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Love this post! 23 Days Post Op 1. I still feel hungry. Almost all the time. Yes, I take my Nexium every single morning. I had this sort of discomfort feeling (not like growling or anything) all the time before surgery and it's what made me graze so much because the only time it feels better is when I eat. I don't have any ulcers or hernias or anything so I'm not sure what is causing it.... I hate it. I even had a complete gastro work up last July and he didn't really find anything wrong other than signs of acid reflux (which I have not experienced since surgery). 2. I feel like I'm eating more than what most here say they can eat. 3. I used to LOVE Water and drink about 80 oz a day (it was the only thing I drank). Now I'm having a REALLY hard time getting 60. For some reason, it causes discomfort whether it's cold or room temp (I hate it warm). However, shakes do not cause this discomfort.... Weird. 4. I'm also cold all the time which is sooooo weird for me! Also, I need to start working on my tan because my skin is more transparent and you can see what looks like honeycomb veins. (maybe not veins). Could be some Vitamin deficiency I suppose.... GOOGLE, here I come! 5. I'm having a hard time with mushies because refried Beans and such have so many carbs. The first two days I spent most of the day in bed with absolutely no energy. That food seems to suck the energy right out of me but my surgeon does not allow meats on the mushy stage I'm thinking that it must have been a blood sugar issue and I'm just not even sure what to eat anymore... It seems impossible to get your Protein from mushy foods that don't include meat! 6. I'm feeling good for the most part. No pain, no vomiting, very few digestive issues, and my clothes aren't so tight and that is a WONDERFUL feeling. 7. I lost a lot of weight the first two weeks and then stalled. It's picking up again and it seems like the carb fest (start of mushies) got the scale moving again. But then again, it could have been the extra calories. 8. I'm very afraid of having to have my gall bladder removed. I'm getting pains and had an ultrasound and I don't have stones but my doctor said that other things can go wrong with the gall bladder to raise your liver enzymes. I did some research on the med that prevents gall stones but it isn't good for your liver and I'm more worried about that than I am the gall bladder. 9. I still eat too fast and need to follow some others and just put the fork down and time the next bite. I now know what the 'foamies' are.... I was thoroughly confused by that term but now I know exactly what it is and I have to admit that I was laughing the first time I got them because it was such a weird feeling!! (I've only had them a few times and I'm sure it's because I'm eating too fast.) 10. I dream of reaching onederland and can't wait! I would really like to be at goal before my birthday in July but I'm not sure if that is a realistic goal and I'm not sure if I can be that disciplined because I'm hungry all the time.... I need to figure out a way to work this sleeve better!!

Are you using milk or whey Protein in your shakes? Could it be the dairy? I read someplace that many overwieght people have no idea that they're lactose intolerant because they eat a lot and have no idea what is making them gassy and I also read that some people who were not lactose intolerant before surgery can be intolerant after surgery.... My nutritionist told me (way before surgery) that you really shouldn't be eating things that cause you to be gassy and cause digestive issues. Most people think it's 'natural' but it's really a reaction to something you're eating or drinking. He recommended cutting out dairy and gluten and I did and no more digestive issues after only a few days.... Of course, I couldn't stick to it but it made it easier to indentify something that didn't agree with me. Granted, things change after surgery and maybe it's part of the process and will get better as you heal?

You're welcome! Actually, The Carlson lemon flavor is Cod Liver Oil. Not sure if that makes a difference to you....

It has tiny bits of hard pieces and I remember reading that you can't have veggies or fruit with seeds so I'm thinking this will have to wait? Any input is appreciated!

