Do you Eat to Live ?

I have been doing some research and ran across this .. I thought you all could benefit from it as well.. ************************************************************** Before surgery, did you find that you ate when depressed, anxious, or lonely? When doing so, did you consume food rapidly and in excessive amounts, even though you were not hungry? Did you crave and eat carbohydrates high in sugar? Did you find that eating in response to your emotions made you feel better, at least, temporarily? If you answer 'yes' to any of these questions, then it is likely that, before surgery, you were an emotional 'eater', consuming food in an attempt to 'feel' better. Psychological distress (depression, anxiety, feelings of discrimination and helplessness, etc.) is high among individuals with morbid obesity. Chronic distress can bring about changes in production of certain hormones produced by the brain that, in turn, alter the production or actions of brain messengers (neurochemicals) that regulate eating behavior. Eating aberrations associated with psychological distress are binge eating, food cravings (particularly for sweets), a loss of control over eating and food addiction. Features of binge eating include recurrent, out-of-control episodes of consuming, in a short period of time, abnormally large amounts of food, whether hungry or not. Binge eating disorder (BED) is defined as two or more episodes of out-of-control eating per week. Studies have found that 1%-3% of the general public have BED, whereas, the incidence of this eating aberration among the morbidly obese may be as high as 60%. The mechanisms responsible for BED are unknown, but the majority of individuals with the disorder suffer from depression and other forms of psychological distress. People with BED also tend to 'binge' on carbohydrates, particularly those high in sugar. Carbohydrate 'craving' is one of the most common eating problems associated with either obesity or emotional distress. Studies have reported as many as 80% of obese males and nearly 100% of females are carbohydrate 'cravers', as compared to approximately 25% of the normal weight population. Furthermore, the degree to which a person (lean or obese) 'craves' carbohydrate is directly proportional to their degree of psychological distress. Psychological distress is also associated with a lack of eating control and food addiction. Studies have shown that the majority of individuals with morbid obesity score high on food addiction scales and that such scores are strongly correlated to levels of depression, low quality of life, and feelings of societal discrimination. Furthermore, food addition is exceptionally high among individuals who 'crave' carbohydrate, suggesting that the neurochemical mechanisms underlying food addiction, psychological distress, and carbohydrate craving may be similar. With bariatric surgery, food intake is reduced and appetite is subdued, cravings are lessened, and eating control is improved. Food is consumed in amounts necessary to sustain bodily functions and daily activities. At the same time, psychological distress is improved or resolved and the patient is elated to be losing weight. Such changes in emotional status are closely associated with improvement in eating behavior. After weight loss has stabilized and the excitement of losing weight is somewhat lessened, 'old' issues that caused emotional distress before surgery may once again be realized and emotional status start to deteriorate. Along with the decline in emotional status, food cravings and aberrant eating behavior often reappear, along with weight regain. What can you do when those old eating behaviors and emotional stressors reappear after surgery? First, recognize your aberrant eating behaviors. Second, identify life stressors causing emotional distress. Third, take action to alleviate stressors or change your response to such by seeking the assistance of a(n): 1) support group of fellow patients, 2) bariatric psychologist who can help identify stressors, 3) spiritual counselor to help you develop the spiritual strength needed to find peace in the midst of emotional distress, 4) nutritionist to improve neurochemical balance through diet, and 5) exercise specialist who can provide specific activities to release stress and improve neurochemical regulation of eating behavior. Your multidisciplinary bariatric aftercare program provides all these avenues of assistance and can help you to avoid getting back into the old pattern of eating in response to emotions, enabling you to continue to maintain your weight loss and to eat for what eating is intended - to sustain life.

