Jann

.·:*¨¨* WATER Facts *¨¨*:·. 75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated. This likely applies to half of the world population. In 37% of Americans, the thirst mechanism is so weak that it is often mistaken for hunger. Even MILD dehydration will slow down one's metabolism as much as 3% One glass of water shut down midnight hunger pangs for almost 100% of the dieters in a University of Washington study. Lack of water is the #1 trigger of daytime fatigue. Preliminary research indicates that 8-10 glasses of water a day could significantly ease back and joint pain for up to 80% of sufferers. A mere 2% drop in body water can trigger fuzzy short term memory, trouble with basic math, and difficulty focusing on the computer screen or on a printed page. Drinking 5 glasses of water daily decreases the risk of colon cancer by 45%, the risk of breast cancer by 79% and a person is 50% less likely to develop bladder cancer. Weight Loss Benefits of Drinking Water Drinking water and losing weight! "Drink 8 glasses of water each day" is what we hear all the time but what weight loss benefits do we get from drinking water? All functions within the body require the presence of water. A well hydrated body enables these functions to occur quickly and efficiently. All chemical processes involve energy metabolism and drinking plenty of water will make us feel more energetic and boost our metabolic rate. Water makes your metabolism burn calories 3% faster. Drinking water is important if you're trying to lose weight, some studies have shown that thirst and hunger sensations are triggered together. If there is a slight dehydration the thirst mechanism may be mistaken for hunger and one may eat when the body is actually craving fluid. As most food contains some water, if one doesn't drink much they may be subconsciously driven to eat more to gain the necessary water supply however, you also gain the undesired effects of increased calorie consumption. Drinking more water can help to prevent overeating and benefit weight loss. Importance of drinking water in the modern diet So many new food product created today not only contain high amounts of energy from added sugar and fats, they also contain very little water. Foods today need to be stored for longer periods and foods with a high water content tend to spoil much faster, think about milk, yogurt, eggs, fruits and vegetables. It may be great to think that we can stock our cupboards full of all these tasty foods that last for months, trouble is, it means less water consumption from foods. If a weight loss diet doesn't allow much food or if food consumption is mainly in the form of processed, TV dinners it may be necessary to drink even more water to help stop strong cravings for food. The Most Under-Rated Aspect of Weight Loss By Kim Beardsmore If I were asked, "what is the most difficult thing many people find to do when they start a weight-loss program?", I would have to say right near the top of the list is this - they don't drink enough water! Few people realise at first just how essential water is to the success of their weight-loss program. In fact, the essential place of water in our diet extends to everyone - whether they want to lose weight, gain weight or stay the same weight! We all know we can't live without water, but just why is it so important? Well there are many reasons. Read on and discover why water can help your loss weight and why it is your essential life-force. Apart from 60-70% of your body being composed of water, water has an extensive range of functions essential to life. Assists digestion, absorption and assimilation of food. If you don't drink enough water you can't get the full benefit of nutrients in the food you eat. Assists excretion of waste from bowel and kidneys. If you don't drink enough water you get constipated and put your kidneys under stress. Regulates body temperature. If you don't drink enough water you compromise the evaporation process you skin uses to keep you cool. Your blood is 92% water. This is your body's transport system distributing nutrients around the body. Body secretions and digestive juices are almost entirely water. Why should you drink water when you want to lose weight? Water is a natural appetite suppressant . Do NOT underestimate the power of this statement. Lack of water can lead to over eating. You brain does not differentiate between hunger and thirst. So, when you think you are feeling hungry, your body may in fact be signalling to you that you are thirsty! If you are not consuming enough water each day and you feel hunger pains, chances are, your body really is crying out for water. In many instances people will find what they thought were hunger pangs were in fact, satisfied by water. Try it! You have nothing to lose, except some weight. How do you know whether you are drinking enough water each day? Well the answer is not difficult. The average person needs around 6-8 large glasses every day. Well then, how should you drink the 6-8 glasses per day? The aim is to drink water consistently. If you drink too much all at once or too fast, it will simply pass through you, with little or no benefit to your body. If you are someone who enjoys the 'taste' of water, then perhaps you could fill a 1 litre empty soft drink container with water the drink through it twice during the day. Room temperature or cold water, even warm as some people like - whatever you prefer. Place it on the desk at work in front of you as a constant reminder to sip continuously throughout the day. Other people find they need a water 'diet' to help them keep on track. So for you, here is a program easily followed to ensure you are well hydrated every single day. When you wake up you will often be thirsty because your body loses water while you are sleeping through breathing and perspiration. Drink a large glass of water with a slice of lemon for zing. Drink another glass of water with breakfast or a cup of herbal tea before setting off the day. Mid morning - snack on a piece of juicy fruit such as orange, rockmelon, watermelon, cantaloupe, honey dew. Have a glass of water and perhaps try a dash of herbal aloe juice which is wonderfully soothing to the digestive system. Lunch - think of soup or have a glass of water before your meal, or perhaps a herbal tea. Mid afternoon - While you are preparing your evening meal, drink a glass of water and snack on some crunchy fresh vegetables. Evening - Sip a glass of water before your meal with a dash