Re: New to group with a question

[Guest guest]

Welcome Marti!

There's a big debate over whether dilation affects later surgery. The GI's who do dilations say it has no effect whatsoever. The surgeons who do the Heller Myotomies, on the other hand, generally say that they prefer to have a 'virgin' LES to work with, b/c it's easier than one that has been dilated and/or botoxed. There are different studies that support both angles! Some say "no difference" and some say "yes difference".....

I was originally told that I could just have dilations every few years, no big deal. But after my second dilation, when I went in for the third one, all of a sudden they told me that each subsequent dilation carries a much greater risk of perforation, and they didn't want to dilate me b/c I'd already been done twice before. ARGH!!!

If I'd known then what I know now, I would have (after choosing a different doctor!) gone ahead with the surgery back then.

As for whether or not you should have surgery now or later, I would discuss this w/ a competent and experienced specialist. The main thing to be aware of is that if you're retaining food in your esophagus for long periods of time before it goes through, you end up stretching out the body of the esophagus. With a stretched-out esophagus, you're not going to have as good a result from either surgery or dilation compared to the result obtained when the esophagus isn't all stretched out.

Do you have a good doctor to go to, one w/ dozens if not hundreds of achalasia patients??? An experienced doc seems to be the best predictor of your treatment's outcome.

Good luck!Debbi in Michigan

I just stumbled upon and joined this group a few days ago and want to thank all of you for your input. Wow, what a great amount of information you have!I was diagnosed with the Big A about 15 years ago and seem not to really severe symptoms (i.e., no huge pains in chest, I do ok with carbonation), but I do have a question about the surgery. I remember reading somewhere a while back that if I have the stretching done, that will make the surgery less effective later on, should I have to have that. Does anyone know whether that is true or have any experience with it? Also, would you recommend having surgery now before the A gets any worse or waiting till I absolutely have to have it?Thanks for any info you can give me.Marti

[Guest guest]

Marti - my surgeon has told me that if you have the surgery in the earlier stages, it tends to be more effective & last longer. He also said that dilations won't effect the outcome, but that botox will (best not to do botox). These statements have correlated with the research I have done, but the best thing is to have a doc experienced with A who knows your situation. Glad you joined us!!!!!!!!! Cindi

Also, several members are going to an A symposium next week in Cleveland & they should have some up to date info on the effectiveness of surgery from that event, so keep checking here!

____________________________________________________ IncrediMail - Email has finally evolved - Click Here

[Guest guest]

Deb - that is interesting about the risk of perf-ing going up with more dilations. It makes sense. I guess that's why for the last one my GI doc used the smaller balloon (he had used a weighted tube the time before & that did help more than the balloons)....he was "tiding me over" to surgery so I could at least eat (getting much harder to eat recently....I have lost about 8 lbs in 4 weeks.....10 days to surgery!). Anyway, the swallowing results from that balloon only lasted through LUNCH that day. But it did help the night-time issues for about a month.

Enough babble! time to dye eggs with the kids! Cindi

____________________________________________________ IncrediMail - Email has finally evolved - Click Here

[Guest guest]

Wow, thanks, Cindi, for your information, I'll be

eagerly awaiting news from the symposium group. And I'll stay away

from botox....

Marti in Anchorage

Cindi Wilmot wrote:

Marti - my surgeon has told me that if you have the

surgery in the earlier stages, it tends to be more effective & last

longer. He also said that dilations won't effect the outcome, but that

botox will (best not to do botox). These statements have correlated

with the research I have done, but the best thing is to have a doc

experienced with A who knows your situation. Glad you joined

us!!!!!!!!! Cindi

Also, several members are going to an A symposium next

week in Cleveland & they should have some up to date info on the

effectiveness of surgery from that event, so keep checking here!

