items to provide for the basics of survival: fresh water, food, clean air and warmth. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) recommends the following items be included in a basic emergency supply kit:

Water, one gallon of water per person per day for a least three days, for drinking and sanitation
Food, at least a three-day supply of non-perishable food
Battery-powered or hand crank radio and NOAA Weather Radio with tone alert and extra batteries for both
Flashlight and extra batteries
First aid kit
Whistle to signal for help
Dust mask, to help filter contaminated air and plastic sheeting and duct tape to shelter-in-place
Moist towelettes, garbage bags and plastic ties for personal sanitation
Personal hygiene items
Wrench or pliers to turn off utilitites
Can opener for food (if kit contains canned food)
Local maps and Area Emergency Assistance Phone Numbers
Cell phone with chargers


Extra Essentials for WLS Patients:
Emergency readiness kits should provide water, food, clean air and warmth for 72 hours. Keeping that in mind a "special needs" weight loss surgery patient should consider including the following items in their personal readiness kit:
Vitamins and supplements for three days. Additional dosages of vitamins B and C may be included to relieve stress and boost immunity.

Non-NSAID over-the-counter pain relief medicine. Most surgical weight loss patients are discouraged from using NSAID medication for pain relief. Make sure acceptable OTC pain relief is included in the First aid kit.

Vitamin fortified or protein fortified powder drink mixes in individual packages. These are useful in adding minerals and nutrients to the diet while stretching the water supply because when mixed with the water rations they provide hydration and vitamin and mineral nutrition.

Ready-to-Drink (RTD) and Ready-to-Eat (RTE) protein drinks and protein bars. A weight loss surgery patient must have a minimum of 60 grams protein per day for best health. Provide at least 60 grams of dietary protein per day for three days of emergency use.

Sugar free hard candy to supplement food intake and keep the mouth moist.

Additional bedding or clothing for warmth. Body temperature regulation is difficult for those having lost body weight or body mass. Provide extra items for warmth in the event of a disaster that subjects the weight loss surgery patient to extreme cold or elements.

Emergency response information for the treatment of a bariatric patient including contact numbers. Make this information readily available to first responders.Gather items for the emergency preparedness kit in one location. Stow the items in a portable duffel bag or plastic bin that is accessible and labeled for easy access in the event of an emergency. Ideally each household member will have a kit tailored for their needs. Periodically check the kit and replenish items that have expired. Make certain all contact information is current. It is not easy to think about facing a disaster, but should the day come when the emergency kit is needed a little preparation will go a long way in making a bad situation better.

Kaye Bailey © 2010 - All Rights Reserved

Struggling to reach goal weight?

The Lies & Myth of Goal Weight
Avoid the Pitfalls Associated with a Single Goal
LivingAfterWLS Weekly Digest May 10, 2011We have received so much positive comment about the topic of "Myth of Goal Weight" that was addressed in our May 10 Weekly Digest. If you are struggling to reach goal weight or feeling depressed about your weight loss with WLS please take a moment to look at this newsletter in our archive. Be kind to yourself & consider this new approach to setting "Goal Weight" goals.
Link to Newsletter


Calculating Goal Weight Range
The Process in Achievable Phases
http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs008/1101189349792/archive/1105572133223.html
LivingAfterWLS Weekly Digest May 17, 2011
The Part II of this newsletter topic series addressed calculating "Goal Weight Range" (GWR) from a super morbidly obese starting point. "Remember: The objective with GWR is to create an acceptable range based on data and realistic thinking with some positive confidence building opportunities along the way." Review Part II of this topic here: May 17, 2011 Weekly Digest


 

From the Newsletter:
Thoughts from Kaye - May 10, 2011
Today I'm addressing goal weight as it relates to our experience with weight loss surgery. Prior to surgery patients are in cahoots with their surgeons as they plan for bariatric surgery, set the course and denote the finish line which will be crossed when goal weight is achieved. I don't particularly like to hear what I'm about to say and I know it is a tough thing for my WLS Neighbors to hear, but I'm putting it out there bluntly so we can face it and take action:

Few patients will ever reach goal weight.