of your favourite fruit juice for flavour. After dinner - before bedtime drink your final glass of water and sleep well! A few changes will happen when you start out with your water program. Obviously you may find that you need to 'spend a penny' more often. Why? Because you body isn't used to being well hydrated. There is absolutely is no doubt about it. When you start drinking enough water regularly, there are great benefits. You may notice your skin significantly improve and even tired muscles will thank you. Many people find their energy is increased and constipation and headaches are reduced, as well as hunger pains. Now here's the really exciting part...many people notice a reduction in weight and centimetres, as their body's water store become redundant and so decrease. If your diet has been one that did not provide you with adequate water, your body will have developed a pattern of storing water. It's part of the body's in-built survival mechanism - to store up the essential nutrients in short supply...just in case they aren't available in the future. So if you don't drink enough water, you are 'conditioning' your body to store water. And water is bulk and unwanted centimetres. It's so simple...drink water! 6-8 large glasses a day. How do you know if you are not getting enough water each day? This is a really important question because so many of us have deprived ourselves of water for years that we have become accustomed to doing without the full amount of water our body requires and we don't recognise the symptoms of thirst. The most common symptom is headaches. A major function of water is to flush toxins from the body. Your brain is 75% water, so even being slightly dehydrated can cause headaches. Poor concentration/fatigue. If you body can't get rid of the toxins it will struggle and you will feel less energetic as your body diverts energy to deal with the toxins. Constipation. Your body will divert water to more essential functions and as a result your stools will be harder and more difficult to expel. Reduced urine output or dark urine. Did you know that up to 200 litres of water is passed through your kidneys daily? Without a fresh supply of water for the kidneys to filter waste products out of the blood, your urine will become darker. Furry tongue or bad breath. If you don't have enough water passing through the mouth to wash away food particles, bacteria can proliferate and result in that 'furry' feeling or bad breath. Skin. Your skin should feel elastic. When you pinch the skin on the back of your hand it should snap back instantly. Q. Can You Drink Too Much Water? From Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D.,Your Guide to Chemistry. A. You've probably heard that it's important to 'drink plenty of fluids' or simply 'drink lots of water'. There are excellent reasons for drinking water, but have you ever wondered if it's possible to drink too much water. Here's what you need to know: Can You Really Drink Too Much Water? In a word, yes. Drinking too much water can lead to a condition known as water intoxication and to a related problem resulting from the dilution of sodium in the body, hyponatremia. Water intoxication is most commonly seen in infants under six months of age and sometimes in athletes. A baby can get water intoxication as a result of drinking several bottles of water a day or from drinking infant formula that has been diluted too much. Athletes can also suffer from water intoxication. Athletes sweat heavily, losing both water and electrolytes. Water intoxication and hyponatremia result when a dehydrated person drinks too much water without the accompanying electrolytes. What Happens During Water Intoxication? When too much water enters the body's cells, the tissues swell with the excess fluid. Your cells maintain a specific concentration gradient, so excess water outside the cells (the serum) draws sodium from within the cells out into the serum in an attempt to re-establish the necessary concentration. As more water accumulates, the serum sodium concentration drops -- a condition known as hyponatremia. The other way cells try to regain the electrolyte balance is for water outside the cells to rush into the cells via osmosis. The movement of water across a semipermeable membrane from higher to lower concentration is called osmosis. Although electrolytes are more concentrated inside the cells than outside, the water outside the cells is 'more concentrated' or 'less dilute' since it contains fewer electrolytes. Both electrolytes and water move across the cell membrane in an effort to balance concentration. Theoretically, cells could swell to the point of bursting. From the cell's point of view, water intoxication produces the same effects as would result from drowning in fresh water. Electrolyte imbalance and tissue swelling can cause an irregular heartbeat, allow fluid to enter the lungs, and may cause fluttering eyelids. Swelling puts pressure on the brain and nerves, which can cause behaviors resembling alcohol intoxication. Swelling of brain tissues can cause seizures, coma and ultimately death unless water intake is restricted and a hypertonic saline (salt) solution is administered. If treatment is given before tissue swelling causes too much cellular damage, then a complete recovery can be expected within a few days. It's Not How Much You Drink, It's How Fast You Drink It! The kidneys of a healthy adult can process fifteen liters of water a day! You are unlikely to suffer from water intoxication, even if you drink a lot of water, as long as you drink over time as opposed to intaking an enormous volume at one time. As a general guideline, most adults need about three quarts of fluid each day. Much of that water comes from food, so 8-12 eight ounce glasses a day is a common recommended intake. You may need more water if the weather is very warm or very dry, if you are exercising, or if you are taking certain medications. The bottom line is this: it's possible to drink too much water, but unless you are running a marathon or an infant, water intoxication is a very uncommon condition. Final thoughts. Caffeinated drinks cause the body to lose water. They are what's known as diuretics as they cause your body to dehydrate. You will do your body an enormous favour by cutting back. For every cup of coffee you drink you will need to drink another TWO glasses of water to counter the diuretic effect. Explore the world of herbal teas instead, you may be pleasantly surprised!