I only have my oldest sister here and the rest of the family is out of state. I told her when i was just thinking about it and she was not supportive at all. She thought I was crazy, especially for considering to MX and she flat out told me that she wouldn't go with me and that I was on my own. We had our annual Christmas get together with some of her work friends and one of them just happened to bring up her coworker who had WLS and looked terrible because her face was all wrinkled now. I have no doubt my sister was gossiping about me and I'm sure she had already told my nieces and other sisters so I just stopped talking about it. When I had the surgery, I just told her I was home with the flu and not feeling good for a few days. Then I told her about my recent blood work and the liver enzymes being high and that I decided against surgery but I'm going to do a 21 day liquid fast (which I've done a few times in the past) and totally change my eating habits because I'm scared about the sudden liver issues (which is totally true). And she knows I'm beginning an exercize plan and she also knows that I'm an 'all or nothing' kind of person. She witnessed me lose a lot of weight before so she might not suspect. She might catch on when I start to lose a lot but I don't think I will lie about it if she confronts me. I'll just tell her that she was totally unsupportive and I didn't want to be the subject of her gossip so I did it without telling her and I went alone. I would rather not tell my family and coworkers at this point. I'm looking for a new job anyway so hopefully the timing will work out to my advantage!

Wow, sorry you guys are having these problems! I'm 17 days out and I'm still not supposed to eat yogurt for another few days and I didn't start on cream soups until day 11. When I added the cream soups and the pudding I did have some discomfort but was careful and only had a few bites here and there and now I'm fine with them. I foresee the same when I start adding in cottage cheese and yogurt and things like applesauce. Maybe you're skipping some healing steps? Just FYI, here is the stages from Dr. Aceves: Days 1-5 Clear Liquid Days 6-10 Thin Liquids Days 11-20 Full Liquids Days 21-30 Soft Foods (mushies) Days 31 - Regular food I know it's a bit conservative compared to some surgeons but this seems to really be working for me. I took a tiny bite of applesauce around Day 10 and there was a lot of discomfort (from a tiny bite) and I got scared! After that - I stick to the above schedule! And I'm hungry all the time too! Don't know if it's 'head hunger' or real hunger but it sucks! I was told it will get better when you start eating regular food because you get full on such a small amount.

The liquid fish oil provides way more benefit than the caps. Check out the nutrition numbers, you have to take a ton of the horsepills to get the same benefit you get from one tablespoon of the oil. Carlson lemon flavored tastes fine and it's pretty easy to get down.

I've been juicing for a long time and even though they don't taste great - I focus on greens. There are certain things - like cabbage, that have really important enzymes but you have to drink immediately after juicing to get the benefit. By the way, I think you're familiar with Dr. Mercola, correct? I have been struggling with my Vitamin D level for YEARS! My nutritionist has me taking 50,000 once a week and then 10,000 IU per day. (I have the Carlson 10,000 IU capsules so it's easy to do). My level went from 12 to 30 after doing this for about six months and I could never get it above 30! I bought this little Vitamin D spray from Mercola - it's 1000 IU per spray and I take 6 sprays per day. I was taking it for only about two weeks and never even considered that I might do something but I had my levels tested last week and I'm at 60!!! First time I've ever tested above 30. Not sure if it's a mistake or if my body is absorbing this spray better than it ever did the other stuff! Amazing! My sister has low levels as well (20s) and I had her start using the spray so she can go get tested in a few weeks so I guess I'll know for sure then.

Yum! Can't wait to try it! I can't believe that cream cheese and egg will make a 'crust'. How was the crust? Was it soft or crunchy?

Have not tried these yet but I remember a similar recipe on one of the Suzanne Somers videos about cooking healthy. Her husband's favorite recipe and he made them with crispy fried onions I think. Looked AWESOME! I'm not ready to pull out that video because I haven't even reached the mushy stage and don't want to torture myself more than I already am.... lol But I will pull it out soon and watch it again to get some ideas. I'm not sure what he used to cook them in but they were low carb so probably similar to the recipe above.

Two weeks out today - I live in San Diego.

It is from milk. It says on the container "Great Tasting whey Protein Mix from Grass Fed Cows".