There you have it. Numerous studies suggest that fewer than 20% of patients achieve goal weight. My work with patients of all gastric surgeries for weight management suggests the same thing. In fact, it is fairly common for me to meet someone who introduces themselves saying, "I'm one of those people who never made it to goal weight." Here is what you need to know about goal weight so it will cease to be a barrier to your pursuit of overall health.

Know This Truth:
It is the random method of determining goal weight that is flawed; it is not the patient who is flawed.

Goal weight is a random data point set arbitrarily with reference to standardized tables that are irrelevant to an individual's health history, age, co-morbidities and genetic profile. In most cases the goal weight creates unrealistic expectations for the patient. When patients do not achieve this random point of measure called goal weight they consider themselves a failure and "one of those people." Patients become hopeless and frustrated. These feelings almost always lead to rebound weight gain.

Why do we use weight as a measure of health?
From the time of our birth when proud parents happily announce our weight and height and throughout our life these two data points (weight and height) are used to assess our health. The reason? Cost and convenience. Collecting these two measurements is easy and cheap. Most medical professionals agree that the current standards for body weight measured by weight in relation to height (called BMI-Body Mass Index) does little to reflect disease risk, identify body fat, and in general presents a misleading argument for overall health. In reality, the most these data points reveal is change without indicating a decline or improvement in health. Yet we are encouraged with weight loss surgery, and by conventional diet programs as well, to focus on a goal weight that may have very little to do with the health of our body.

Today we go beyond goal weight to help you achieve better results that are health focused.
Link to Newsletter

Please join me with an open mind as we look at goal weight as it is used by weight loss surgery patients. Bear in mind that I'm not anti-goal weight. I am simply sharing the knowledge I have collected in building my understanding of how such a tight focus on goal weight results in difficulty and disappointment for many patients. As you read with an open mind add this knowledge to your personal experience and understanding. You are a powerful person. Harness your strength and intelligence as you engage in the pursuit of  better health and better living with weight loss surgery.

This is a longer newsletter than our normal weekly digest. I know we are all limited on time and asking you to read this may be a burden. But the content here is very important to your life-long healthy weight management. I hope you find it worth your while.

Happy Spring - We are all in this together!
Kaye
KayeBailey@LivingAfterWLS.com

Read the May 10, 2011 Newsletter

Link to LivingAfterWLS Newsletter Archive Index

Comfortable Natural Relief for WLS Neighbors

Constipation? Weight loss plateau? We have the answer for safe gentle relief.
Traditional Herbal Teas

Message from Kaye:

I admit that I've never been much of a tea drinker: too fancy and too fussy for me it seems. But I am grateful to have found these herbal tea blends and include them in my diet frequently. Like many weight loss surgery patients I suffer from frequent digestive distress (constipation). Constipation is commonly associated with a high protein diet. In my search for relief I tried all manner of over the counter medicine only to find myself a bathroom-hostage suffering extreme cramping and loss of control. I'm sure many of you understand this plight. Along the way a bariatric nutritionist recommended laxative tea to me for more gentle relief. It Works! A warm cup of dilute tea before bed at night works gently without cramping or other unpleasant side effects of pharmaceutical constipation relief. A quick stop in the bathroom first thing in the morning and I'm good for the day.

I like to make a batch of weak tea with three tea bags seeping 8 cups in hot (not boiling) water for about 10 minutes. After it cools I refrigerate it in a tightly sealed glass container. A Mason jar works very well. For my nightly serving I heat a measured 1 cup of brewed tea gently in the microwave and add a teaspoon of honey. A squeeze of lemon is also nice. If you suffer from the constipation associated with weight loss surgery and have struggled to find relief I do hope you will try this tea. Each all natural formula provides digestive support in the ancient Chinese tradition.