Thanks! This is a great article. You always seem to know what I need Love ya Tammy

::::: Sigh :::::: Well, in true DRAMA QUEEN LEI fashion, Im thinking that Yesterday I felt like I was dying when I ate. Good gawd almighty, 3.5 years POST OP and I still have issues with some foods and or not chewing enough. I still havent figured out what sent me into a turmoil yesterday - but around 4:30 the pain started, then the dry heaves, then the pain, dry heaves, lots of dry/air retching, more pain.... and just REPEAT all of the above for 7 hours. I swear it's like I had an ALIEN in my intestines (yah too much info, I know) and I could actually see the flippin' thing going down the birth canal, er, I mean intestines - it moved about 3 inches per hour and made sure I felt every scrape, drag, halt. In other words? I CRIED LIKE A BABY THE ENTIRE NIGHT and had NO one to hold my hand and listen. I shoulda' tape recoreded the entire event and played it back when Paul got off the boat. It sucks being SICK and not having ANYONE around that cares!!! Okay - whine fest over, guess I should go read the FOOD article now huh? I owe you an email, just finished reading the novel you sent over from yesterday - oh my my! Love you - ME

Oh Lei... I am so sorry sweety ... if it is any consolation .. I got a pill stuck .. 2 years out and I ended up in the floor ... I took one of my pain meds for my rib .. and OMG I thought I was going to die .. it felt like a stick stuck in my chest ... and I too had no one to talk to ... so I called Joanne and whined to her .. LOL Oh Huney Buney ... I hope you are feeling better now ... Hugs. Nat

Oh I feel for you Lei !!! I have got food stuck a few times because it was too dry or I ate too fast and it felt like I was going to die the pain was so bad. It is the only reminder I get that I had surgery four months ago! I haven't dumped yet because I am too scared to try things I know I shouldn't! Hope you are feeling better today and back to your mad self!! Jackie

Aaaaaw, thanks Jackie!!! Thankfully, Im feeling MUCH better - about midnight, it's like whatever had been haunting me for 7 hours, cleared up, just like that. One upside? The few pounds I put on in Richmond disapeared with last night's ordeal. I appreciat your concern, sweet lady..... [sigh] ...I wish everyone was as nice as YOU! Specifically glaring at Wendy G. who's picking on me right now and I'm still weak and fragile and recovering from last night - [sniffle sniffle] - she's just a mean ol' bully and I don't understand why, cause I'm nothing but 'rainbows and cotton candy' towards her! Hey? Have you seen her latest GLAMOUR SHOT??? Lemme share the link, just in case. It caught the TRUE ESSENSE of everything that is HER, dontcha think? It's a shame it wasnt caught on a CAM CORDER, you woulda seen the head swivel next. http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/imfivefootnuthin51/detail?.dir=/20bc&.dnm=e57d.jpg&.src=ph LMAO!! Yikes, I need to stop draggin' this on, she's gonna drive to my house and smack the brat right outta me. Uh, soooooooooooooooo JACKIE? Can I come stay with you for a week, or ten? Till she gets over it. Hugs - Lei

lol!! I think you better come stay here although I am not sure that would be far enough away to stop Wendy coming to get you after publishing a picture like that Heck if you published one of me like that I would be on my way over to see you now!! Better start pulling out the sick and weak card before she gets there!! Jackie

LOL - girl? Im just rapid firing to you all over da' place - just sent a private email to you too, with the info you were asking about. Yah - Im in twubble, been rapid firing to Wendy-Woooooooooo in emails, trying to remind her of all the WONDERFUL reasons she just loves me. Yikes, Im to the point of making up reasons, cause the first two-thousand didn't suffice. She's a tough one, that LindaBlairExorcist look alike! [see, Im hoping if I hide comments like that in the middle of a post, she won't even see them and I get away with, yet another, bratty deed of the day]. Besides, don't feel too bad for Wendy - she's got a picture of me that was taken last year at "The Banque" (a C&W dance club here) that is gawdawful UGLY. It'll make this one of her look like it belongs on the cover of VOGUE! I've got a stinky nasty cig hanging out of my mouth (drooping) and it's before my "neck lift" so my turkey waddle is wobblin' to and fro. If I know Wendy, the Virginia Pilot is already printing it on the front page of tomorrows newspaper. [sniffle sniffle] ...she's just MEAN like dat, ya know? UNLIKE, me!

Well now I am hoping Wendy will publish that one so we can all see it - if she is as mean as you say she is it will be on here later Oh Lord - Lei an angel???? There will be plagues and locusts next .......

OMG I seen that and the first thing she reminded me of was Shirley Temple .. What a face ... she is soooo cute ...