Ok, i get the theory about how if will flush food through to the lower stomach more quickly.

What I dont understand is the difference in times recommended for one thing - like not drinking half an hour after meals or 2 hours after meals.

Surely if liquids will flush food though faster, then whenever you drink them is a problem? Because even if you wait 2 hours to drink, an you've not been hungry in that time, then according to the theory, will you not just get hungry then, 2 hours later? And is it not still a problem to be hungry after meals whether its half an hour or two hours after?

It just makes no sense to me - unless you can go 4, 5 hours without drinking (which obviously you cant) then you're going to flush your lunch through at some point or other and become hungry right?

For the record, it doesnt seem to make a difference to me, but I'm not losing much these days so I'd be willing to implement this rule if somebody could explain it in terms that dont just sound like bull! I will ask my doc but am not seeing him for a fortnight yet.

O.K., here goes.........

The basic concept of no drinking with meals is because we flush the food we have eaten out of our little pouch. Basically, we make it into a slurry and it passes easily as through a funnel and doesn't move as slowly as we want it to move. It sounds like you've got that concept down.

Some doctors vary on their recommendation regarding time pre and post meal drinking. According to Inamed, the makers of the US, FDA approved band recommend no drinking 30 min before and for 1-2 hours after.

Now, for satiety (the feeling of fullness). When we eat, our stomach expands and near the top of our stomach (fortunately where our pouch is), there is a neuroreceptor (a sensor, if you will) that triggers when our stomach is stimulated and is getting full. Unfortunately, it takes approximately 20 minutes for that sensor to tell our brains that we are actually full. That's one of the reasons we are supposed to eat slowly and take about 30 minutes to eat. Not only because our band just doesn't like us to wolf our food down, it helps us to recognize satiety. Unbanded individuals should be eating slowly, too. By KEEPING THAT FOOD in the pouch for as long as we can, that little neuroreceptor is still stimulated. So we still feel full. After our food has passed through the band/pouch area, whether it be by natural causes or by us washing it down with Water it should take a period of time again before we actually feel the need to feed. Remember, it took us 20 minutes to recognize that we were full. I was unable to find any scientific data telling me how long this takes, but in my personal experience as well as listening/reading about others I feel this varies from person to person. I don't get really hungry for at least another hour or 2-and this is that 1 or 2 hours after I've eaten. Others can be hungry immediately. It's at this stage where your water intake also comes into play. By drinking water, you can stimulate that neuroreceptor somewhat and you won't be feeling as though you're really REALLY hungry.

Hope I was able to help, in common sense terms.

Another reason not to drink following meals...

When I am properly restricted my little pouch fills with food, then I drink, then I PB. There is no time to turn anything to slurry.

Oh, yes that makes sense ddeidre! And its also probably the reason why drinking reasonably soon after a meal makes no difference to me, I generally would take 20 minutes or longer to eat anyway so my brain would have registered full well and truly.

My habit tends to be to have a coffee 15 mins or so after I've eaten and I've never found it to flush things through faster. I still feel choc full.

I definitely cant drink if I'm stuck though!

Ddiedre

Thank you for that explanation. It makes lots of sense, now. And that is something I can explain to my engineering-mentality DH.

That's a great explanation, Ddeidre! Thanks for sharing!

I guess that's why it makes sense to eat calmly and slowly. I was told also to stay focused on the act of eating itself (we should avoid watching TV or reading while we eat) in order to be receptive to that first sign of fullness when it arrives. Though in my case it would be easier to have a light that started blinking when it happens... :nervous

niki

Niki,

If you find one of those blinking lights, please let me know because I could sure use one!

Hey, even though I understand the physiology of this response I could use one of those blinking lights, too. The closest thing I have to it would be a runny nose.