Jude, where were you when I was on creamies?!! I love this soup. I can't keep my spoon out of it. It's like the old days, walk by and dip the spoon every time you go in the kitchen kinda good. I used 1/4 cup of Frank's -- I'm glad I didn't use more but that's just me. I can also see expanding this recipe to include more veggies! I'm in love, thanks! Jann

YAY Joy! No worries, you are in good hands. It's a piece of cake! Let us know how you are! Jann

While I can't seem to find anything specific to vegan lap-banders I did find over 7,000 healthy recipes http://recipes.sparkpeople.com/browse-resu...egetarian+Meals Maybe something in here will help? Jann

You can! Just chew well of course. Remember to heal after your fill first though. Jann

http://www.5daypouchtest.com/plan/theplan.html There ya go! Jann

Believe it or not, this creamy crockpot entree recipe is low in fat. I would use my handy wizzer when this is cooked much like you would with most vegetable soups to make them creamy. No chicken clearly if you're still on creamies, if not -- have at 'er! Prep Time: 20 minutes Cook Time: 7 hours, 30 minutes Ingredients: 4 pound chicken, cut into serving pieces 1 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 pounds small red potatoes, halved 1 (16-ounce) package baby carrots 1 onion, chopped 3 cloves garlic, minced 14-ounce can low sodium chicken broth 1 cup light sour cream 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard 3 tablespoons honey 3 tablespoons flour 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves Preparation: Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in large skillet and brown chicken, skin side down, until skin is brown. In 4-5 quart slow cooker, place potatoes, carrots and onion. Top with chicken. Pour chicken broth over all. Cover crockpot and cook on low for 8-9 hours until chicken is thoroughly cooked and vegetables are tender. In small bowl, stir together light sour cream, mustard, honey, flour, pepper, and thyme until well blended. Stir into mixture in crockpot and turn heat to high. Cook for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened. 6 servings Bon Appetite! Jann

