It has been almost 6 months since my laparoscopic gastric bypass surgery. To my great pleasure I had never experienced dumping syndrome. Dumping syndrome is an extremely unpleasant experience that most gastric bypass surgery patients will experience. Last night it finally happened! About 10 pm I was watching television and this bag of Fritos from New Years eve that that had been left on the table by my son kept saying “I bet you can’t eat just one.” Okay, that was from a Lays Potato Chip commercial but I am sure the Fritos were mimicking it. I kept eyeing that bag of Fritos and finally said what the heck a few of them wont hurt me. Suddenly it hit me that these aren’t just Fritos they are Frito scoops and I started thinking about that cheese dip in the refrigerator. The next thing I knew I was heading for the kitchen to grab the cheese dip. While reaching for the dip I noticed a bottle of Rumple Minze peppermint schnapps liqueur. Back to the family room I headed with a double shot of Rumple Minze and the container of Cheese dip.

Sitting comfortably in my recliner I started to enjoy the holiday snacks. After eating several chips with scoops of cheese sauce and sipping on the Rumple Minze the punishment for my transgressions started to take place. My head started to spin as if I were very drunk, my stomach felt as if it was being twisting in knots and I was very nauseated. Suddenly I felt like spitting up. I have not thrown up since my gastric bypass surgery but a few times have had to cough up food that had not been chewed properly, was too stringy or perhaps ate more than could go into the pouch.

Within moments I was heading for the bathroom where I coughed up an ounce or two or liquid containing Rumple Minze, chips and cheese sauce and what else I have no idea. I then headed for my room where I flopped myself down on the bed. My grandson came in and asked, “Are you dieing grandpa?” I explained that I felt like it but was just experiencing “dumping syndrome” from eating and drinking things I shouldn’t have. After about a half hour I fell asleep waking a few hours later with a bout of diarrhea though the other symptoms had passed.

For those of you that have never experienced “dumping syndrome” it is exactly as had been explained to me. A painful physical reaction that results in cramps, nausea, diarrhea, weakness and light-headedness and one of the most unpleasant feelings you can experience. Let me tell you, I have experienced a lot of pain during different parts of my life and have a fairly high tolerance to pain. This pain was about 7–8 on a scale of 1–10 with 1 being the least pain and 10 being the greatest.

Usually dumping syndrome occurs shortly after eating sugary items. Amazingly with these products the sugar level was not that high, The Fritos contained 0 grams, the cheese sauce 3 and the Rumple Minze 10.9 grams of sugar per serving. The combination though with the other ingredients did their job and twisted me into knots. While dumpling is a very unpleasant experience it can provide a powerful negative message to remind us to avoid certain foods.

Dumping syndrome occurs when sugar is passed rapidly from the small stomach pouch into the small intestine. The body quickly draws fluid into the intestine to dilute the sugar load. Some especially sensitive people even report problems with dumping syndrome after eating starch foods.

The treatment is to lie down and rest until the symptoms resolve. The prevention is to avoid sugary foods and liquids.

Dumping syndrome does not occur following lap band sugary, but since sugary foods are usually of low nutritional value other than the calories they provide, all patients should avoid excess sugar.

The average person puts on between five and ten pounds a year. It seems like some of us can put on that much weight on New Years Day alone. We get sick of dieting and yet each of us knows that we must control our weight. This is a new year and a chance to start over once again as we work towards achieving our weight loss goals. Many of us will make resolutions some of which we keep and others that hardly last a day. If one of your resolutions is to loose and keep of the pounds here are five tips you may find helpful.

1. Attitude IS Everything

If you went into last year’s holiday season thinking you could eat like a wolverine and worry about it in January, well, how’s that working out? Swimsuit season is right around the corner. It is now time to get your mind right and realize you’re not as young as you used to be, it’s going to take effort to get the weight off and you need to put down the cheesecake and go for a walk.

2. Eat exactly what you need

You should aim for a comfortable feeling of satisfaction at every meal. You will be amazed at how quickly this becomes acceptable to your stomach. Besides, you can enjoy your meal and feel great afterwards too. This tip alone can save you hundreds of calories per meal. If you want to try all the courses, have smaller portions of everything you really want.

3. MOVE!

Give up the couch this summer and get out the spandex. If you really can’t get to the gym, do a few exercises at home or go for a walk. It won’t just burn calories; it will keep you in touch with your desire to get skinny and healthy. Also keep as active during the day as you can. You know the routine; use the steps, park farther away. No matter what you chose remember that a journey of thousand miles begins with the first step!

4. Trash Day

You just had to buy 6 family size bags of potato chips because you had a coupon right? Time to clean out the cabinets. This is the single best tip you can put into place today. Why? Let’s say you are watching reruns and you get the craving to eat the entire pint of Ben & Jerry’s Cherry Garcia, if you don’t have it in the house then you are less likely to get in the car and go get it.

