Dear Bandsters, Congratulations on the placement of your adjustable gastric band. I applaude you! I'm so excited to work with you all as a group and look forward to being a part of your wellness program and new lease on life. I encourage you to dream the greatest dreams for yourself. The Band is meant to be a tool to allow you to eat smaller portions of solid foods. With a comfortable restriction of your band, you should be able to eat 1/4 - 1/2 cup of food during a meal. I recommend that you schedule three meals a day (I know you have more restriciton in the morning) and make sure you eat early in the evening (this reduces that early morning restriction).  I am an avid promoter of whole foods, cooking, and reducing the intake of processed foods.  The processed foods contain preservatives, corn syrup, and other additives that are counter productive to a weight loss program. I personally believe that the fast food industry and processed foods are the certain culprits to advancing weight gain and obesity in the western culture and elsewhere in the world where these foods have been introduced. In an ideal world where there is little stress and we are eating whole foods and getting rest, we do not generally need vitamins. I recommend to most of my clients a high quality liquid B-complex with Biotin to support metabolism, liver function, and the nervous system.  Also, most bandsters have difficulty eating red meat, so the B vitamin will help with avoiding anemia. As a naturopathic physician, I address endocrine disturbances that may deter weight loss. Please bring in your lab work for me to review.  Please ask if you have concerns regarding health issues.  Often I'll prescribe Chromium for blood sugar regulation. I also use glandulars and hormones when necessary to help nurture the appropriate metabolic organs and support blood sugar utilization. Fat metabolism and energy production may can be supported with the use of alpha-Lipoic acid and Carnitine. Excessive amounts of fat cells contribute to chronic inflammation & the potential for carcinogenesis promotion (The Role of Obesisty in Cancer Survival and Recurrence, 2012).    You can help to reduce this inflammation with fish oils -  like cod liver oil, tumeric, Vitamin D, and adhering to eating whole foods that reduce the inflammatory mechanisms.  If you have questions about any of this information, please ask me. In Good Health, Dr. Kelly

SUGGESTIONS FOR SUCCESSFUL WEIGHT LOSS   After a “fill” you are on a clear liquid diet for 24 hours; then, soft for 24 hours; then, regular food Clear – juice, water, low sodium broth, miso soup, tea, NO DAIRY, NO CITRUS, NO ICE, NO SALT (can create mucous, swell and constrict the tissue). Soft – V-8, yogurt, cottage cheese, smoothies, (no ice cream), pureed soups, apple sauce, squash. Call me if you are unable to sleep lying down due to reflux to schedule a slight “unfill”.  Do not talk yourself into “working through the reflux”.   Schedule another fill when your portion sizes increase or you are feeling hungrier between meals.   Eat three meals daily or six small meals –½- 1 ½ cup per meal Eat Protein at every meal; eat your protein first in order to facilitate proper digestion of this complex food. Stop eating after 7:30pm during the summer; and 6:30 in the winter Eat slowly between bites; take small bites (toddler fork sizes); chew each bit 30 times slowly. Drink 6-8 glasses of purified water each day away from meals. (add lemon to water). DRINK LIQUIDS 45 MINUTES BEFORE AND 60-90 MINUTES AFTER YOUR MEALS NOT DURING YOUR MEALS. Eat organic as much as possible to avoid increasing exposure to false hormones, antibiotics, and other toxic substances   Make sure your bowels are moving daily with ease not effort Add fiber into your diet if you are not having complete bowel movements – 1 tablespoon ground flax seed, sunflower seed, psyllium, pumpkin seeds combined into a ground fiber source.  Even some ground walnuts would be nice.  These provide essential fatty acids and fiber. You could also add 1-2 servings of Metamucil between meals. You may not lose weight if you’re not eating enough.   Avoid white flour and white sugar products You are not allowed to be on an ice cream diet Throw out all the junk food in the house Don’t buy anymore junk food   Have some form of movement every day for 30 minutes Join a support group, Curves, or weight watchers. Keep working on the mental emotional component to comfort food eating Journal about your feelings, keep a food diary, create a collage of what your future looks like and hang it in your room. Create a collage of images you want to let go of and burn the collage. Laugh every day   RECIPES FOR AFTER A FILL Master Cleanse Drink (adjust lemon, ginger and cayenne to taste) 4 oz of apple juice Pinch of cayenne pepper ¼ teaspoon fresh grated ginger 4-8 TBls of Lemon juice 4Tbls of Maple Syrup or Honey Pinch of salt top off the blender with filtered water Blend till mixed Strain and drink ½ - 1 Quart a day SMOOTHIE: FOR DAYS WHEN YOU ARE ON SOFT FOODS AFTER A FILL OR UNFILL - A 24 HOUR REQUIREMENT FOR POST FILLS AFTER LIQUIDS. 2-4 oz of apple juice or Rice or Soy Milk 3-5 ground almonds 1-2 teaspoons of flax oil ¼ cup of frozen fruit ? berries, bananas, mangos, papaya 1-2 Tbls (or packet) protein powder (I use a Rice Protein which is hypoallergenic and tastes pretty good) ¼ teaspoon Bee Pollen (do not add if allergic to bees or huge environmental allergies) ½ - 1 teaspoon of chlorella or spirulina