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diet for heart disease and high cholesterol

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Posted 4/29/2006 3:27 PM (GMT 0)
Good morning,

Back again with another question.  Does anyone have a good diet to follow to lower cholesterol and help with the heart?  Let me know if you do.  I need to do this to stay off cholesterol lowering drugs.  If the diet does not produce results then I have to move to pills.  Thanks Bunee

Posted 4/29/2006 6:43 PM (GMT 0)
bunee,  You ask all the questions you like.  My diet is to help keep my blood pressure up in addition to my medications.  It is high sodium and high protein diet.  Not something that most cardiologists and doctors recommend to their patients.  I am sure that some of our other members will be along to share what their diets are.  Take care and hopefully it helps.  Let us know...
Posted 4/29/2006 7:30 PM (GMT 0)
bunee, Fruits and vegtables are really important, especially fresh. Meats low in saturated fats-I stay away from beef as much as possible. I eat mainly chicken and turkey and some fish thrown in. Fish is probably best because of the Omega-3's but it isn't my favorite. Dairy should be fat-free as much as possible or at least low-fat. Stay away from the whole fat milk. Nuts are suppose to be helpful. My diet is pretty good but my cholesterol stays around 210. If I get bad with my food, it goes up to 225ish. My cardiologist wants me to go on cholesterol lowering meds. I'll probably give in soon-maybe. The problem is I have ALOT of pain. Doctors think from fibromyalgia. I have a referral to a rheumatologist in July. I'm afraid to take the cholesterol lowering meds because the ads say if you have muscle pain let your doctor know. Well I have muscle pain everyday so how would I know when to let my doctor know?????
Posted 4/29/2006 10:57 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks you guys!! In response to els. I crave salty foods sometimes and the problem I find is extreme swelling. I did try the high protien at one time but I have an intestinal problem where I don't metabolize fat so I have to what that. (UGGGH). It you try one thing it aggravates another. In response to hopes. I followed Weight Watchers probably about 18 years ago and with the new program now I find it hard to follow. It did however reduce my cholesterol and I did lose weight. I, too, have the pain issue, not so much muscles but in my joints. I have been told I have inflammatory arthritis but there are criteria for fibromylagia. Check the site on lupus and if I am not mistaken they have a great link to this. A rheumatologist is the way to go, however, be your own best advocate. What I am dealing with now is the "brushing off" so to speak of some physicians. DEMAND, DEMAND, DEMAND to know what is going on. Good Luck with the Rheumy. Like I said the lupus forum is wonderful. In fact, the whole healing well forum has been a GODSEND to me!!! Bunee
Posted 4/30/2006 5:54 AM (GMT 0)
It just so happens that my wife is employed in the medical health world. I have a list here of stuff they say you should eat after heart surgery (must be good for you too!).

Beans (low salt)
Broccoli
Spinach
Asparagus
Grapes (white)
Whole Grain
Oatmeal
cheerios (1 1/2 cups/daily)
raisins
sunflower seeds (unsalted)
Posted 4/30/2006 6:35 AM (GMT 0)
If you are into cooking for your condition, I'd recommend this site:

http://www.whfoods.com/

I've tried a couple of their recipes for heart disease (though I don't have it) and found them to be tasty as well as healthy.