____________________________________________________

IncrediMail - Email has

finally evolved - Click Here

[Guest guest]

Hi Sharron, welcome... If you switch or go to a more raw diet, you will lose weight. Drinking plenty of lemon water, fresh juices, etc. What are your current eating habits? SuziSharron V <svoeltz1719@...> wrote: Hi everyone. I'm Sharron. I just joined this group yesterday and I have enjoyed the conversations and

I'm learning so much already. My family and I are changing our eating habits and I have lots of questions. But the most important one is, How do you lose weight eating the foods that are better for you, but have higher calories and fat? I have lost 40 lbs on Weight Watchers and I still want to lose about 5 more pounds, but I'm having a hard time making the change to better foods for my body. Does anyone have any thoughts for ideas on this subject? Anything would be appreciated. Thank you very much. Sharron

Be a PS3 game guru.Get your game face on with the latest PS3 news and previews at Games.

[Guest guest]

Hi Sharron and welcome to the group.

To answer your question will entail more information from you. What are

you eating currently and why do you feel you need to eat foods higher in

calories and fat? Which foods are you referring to?

If you were to eat an all raw living food diet of raw nuts, seeds,

fruits and green tender leafy greens your body will lose the weight

necessary to achieve it owns desired and appropriate weight. Everyone's

body is capable of this. However, you have to stick to it. This is not

about dieting this about living. Weight Watchers, while it has helped

some people, is not an ideal nor is it an optimal way to lose weight. It

is unnatural and does not utilize raw living foods. All fad diets are,

and yes Weight Watchers is a fad diet, do not promote healthy weight

loss. What you lose you put right back into your body in the way of

toxins. You don't build and rebuild new cells from healthy nutritional

foods. There is nothing healthy nor nutritional about cooked foods or

even frozen foods.

Only raw living foods will give your body what it needs to operate

optimally all the way down to the cellular level. I realize that it will

be difficult for you to make changes with the whole family. But you can

set an example by yourself and begin the transition that will involve

them too.

Feel free to ask any questions you have or concerns you may have. I

can't promise that we will have all the answers but we will go out of

our way to assist you in finding answers to your questions.

Don

Sharron V wrote:

> Hi everyone. I'm Sharron. I just joined this group yesterday and I

> have enjoyed the conversations and I'm learning so much already. My

> family and I are changing our eating habits and I have lots of

> questions. But the most important one is, How do you lose weight

> eating the foods that are better for you, but have higher calories and

> fat? I have lost 40 lbs on Weight Watchers and I still want to lose

> about 5 more pounds, but I'm having a hard time making the change to

> better foods for my body.

>

> Does anyone have any thoughts for ideas on this subject? Anything

> would be appreciated.

>

> Thank you very much.

>

> Sharron

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

> FREE Emoticons for your email – by IncrediMail! Click Here!

> <http://www.incredimail.com/index.asp?id=99000>

[Guest guest]

Thank you all for responding to my question. I knew I needed to add more information, but I just have so much to say and ask that I didn't want to overwhelm all of you and you all say she never shuts up.

I know I don't eat everything right now. We have stopped eating enriched breads and pastas. I eat sprouted, whole grain breads. We don't eat processed sandwich meats and hot dogs anymore. I'm switching the kids over to organic milk. Everything is so highly priced.

I eat mostly low fat/no fat cheese, yogurts, crackers low in fat and carbs., peanut butter that has flax seed in it. I get in 2-4 fruits a day. My body is craving bananas. I could 2 or 3 a day, but I only eat one. I know I need more vegetables.

I went on a 21 day fast for the Lord and finished it about 3 weeks ago and I haven't been able to eat right since I went off it. I didn't eat bad stuff. I've gained weight and my stomach is all bloated and I feel like I'm not going to the bathroom right. My bowels are always making noise.

How much is too much grams of sugar and fiber?

I work out 4 or 5 times a week for about an hour each time.

See, I told you I have too much to say and ask. If you met me in person, I don't talk this much. Sorry if this is too long.

Thanks!

