http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2010/04/beating-obesity-10-ideas-to-solve-the-problem/39130/

http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2010/04/beating-obesity-10-ideas-to-solve-the-problem/39130/

I totally agree with #8 teach kids to cook. If you want kids to lay off junk food and stuff out of the box we need to teach them to cook. Shaun and I made lasagna for Seth's bday last year so he could learn how to make it. It was fun.

Field Guide: What's the Best Smartphone Operating System?

Field Guide: What's the Best Smartphone Operating System?
My hubby and I have Iphones and we love them.  I was never a cell phone nut.  I always had the basic no frills phone for calling only.  Last year I got an Iphone for my birthday and I have been hooked every since.  I love that it is a phone and Ipod in one but most of all I love having the internet at my fingertips. 
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Travel and Food: Tuning In to Tasty Italy

Tuning In to Tasty Italy

Wish I was going to Italy. Well I hope to one day and when I do I will use these tips. I love dives, diners and local spots. They have the best food, even here in Houston.

Diabetes: Added Sugar Increases Heart Risks - Heart Disease

Added Sugar Increases Heart Risks - Heart Disease - FOXNews.com  We really needed to be more "freaked out" with diabetes and consider it to be as deadly like heart disease or cancer if not treated.  It is so common for people with weight issues to be type 2 diabetic or prediabetic.  Having diabetes is so bad for your body.  Over time, high blood glucose levels damage nerves and blood vessels, leading to complications such as heart disease and stroke, the leading causes of death among people with diabetes. Uncontrolled diabetes can eventually lead to other health problems as well, such as vision loss, kidney failure, and amputations.  Many people with pre-diabetes develop type 2 diabetes within 10 years. In addition, they are at risk for heart disease and stroke.  If you have diabetes, you are at least twice as likely as someone who does not have diabetes to have heart disease or a stroke. People with diabetes also tend to develop heart disease or have strokes at an earlier age than other people. If you are middle-aged and have type 2 diabetes, some studies suggest that your chance of having a heart attack is as high as someone without diabetes who has already had one heart attack. My Mom is an insulin dependent diabetic and it wasn't until she was hospitalized for a week bc they couldn't get her sugar stabilized that I really looked into what being a diabetic meant.  Diabetes doesn't get enough credit.  It is a really bad deal.  It slowly wears downs and clogs up your body and the damage it does is hard to reverse.
http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2010-04-19/health/ct-biz-0419-burns-syrup-20100419_1_corn-refiners-association-syrup-corn-products-international

http://diabetes.niddk.nih.gov/dm/pubs/stroke/






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Salad, got enough to feed an army

So, I was supposed to go to a great friend's going away party today but it got cancelled, bummer.  I was in charge of bringing the salad.  I bought salad and all lots of veggies to go in it but the problem is How am I going to eat all that before it goes bad?! I usually buy one premade salad to last me all week, lol.  So I went searching for ways to change it up and came across this great page about herbs and what to do with them.  So I hope this inspires you to change up your salads and cooking with some new herbs.
http://www.gourmetsleuth.com/Articles/Cooking-Tips--Techniques-642/salad-herbs.aspx

Bariatric surgery changed my taste for the Sweet and Salty

Can Americans Change Their Taste for the Sweet and Salty? - US News and World Report
I read this article and it made me think of how my palate has changed after my bariatric surgery (gastric bypass RNY).  I used to never eat sugar.  I could pass on birthday cake, icecream, almost any desserts.  I had a few things I liked that were really more connected to childhood memories like peach cobbler and vanilla ice cream, DingDongs, strawberry shortcake from Luby's.  Those type sweets I only ate a few times a year and usually in connection to my birthday.  Now carbs, potatoes, rice and pasta was a whole 'nother thing.  I was totaly carb addict!  I would never pass on pasta or mashed potatoes or macaroni and cheese.  Spaghetti was my favorite thing to eat or a big bowl of rice or pasta with lots of butter, pepper and garlic salt.   But here's where it changed, after surgery I quit eating any processed carbs and suddenly I was craving sweets.  Me who would eat a can of green beans before a cookie, lol.  So now I realize I am a sugar addict in addition to using food as a coping tool.  I realized all those carbs I craved and ate were really just part of my sugar addiction.  Like an acoholic I was really addicted to the sugar high as much as the actual item.  I combact that sugar craving by eating a steady supply of fruit.  I eat anywhere from 2-3 grapes or an apple with every meal.  It's the only way I have found to keep my sugar fix in check.  So back to this article,  after surgery and my new consumption of whole, less processed foods including fresh fruit I began to be able to taste all the flavors and additives they put in stuff, yogurt especially.  I am now very aware of how overly sweet, salty and flavored our foods our.  So I totally agree with this article.  A person really needs to go to a whole foods way of eating for a couple of months and then go back and try processed stuff to be able to taste the difference.  The problem really lies in the fact that we as Americans don't want to eat whole healthy foods.  Most people complain that fresh fruits and vegetables are too expensive.  At times I am sure that is true but you can always find something on sale.  It's funny bc I've talked to people who only buy fruit or veggies when they are on sale but don't think twice about buying their favorite treats or chips with little regard to price.  A bag of on sale fruit is the same price as a bag of chips but which one would you choose?