LivingAfterWLS General Store

Free iPhone App to Track Supplements

If you are an iPhone user there is a terrific new APP available to help you keep track of the dietary supplements you take. It is presented by The Office of Dietary Supplements which is a division of the National Institutes of Health. The APP is available from the iTunes store and it is FREE!!!! So take advantage of this and let me know how it works for you. I've got a Droid in my hand so I have to wait for that application to become available. But I'm anxious to hear from you Neighbors how this works for you. I really like that you can get information and reminders to take your vitamins and also print or email a list of what you take for your doctor to review.

The Office of Dietary Supplements is funded in part by the US Federal Government with supplemental funding coming from grants -- many from the pharmaceutical and supplement industries. I consider the ODS my go-to source for information about supplements and supplement research. You can visit there website at: http://ods.od.nih.gov/

Here is the information about the iPhone APP -- MyDS:


The Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS) has developed a free mobile app for consumers called My Dietary Supplements (MyDS). MyDS gives you:

• An easy way to keep track of the vitamins, minerals, herbs, and other products you take—right in the palm of your hand.
• Access to science-based, reliable information on dietary supplements.
• General information about ODS — who we are and what we do.

Simply enter the names and amounts of your dietary supplements, and they'll be stored on your iPhone or iPad for your use anytime, anywhere—for example, when seeing your doctor or shopping. With MyDS, you also can email your personal list of dietary supplements to yourself or to your health care providers and print it out.

MyDS keeps your health information private and secure. Whatever you enter will be saved only on your device and not stored or shared anywhere else. You also have the option to create a personal password to open the app.


Download
MyDS is available from the iTunes store. Download MyDS.


Features

• Create personal dietary supplement profiles for yourself and others.
• Record the name and amount of each dietary supplement you take.
• Add additional information about each dietary supplement in the Notes field.
• Email your dietary supplement profile to yourself or your health care providers.
• Add up to two photos of each dietary supplement on your list.
• Protect your information with the option to create a personal password.
• Access reliable information about dietary supplements from the Office of Dietary Supplements.

Have you got class? LivingAfterWLS Alumni Club - Connect & Support

You Have Arrived Alumni Club

Connect with other weight loss surgery patients who are at the same stage as you. Simply look for the year of your surgery and join the conversation in the "Class of" sub-forum. All surgical procedures can participate in each "Class of" sub-forum. Let's share our collective experience and support one another who are near the same stage in the journey.

To find your Class follow this trail in the LivingAfterWLS Neighborhood:

• The Neighborhood  ~ The Town Square: LivingAfterWLS Knowledge Center  ~ You Have Arrived Alumni Club

Welcome Class of 2011 - You Have Arrived

Hello Neighbors and a Joyous greeting to all who have (or will) Arrived in 2011!  This is the space for our weight loss surgery Neighbors in the Class of 2011 to connect with others and share the weight loss surgery journey! Welcome to our Neighborhood - we are so glad to have you here!




Welcome Class of 2012 - Your Journey Is Now

Are you considering weight loss surgery in 2012 or have you already scheduled an "Arrival" date? This forum, the You Have Arrived Alumni Club Class of 2012 is your place to connect with other people considering surgery in the coming year. Ask your pre-op questions and meet a WLS Neighbor who is at the same stage in the journey as you are right now. Nothing promotes successful weight management than having a strong and dependable support network. Connect now and be ready to begin your new life in 2012!

To find your CLASS go to the parent forum:
You Have Arrived Alumni Club

Neighborhood Trivia: Talking About Arrivals

Here is a little piece of trivia from our LivingAfterWLS Neighborhood:

Originally Posted 05 March 2009 - 01:23 PM 

I am often asked about the name of our "You Have Arrived" newsletters and the references to them in our LivingAfterWLS lingo such as "Arrival Date" and "Arrivalversary". For me weight loss surgery made possible a life I never thought would be possible or could even comprehend. For most of my life I was looking behind at the past or looking forward to the future. After weight loss surgery I began learning to live in the moment: I had arrived. Others shared this similar sentiment and seemed natural to name our newsletter You Have Arrived. The motto of our newsletter is this:

Whatever else you have on your mind,
Wherever else you think you're going,
Stop for a moment and look where you are:
You Have Arrived.

