Have you noticed since your WLS and return to regular eating a meal often causes you to become sleepy? Seriously sleepy. Drop your head in your plate sleepy.
This happens to me all the time. And there's a good reason for it. When we eat the body produces a rise in blood sugar and a surge in insulin production. This chemical activity sends tryptophan to the brain where it becomes serotonin that signals the body "Take a nap!" Here come the nods, the yawns and the blinking eyes. WLS patients are highly susceptible to post meal sleepiness because of the shortened route to the small intestine. From there the tryptophan has a fast ride to the brain shouting almost like Paul Revere "The Sleepies are coming! The Sleepies are coming!"
Now, I don't want any of you emailing my husband, but quite frequently I dramatically play the "I'm so sleepy" card and go to bed after dinner leaving him with the dishes and evening chores. (Feel free to try this at home!) In fact, he's in the kitchen now doing tonight's dishes!
This is fine for the evening meal, but what about a noonday meal? For example the business lunch. How can we socialize at our mid-day meal and not become a victim of the "Tryptophan Express" to Sleepytown?
A wise nutritional strategy for maintaining a sharp mental edge after lunch is to eat foods that give a gradual, steady release of food energy throughout the afternoon while placing only a light burden on the digestive system. Consider these strategies:
1. Emphasize healthy protein choices, like cold-water fish, beans and legumes, or a non-cream-based main dish soup or stew. Consume 60% of your volume from this group.
2. Choose a minimal serving of low-glycemic-index carbohydrates, like green salad, root vegetables in their skins, mushrooms, green leafy vegetables, broccoli, asparagus, or artichoke. Consume only 20% of your food volume from this group.
3. Be sure your food choices contain healthy fats, such as cold-water fish, flaxseed oil, olive oil vinaigrette (the vinegar helps slow the release of food energy), nuts, seeds, or avocado
4. Absolutely avoid sugary, starchy, or fatty foods like soft drinks, non-whole-grain pasta, fried foods, and rich or creamy sauces and dressings
5. Skip dessert.
Rest assured, (pun intended) by making wise food choices we can be alert, responsive and LivingAfterWLS! Just say no to the Sleepies by making wholesome healthy food choices.
Kaye Bailey ? 2005 - All Rights Reserved
Kaye Bailey is a weight loss surgery success story having maintained her health and goal weight for 5+ years. An award winning journalist, she is the author and webmaster of http://www.livingafterwls.com and http://www.livingafterwls.com
LivingAfterWLS is a no-nonsense resource for people Living After Weight Loss Surgery. Our community is growing in numbers even as we are shrinking in pounds. Together we support one another in this lifestyle, that it turns out, is NOT the easy way out.
Fresh & insightful content is added daily, check in often. To subscribe to the LivingAfterWLS monthly newsletter "You Have Arrived" click on http://www.livingafterwls.com and enter your details in the subscription box.
best cleaning company Highland Park ..Yes Virginia, the fail-safe weight loss formula exists.It's so simple,... Read More
IntroductionThe history of The Atkins Diet goes back to the... Read More
Body temperature is the result of your body generating and... Read More
While exercising isn't complicated, it's very easy to make mistakes.... Read More
New Medical Research shows high-intensity exercise can increase the body's... Read More
If your health and fitness are important to you, you... Read More
Trash Your TV! is pleased to announce the easiest weight... Read More
If you pick the right personal trainer?you'll most definitely see... Read More
It's been called the world's oldest medicine, the miracle fat... Read More
To upgrade the current software in your brain you can... Read More
Whether coming from a close friend, the nightly news or... Read More
If you knew when you were going to die, would... Read More
When it comes to our weight and the appearance of... Read More
The term 'thermogenic' refers to a group of drugs or... Read More
There Is A Right Way to Chew!Chewing your food is... Read More
Obesity in America is at an epidemic level. It is... Read More
Good health is all too easily taken for granted until... Read More
Are you feeling down and out? Do you feel even... Read More
I am a Registered Dietitian who has spent over 10,000... Read More
With so many diets and fads being offered on the... Read More
Over the past 5 years, online weight loss programs have... Read More
The gastric bypass procedure isn't for everyone, but those who've... Read More
I want to talk to you about cows and what... Read More
Are you weighted down with delusion, depression and on the... Read More
Some people think that skipping breakfast will help them lose... Read More
high-end home cleaning Winnetka ..All the weight control experts recommend keeping a record of... Read More
FACT: Obesity accounts for 300,000 deaths a year in the... Read More
Self-acceptance and body love can be tough concepts to grasp... Read More
My name is Greg Ryan. I am a best selling... Read More
It's easy to lose sight of our goals, "Do I... Read More
There have been endless numbers of fad diets over the... Read More
Cellulite happens to us for many reasons. Some reasons-- like... Read More
Lose Weight - Get A Break ---------------------------------------- The American Obesity... Read More
Dieting presents many complications if you are not fully committed... Read More
Infrared Radiant Heat (IRRH) is a form of radiation that... Read More
In the medical community, "obesity" is generally said to be... Read More
Sharing our bariatric stories is as personal decision as electing... Read More
Permanent Weight loss is not about Diet. If you are... Read More
"I'd love to lose weight, but I don't have the... Read More
From personal experience I have myself like all of you... Read More
The vast majority of postpartum women will not return to... Read More
There are many factors that cause us to increase body... Read More
Is a weight loss workout routine right for you? Answer... Read More
Success stories on the gastric bypass are everywhere, but how... Read More
"I've put on 40 pounds in one year!" "It doesn't... Read More
According to Veronica Atkins, the widow of Dr. Robert Atkins,... Read More
So your neighbor, office mate, best friend, whoever just lost... Read More
If you're always on a diet you probably spend half... Read More
If I collected a dime for each time I've seen... Read More
A common claim from gastric bypass detractors is that after... Read More
Weight Loss |