5. Relax!

Stress makes us do crazy things to our bodies like smoking, drinking, and oh yes, eating. You have many reasons to reduce your stress levels as you do drinking your thousand-calorie Starbucks Frap.

If this describes your pattern of eating you are not alone. This is the single highest response given when asked why people eat the way they do, the nervous eater. If you can recognize it and at least alter the foods you are taking in, you can save yourself thousands of calories a week. So, no matter what you chose, just get out there and do it!

6. Share Your Success

This is a new year for you and a new year for TerminalObesity.com. Lets all share our weight loss successes through our photographs and stories. Losing and maintaining our weight is so much easier when we realize that we are not alone. Submit those photos and stories to Terry@TerminalObesity.com

Following gastric bypass surgery adequate protein is important to promote wound healing and to prevent deficiencies. Protein is a primary building block of every cell and tissue in the body. The body cannot produce protein so it is up to the weight loss surgery patient to provide for it through their diet. In the beginning much of this protein is usually provided for through protein shakes and other supplements. Read more

Wow, this year sure has gone fast! A new year is almost here and many of us still have not fulfilled all of those promises we made to our self this year. Read more

Here we are in the Christmas season. My family has been spending the Christmas holiday in Southern California. The night time image here is of the Sleeping Beauty Castle at Disneyland. We spent a nice cool day and night at Disneyland and had a lot of fun. All of Disneyland is decorated in a Christmas theme. The castle is lit up as if it is ice laden. Read more

Many obese individuals suffer serious health problems such as sleep apnea. It has been found that weight loss surgeries such as the gastric bypass and lap band surgery has “cured” or at least eliminated the need for CPAP machines among many sleep apnea / weight loss surgery patients. Substantial weight loss through traditional dieting has shown similar results. Read more

Are microwave plastic dangers a diet concern? In an indirect way they are! As individuals that want to do something about our weight we must remember that gastric bypass surgery, lap band surgery or dieting alone is not the only thing that is going to extend our life. The use of modern conveniences such as plastic containers for microwave cooking are once again being questioned by scientist.

The modern day kitchen is full of plastic. What would we do without plastic containers, plastic cling wrap, and plastic utensils for our parties, plastic dishes, plastic cups, plastic spatulas and more? The problem with all this plastic is that it is made up from chemicals. These chemicals leach into our beverages and into our food whereby the end up in our bodies. The chemicals accumulate inside our bodies where they can cause significant health problems.

Some of the reported health hazards include: Reproductive defects, premature delivery (23% increase since 1980), lowered sperm count (40% decrease since 1945), and early onset puberty. The most harmful chemicals used to manufacture plastic are PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride - a hard plastic) and Phthalates, a group of substances that is added to PVC to make it softer and more pliable. In fact, Phthalates are among the most common contaminants found in the human body. Another common chemical found in the kitchen is Bisphenol-A. This is the main ingredient used to make hard plastic. Hard plastic is used to mould baby bottles, drinking water bottles, and plastic storage containers.

However, there are some steps you can take to decrease your family’s exposure to these chemicals. Avoid heating foods and beverages in plastic containers in the microwave. Even if the container is marked ‘microwave’ it is not the safest option. Avoid using cling wrap as most of these materials have Phthalates in them. Most containers that contain PVC will have a 3 inside the recycling triangle that is imprinted on the plastic. If you come across this symbol it s best to not use that container for food and beverage storage or consumption. Start using glass or stainless steel containers. Use ceramic or enamel plates in the kitchen and use metal kitchen utensils rather than plastic. Avoid storing food and beverage in plastic containers, especially if the food is acidic. If you must use plastic then avoid washing it in an automatic dishwasher and don’t use harsh detergents on it.

In 2005 the European Union banned some commonly used chemicals of the Phthalate family from use in toys. One commissioner was quoted as saying “Toxic chemicals have no place in children’s toys, yet we continue to allow them in our food and beverage containers.” San Francisco instituted a ban in December 2006, although implementation of the ban has been delayed by a law suit. The ban covers Bisphenol-A and certain Phthalates. This is commendable progress, however, society needs more than city wide bans.

I am not a video game player or am I? A week ago my son, grandson and I all each emptied our coin jars added the contents of our cuss jar and used our coins to purchase a Nintendo WII Sports. No doubt it was the cuss jar that put us over the top. This early Christmas present has turned out to be a great buy. With games such as bowling, golf, tennis, baseball and boxing we have already enjoyed hours of family fun. To top it off it is amazing the added exercise we are getting. The WII will not only help you loose weight but also provide family activity.

Another fun thing is that each person can make his or her own MII. The MII is your character that you see on the television screen. I made mine as a nice thin guy with the great looking red hair I use to have. My grandson made his MII as the little blond kid he is. My son made his MII as a cocky looking gray haired person. Now if you are wondering about the women our house is a bachelor pad. I guess we need to get out there and bring some women into our lives. Read more