This sentiment is important throughout our weight loss surgery journey, and indeed, the journey of our life. All too often we are caught up in the destination or caught up in the departure that we forget that the moment is now. Now is everything. So I ask you today, and every day, Stop for a moment and look where you are: You Have Arrived.


Arrival or Arrival Date: The date of weight loss surgery

Arrivalversary: The anniversaries of your weight loss surgery

LivingAfterWLS Neighborhood 

Scared Straight About Life After Weight Loss Surgery?

In last week's LivingAfterWLS weekly digest we addressedtopics that cause trouble for us after weight loss surgery. Working on the "front lines" of weight loss surgery I speak with many many fellow patients who are several years into their weight loss surgery experience. Over time I've noted patterns and trends that seem common to us. This  newsletter reveals some of the pitfalls that we encounter along the route. I truly believe the more we learn from one another the better we can improve our weight management outcome. Take a look at a few of these below or visit the newsletter archive to see this edition in its entirety:


Scared Straight About Life After Weight Loss Surgery?


The fact is, we have no better reference resource available than each other.

So many of us go into surgery making hand-on-the-Bible type promises to not become "one of those people who gain the weight back." Did you make that promise to yourself or to others? The best way I know to keep this promise is to learn from others and to keep building on personal experience and knowledge. So when I share with you what I've learned it is in the spirit of fellowship knowing we are all in this together. You can count on me to be direct and honest about my own experience and what I have learned from you. Here are a few nuggets of knowledge that are golden and that I learned in the WLS-afterlife, not from my bariatric center:

-Eating a meal of lean protein without liquids causes discomfort that is supposed to signal fullness and satiation, but more often causes us to break the liquid restrictions or turn to slider foods. This eventually leads to weight gain.

Online Articles: 

Understanding the Liquid Restrictions    

Slider Foods Spell Weight Regainl

Reading:  

Day 6: Beyond the 5 Day Pouch Test 

Pages 80-83: Liquid Restrictions & Slider Food

-Regardless of surgical procedure the Four Rules work to help us lose weight and maintain a healthy weight.

The Four Rules  do not expire and most patients who maintain a healthy weight long-term follow the rules closely.

Online Articles:

Rule #1 - Protein First 

Rule #2 - Lots of Water 

Rule #3 - No Snacking 

Rule #4 - Daily Exercise 

-The classic WLS laugh-line "I can eat anything I want, just less of it" is simply bogus. It implies we can go back to eating smaller portions of the things we ate before surgery without consequence. Let me assure you, patients who return to a diet of things that led to their obesity before surgery will certainly cease to lose weight and most likely regain weight. This return to old dietary habits usually starts with grazing on pretzels (presumably diet friendly food) or soft crackers because they set better in the pouch and go down more easily than lean protein.

 Online Article:

 No Snacking. It's the Rule that Works 

This digest includes several articles and links that are meant to inform and educate all of us in the LivingAfterWLS community. I hope you will find them helpful in your journey. As we forge ahead toward better health I believe we each discover strong, capable, beautiful beings inside. May each new day be one of discovery, growth and empowerment.

Read the full newsletter online: LivingAfterWLS Weekly Digest Scared Straight

HOT TOPIC: Carbonated Drinks - The Neighborhood

Carbonated Drinks - The Neighborhood

Asked in the Neighborhood: "Can someone please tell me why carbonated drinks are such a no go for gastric bypass people?" -- Swampymoo from Austrlia

Are you a weight loss surgery patient asking questions about including carbonated drinks in your diet? I confess, the heat of the summer is when I really crave a refreshing Diet Coke on ice - before surgery I considered it to be my "Breakfast, lunch & dinner of champions." And late last year I found myself hooked on it again - 11 years after surgery. We are discussing this very issue in the LivingAfterWLS Neighborhood. Join us in the discussion and let us know what your bariatric center told you and how you are treating the carbonated beverage advice!  This is a great topic- thanks to Swampymoo from Australia for opening the discussion!