I purchased the 6-pack before my surgery - chocolate, vanilla, strawberry, Peanut Butter, banana, and grape. So far I've only tried the strawberry and peanut butter and they were both very tasty! However, they have like 19g of carbs per serving so I think I'm going to save these for when I get my ice cream maker and just eat them for a treat and not as a meal/shake. It says right on the container "Use this product as a food supplement only. Do not use for weight reduction."

I use ALL ONE Weight Loss Formula and it tastes fine and has a ton of great Vitamins and minerals but only 14g of Protein so I had to find a decent unflavored to add to it. I'm not a fan of GNC but read great reviews on the unflavored Pro Performance 100% whey Protein. I love the taste! I add that to my chocolate All One and it has 21g so I end up with a 35g protein shake that tastes great! The scooper in this is twice the size of my All One and one scoop is a serving size. I've been adding it to 1 of the little cups of sugar free Jello pudding and it tastes really good! I thought it would be horrible because it seems like more powder than pudding but it mixes right in and makes the pudding a little thinner and it's a great treat and satisfies my junk food monster! A serving of the GNC has 21g protein, 110 calories, 2g carbs, 2g fat, and 2g sugar. Nice pleasant 'vanilla-like' smell and taste. No artificial colors or flavors and no preservatives. Can't wait until my ice cream maker arrives so I can start using this to make ice cream!

My sister has a Health Master and I've been using that a lot (the one Montel hypes). That thing is pretty amazing! I use my blender every day and I'm thinking that my mini food processor will likely be my favorite thing - so easy to use and to clean!

Eggplant for pizza crust sounds soooooo good! I'm obsessed with this veggie pizza at a Lebanese restaurant and they use babba ganoush for sauce and top with roasted eggplant, sundried tomato and onions. I'm definitely going to try that out, thanks!

Thanks! I'll try that one - sounds great!

Cauliflower Fried Rice *no rice is actually used in this recipe! 1/2 head of raw cauliflower, grated ( about 3.5 cups grated) 3 green onions 4 cloves garlic, minced 1/2-1 t garlic salt 3 eggs beaten Olive oil Cooked and diced pork, shrimp, chicken (optional) In a wok or large pan, heat enough oil to cover the bottom. Fry minced garlic and white part of onions for approx 1 min. Add grated cauliflower and fry for approx 5 min, stirring constantly. Add garlic salt, green onion tops, and meat and stir until mixed. Push mixture to one side of pan. Add more oil if necessary and scramble eggs in empty side of pan until done,but still moist. Stir eggs into "rice" mix and remove from heat. Serves 3 as a side dish. Even better the second day.

Shepard’s Pie This will look like the traditional recipe when it comes out of the oven, but the topping is made from pureed turnips and cauliflower flavored with butter! You can steam the veg's for the topping while you make the filling. FOR THE FILLING 1 medium onion - 1/2 inch diced 3 garlic cloves - crushed and minced 4 ribs celery - 1/2 inch diced 1 cup green Beans - chopped into 1/2 inch pieces 1 small turnip - 1/2 inch diced or 1 small rutabega, diced+steamed 15 minutes *1 lb ground beef, turkey, lamb or other meat 1 roma tomato - diced (optional) 3 tablespoons Water 1/2 teaspoon margoram - optional sea salt & pepper to taste *rutabegas take longer to cook than all the other ingredients for the filling so its important to pre-cook it. In a large skillet with lid: heat the water over medium flame. Add ground beef and cook until getting crumbly, breaking it up with your spoon. Add all the diced veggies and stir well to combine. Cover and simmer on low for 15 minutes, add a little water if you need to so that they can actually simmer. just enough so there's some liquid bubbling, veg's shouldn't be swimming. Add marjoram, sea salt & pepper to taste and pour into 9x9 baking dish, or a large pie dish. FOR THE TOPPING 1 large head cauliflower - chopped 2 medium turnips, chopped into 1/2 inch cubes butter, sea salt & pepper to taste Steam the cauliflower and turnips until very soft. Put them into a Cuisinart fitted with the double blade and puree with some butter -2 or 3 tablespoons, salt & pepper to taste. If you don’t have a Cuisinart, mash them with a potato masher, they will be a bit more lumpy, but just as good! Spoon the cauliflower mixture over the top of the beef mixture, gently spreading it to cover all the way to the edges of the dish. Sprinkle with a few dashes of paprika and place on a baking sheet (to catch any drips so as not to mess up your oven). Place into a preheated 350 oven for 20 to 30 minutes, or just until you can see it getting bubbly, and the edges of the topping are a bit browned. Every oven is different, so its a good idea to check it after 10 minutes! Then keep an eye on it. A great winter warmer, and it really is quite easy once you've diced & chopped... Lovely with some chopped parsley on top for garnish.