Chris

Posted 4/30/2006 1:32 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks!!! As it happens I love to cook and try to have a meal each night for my family. I will definitely check out the site. Thanks again, Bunee
Posted 5/1/2006 11:40 PM (GMT 0)
:-)  HI BUNEE, I HAVE A SERIOUS CHOLESTERAL PROBLEM ALSO AND CANNOT HANDLE THE STATINS.  I TRYED THEM ALL AND THEY MAKE MY MUSCLES VERY FLACCID, MY MASSAGE THERAPIST HAS NOTICED I AM GETTING BACK MY OLD MUSCLE SINCE I STOPPED THEM. NOW I AM LEFT WITH TRYING TO CONTROL MY NUMBERS AND SINCE I NEVER HAVE EATEN BADLY I HAVE JUST ADDED ALMONDS AND WALNUTS TO MY DIET ALONG WITH FISH OIL.  I HAVE INTESTINAL PROBLEMS ALSO, BUT IF YOU CAN HANDLE PSYLLIUM THAT IS KNOWN TO LOWER YOUR BAD CHOLESTERAL. I AM TRYING IT NOW, IT DOES CAUSE A 'PROBLEM' BUT I AM HOPING IN TIME MY BODY WILL ADJUST. KEEP ME POSTED AS TO IF YOU FIND ANYTHING, OF COURSE IT WILL TAKE AT LEST THREE MONTHS TO SEE IF A DIFFERENCE IS THERE. BYE
Posted 5/2/2006 12:01 PM (GMT 0)
Dreamgirl,
Thanks for the advice. I am seeing my PCP this morning so he can "check me out" so to speak for the sinus bradycardia. I am not sure why since he sent me to the ER and said that his office was not equipped to handle this problem. Have you ever heard of Questran (generic is cholestyramine)? My GI physician prescribed this for my digestion problem and not to be graphic it does help the diarrhea and I think it was lowering my cholesterol but I will have to check with my PCP for the block of time I was regularly taking it. Since I am supposed to be taking it I hope there won't be a need for statins if I get back to a more regular schedule. Thanks for your reply. Bunee
Posted 5/8/2006 8:15 AM (GMT 0)
Calorie Restriction *WITH OPTIMAL NUTRITION* is probably the best way, I have been donig CR for over 1 year. This means a diet which primarily consists of vegetables, some fruits, olive oil, nuts, seeds, oats (porridge), fish, beans etc...

Calorie Restriction Drastically Reduces Risk of Heart Attack, Stroke and Diabetes
http://mednewsarchive.wustl.edu/medadmin/PAnews.nsf/0/F76B2638BDB6CAE786256E76005D51F6

Strict diet lowers heart risk
http://www.bupa.co.uk/health_information/html/health_news/210404heart.html

Restriction of calorie intake slows down heart ageing
http://www.nutraingredients-usa.com/news/ng.asp?n=65136-mediterranean-diet-low-calorie


calorie restriction WILL lower your cholesterol to ranges of about 120-160mg/dl yeah
Posted 5/8/2006 2:49 PM (GMT 0)
That's great whoa,  Thanks for the info...
Posted 5/8/2006 8:03 PM (GMT 0)
:-)  hi bun, yes i have heard of questran, as a matter of fact i am starting it  as soon as i pick up my prescription. i am hoping it will help, it should be great for you since you do not have as high cholesteral as i do. it is not as effective as statins, but i think it will be better healthwise for those of us concerned about more pain. i can tell you that questran is a bile inhibitor, so expect constipation, if yopu do have that problem, let me know, my gastro doc gave me a prescription for something to take to help with the problem and he said it is very safe to take,sounds like a fiber i will add in some water, but you can get it at the pharmacy. keep me posted.
Posted 5/13/2006 9:59 PM (GMT 0)
I just read the new comments.  Thanks!!!  I will try the CR.  It sounds like an adjustment however.  I am used to having some more of a choice of protein.  Something like chicken maybe along with the fish?  Dreamgirl, as far as the Questran goes, part of the reason I take it because of diarrhea.  I need to be more consistent with it though.  I do know it however when I am not taking it.  Thanks again for the great advice.  Bunee
Posted 5/14/2006 8:45 PM (GMT 0)
:-)  hi again bunee. well i started the questran and i am not sure i want to stay on it. you have to be careful not to take it near any other meds because it will cause them to lose their effectivenss, also i read that it can cause gallstones and other prioblems, i am a chicken. i started it for my cholesteral but i just think sometimes they give you stuff that has side effects that aren't life threatening like our heart disease but at the same time can cause other very serious health issues. so are you just taking your questran sporadically? i might be up for that is that is doable.
Posted 5/15/2006 5:47 PM (GMT 0)
Hi again. Actually as of late I have not taken it at all (dummy me, I guess I am into the suffering). I can say though when I took as directed for me, 1/2 packet at night in juice before bed, my intestinal problem was fixed and my cholesterol was lower. I need to take it like directed for me. Maybe you could reduce the dose a tad to stave off your side effects from it. I could not really say about the gallstones, I have not taken it for a long time or for a long duration. Good luck to you!! Bunee
Posted 5/16/2006 11:20 PM (GMT 0)
:-)  HI bun, well i might try starting at 1/2 the dose next week.  i read somewhere that cinnamon capsules where good for lowering cholesteral so i started those and hav e had intestinal problems with those,, i tell you, everything wreaks havoc on my intestines. hope to see you tonite. it gets pretty hectic on the chat line but it is a blast, more personal conversations,  later, dg
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