Pre-op diet during a heat wave
Ireland has been going through a major heat wave, which has caused a few difficulties for me, and I thought I might warn others about it. I suspect that strict diets make us more susceptible to dehydration, so be extra vigilant.
I experience low blood sugar occasionally (I'm not diabetic or pre-diabetic) and the other day I felt it happen. I didn't want to break my pre-op diet, but I needed some carbs. Eventually I decided that having a few peanuts would be a good compromise, because I am encouraged to have some protein on my diet. Given that it was an emergency, I thought I handled it rather well. And indeed, the symptoms of low blood sugar subsided.
There was just one little problem: the peanuts were salted. Within about 15 minutes, I was feeling very unwell. I figured it was either dehydration or mild heatstroke, so I guzzled down a bottle of water infused with fruit (it was sugar free) while sitting in an air-conditioned car. Soon I felt better. I was mindful of the heat wave, and drinking what I thought would be enough water, but apparently it wasn't.
After that, I made a conscious effort to have more fluids. However, a few days later, the dehydration or mild heatstoke happened again (without the low blood sugar). So now I'm drinking extra, extra fluids!
on 6/4/18 11:43 am
For future reference-- peanuts are not a good source of protein on your post-op diet. You want to look for foods with over 10g protein per 100 calories; nuts are far too high in calories for the protein. You'd be much better off with some chicken, beef jerky, or egg :)
Sparklekitty / Julie / Nerdy Little Secret (#42)
Roller derby - cycling - triathlon
VSG 2013, RNY conversion 2019 due to GERD. Trendweight here!
on 6/4/18 12:36 pm
Gotcha. In that case, chickpeas would probably be a better choice for a quick snack; I roast mine and top them with cajun seasoning, and they're great for on the go!
Sparklekitty / Julie / Nerdy Little Secret (#42)
Roller derby - cycling - triathlon
VSG 2013, RNY conversion 2019 due to GERD. Trendweight here!
on 6/7/18 8:20 am
Preheat your oven to 450.
Get a can of chickpeas, drain and rinse them, and then dry them on a paper towel.
Toss them in a bowl with a little bit of olive oil, and add whatever seasoning you like. I get the premade seasoning mixes from the grocery store, cajun is really good, and you can't go wrong with anything garlicky.
Bake for 30 - 40 minutes until browned and crunchy. Check them often towards the end so they don't burn!
Sparklekitty / Julie / Nerdy Little Secret (#42)
Roller derby - cycling - triathlon
VSG 2013, RNY conversion 2019 due to GERD. Trendweight here!
on 6/4/18 1:47 pm - Amarillo, TX