Stuffed peppers w ground beef & cauliflower You could use this filling for stuffed cabbage too, the cauliflower replaces the rice normally used. 2 medium red, green, or yellow peppers cut in half lengthwise, seeds removed 1 lb ground beef1 1/2 cups cauliflower 1 clove fresh garlic 1/4 yellow onion - diced 1 large can chopped whole peeled tomatoes 2-3 cups beef broth In skillet, brown ground beef. While that is cooking, steam cauliflower just until it breaks up easily. Chop onion, garlic, set aside.Finely chop or process cauliflower in food processor, set aside. Drain ground beef when it is cooked thoroughly, Add onion/garlic mixture and the seasonings and brown them a little with the meat Add the cauliflower, simmer a few minutes on low. In large casserole with lid place peppers and fill with meat mixture. (or use a ceramic or glass pan and cover with parchment paper & foil on top)*Mix broth with remaining peeled/diced tomatoes, pour over peppers. Cover and bake for about an hour on 375 degrees. Serve hot with salad on the side and a cool glass of Water.From: http://lark.cc.ukans.../~lash/recipes/ *note - always use care when cooking acidic foods (peppers, tomatoes) covered with foil. do not let the foil touch the food. Put a layer of parchment between the foods and the foil to prevent the aluminum from dissolving into the food.

Baked eggs in Bacon Rings Adapted from Dr. Atkins' Quick and Easy New Diet Cookbook: 6 strips nitrite-free bacon melted bacon fat for brushing tins 4 slices tomato, each about 1/2 inch thick 4 eggs pepper to taste chopped onions (optional) Preheat the oven to 325. Cook bacon in a skillet over medium heat until it begins to shrivel, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Brush 4 cups in amuffin tin or 4 small ramekins with bacon fat. Place a tomato slice in thebottom of each cup. Circle the inside of each cup with 1 1/2 strips ofbacon. Break an egg into each muffin cup and season with pepper. Can add chopped onions. Fill any unused tins with Water to protect them fromburning. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes. To serve, loosen the edges of the eggs with spatula and transfer the eggs to plates.

