How many of you had your furnaces checked for the upcoming cold weather? It’s nice to have a warm, cozy home when the temperatures plummet outside. How does this affect a bariatric patient? The air both inside and outside air become very dry, which can lead to dehydration. The thought of drinking something cold doesn’t sound as appealing when it’s cold outside.

How many of you had your furnaces checked for the upcoming cold weather? It’s nice to have a warm, cozy home when the temperatures plummet outside. How does this affect a bariatric patient? The air both inside and outside air become very dry, which can lead to dehydration. The thought of drinking something cold doesn’t sound as appealing when it’s cold outside.

Happily, there are many decaf, sugar free drink choices on the market. Look online or in your grocery store for herbal teas, sugar free apple cider and sugar free cocoa mixes. These are water based and can count towards your fluids. There are decaf, sugar free drink mixes in packets and the convenient K-cups. If you have a chocolate protein drink you like, try warming it up for warm cocoa.

The most abundant nutrient in a protein drink is water. If your chocolate is whey based, keep the temperature under 140 degrees Fahrenheit, or the protein will curdle. When looking at herbal or decaf teas, make sure the tea is caffeine free. A cup of decaf coffee or tea can count towards your fluids as well. Warming a cup of water with a lemon slice or a squeeze of lemon juice can make a cozy cup of lemon tea. Another choice is sipping on warm cup of low-sodium broth. Keep sipping . . . . even when there’s frost on the pumpkins.

I thought you were going to say something about warm clothes to wear. My closet is practically empty and I had to go this weekend and buy a coat and sports winter jacket... Don't have anything remotely fitting from last winter!

During the winter months, I switched from drinking crystal light drinks to hot cocoa (no sugar added). We heat with wood during the winter. It also produces dry heat. One way to keep the humidity up in the winter is to have a spray bottle and mist the house with Water occasionally. We add a little white vinegar to the water. It helps to disinfect the house at the same time. As a result of the surgery, I lost a lot of weight. This prevented me from wearing my coats and jackets because my shoulder width shrunk which then in turn caused my sleeves to become longer. I looked like Doopey in Snow White and the Seven Dwarves with the long sleeves. I didn't expect this. I became more sensitive to the cold without the extra fat on my body. When I was outside in the snow working, I discovered hand warmers. My hands would freeze and hurt in the cold and hand warmers were the solution.