Uhm, not so much, hun, no. But it is something to look forward to! Jann

Totally what Julie said. Sometimes just a .1 cc can throw you over the top. Please see to this? It's really concerning. Hugs! Jann

I'm with you, Jude! Another one for the binder. It's gonna be a wonderful Fall! YIPPEE! Jann

Oh yum, Julie! Another one for the binder! I'll be making this one too! Thanks! Jann

Oh, bypass all the recipe stuff, hun, 'til next week. Then when you hit creamies you will thank us I promise you. Jann

Correction, it's in the pot now for sups tonight! I'm stoked! My favourite thing in the world is slow cooker food and in particular soups, stews and chili's. WOOT! Jann

<pout> I can seem to manage any rice. Even a teaspoon will set me off. Everyone is different! Jann

HEART HEALTHY TACO SOUP This tastes great, is easy to make, and best of all it's good for your heart! What Do I Need? 1 lb grilled or baked chicken, diced (you could also use ground chicken or turkey, soy crumbles, or no protein at all because you'll get protein from the beans) 2 cans pinto beans (drain the beans to reduce sodium) 2 cans diced tomates with green chilies 1 chopped onion 1 can creamed corn 1 can black beans (drain the beans to reduce sodium) 1 packet of powdered taco seasoning mix 1 packet of powdered ranch dressing mix 1 cup of water How Do I Make It? Add all ingredients to a crock pot or stock pot and heat through. Garnish with low fat sour cream and/or low fat shredded cheddar cheese if desired. Makes 4 quarts.

=D> =D> =D> =D> =D> =D> Jann

I've never been able to find those here. Any Canadians out there have any better luck?? Please advise where you found them? Thanks Jazz! I may just take you up on that if it's not just me that can't find 'em! Hugs and thanks! Jann

OoOOO, I'll be having this b4 end of week! Thanks! Jann

Oh yum! I'm definitely gonna try this. I'm so tired of Weight Watcher's whole wheat wraps at the moment. Good timing! Jann

That is so incredibly sweet of ya! If they are Crystal Lite packs then I do believe I've seen them here. Thanks anyways though. I appreciate the gesture. Jann

I totally live for my slow cooker! Will post more as I go! YAY for slow cookers for sure! Jann

All you have to do is instead of going to VIEW NEW POSTS go to LAP BAND SURGERY DISCUSSION then POST-OP DIET AND FOOD and sub is RECIPES from the main forum area. Hope that helps! Jann

I made this tonight for supper and it's so GOOD! I didn't eat the stuffing but the spices permeated the soup and went right into the chicken which was unbelievably tender! I panfried some sliced button mushrooms and put them between the swiss cheese and the ham although the original recipe didn't call for it. This was a real treat for me. 6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves 1 can of condensed cream of chicken soup 1 cup of milk 4 ounces of sliced ham 4 ounces of Swiss cheese 1 package of herbed dry bread stuffing mix (I used Stuff n Such, chicken) 1/4 cup of butter, melted Mix together the cream of chicken soup and milk in a small bowl. Pour enough of the soup into a slow cooker to cover the bottom. Layer the chicken breasts over the sauce. Cover with slices of ham and then the Swiss cheese. Pour the remaining soup over the layers, stirring a little to distribute between layers. Sprinkle the stuffing on top and drizzle the butter over the stuffing. Cover and cook on low for 4 to 6 hours, or 2 to 3 hours on high.

Yum, that sounds good! I'm gonna try that myself! Thanks! Jann

Try putting a tablespoon of Benefiber in your drinks twice a day. (I put it in my morning coffees as it has no taste) That will kick up your fiber! Good work on the two pounds! Jann