Sharron

[Guest guest]

Yesterday I ate 14 bananas! 6 pears, 1 young coconut, 8 oranges, 2 apples and 4 heads of romaine. Sharron, it's okay to eat more fruit. Fruit is what our body was meant to eat.

Shari

[Guest guest]

---- SV <shavig@...> wrote:

> Yesterday I ate 14 bananas! 6 pears, 1 young coconut, 8 oranges, 2 apples and

4 heads of romaine. Sharron, it's okay to eat more fruit. Fruit is what our

body was meant to eat.

>

> Shari

I'm not tryingto be facetious, but... you wheigh *What? and are you loosing

weight?? If so, I want to try it. I eat a lot of fruit and vegs but not that

much in one day. Thanks. tvksi

[Guest guest]



~~~grin~~~ I weigh more than I should. And yes, I am losing weight. I am following Dr. Doug Graham's suggestions of 80% carbs, 10% fat and 10% protein. Seems to be working for me. I've lost about 8 pounds since January 24.

Shari

[Guest guest]

---- Sharron >

> I know I don't eat everything right now. We have stopped eating enriched

> breads and pastas. I eat sprouted, whole grain breads. We don't eat

> processed sandwich meats and hot dogs anymore. I'm switching the kids over

> to organic milk. Everything is so highly priced.

>

> I eat mostly low fat/no fat cheese, yogurts, crackers low in fat and carbs.,

> peanut butter that has flax seed in it. I get in 2-4 fruits a day. My body

> is craving bananas. I could 2 or 3 a day, but I only eat one. I know I

> need more vegetables.

>

sounds like you are on the right track, Sharon. I have has GERDS (gastric

esophageal reflux disease symptoms or extreme heart burn) really bad in past so

have to be really careful what I eat. What works for me is to take DGL( a form

of licorice) about 20 minutes before meals,acidophilus between meals and fruit

enzymes after. I use crushed pineapple as the fruit enzyme. This has helped my

whole gastric system. to help my digestive tract, any bowl problem, I take a bit

of magnesium daily and about the only fat I take is organic first cold pressed

virgin olive oil. I try not to eat other foods that contain any other fats, and

about a tbs of olive oil daily integrated into my vegs, cereals etc., keeps my

colon lubricated and the bowels are in very good condition.

With this regimen, along with other herbs and medications I am doing well

gastronomically, so to speak. I have other health problems but that's another

story. The above regimen has helped me with some of the other. It helps e to

keep my system pretty clean as it keeps bowl moving pretty regularly which is

important. Think..eat three times a day.. what goes in must come out or it sits

there and putrefies. I usually eliminate 2 or three sometimes more a day, and it

works well for me. good luck. tvksi

[Guest guest]

Hi Sharron,

It is good that you have stopped eating anything enriched. There is

absolutely nothing nutritional in pre-processed foods. NOTHING!! If you

feel you need to eat breads then you are doing okay on the eating of

sprouted whole grain breads but in the long run you would be better off

without them, my opinion only. If you eat meat do your best to make

certain it is certified organic and free range. Most anything you get

from the store will only be toxic. Yes, everything is highly priced,

especially if it carries the organic label. Are there any Farmer's

Markets around your neck of the woods? Great place to get cheap, at

least cheaper than supermarket, organic food. Smaller farms are more

organic conscious than the mega farms.

As for cheese and yogurt and milk you will be much better off if you can

obtain raw cheese, yoghurt and milk. Much better for you but still not

optimal.

If you are craving bananas then by all means eat them. I eat upwards of

12 - 20 per day when I really crave them. Otherwise, like lately, I have

been eating about the same amount in mandarins or clementines. You

cannot eat too much fruit. Okay, maybe you can. Trick is to eat until

satisfied. Eat all the bananas you want until you feel satisfied on

them. If still hungry eat another type of fruit.

Now when I say fruits I refer to all biologically classified fruits

(cucumbers, tomatoes, zuchinni, other squashes, etc.)

As for your 21 day fast I would like to know what you mean by you

