The fourth-largest American city, Houston, TX is located in Harris County and covers 579.4 square miles. As of July 2009, 2,257,926 lived there. This marks a population increase of 15.6% since 2000. Of those residents, 19.5% lived in poverty. There is a nearly even balance between males and females in the city. 42.7% of the population is Hispanic, with the other majority balancing between White and Black. Just 5.4% are Asian.
The median age of a Houston resident is 30.9 years, slightly younger than that of the state of Texas. The state's largest city, Houston boasts many zip codes including: 77001, 77002, 77003, 77004 and 77005. The median income per household is $44,315 Renters pay a gross average of $775 per month in rent.
Houston, Texas is home to an impressive array of hospitals including the Menninger Clinic and The Institute for Rehabilitation & Research. The city also houses the Texas Medical Center, the largest medical complex in the world. The facility boasts 13 hospitals, including Texas Children's Hospital and the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center. Known for its innovation in medicine, the city hosts patients from all over the world. Countless disciplines are represented, including ear, nose and throat, neurologists, plastic surgeons and cardiologists.
Due to the alterations of your gastric anatomy, after weight loss surgery, you must adhere to a strict diet for the rest of their life. For two to three weeks immediately following weight loss surgery, you will be on a completely liquid diet. From three to eight weeks, you will graduate to soft foods. Ten to 12 weeks after your surgery you can begin to add solid foods gradually, one food at a time.
After weight loss surgery, you will not be able to eat the same quantity of food that you had previously. You will lose weight very quickly. Therefore, what you eat is more important than ever. Without proper nutrition, many side effects can occur, including the following:
- loss of lean body mass (muscle tissue)
- dehydration
- sagging skin
- hair loss
What to Eat
It is important for you to eat protein-rich foods. Protein helps you maintain lean tissue, such as muscle, and to recover from the effects of surgery. You must also drink plenty of low-calorie fluids to stay hydrated and take vitamin and mineral supplements to ensure that you maintain the proper level of nutrition.
What to Avoid
Certain foods should be avoided because of the adverse reactions that they can cause. Foods to be avoided include the following:
- fried foods and foods high in fat (can cause nausea)
- foods high in sugar (can cause dumping syndrome)
- sticky foods (can cause blockage of the intestinal tract)
- crunchy foods (can cause discomfort)
- tough or rubbery meat (is difficult to digest)
After weight loss surgery, your body is unable to absorb enough nutrients to completely nourish your cells. To remain healthy, you must take vitamin and mineral supplements for the rest of your life after your weight loss surgery. Your weight loss surgery team will tell you what type of supplements to take and give you any necessary prescriptions. In general, you will probably take a chewable children's multivitamin for the first month. After the first month, you will take an adult multivitamin, calcium, and possibly other vitamins and minerals, such as calcium, iron, folic acid, and B-12 injections.
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