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FOOD ADDICTION and FOOD OBSESSION

Wow, this is me to a T!! I too morn my old relationship with food. It's like the death of a spouse or best friend. It's losing the thing/person you do everything with. I went through and still go through all the mental battles she talks about. The one difference between her and I are the consequences of over eating. I don't have pain or vomiting (though there have been times I wish I could have vomited). For me when I overeat, within 30 min, I feel horrible like I suddenly got the flu and it takes 30 min to an hour to go away. If I eat poorly, not overeat, over a couple of days by the third day I feel so tired and grumpy that I'll often do protein shakes for 24 hours to get my body back to feeling normal. I think for me after bariatric surgery gastric bypass (rny) I have more sugar or diabetic reactions to food. When I eat too many carby foods, which I normally avoid, like pasta/bread/rice I feel so sluggish. I think that is more of a diabetic type reaction. I pretty much reserve my carb consumption to those carbs found in nature so fruits and vegetables. Of course I should also mention I avoid those carby foods bc like chips I want to eat more than just one bite. Watch this video bypass babies and know you are not the only one who feels crazy in relation to food.

Food: Atkins Chocolate Chip Granola Bar (Low sugar and carbs)

I just tried the Atkins Chocolate Chip Granola Bar.  I am a big fan of their ready to drink protein shakes.  They were on sale at Randall's so I picked up the three that had high protein.  This one by far is my favorite and has 17 grams of protein and 200 calories.  It tastes like rice crispies mixed with maple syrup put over a nice layer of chocolate.  It's crunchy and very chocolatey.  I would not classify it truly as a granola bar since it's really rice crispies not granola.  I would definitely eat this one again and will add it into rotation.  I am not so sure about the other ones I tried bc they were too much like the old school style protein bars that are really firm and taste like protein powder.  They weren't terrible but they weren't um um good like this one.

http://www.atkins.com/Products/AvailableProducts3l2/Atkins-Advantage-Bars.aspx

Here are some links if you want to buy a variety pack to try them out.  Note:  I tried the ones that were 10 grams of protein and higher and the Chocolate Chip Granola was the only one I was excited about. Atkins Advantage Caramel Bars, Variety Pack (Chocolate Peanut Nougat, Double Chocolate Crunch & Fudge Brownie), 1.6-Ounce Bars (Pack of 30)  Atkins Advantage-Caramel Variety Pack, 15ct

Music: Esperanza Spalding

I posted around this time last year that I saw her at Miller Outdoor Theater.  She was great and it was free!!  Well she's back in town but this time it will cost ya.  Saturday she performs at San Antonio's Carver Community Cultural Center. On April 24 in Houston, she's got a sold-out show at the Wortham Center's Cullen Theater.  If you like Jazz, Jazz fusion or just lookin' for something new to listen to please check her out.

http://www.esperanzaspalding.com/

Healthy Low Carb Chicken Souvlaki with Tzatziki Sauce

I had to get out in the glorious weather for lunch today. It's a bit overcast but the temperature is perfect, 72 degrees. I walked to the corner gas station aka Ekko's Greek Deli (corner of Richmond and South Rice). The special today was Beef or Chicken Souvlaki (2 kabobs)with fries or Greek potatoes, pita bread and a drink for $8.50. I of course being the good low carb girl that I am got my Chicken Souvlaki with a side Greek salad (dressing on side), no fries/potatoes/bread and Tzatziki sauce (on side). I ate one kabob which had chicken, onion and green pepper and half the salad with 3 forks of drizzled dressing and 2 spoons of Tzatziki on my chicken and squeeze a quarter of a huge lemon over all my food. It was awesome. I am not sure that the food was as awesome as just getting out of the office, lol. Oh, and those who know me know I am a sucker for sauces/dips/condiments so the Tzatziki sauce was my favorite part.

I am no Greek Food Expert but of the places I have tried I like their Tzatziki Sauce the best. I like Niko Niko's Village Greek Salad the best because it has no lettuce and a chunk of wonderfully salty authentic Greek Feta cheese, yummy, and their people watching is great too!

Ekko's Greek Deli http://www.datasegura.net/~ekkosdel/ Niko Niko's Greek http://www.nikonikos.com/

Here's a bariatric friendly low carb Chicken Souvlaki recipe with Cucumbers and Tzatziki Sauce http://kalynskitchen.blogspot.com/2008/07/chicken-souvlaki-recipe.html. Send me your feedback if you try this recipe I'd love to hear if it's pouch worthy (as MeltingMama says).

I buy the yogurts with the most natural ingredients and the most protein. I buy Icelandic yogurt, Siggi's, at Whole Foods and Central Market. It has 120 calories and 16 grams of protein. You know us bariatric babies need all the protein we can get but note this yogurt is more of a true yogurt flavor versus the flavor/sugar/filler pumped lowfat yogurts like Yoplait so it takes some getting used to. It's also on the pricier side, $2.50 each, but it's like most high quality foods you get what you pay for. http://skyr.com/products.html . I also buy Fage Greek yogurt at Whole Foods and Central Market and even HEB. http://www.fageusa.com/products.aspx#/products/classic . Oh and there's Oikos by Stoneyfield http://www.stonyfield.com/oikos/index.jsp.