Join us in the Neighborhood!

August Coupon - Save on Shipping!

LivingAfterWLS General Store

Looking for a Coupon?

Throughout the year, as economic conditons allow, LivingAfterWLS is pleased to offer coupon savings in addition to our already discounted prices. Coupons are announced in our Email newsletters, in the LivingAfterWLS Neighborhood, Facebook and Twitter. In addition, we post the current coupon offered on the Store Home Page. Sign up for our Email newsletters at the bottom of this page - Safe Subscribe!

Coupon Code:
HEAT2011
Save $2.20 Off S&H
All Orders
Enter Code at Checkout:
HEAT2011

5 Day Pouch Test Bulletin: FAQ's & More

Greetings Neighbors!

As we are about to turn the page on another month in 2011 it seems like a good time to review the basics of the 5 Day Pouch Test and address some of the questions we are asked by people, just like you, who want to do their best with weight loss surgery using the 5DPT as one of their tools. The summer brings an abundance of fresh fruit and vegetables which can play a delicious role in our healthy weight loss surgery diet. And most of us are prone to increased water intake during hotter weather and more physical activity as we enjoy the longer days of summer. As we recover from obesity many of us note enjoying the activities of summer as one of the great thrills that come with weight loss. I hope you have found this to be true for you.

One way to get the most enjoyment out of the summer season, and any season, is to take a few moments to review the basics that keep us on track with weight loss surgery. Nothing will bring the good times to a halt faster than feeling discouraged or disappointed with our surgery and our health. If we take a few moments to review the basics and make a few adjustments we can stay on track while enjoying the good life we dreamed of before surgery. And now is also a great time for a reset if we find ourselves so far off track that we need the 5 Day Pouch Test . Wherever you may find yourself at this moment I hope this Bulletin has something to offer as LivingAfterWLS continues to support your best efforts with weight loss surgery.

Remember, we are all in this together and we are here for you. Please be sure to take a look at some of the free download worksheets LivingAfterWLS has available for you. These free tools are designed to support your best efforts for improved long-term health with weight loss surgery.
Download Tools

For more informative and inspiring reading please visit
our 5 Day Pouch Test Articles Collection.

You Can Do This!
Kaye

2011 Neighborhood Postcard Swap
PS--- Only a few days left to participate in the annual Neighborhood Postcard Swap! Go Here to learn more about this fun and inexpensive Neighborhood vacation tradition! And Join Us!

5 Day Pouch Test in the Neighborhood

Link now to the bulletin - live in our online archive:
5 Day Pouch Test Bulletin July 27, 2011

2011 Neighborhood Postcard Swap - The Neighborhood

2011 Neighborhood Postcard Swap - The Neighborhood

We received the first of the postcards yesterday!!! This is going to be great fun!!!

Cora - try looking at postcards at convenience stores or travel stops near the Interstate or major highway in your area. You may also check with your local Chamber of Commerce or visitor's bureau. Also motel and hotel gift shops are a great resource. And you can always download and print postcards! Try this website: Custom Design Postcards where you can design & print your custom postcards for free!

Remember, you need to have your postcards in the mail by Saturday, July 30. We will mail out the swaps randomly throughout the month of August! I know I'm looking forward to seeing something other than bills or junk in my mailbox!

I hope you will join us - This is a fun and inexpensive way to enjoy our Neighbors and see wonderful destinations! Join us!

LivingAfterWLS General Store

LivingAfterWLS General Store

New Day 6 Bundles & Coupon Code "GRILL2011" equal Hot Summer Savings for You! Save 15% on Bundle purchase + $3.oo off total order with Coupon!