Hash browns Substitute: Squash for potatoes Summer squash (the football-shaped yellow kind) tastes similar to potatoes when cooked—but has just a fraction of the carbs. Grate the squash, mix in an egg as binder, make patties, and fry them in olive oil, says Mary Dan Eades, M.D., co-author of The Low-Carb Comfort food Cookbook. Carbs eliminated: About 15 grams (g) per hash-brown patty The taste: "Not as firm and crispy as regular hash browns, but the potato flavor is there." Mashed potatoes Substitute: Cauliflower for potatoes One of Dr. Agatston's favorites: Steam some fresh or frozen cauliflower in the microwave. Then spray the cauliflower with butter substitute, add a little nonfat half-and-half substitute, and puree in a food processor or blender. "Salt and pepper to taste and you've got something that quite honestly can compete with the real thing any day," says Dr. Agatston. To make it even better, try adding roasted garlic, cheese, or sour cream to the mixture. Carbs eliminated: 30 g per cup The taste: "After a couple of bites, you forget it's not potatoes." Lasagna Substitute: Zucchini slices for noodles Slice four to five medium-size zukes lengthwise into 3/4-inch-thick strips, instructs Lise Battaglia, a New Jersey chef whose past clients include Jon Bon Jovi. Sprinkle Italian seasoning on the strips, place them in a single layer on a nonstick cookie sheet, and bake at 425 degrees F for 20 minutes. You want them firm, not crisp. "Then simply make the lasagna as you normally would, replacing lasagna noodles with the baked zucchini," she says. Carbs eliminated: 36 g per serving The taste: "Delicious. The zucchini provides texture that you don't get from noodles alone." Spaghetti Substitute: Spaghetti squash for spaghetti A cooked spaghetti squash is like Mother Nature's automatic spaghetti maker — the flesh becomes noodle-like strands. "All you have to do is cut the squash in half and remove the seeds. Then place each half — cut side down — on a plate with a quarter cup of Water," says Elizabeth Perreault, a chef at Colorado's Culinary School of the Rockies. Nuke the squash for 10 minutes or until it's soft to the touch. Let it cool, then scrape out the "spaghetti" strands and top with Pasta sauce and cheese. Carbs eliminated: 30 g per cup The taste: "Great. Spaghetti squash has exactly the same consistency as real pasta." pancakes Substitute: oatmeal and cottage cheese for pancake mix Here's a can't-fail recipe from The South Beach Diet. Mix together half a cup of old-fashioned oatmeal, a quarter cup of low-fat cottage cheese, two eggs, and a dash each of vanilla extract, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Process in a blender until smooth. Cook the mixture like a regular pancake. Carbs eliminated: 45 g per pancake The taste: "With syrup, you could never tell the difference." Scalloped potatoes Substitute: Tempeh for potatoes You may think you don't like soy-based foods, but that could be because you don't cook them right, says Beckette Williams, R.D., a San Diego-based personal chef. "Tempeh can be really bland, but if you jazz it up with herbs and spices, it's a great substitute for potatoes." Her recommendation: Saute a couple of cups of thinly diced tempeh with garlic and onions. Then pour a cheese sauce (sharper is better) over the tempeh cubes and bake for half an hour. Carbs eliminated: 11 g per cup The taste: "Just like a slightly nutty baked potato." macaroni and Cheese Substitute: Diced vegetables for macaroni Even instant mac and cheese can go lower-carb; use only half the pasta in the box and bulk it up with a couple of cups of frozen mixed vegetables, says Sandra Woodruff, R.D., co-author of The Good Carb Cookbook. Carbs eliminated: 13 g per cup The taste: "I hate broccoli, but I wouldn't mind eating this." Pasta salad Substitute: Mixed vegetables or black Beans for half the pasta Same idea as the mac and cheese, but try black beans, diced tomatoes, and chunks of ham, tuna, chicken, or hard-boiled eggs, suggests Richard Ruben, an instructor at the Institute of Culinary Education in New York City. "These kinds of salads are a blank slate, so you can top them with anything from a creamy blue-cheese dressing to vinaigrette, or even lime juice and slices of avocado," Ruben says. Carbs eliminated: 10 g per cup The taste: "Awesome. I don't miss the extra pasta at all." Cheese-flavored chips Substitute: Low-fat string cheese for chips Just crazy enough to work: Cut sticks of string cheese into quarter-inch-thick slices and scatter the rounds on a cookie sheet coated with nonstick spray, leaving them an inch or two apart. Bake at 375 degrees F for 4 to 5 minutes or until the cheese melts and turns golden brown. Let them cool, then peel the chips off the tray. Carbs eliminated: Up to 90 g per serving The taste: "Like the cheese you pull off the top of a pizza." Pizza Substitute: Portobello mushrooms for pizza crust Cut the gills out of the inside of the mushroom, says Ruben, "then place the mushroom on an oiled cookie sheet and bake for 5 to 10 minutes so it dries out slightly." Add tomato sauce, mozzarella, and pepperoni or other toppings and broil until the cheese begins to melt. Carbs eliminated: About 20 g per slice The taste: "Like pizza, but moister. Give me a fork!" Beef-a-Roni Substitute: Eggplant for pasta Mixing diced eggplant with ground beef is healthier and more highbrow than this old skillet special — call it moussaka American style. You have to soften the eggplant first, says Williams. Cut it in half, brush it with olive oil, and then broil for 10 to 20 minutes. "Let it cool, dice it up, and mix with hamburger, tomato sauce, and spices," she says. Carbs eliminated: 26 g per cup The taste: "Exactly like Hamburger Helper, in a good way." Sandwiches Substitute: Napa or Chinese cabbage for bread Slap your turkey and Swiss onto a leaf of cabbage and roll it up. "I've made some great-tasting BLTs using cabbage instead of bread," Battaglia says. Dip the roll in low-fat mayonnaise or mustard. Carbs eliminated: 29 g per sandwich The taste: "Better than eating plain cold cuts."

