American Diabetes Walk Aloha Family and Friends, It is my last big push to get those last minute donations in for the American Diabetes Walk. We walk in 21 days and as of right now I am in a tight fundraising race with two other family teams. If you can make a donation please click on the link at the bottom. If you can't this year, I completely understand then please just send positive vibes for me and my team on March 21. As you may know, diabetes has greatly affected my life. I live daily with Type 1 Diabetes and take multiple insulin injections daily. It is not as bad as it sounds, what is worse is that it affects the lives of millions of other Americans. More than 20 million adults and children have diabetes and 54 million are at risk. Signing up is easy! Use the link below to help us make a difference. The funds we raise will support the American Diabetes Association's important research, education and advocacy efforts. I am here every year, raising awareness and raising funds. Join me, and together we can take steps towards fighting diabetes! Much Love and Aloha, Jeni Captian of Team Jeni click here for Team Jeni

Miss Hawaii 2009 I just wanted to share an email annoncement I received from one of our Hawaii patients. She is so inspirational and such a wonderful person. She has lost over 100lbs in under a year with gastric bypass surgery. Everyone at the practice wishes her the best of luck!! Aloha, I am proudly running in this year’s Mrs. Hawaii US pageant and seeking your help and support! Becoming a pageant contestant is a life altering experience that will allow me to obtain more than new friends, but the opportunity to gain confidence, poise, self-esteem and the opportunity to serve and benefit our community. The Mrs. Hawaii United States pageant focuses on showcasing married women for their ability to integrate intellect combined with beauty. This year’s pageant will be held on May 23, 2008 at the Paliku Thearter. This is a preliminary pageant for the National Mrs. United States Pageant held in Las Vegas, Nevada in July 2009 which will be televised. I will be contacting you to follow up on any questions or concerns you may have regarding our pageant. I hope you will take this opportunity to be a part of a wonderful tribute to married women all over the country. And I would be happy to provide you any additional information about myself or the pageant at your request and I’d be utterly grateful for your help and support. Tickets to the pageant are available for purchase as I would love to see you at our event. Be there to support me as I go for the title of Mrs. Hawaii US 2009! Please visit www.kimhawks.com for pageant updates! click here for Kim's website

The Dangers of Grazing Grazing is a common behavior in people who regain weight following bariatric surgery. “Grazing” is a term commonly used to describe mindless or unplanned eating. While WLS patients cannot physically eat too much at one time, it is possible to eat the wrong foods all day long. This can result in consuming more than is needed in a given day. Here are some questions for you to consider: 1. What time of day am I most likely to graze? It’s likely that the temptation to graze comes at the same time each day. By identifying when these tempting times are, you can anticipate them and redirect your activities as needed to arrange for different circumstances, surroundings, etc. 2. What activities might be encouraging me to graze? When the temptation to graze hits, observe what is going on around you. Are you watching TV? Driving in your car? Identify these “at-risk” times and make changes or prepare for them in advance by removing poor foods and having better food choices available. 3. What am I eating and how did I get it? Are you eating a particular food simply because it is there? If certain foods are difficult for you to pass up, don’t buy them and don’t allow others to bring them into the house. 4. How am I feeling when I am tempted to graze? Often our cravings are to satisfy emotional needs. Notice how you feel when you want to snack. Are you tired? Stressed? Bored? Angry? Be aware of these emotions, then identify and practice alternative ways to soothe them. Need help breaking the habit of grazing? Consider talking with a therapist who can assist you in tracking your behaviors, identifying your emotions, and helping you develop more fulfilling, non-food oriented coping strategies.

A Note from Amy, RD To the San Francisco, Petaluma, and San Jose Support Groups, I'm very excited to be attending the San Francisco and Petaluma Support Groups this month! I'll be touching on the topics of Healthy Cooking Ideas as well as information on Liquid Calories. I hope to see you there! The San Jose Support Group on April 22nd will host a guest speaker, Nichole Croak. Nichole is a Personal Trainer and patient who has undergone weight loss surgery. We're happy to have her come speak and demonstrate exercising tips. - Amy Ingols, RD

Sincerely,
--The Team at Laparoscopic Associates of San Francisco