Shop the LivingAfterWLS General Store and enjoy products developed to support and empower your weight loss surgery life!

Shop Now!

Kaye Bailey's popular "Day 6-Beyond the 5 Day Pouch Test" bundled with your favorite general store products including Emergen-C Bundle; 12-Serving Tea Sampler & Free Goody Bag. $45.95 Value. Save $15% on the Bundle.

Day 6 Bargain Bundle
SKU: 5545823BB
List: $45.95
Sale: $39.95 - Save 15%
Add to Cart

See All Bargain Bundles

Guilty Feelings-Do you have them after WLS?

From the LivingAfterWLS Weekly Digest July 18, 2011

We are in the heart and heat of summer! I hope this newsletter finds you well with many opportunities to enjoy new things that weight loss surgery has made possible. After surgery many of us experience feelings of guilt for making our own health a priority above the needs of others. If you have felt guilty for taking time for you since surgery you are not alone.   

Guilt, as defined by Merriam-Webster is, "feelings of culpability especially for imagined offenses or from a sense of inadequacy: SELF-REPROACH". It surprises me that when my fellow WLS friends tell me about guilt they are not talking about fridge-side forays with forbidden foods. They are talking about feelings of selfishness because WLS requires them to put themselves first above all others for whom they care, an action contrary to the self-sacrificing manner in which they have conducted their lives.

This Weekly Digest addresses feelings of guilt experienced by many WLS patients. We seek to understand that self-care is essential in our ability to care for others in our life. We will review a technique to say "no" and discuss our WLS dreams.

As we continue in this journey toward better health I believe we each discover strong, capable, beautiful beings inside. May each new day be one of discovery, growth and empowerment.

Best Wishes!
Kaye Bailey

Read the Full Newsletter - Free Online Archive

Heat Wave & Health Dangers

Over 40 states are warning their residents of the dangers of heat related illness as the mercury rises setting new records. While not as dramatic as storm related health concerns heat waves cause more illness and death than any other weather event. For weight loss surgery patients it is critical to stay hydrated at all times. Take a look at the National Weather Service heat index below and also the information from the American Red Cross. Empower with knowledge and avoid heat related health complications!

The American Red Cross Reports: "In recent years, excessive heat has caused more deaths than all other weather events, including floods. A heat wave is a prolonged period of excessive heat, often combined with excessive humidity. Generally temperatures are 10 degrees or more above the average high temperature for the region during summer months, last for a long period of time and occur with high humidity as well."

Know the DifferenceExcessive Heat Watch—Conditions are favorable for an excessive heat event to meet or exceed local Excessive Heat Warning criteria in the next 24 to 72 hours.

Excessive Heat Warning—Heat Index values are forecast to meet or exceed locally defined warning criteria for at least 2 days (daytime highs=105-110° Fahrenheit).

Heat Advisory—Heat Index values are forecast to meet locally defined advisory criteria for 1 to 2 days (daytime highs=100-105° Fahrenheit).

You can download the "Be Red Cross Ready" free Heat Wave Safety Checklist Here:
Heat Wave Safety Checklist This free .pdf file has great information to help prepare for a heat wave, what to do while experiencing a heat wave and how to recognize and care for heat wave related emergencies.

Weight loss surgery patients should always follow Rule #2 - Drink lots of water. And this is never more important than during a heat wave. Dehydration can, among other things, lead to fits of dumping syndrome:

Danger! Warm Summer Weather May Lead to Dehydration For Weight Loss Surgery Patients
Following bariatric surgery for weight loss patients are instructed in the Four Rules of weight loss surgery; the second of which is drink lots of water. This rule is of particular importance during the warm summer months when perspiration and elimination cause greater water losses and the potential for dehydration increases. To avoid dehydration and illness caused by insufficient water balance weight loss surgery patients can take several measures to insure adequate water intake. Read Full Article

 Be safe this summer by being informed! You are in your new life to enjoy LIVING! Don't let a little heat wave bring you down!

