A diet for heart disease and diabetes?

[Wild Flower]

The doctor told me my cholesterols were through the roof (it wasn't crazy-insane though), and put me on statins (although she was on the titter-totter about it she told me; but she said she wanted to wait until I see a cardiologist, but to take those pills for now). Now, damn, statins causes diabetes, so I don't want those pills either.

So I need a fool's proof diet to prevent heart disease while maintaining muscles...

I guess egg-whites, fish, veggies, and protein drinks will be my only choices in life. And a lot of exercise and saunas to prevent my health from going to crap.

[Deborah]

Low carb, moderate protein, and high fat may be what you are looking for.  That will lower your triglycerides and blood sugar both of which are markers for heart disease and diabetes.  You can eat the whole eggs and meat and ditch the protein drinks.

The most important thing though is just to eliminate all the sugar and refined carbohydrates that fill our diets.  Those two are the primary contributors to most of the modern day medical problems we have including diabetes, obesity, and heart disease.


Conform and be dull. —James Frank Dobie, The Voice of the Coyote

[KathyLauren]

Obviously, your mileage may vary, and consult your doctor before following anything I have to say.  Anyway, ...

I have been vegan for over 20 years.  I am not a health food nut: my wife is the queen of vegan desserts, and I am a dessert-a-holic.  Still, when I went for my blood tests prior to starting HRT, my doctor was blown away with my low cholesterol levels.  She said she has never seen levels that low in someone my age without the use of statins.

I probably have some help from healthy genes, but I am sure the vegan diet is responsible for most of it.

[Dena]

For heart disease you should eliminate hydrogenated fats from your diet. These are in pie crusts, cookies and most any food that uses shorting. Peanut butter is good if the oil separates but if it remains solid at room temperature, it contains hydrogenated fats. Fried food from a commercial location most likely is fried in hydrogenated oil.

Saturated fats should be limited and you will find them most commonly in red meat and fatty dairy products. They are far better than hydrogenated fats but depending on how much of a problem you have, your intake may need to be limited.

Most vegetable oils can be used in cooking but some like coconut oil shouldn't be used. Olive oil is safe and use as much as you want.

Get used to reading the label because you never know what fat is going to turn up where. Snack food like potato chips could have hydrogenated oil or may not. Unless you read the label, you won't know.

My roommate had diabetes but was also overweight. Medformin which is a mild drug and weight loss brought her diabetes under control. To keep her sweet tooth under control, I came up with several deserts using splenda thus removing most of the sugar in her diet.

Most important is you can treat yourself to any of the forbidden foods if you occasionally do it. Just don't do it on a regular bases.

[Brooke]

Low carb, moderate protein, and high fat may be what you are looking for.  That will lower your triglycerides and blood sugar both of which are markers for heart disease and diabetes.  You can eat the whole eggs and meat and ditch the protein drinks.

The most important thing though is just to eliminate all the sugar and refined carbohydrates that fill our diets.  Those two are the primary contributors to most of the modern day medical problems we have including diabetes, obesity, and heart disease.


Conform and be dull. —James Frank Dobie, The Voice of the Coyote

I'm going to second the low carb, high fat, moderate protein.

This might be throwing you into the deep end, but worth knowing.



I've been on a ketogenic diet for about 18 months now (80% fat, 60 grams of protein and under 20 net carbs a day). I can attest to the results in the video.

[judithlynn]

I would go for:
Zero carbs, moderate protein, and high fat may be what you are looking for especially if you are on HRT-Oestrogen and Progesterone as you want the fat to go to your feminine curves.
Judith

[Kylo]

Ideally a diet with no carbs, no sugars and reduced fat, since heart disease won't be helped by putting more of it into your system, even if you are in ketosis.

In other words, lots of salad without fat based garnishes, and healthier meat or vegetarian stuff, sans any sauces filled with cheese and the like.

Meat and Leaves, as I call it.

[Dani]

There are many diets out there and what works for one may not work for another. Since you mentioned heart disease and diabetes, I would recommend a Mediterranean diet, lots of vegetables, some fresh fruit and a little low fat meat or fish. Also, stay away from processed or manufactured foods. Be aware of your calorie intake and limit total calories for you desired weight.

The extreme ketogenic diets may cause ketoacidosis and are dangerous for people with heart disease.

[Deborah]

If you're interested in some new ideas that are backed with a lot of facts then you might read these books.  I've just finished two of them and am part way through in the third.  Every diet idea mentioned in this thread is in there along with where they come from and what, if any, science backs them up. 

It is worth mentioning that since Americans enthusiastically adopted the current diet recommended by the American Heart Association in 1980 that rates of obesity, diabetes, and other diseases have skyrocketed.  There is something wrong with that picture.

Teicholz, Nina. The Big Fat Surprise: Why Butter, Meat & Cheese Belong in a Healthy Diet. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2014

Taubes, Gary. Good Calories, Bad Calories. New York: Albert A. Knopf,  2007

Taubes, Gary. The Case Against Sugar. New York: Albert A. Knopf,  2016



Conform and be dull. —James Frank Dobie, The Voice of the Coyote

[DawnOday]

Statins have kept me going for the last 25 years. It was not they, that got me diabetes. Not exercising. Fast food. Packaged food. Sugary snacks, chips and especially canned cheese and Famous Amos the original. Little brown bag with grease marks. A bag of those and a quart of chocolate milk.  Now that's living. Playing dot man baseball on my Odyssey.  But really, the stations aren't what can affect you. Taking Spiro for heart failure.makes one sterile after a few months. Coumidin for blood thinning. It's really rat poison The very insulin you put in body can kill you if not monitored. Statins​ may make you dizzy for a while but if one does not work another might. But really exercise and a sensible diet and moderate portions and self control and the pounds will just about melt off Worked for me over a two year period. Went from a high of 297 lbs am now tickling 220. It was getting difficult to walk. Now I am fairly light on my feet. Not Misty Copeland light. Isn't she fabulous? Good luck.          Dawn

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