" haven't been able to eat right since. "

As for bloating, there are a number of reasons why this may be

happening. Most likely it is due to improper food combining. This will

cause lots of gas if you don't combine your foods properly.

How much is too much sugar? Any refined sugar is too much. In my opinion

any sugar is too much. Sugar is not a food. It is toxic to the body. As

for fiber, if you are eating lots of tender leafy green salads then you

are getting sufficient fiber. If you are eating lots more fruit than you

are now then you will be getting sufficient fiber.

Good on the exercise and you have only begun to scratch the surface in

your questioning and quest for better health. You haven't asked that

many questions yet and I doubt you will ever ask too many questions in

one email.

Feel free to ask away. That is what we are here for.

Don

Sharron V wrote:

> Thank you all for responding to my question. I knew I needed to add

> more information, but I just have so much to say and ask that I didn't

> want to overwhelm all of you and you all say she never shuts up.

>

> I know I don't eat everything right now. We have stopped eating

> enriched breads and pastas. I eat sprouted, whole grain breads. We

> don't eat processed sandwich meats and hot dogs anymore. I'm

> switching the kids over to organic milk. Everything is so highly

> priced.

>

> I eat mostly low fat/no fat cheese, yogurts, crackers low in fat and

> carbs., peanut butter that has flax seed in it. I get in 2-4 fruits a

> day. My body is craving bananas. I could 2 or 3 a day, but I only

> eat one. I know I need more vegetables.

>

> I went on a 21 day fast for the Lord and finished it about 3 weeks ago

> and I haven't been able to eat right since I went off it. I didn't

> eat bad stuff. I've gained weight and my stomach is all bloated and I

> feel like I'm not going to the bathroom right. My bowels are always

> making noise.

>

> How much is too much grams of sugar and fiber?

> I work out 4 or 5 times a week for about an hour each time.

>

> See, I told you I have too much to say and ask. If you met me in

> person, I don't talk this much. Sorry if this is too long.

>

> Thanks!

> Sharron

>

>

>

>

> FREE Emoticons for your email – by IncrediMail! Click Here!

> <http://www.incredimail.com/index.asp?id=99000>

[Guest guest]

Hi Sharron,

Welcome! There are many on this list who are wonderful people with

great minds and hearts to share!

I recently cut out all wheat, and slowly almost all flours from my

diet. Just cutting out wheat (especially refined) was a HUGE

difference in my life. I lost 15 lbs in a month just from cutting it

out. My TCM/RAc reccommends cutting out all flours, as they are

sticky inside your body although I am currently working with

spelt/kamut flour and am liking it. But nothing was ever as drastic

as when I cut out wheat!

Congrats on wanting to change your health and habits!

Yours in Health,

Anne

>

> Hi everyone. I'm Sharron. I just joined this group yesterday and

I have

> enjoyed the conversations and I'm learning so much already. My

family and I

> are changing our eating habits and I have lots of questions. But

the most

> important one is, How do you lose weight eating the foods that are

better

> for you, but have higher calories and fat? I have lost 40 lbs on

Weight

> Watchers and I still want to lose about 5 more pounds, but I'm

having a hard

> time making the change to better foods for my body.

>

> Does anyone have any thoughts for ideas on this subject? Anything

would be

> appreciated.

>

> Thank you very much.

>

> Sharron

>

[Guest guest]

When I talk about sugars, I'm talking about all the sugar that comes from the fruits I eat. For example, yesterday I ate 79g of sugar, 38 of those came from grapes and a banana. Ten more came from a package of the new Fruit Crisps that are like dehydrated apples. I know those are probably not the best thing to eat, but they are good, (only 50 calories.)

The higher fat I'm talking about, is 8g for just 1/4 of an avocado as an example. Do the nutritional values of a food (good for you foods, ex: fruit, nuts etc.) that are high in fat, calories or sugar out weigh the bad of having so much fat, calories and sugar? In other words, is it ok to have the foods with higher calories etc., and not have foods that are lower in calories etc., and still lose weight? Does that make sense?