New! Day 6 Bargain Bundles

LivingAfterWLS General Store
Introduces New Day 6 Bargain Bundles!
The 5 Day Pouch Test Bargain Bundle has been a customer favorite for over a year now and many of you have requested a "Day 6" bundle that would include Kaye Bailey's "Day 6: Beyond the 5 Day Pouch Test" and support products such as soup, Emergen-C and our new herbal teas. Today we are pleased to introduce two new bundles to meet your needs:

Day 6 Bargain Bundle: Kaye Bailey's popular "Day 6-Beyond the 5 Day Pouch Test" bundled with your favorite general store products including Emergen-C Bundle; 12-Serving Tea Sampler & Free Goody Bag. We have packaged these items together to ship USPS Priority Mail so you can continue to pursue your goals and stay on track. Enjoy the "Day 6" Bargain Bundle if you have just completed the 5 Day Pouch Test or if you desire to stay on track making the most of your weight loss surgery tool. Purchased separately the bundle items cost $45.95. Bundled you save 15% and pay only $39.95!! A $6 Savings!

Quick Buy! Day 6 Bargain Bundle: $39.95

Day 6 *Souper* Bargain Bundle:  Customers love our 5 Day Pouch Test Bargain Bundle & asked for a Day 6 Bundle. Here it is! Read Kaye Bailey's popular "Day 6-Beyond the 5 Day Pouch Test" and learn to support your healthy lifestyle after weight loss surgery with some of your favorite general store products including Emergen-C Bundle; 12-Serving Tea Sampler, 16-Serving Feed Carb Monster Soup Mixes (1pkg. Hearty Vegetable; 1pkg. Tomato-Basil) & Free Goody Bag. $61.95 Value. Shipped via USPS Priority Mail so you can enjoy it right away. Excellent value - Save 15% when you purchase the Day 6 *Souper* Bargain Bundle! This terrific package is just $52.95 - Save $9 off list price.

Quick Buy! Day 6 *Souper* Bargain Bundle: $52.95 

LivingAfterWLS General Store

Day 6: Beyond the 5 Day Pouch Test
Testimonial: The Nurse Warned Me, But I Gained Weight Back Anyway

"Dear Kaye,
Thank you for the Day 6 book. I guess I am one of "those people" - had the surgery and lost and then it came back, the weight. My WLS nurse warned me I could regain the weight and I didn't take her serious or maybe I thought I was more determined than everybody else or smarter or something. I wish I had asked her what would cause me to gain the weight back. I'm not sure that back in 2007 I ever heard of slider foods or liquid rules or anything like that. I just knew WLS was the answer for me. So now I'm up 48 pounds and want to stop it before it gets to 50 pounds and all of the sudden another 50 and I'll be back where I started. Thanks for explaining so many things in the Day 6 book. I wish I read this book before I even had the surgery, maybe I wouldn't be one of "those people" or at least not a 48-pound-regain one of those people.

This is the first time I have hope since the re-gain started.
Kelly Marca
Northern Ohio"
(Printed with permission of the author)

---

We at LivingAfterWLS have been honored to serve you as one of our preferred customers and Neighbors in the quest for healthy LivingAfterWLS. Please take advantage of these bargain bundles for great savings on customer favorite products. 

Thank You for being a loyal Neighbor and we wish you the best of health and wellness. We hope these new bundles meet your needs as you pursue healthy weight management with LivingAfterWLS as one of your empowerment partners.

We wish good health and grand LivingAfterWLS!!

Kaye Bailey & LivingAfterWLS Team

July Sale - Save $3 off Purchase at LivingAfterWLS General Store

Coupon Code: GRILL2011
SAVE $3 off $20+ Order
Free Recipe Booklet & Seasoning Blend Sample with Purchase
Expires 7/31/2011

SHOP NOW

Danger! Warm Summer Weather May Lead to Dehydration For Weight Loss Surgery Patients

Dehydration leads to wilting in flowers and humans too! 