I just found this in my files and don't remember where I got it so I can't give credit - probably Dr. Ben Kim's website. Anyway, for those of you learning to cook and experiment - this might be mighty handy! Enjoy! Which Spices/Herbs to Use How many of us have spice racks with jars of spices we bought years ago and never used – whose sole purpose is to collect the dust in your kitchen? ☺ Now is the time to dust them off (or replace them) and start adding flavor to your dishes-The correct spice or herb (whether it is fresh or dried) for any food is the one that tastes right for you-When you're at a loss about what to add to a dish, try something from the list below WHICH SPICE GOES WITH WHAT FOOD? Beans - cumin, cayenne, chili, oregano, parsley, pepper, sage, savory, thyme Breads - anise, basil, caraway, cardamom, cinnamon, coriander, cumin, dill, garlic, lemon peel, orange peel, oregano, poppy seeds, rosemary, saffron, sage, thyme Fruits - allspice, anise, cardamom, Chinese 5-spice, cinnamon, cloves, coriander, ginger, mint Potatoes - basil, caraway, celery seed, chervil, chives, coriander, dill, marjoram, oregano, paprika, parsley, poppy seed, rosemary, tarragon, thyme Salads and salad Dressings - basil, caraway, celery seed, chives, dill, fennel, garlic, horseradish, lemon peel, lovage, marjoram, mint, mustard, oregano, parsley, rosemary, sumac, tarragon, thyme Soups - basil, bay, chervil, chili, chives, cumin, dill, fennel, garlic, marjoram, parsley, pepper, rosemary, sage, savory, star anise, thyme Sweets - allspice, angelica, anise, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, fennel, ginger, lemon peel, mace, nutmeg, mint, orange peel, rosemary, star anise Tomatoes - basil, bay, celery seed, cinnamon, chili, curry, dill, fennel, garlic, ginger, lemongrass, marjoram, oregano, parsley, rosemary, savory, tarragon, thyme Vegetables - chili, chives, curry, dill, marjoram, parsley, savory, thyme WHICH SPICE/HERB GOES WITH WHAT FOOD? Allspice: An ingredient in many baked goods as well as "Jerk" sauces Anise Seed: Mild licorice flavor, used in Cookies, or candies Arrowroot Powder: Use as a thickener in puddings, pies, soups, sauces, and gravies Basil: used in Italian and Mediterranean cooking, especially good with tomatoes Bay Leaves: Perfect use in stews, sauces, soups, and marinades Caraway Seeds: Great in baked goods and with fruits Cardamom, ground: A wonderful addition to Indian dishes Cardamom, whole: Dry roast the whole cardamom seeds for more flavor in your recipe Cayenne Pepper: Wonderful heat for any Mexican dish Chervil Leaf: Similar to parsley, a mild flavor for any meat, soup or vegetable dish Cilantro: Used in Mexican cooking & salsas; may also be used in Indian dishes- Cloves, ground: Popular in Desserts, syrups, and sweet vegetable dishes- Coriander seed, ground: Citrusy, sweet & tart flavor to be used at the end when cooking Cream of Tartar: Adds consistency and stability to any cookie or cake- Cumin Seed, ground: Wonderful with tomato dishes, chili, salsa & Indian dishes Dill Weed: Great in dressings and sauces and on potatoes Ginger, crystallized: Sliced ginger partially dried in a sugar syrup solution - For sweets Ginger, ground: A sharp, aromatic spice is used in many sweet baked goods and curries Lemongrass: A grass with citric oils, very popular in Thai cooking- Marjoram: Like oregano & from the mint family, it has a sweeter and subtler taste Nutmeg, ground: A sweet, nutty spice is used in custards, pastries, and vegetables Oregano, Greek: A must for Italian cooking, Greek oregano has a