For the past 2 days I have kept track of my Weight Watchers points, calories, fat, sugar, fiber and protein. I stayed right at my allotted WW points, my calories were between 1600 and 1700, about 42g fats, 89g sugar, 42/44g fiber and 46-48g protein. Can anyone tell me if these numbers are too high? What is your opinion? I've counted cal., fat, and carbs for so many years that I just don't know what to do now. I have a lot to learn.

Thanks everyone!!

Sharron

[Guest guest]

Ah, fruit carbs? That's about all I'm eating outside of a bit of romaine and celery.

Shari

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

Good point and thanks for sharing your own experiences on this issue

. Wheat is the number one allergy grain. Back in the 30's wheat was

genetically modified and since that time it has been nothing but big

problems for a huge chunck of society. Spelt and Kamut are the original

forms of the grain, at least as far as we know. They are much better for

the body. Your TCM/RAc is correct in that all grains and flours from

todays grains, including spelt and kamut, are glue foods. Yet in

moderation I see nothing wrong with eating them. It is when we overdo

these foods that we begin to have problems. Moderation in everything.

Don

Anne wrote:

> Hi Sharron,

>

> Welcome! There are many on this list who are wonderful people with

> great minds and hearts to share!

>

> I recently cut out all wheat, and slowly almost all flours from my

> diet. Just cutting out wheat (especially refined) was a HUGE

> difference in my life. I lost 15 lbs in a month just from cutting it

> out. My TCM/RAc reccommends cutting out all flours, as they are

> sticky inside your body although I am currently working with

> spelt/kamut flour and am liking it. But nothing was ever as drastic

> as when I cut out wheat!

>

> Congrats on wanting to change your health and habits!

>

> Yours in Health,

>

> Anne

>

>

>

>> Hi everyone. I'm Sharron. I just joined this group yesterday and

>>

> I have

>

>> enjoyed the conversations and I'm learning so much already. My

>>

> family and I

>

>> are changing our eating habits and I have lots of questions. But

>>

> the most

>

>> important one is, How do you lose weight eating the foods that are

>>

> better

>

>> for you, but have higher calories and fat? I have lost 40 lbs on

>>

> Weight

>

>> Watchers and I still want to lose about 5 more pounds, but I'm

>>

> having a hard

>

>> time making the change to better foods for my body.

>>

>> Does anyone have any thoughts for ideas on this subject? Anything

>>

> would be

>

>> appreciated.

>>

>> Thank you very much.

>>

>> Sharron

>>

>>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Hi Sharron,

There is a big difference between the sugars that come already packaged

in fruits and the sugars you buy in store. Fruit sugars are natural and

needs no processing by the body. Are you diabetic? Just wondering as you

seem to be quite worried about intake of sugar. When you eat fruit, no

matter how much you eat, the fiber in the fruit will moderate the

assimilation of the sugar in the fruit so you don't get it all at once.

Nature designed it this way. Whereas, if you were to drink just the

juice of the fruits then you will not have that fiber to slow down

absorption and will have a spike in your blood sugar. I see nothing

wrong with the fruits you are eating. Even diabetics don't need to worry

about eating fruits as long as it is the whole fruit and not just the juice.

Most fats that come straight out of the food you are eating will not

make you fat. Why? Because you cannot eat enough of said food that is

why. It takes quite a lot of olives to make on tablespoonful of olive

oil. Not too many people I know can eat a lot of olives and I know of no

one who can eat them raw. When oils are bad for us is when they are

removed from their source and concentrated like all oils are. Almond

oil is a concentrated oil. You might be able to eat enough almonds to

equal a tablespoonful of almond oil but then you probably won't get all