Following bariatric surgery for weight loss patients are instructed in the Four Rules of weight loss surgery; the second of which is drink lots of water. This rule is of particular importance during the warm summer months when perspiration and elimination cause greater water losses and the potential for dehydration increases.

Water constitutes about 60 percent of an adult's body weight. In the body, water becomes the fluid in which all life processes occur. Water in the body fluids carries nutrients and waste products throughout the body; maintains cell structure and participates in metabolic reactions; serves as the solvent for minerals, vitamins, amino acids, glucose and other small molecules, acts as a lubricant around joints, the spinal cord and inside the eyes; aids in the regulation of normal body temperature and maintains blood volume. To support these vital functions, and others, the body actively maintains an appropriate water balance. When the body is short of water the condition known as dehydration results.

Dehydration is the condition in which body water output exceeds water input meaning we eliminate and perspire more fluid than we ingest. Symptoms of dehydration include thirst, dry skin and mucous membranes, rapid heartbeat, low blood pressure and weakness. When a message of thirst is unanswered the symptoms of dehydration may progress rapidly from thirst to weakness, exhaustion, and delirium and end in death of not corrected. Dehydration may easily develop with either water deprivation or excessive water losses.

To avoid dehydration and illness caused by insufficient water balance weight loss surgery patients can take the following measures to insure adequate water intake:

Lots of Water. The second rule of weight loss surgery is drink lots of water. During the initial stage of weight loss this is key in flushing fat and toxins from the body and keeping all metabolic processes functioning smoothly. To ensure enough water is consumed a good measure is to drink one ounce of water for every two pounds of body weight. Water intake should occur throughout the day.

Fortified Beverages. Vitamin and mineral fortified beverages are beneficial to some weight loss surgery patients. The flavoring makes them more palatable making it easier to consume generous amounts of water. Be certain to enjoy only non-calorie fortified beverages that do not contain sugar or other high calorie sweeteners.

Green Tea or Sun Tea. Freshly brewed green tea or herbal tea served over ice and sweetened with non-calorie sweeteners is another good way to stay hydrated during warm summer weather. The health benefits of green tea and herbal tea may contribute favorably to a well-planned health and weight management program.

Water Containing Foods. Many foods contain a high percentage of water that contribute to body hydration. Enjoy vegetables and fruits such as strawberries, watermelon, lettuce, cabbage, celery, spinach, apples, grapes, citrus, and carrots. All of these foods contain more than 80 percent water which will contribute to hydration and provide a valuable source of vitamins and minerals.

Kaye Bailey (c) 2010 - All Rights Reserved

The Weight Loss Surgery Four Rules

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Rule #2 - Lots of water

Summer is here with searing hot temperatures across much of the country. Now is a good time to refresh our memory on the weight loss surgery Rule #2 - Drink lots of water. As a general rule we need to nourish and flush our bodies with 65 ounces of water a day -- minimum. In our January LivingAfterWLS refresher course of the Four Rules we discussed water intake at length. You can find the newsletter in our Archive: LivingAfterWLS Newsletters
 

Today's LivingAfterWLS Digest is the second in our New Year's refresher series about the Four Rules. We are looking at Rule #2 - Lots of Water. Water consumption and weight loss is old news to those of us who are lifelong dieters. We know drinking water flushes away toxins and facilitates weight loss. As weight loss surgery patients we must make water intake a priority, but we also have to manage water intake around our quirky liquid restrictions. Frankly it can be a hassle sometimes to meet the daily requirements of Rule #2 - Lots of Water. Today's digest features several articles about the hows and whys of water consumption. Take a minute to fill your glass right now and then refresh your memory on this important rule. Remember, when we signed on for surgery we agreed to follow these rules -- for life! Bottoms up!

Link to the Newsletter

 Be sure to read this article: Restrict Liquids, Drink Lots of Water - HUH? Making Sense of Weight Loss Surgery Guidelines