mild, delicate flavor Oregano, Mexican: Slightly stronger than Greek and less sweet, used in Spanish cooking Paprika, hot: Mixed with cayenne, these red peppers make the Hungarians famous Paprika, sweet: This sweet, milder Paprika will add radiant color to any dish Parsley: This versatile herb can be used as a garnish or with anything other than sweets Poppy Seeds: Used in baked goods, breads & to flavor noodles Rosemary, ground: Use ground in sauces or stocks to avoid the "needle" look Saffron, whole threads: Use for saffron rice and Indian dishes Sage: Well known for use in stuffings Salt, Kosher: Coarser than regular granulated, easier to control in cooking Savory: Strong, peppery taste, good with veggies & stuffing Sesame Seeds: Used mostly for baking breads & rolls, nice for stir-frys Spearmint: A popular tea flavoring, used in sauces and veggie dishes Tarragon: Aromatic herb used to flavor vinegar, dressings, breads- Great with potatoes! Thyme, ground: Great for Greek & Italian cooking, use ground for sauces & soups Thyme, whole leaf: Versatile in flavoring veggies, pizza, stews & herb blends Turmeric: Used as a natural yellow coloring for soups, sauces, rice, curry, & tofu scramble TIPS FOR USING SPICES/HERBS STORING • Store spices in a cool, dark place- Humidity, light and heat will cause herbs and spices to lose their flavor more quickly- Although the most convenient place for your spice rack may be above your stove, moving your spices to a different location may keep them fresh longer • As a general rule, herbs and ground spices will retain their best flavors for a year Whole spices may last for 3 to 5 years-Proper storage should result in longer freshness times • Because the refrigerator is a rather humid environment, storing herbs and spices there is not recommended-To keep larger quantities of spices fresh, store them in the freezer in tightly sealed containers USING • For long-cooking dishes, add herbs and spices an hour or less before serving..Cooking spices for too long may result in overly strong flavors • Use restraint! In general, ¼ teaspoon of spice is enough for 4 servings • Do not use dried herbs in the same quantity as fresh- In most cases, use ¼ the amount in dried as is called for fresh- • Seasoning food is an art, not a science-Experimenting with herbs and spices can be fun and educational, and while you may occasionally be eating a less than perfect dish, you may also end up creating that recipe that will become a classic in your household

Sorry to hear of your troubles . Maybe you should go back to clears like the first week? In my instructions, it says to do that for two days and then try adding more things in and see how it goes. Are you taking Nexium or something like it? Good luck and I hope this doesn't last long and you're feeling better soon!

My (late) niece gave me and her mom an awesome low carb recipe a few years back and I've been searching the internet for it and cannot find it. I'm sure I could still make it by memory but I would have to guess at the measurements and I have no idea if spices were used. It went sort of like this: Mix cream cheese with milk and shredded parmesan to a medium consistency. Add cooked (barely) chicken breast chunks and broccoli to a baking dish and pour mixture over it. Cover with shredded parmesan and bake until browned and bubbly. This stuff was absolutely DELICIOUS! Does anyone have this recipe by any chance? I may have forgotten some ingredients here....? I'm just trying to get some recipes in anticipation of mushes and then REAL FOOD! Can't wait!