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Frequently Asked Questions

• What do you mean by a puree diet? (2011/7/6 13:21:10)
  When you start the puree diet keep in mind the following guidelines: 1. All foods should be a baby food consistency. You should be able to eat anything you puree with a spoon. 2. Use lowfat and/or fat free products. For example if you puree chicken or tuna fish you can add lowfat mayonnaise. You can also add reduced fat salad dressings, mustard or low sodium chicken broth to moisten the proteins. 3. Try to eat 3 meals per day. If you get full it is normal but the idea is to give structure to your meal plan and do not skip meals. The portions should be between 2 and 4 ounces. 4. Drink the protein supplements between meals. Take the protein powder and add 4 ounces of skim plus milk. Try adding ice in the blender and cinnamon, equal or an artificial sweetener if you need flavor. 5. It may help to make a schedule and keep a food diary so that you avoid drinking to close to your meals. Remember liquids can be consumed 30 minutes before the meal and an hour and a half after the meal. 6. It m ...
  
  
• Is coffee safe to drink after bariatric surgery? (2011/6/4 16:37:04)
  Coffee is one of the most widely consumed beverages worldwide. Population studies suggest that coffee consumption protects against the progression of chronic liver disease and development of certain cancers and diabetes, but the mechanisms are not clear. Despite the ubiquity of coffee, the question as to whether coffee can cause ulcers or if it is safe after bariatric surgery is still ambiguous. Coffee is a very popular beverage and consumed on a regular basis by millions. Most people who drink coffee daily will not deny that if they drink too much they will develop an upset stomach and indigestion. The question as to whether low doses or 'coffee in moderation' is healthy or unhealthy remains unanswered. The lack of scientific evidence in one direction or the other is actually surprising. Coffee can induce dyspepsia and indigestion. Coffee directly and indirectly activates the cells of the stomach to secrete their hormones including signals to increase acid levels. Coffee stimulates ga ...
  
  

Magazine

• What is homeopathy? (2011/8/27 9:42:14)
  Homeopathy is a form of alternative medicine that originated out of Germany in 1796 when German physician Samuel Hahnemann propounded his “law of similars” that states “let like be cured by like”. The statement has no scientific underpinning and is taken on the good doctor’s word. The word homeopathy is derived from the Greek hómoios which means like and pathos that means suffering. It is interesting to note that it was Hahnemann who coined the term “allopathic medicine”.
  
  
• How Do Spices Benefit our Health? (2011/7/6 11:14:04)
  Spices are central to cooking all over the world. Our food would indeed be very bland without spices. Not only do spices impart flavor and zest to cooking they also provide tremendous health benefits too. India and South-East Asian nations like Indonesia and Malaysia are amongst the major producers of spice. Spices can be extracted from different parts of a plant such as root, bark, resin, and fruit. Let us look up the health benefits of six popular spices.
  
  
• A Simple Guide to Eggs (2011/7/6 10:38:17)
  The humble chicken egg has been a valuable food item since time immemorial. Eggs are one of the best low-cost sources of protein.Let us learn more about it and try to find about its various health and nutrition benefits.Brown shelled eggs come from breeds such as the Rhode Island Red and are usually larger in size than white-shelled eggs laid by breeds like Leghorns.Eggs with a red blood spot on the yolk surface are safe for consumption. The spot is caused by a ruptured blood vessel during the process of yolk formation. Boiled eggs with a greenish ring around the edges of the yolk can be safely eaten. The green tinge is because of iron and sulfur in the eggs. Eggs that are boiled too long or cooled slowly usually display the greenish ring.
  
  
• The Association between Fruit and Vegetable Colors and Nutrients (2011/7/6 10:07:22)
  Fruits and vegetables are available in a rainbow of colors but do you know that these colors indicate the type of nutrition these foods pack within? Information on the association between fruit / vegetable and their colors can help us chart out our daily nutrition plan for optimum health the natural and organic way.
  
  
• Yoga Suggestions for the Obese Beginner (2011/6/16 11:32:49)
  As the causes of obesity can often be attributed to degrees of physical, mental, and emotional imbalance, we hypothesize that Yoga can be one of the best health activities for obese individuals. Yoga is a traditional art that originated in India. Regular practice of Yoga often brings about improvements in physical, mental, and spiritual health. Yoga is thus a holistic approach to life that uplifts the practitioner.
  
  

Glossary

• Coronary heart disease (2010/1/16 13:43:48)
  Coronary heart disease is a condition in which there is inadequate blood supply to the cardiac region and surrounding tissue. It is caused by atherosclerotic narrowing of the coronary arteries and can lead to a heart attack.
  
  Atherosclerotic implies a thickening and hardening of the coronary arteries from deposition of cholesterol, calcium, and scar tissue. Tobacco abuse, obesity, high blood pressure, and diabetes are some of the causes of CHD.
  