the fat out of them anyway as nuts are hard to digest unless you really

chew them up into a liquid.

Counting calories adding up points is not how man was meant to survive

nor eat. Counting calories, from my humble perspective, is a joke. It is

a lie perpetrated on an ignorant mass of humanity by the large food

producers back in the early part of the last century. Before that

calories was a chemical term that referred to raising the temperature of

1 gram of water 1 degree centigrade and nobody counted calories and

nobody seemed to have any great problems with diet either. But then most

people back then were eating way better than we do today. Calories

really have no meaning in the diet of man. Nutrition, now that has

meaning. Counting calories seems like a waste of time and only serves to

create stress. Why stress over this needlessly? Eat as much raw living

foods as you feel comfortable eating. Do your best to stay away from the

acid ash foods like dairy, grains, flesh foods, stimulating drinks and

foods, etc. and you will do fine without having to worry about counting

calories.

The body is far wiser than we will ever be concerning its needs. Learn

to listen to your body, this is what we all need to do for it is the

natural way man has lived for millions of years. Only recently have we

moved away from this as we became " civilized " .

Just my two cents Sharron. Trust in yourself, believe in yourself.

Sharron V wrote:

> When I talk about sugars, I'm talking about all the sugar that comes

> from the fruits I eat. For example, yesterday I ate 79g of sugar,

> 38 of those came from grapes and a banana. Ten more came from a

> package of the new Fruit Crisps that are like dehydrated apples. I

> know those are probably not the best thing to eat, but they are good,

> (only 50 calories.)

>

> The higher fat I'm talking about, is 8g for just 1/4 of an avocado as

> an example. Do the nutritional values of a food (good for you foods,

> ex: fruit, nuts etc.) that are high in fat, calories or sugar out

> weigh the bad of having so much fat, calories and sugar? In other

> words, is it ok to have the foods with higher calories etc., and not

> have foods that are lower in calories etc., and still lose weight?

> Does that make sense?

>

> For the past 2 days I have kept track of my Weight Watchers points,

> calories, fat, sugar, fiber and protein. I stayed right at my

> allotted WW points, my calories were between 1600 and 1700, about 42g

> fats, 89g sugar, 42/44g fiber and 46-48g protein. Can anyone tell me

> if these numbers are too high? What is your opinion? I've counted

> cal., fat, and carbs for so many years that I just don't know what to

> do now. I have a lot to learn.

>

> Thanks everyone!!

>

> Sharron

>

>

>

>

> FREE Emoticons for your email – by IncrediMail! Click Here!

> <http://www.incredimail.com/index.asp?id=99000>

[Guest guest]

Fruit carbs are the natural fruit sugars. Simple sugars that the body

needs waste no energy on trying to convert into glucose.

Don

SV wrote:

> Ah, fruit carbs? That's about all I'm eating outside of a bit of

> romaine and celery.

>

> Shari

>

[Guest guest]

Hey Don,

Can you elaborate on your phrase, " acid ash foods " ? I THINK I know what

you mean, but want to hear more.

Peace, love, laughter

Dominus Vobiscum

Do your best to stay away from the

> acid ash foods

[Guest guest]

Sure ,

All foods are can be classified as either acid ash or alkaline ash.

Basically this means that they burn the foods and pH test the salts.

Most all acid ash foods also produce sticky mucus in the body when we

eat and digest it. These foods include meats, dairy, grains (unsprouted

and/or cooked), cooked anything, processed foods, pickled foods, certain

beverages, etc. Alkaline ash foods are the raw living foods we eat like

raw fruits, vegetables and tender leafy greens.

Is this what you were looking for?

Don

deuteronomy2929 wrote:

> Hey Don,

>

> Can you elaborate on your phrase, " acid ash foods " ? I THINK I know what

> you mean, but want to hear more.

>

> Peace, love, laughter

>

> Dominus Vobiscum

>

>

>

> Do your best to stay away from the

>

>> acid ash foods

>>

>

>

>

>