HAPPY TURKEY DAY

Okay - for those of you who are newly pre-op and are expirenceing thanksgiving for the first time as a post-op remember this....even if you can't eat a lot of the food you STILL have a LOT to be thankful for! Focus on that....the goal tastes better than the food! For those who are a bit further out...remember now it's about protion control. I know for me I have to still emind myself the chew.....(You'd think after almost 3 years....) I hope every one has a happy and wonderful thanksgiving! All my Dee Dee

Good reminders Dee Dee!

Happy Turkey day to you to!!! Here's something I read today on line..... MSN Health & Fitness The Food Coma Recovery Plan Did you overindulge on Thanksgiving? Our day-by-day guide will have you feeling like your usual self by Monday. It's the day after Thanksgiving. You are uncomfortably aware that yesterday's turkey was not the only body stuffed to capacity. If you couldn't resist Aunt Jenny's sweet potato dish with those yummy marshmallows on the top and were compelled to sample each type of pie ... twice, we understand. Thanksgiving is for many the biggest meal of the year, and why not have a little fun? Most medical experts agree that overeating every now and then is harmless, as long as you don't make a habit of it. But that doesn't help the way you feel right now--sluggish, engorged, bloated and not sure how much you can enjoy the holiday weekend. Forget the guilt. There are still three days left to avoid a Monday back-to-the-routine letdown. Here's a game plan for Friday, Saturday and Sunday. By Monday you'll arrive at work restored and back to normal. Maybe even a couple of pounds lighter. (If you have to work over the holiday weekend, this plan will still help to shake you out of the post-feast stupor.) Friday: Recover Today is the first day of the rest of your weekend. Be kind to yourself. Forgive. Focus on getting your routine back to normal and assisting your digestion as you recover from too much food and, for some, too much alcohol. What to Do: ? Detox: Look for clear broths, lemon water and teas such as green, peppermint, ginger, or ginger lemon to help alkalinize your body. "A lot of the foods that we eat during the holidays are acid producing--alcohol, high protein, sugar--these things are going to put stress on your adrenals, your immune system, your digestive system," says Nancy A. Rao, a naturopathic physician and licensed acupuncturist who is vice president of the Colorado Association of Naturopaths. A naturopathic physician is a licensed health professional who specializes in the healing qualities of plants as medicine. In some states, a naturopathic physician has the same prescription privileges as medical doctors . Rao also suggests extra vitamin C. "You could do a gram of vitamin C every few hours and that would detoxify your whole system, especially if people have overindulged in alcohol." ? Nourish: If you eat heavily one day, you need to eat light the next three days, says Rao, selecting foods that support your digestion and restore nutrients you may have compromised by consuming too much alcohol or sugar. Start with a light breakfast, maybe oatmeal or an egg and toast. Replace electrolytes throughout the day with fruits and vegetables, but don't over-prepare them. Rao says to steam or lightly saute vegetables. Fresh fruits and veggies contain healthy antioxidants and are also loaded with potassium that will serve as a diuretic, helping you shed excess water you've retained from Thanksgiving's salty feast. ? Move: "Roll out of bed, stand up and get moving," says Rao. "And I'm not talking about jogging. We are talking about gentle moving, stretching your body, so things can go down." Rao recommends yoga, especially twists, to deliver more oxygen to your body and aid digestion. "Twists 'push' on the liver and get circulation going, and that's important for fat burning and detoxification," says Rao. "Walking does the same thing. It tones the muscles without stressing them and sending too much blood to one area or making you sick to your stomach. Exercise will stimulate digestion and release enzymes you need to break down your food." Quick Cleanse: Drink warm water with the juice of half a lemon first thing in the morning before breakfast to detoxify and alkalinize your body and aid digestion. On Saturday: Regroup Your body may feel better by today so it's time to take a look at the emotional you. Are your relatives getting on your nerves? Are you fantasizing about stuffing your face with leftovers? Continue your upward progress and sidestep potential areas where you could backslide. What to Do: ? Toss: It's time to dispense of the leftovers, and not necessarily into your mouth. Get rid of the more fattening foods and enjoy moderate portions of the rest. "Gravy and turkey skin need to go the way of the wind," says Dr. Keith-Thomas Ayoob, professor of pediatrics at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine and a registered dietitian. "You've done it, you don't need to do it twice. It's only one day a year. Let's not make it four days a year." In addition to tossing the more fattening parts of a dish, Ayoob suggests selecting one dessert to enjoy and getting rid of the rest. Eat the inside of the pie, not the crust," he says. And Aunt Jenny's dish? "Let's face it, says Ayoob. "The pilgrims did not have mashed sweet potatoes with marshmallows on top of them." Hello garbage disposal. If you must keep it all, invite friends over to help you eat. ? Assess Stress Level: Your relatives are still here. You were hoping to have at least some holiday shopping done at this point in your vacation. Whatever the cause of your stress, it can lead to less energy and more overeating (you'll be especially vulnerable if you don't toss, as we suggest above). "Nothing triggers stress more than holidays," says Ayoob. To reduce stress, Ayoob suggests maintaining a daily routine that includes exercise. Rao agrees. "When you're under stress a lot of cortisol is released," she says. "That's going to increase appetite and you can have the danger of stress eating. Exercise does help to release endorphins and works with the neurotransmitters in the brain that will produce anti-anxiety hormones and feelings of well-being." Rao suggests moderate exercise today such as a jog, a walk, a swim, or time on the cardio machines at the gym. She says to avoid refined sugars and alcohol, which can deplete your ability to deal with stress, and to replenish minerals, which can help you stay calmer. Try vegetable broth, fruit juice or a multivitamin. Quick Cleanse: Take a sauna or sit in a steam room to help you sweat out any potential toxins. Be sure to drink plenty of water. On Sunday: Rev It Up! It's your last day of vacation, relatives are going home, schedule is about to return to normal. Hopefully so are you. Now is the time to enjoy your usual level of exercise and to explore some new strategies to ensure your energy remains steady and your digestion stays on track. What to Do: ? Press: Self-acupressure can stimulate digestion, says Rao. To stimulate digestion, press a point on your belly halfway between your navel and the base of your sternum, called the midline. There's also a point right between the web of the first finger and the thumb that's good for the large intestine to detox and get the bowels moving. Then massage the area gently for a minute at a time, going back and forth between hands. It's safe and can be surprisingly effective, says Rao. ? Breathe: Get in the habit of taking a deep breath before every meal. Deep breathing relaxes the abdomen and leads to efficient digestion. "If we've overeaten there can be a lot of tension and pressure on the diaphragm," says Rao. "Breathing is going to allow the diaphragm to relax, which is going to allow better blood flow in the abdomen and encourage digestion." ? Straighten: It sounds weird but it's true. Slouching puts stress on your body and sitting or standing up straight helps your body function better. "Good posture is important because it allows you to breathe and relax the diaphragm and allows the organs their space to be able to function properly," says Rao. Slouching puts pressure or tension on your organs and decreases the blood flow. Good posture improves the blood flow and increases digestive capacity. Quick Cleanse: Sip Kombucha, a culture of bacteria and yeast, to boost your energy level and help your digestion.

I plan on the 3 bite method this Thanksginving. 1st bite, it tastes so damn good 2nd bite, it is for my health 3rd bite, I won't have it again for a year it sure will be better than the liquid Thanksgiving I had last year Cynde