  
• Complex carbohydrates (2010/1/16 13:44:27)
  Complex carbohydrates are made up of long chains of sugar as opposed to simple carbohydrates made up of one or two molecules of sugar. Starch and cellulose are two major forms of complex carbohydrate. While starch can be digested by the human body, cellulose is not digestible by the human body.
  
  Grains are a source of starchy carbohydrate that is broken down into sugars for energy. Green vegetables and beans contain cellulose or fiber which helps to keep the gastrointestinal tract healthy.
  
  
• Blood sugar (2010/1/16 13:44:52)
  Blood sugar refers to the amount of glucose in the blood of humans. A persistent high level of blood sugar is termed hyperglycemia and is associated with conditions such as diabetes and obesity. Low levels of blood sugar are termed hypoglycemia and are associated with Addison’s disease and galactosemia. The normal range for blood glucose level is 82 mg/dl to 110 mg/dl.
  
  
• Basal metabolic rate (2010/1/16 13:45:05)
  Basal metabolic rate or BMR is the amount of heat or energy produced by an individual in a resting state when the digestive system is inactive. BMR indicates the amount of energy necessary to sustain vital body organs in a waking person. A person expends maximum calories to execute basal metabolic activities. An understating of the calories consumed for basal metabolism helps in regulating diet and exercise for an individual.
  
  
• Bariatrics (2010/1/16 13:45:55)
  Bariatrics is a branch of medicine concerned with the causes, prevention, and treatment of obesity. Surgery, diet, exercise, and medicine are the various approaches used by a bariatrics doctor to get a patient’s weight under control. Bariatrics has become very relevant in modern society where we are grappling with obesity on a global scale.
  
  

Web Links

• The Weight-Control Information Network (2010/8/15 16:35:24)
  The Weight-control Information Network provides the general public, health professionals, the media, and Congress with up-to-date, science-based information on weight control, obesity, physical activity, and related nutritional issues. WIN was established in 1994 to provide the general public, health professionals, the media, and Congress with up-to-date, science-based information on obesity, weight control, physical activity, and related nutritional issues.
  
  
  
• Shape Up (2010/8/15 15:43:39)
  By clearly defining obesity as a major public health issue, Shape Up America! is conducting a broad-based education initiative to encourage sensible eating and increased physical activity in all individuals and a modest weight loss in overweight individuals that can be maintained over time. The purpose of Shape Up America! is to educate the public on the importance of the achievement and maintenance of a healthy body weight through the adoption of increased physical activity and healthy eating.
  
  
• Healthier US (2010/8/15 15:42:03)
  The Healthier US initiative is a national effort to improve people's lives, prevent and reduce the costs of disease, and promote community health and wellness. Deciding to live a healthier life is easy; it's the follow-through that's hard. You've already made a good start by coming to HealthierUS.gov to get the right information on how to improve your health habits. On HealthierUS.gov you will learn how to: Make physical activity a part of your day, eat more healthy foods, protect yourself and your family from illness, and avoid risks to your health and the health of your loved ones. Bad habits are not easily broken. Good ones are not easily won. But you can do it!
  
  
• Small Step (2010/8/15 15:23:44)
  Smallstep.gov is the web component of a national advertising campaign from the Depart¬ment of Health and Human Services that is aimed at reducing the rates of overweight and obesity in the United States. The website includes tips and web tools to help people achieve a healthy weight. It's no wonder that many of us throw up our hands and give up. But if we want to live long and fulfilling lives, it's essential that we learn the real facts about health, nutrition, and physical activity.
  
  
• St. Luke's - Roosevelt Division of Thoracic Surgery (2010/4/24 15:00:10)
  The Division of Thoracic Surgery at St. Luke's - Roosevelt Hospital offers patients a full range of cardiothoracic services including minimally invasive and robotic surgery involving the heart, lungs, esophagus and the mediastinum. In particular, they specialize in CT- guided biopsy of thoracic nodules and masses; perform bronchoscopy and endobronchial tumor resection and stenting, esophageal stenting, and video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) of the lung, esophagus, and other mediastinal tumors. We also perform chest wall reconstruction for pectus deformity and minimally invasive sympathectomy for hyperhydrosis.
  
  

Forum

• Re: What can your pooch do for your long-life? (2010/7/5 1:29:25)
  Hey, glad to have found this forum. Am aged 68 and a retired nurse. I can vouch for the tremendous positive health benefits of owning pets. I have at various times owned cats, dogs, hamsters, guinea pigs and derived immense happiness in their company. At present I have two pets – a female Labrador and a male Siamese. They keep me occupied, pleased, and active. If I happen to be feeling low for whatever reason, Jeepers my cat can instinctively make out and comes to get its ears scratched, it will paw me if I don’t. It will curl against me and then there is no way I cannot smile. There is no doubt in my mind that playing with pets keeps depression away. If you can keep stress and tension at bay you can also control spikes in blood pressure. Many people who did not have pets have told me that they felt they could control blood pressure better after bringing home a puppy or two kittens. Debra, my lovable dog, will not let me miss my morning walks even if I want to. Her inquiring eyes a ...
  
  

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