I just saw it's been over a year since I updated this blog. Nothing like consistency!
Overall, I went from 254 to 202, now am back up to 213 after the holiday eating season, so am hitting my slightly modified Wheat Belly eating plan again.
My last cholesterol check showed a total cholesterol count of 199, down from the 230 range on my previous check. That is without statins or any other cholesterol-lowering medication. It's also with eating eggs and full-fat cheese for breakfast almost every morning. My hdl (good cholesterol) was close to 70, which is an excellent ratio for hdl to total cholesterol. I'd been exercising most days, if only 20 or 25 minutes at lunch, and eating flax seed meal daily, usually with natural peanut butter (only ingredients peanuts and salt) on apples or bananas.
The rest of the blog gives more details on what I do and don't eat. I'm not a doctor or a nutritionist, but this has worked for me and my wife.
Thursday, January 1, 2015
Tuesday, October 29, 2013
Worthwhile links
Some of these have been posted elsewhere in this blog, but I figured I'd have a post with the links I go to most often or that have bearing on what I eat and why. To get you up to speed, my total cholesterol (non-fasting) on July 25 of this year was 284. My total cholesterol (fasting) on October 25 was 229. On July 25 I weighed 256, on October 25 I weighed 228. We could say 230 since I hadn't had anything to eat or drink before weighing on October 25. My HDL to LDL ratio is good as well.
An earlier blood test at work, conducted by an outside agency, showed my numbers lower, but I'm thinking their results weren't accurate. Still, I'll take a 50 point reduction of total cholesterol over three months, without taking any prescription statins to lower it.
Here's the original article that got me thinking about switching from the traditional lowfat diet I'd been put on after my total cholesterol was 284 in July of this year.
http://www.sott.net/article/242516-Heart-Surgeon-Speaks-Out-On-What-Really-Causes-Heart-Disease
A friend sent me this link on the dangers of modern wheat two or three weeks later:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UbBURnqYVzw
Wheat Belly basics:
http://www.wheatbellyblog.com/2012/12/wheat-belly-quick-dirty-2/
From the Wheat Belly author: this is NOT just gluten-free.
http://www.examiner.com/article/wheat-belly-author-rips-gluten-free-diet-gimmickry
Paleo (hunter-gatherer) diet basics. We don't stick to a Paleo diet, though it's probably 90% like Wheat Belly. Paleo is dairy free, I believe.
http://www.paleodietfoodlist.net/paleo-diet-food-list/
Flax seed/meal nutrition information:
http://www.livestrong.com/article/90990-benefits-ground-flax-seed/
Healthiest vegetables. Or Google it, there are several lists out there. Here's one:
http://commonsensehealth.com/top-10-healthiest-vegetables-list/
Avocado health benefits:
http://www.naturalnews.com/034370_avocado_nutrition_facts_health.html#
Recipes:
Paleo bread made with flax seed and almond flour:
http://www.rocofit.com/simple-paleo-bread-recipe/
Cucumber and tomato salad:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T7_HFhXzHEk
Brazilian chicken with coconut milk:
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Brazilian-Chicken-with-Coconut-Milk/Detail.aspx?evt19=1
There are lots of great sugar free/wheat free recipes out there. Google paleo recipes, wheat belly recipes, etc.
An earlier blood test at work, conducted by an outside agency, showed my numbers lower, but I'm thinking their results weren't accurate. Still, I'll take a 50 point reduction of total cholesterol over three months, without taking any prescription statins to lower it.
Here's the original article that got me thinking about switching from the traditional lowfat diet I'd been put on after my total cholesterol was 284 in July of this year.
http://www.sott.net/article/242516-Heart-Surgeon-Speaks-Out-On-What-Really-Causes-Heart-Disease
A friend sent me this link on the dangers of modern wheat two or three weeks later:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UbBURnqYVzw
Wheat Belly basics:
http://www.wheatbellyblog.com/2012/12/wheat-belly-quick-dirty-2/
From the Wheat Belly author: this is NOT just gluten-free.
http://www.examiner.com/article/wheat-belly-author-rips-gluten-free-diet-gimmickry
Paleo (hunter-gatherer) diet basics. We don't stick to a Paleo diet, though it's probably 90% like Wheat Belly. Paleo is dairy free, I believe.
http://www.paleodietfoodlist.net/paleo-diet-food-list/
Flax seed/meal nutrition information:
http://www.livestrong.com/article/90990-benefits-ground-flax-seed/
Healthiest vegetables. Or Google it, there are several lists out there. Here's one:
http://commonsensehealth.com/top-10-healthiest-vegetables-list/
Avocado health benefits:
http://www.naturalnews.com/034370_avocado_nutrition_facts_health.html#
Recipes:
Paleo bread made with flax seed and almond flour:
http://www.rocofit.com/simple-paleo-bread-recipe/
Cucumber and tomato salad:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T7_HFhXzHEk
Brazilian chicken with coconut milk:
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Brazilian-Chicken-with-Coconut-Milk/Detail.aspx?evt19=1
There are lots of great sugar free/wheat free recipes out there. Google paleo recipes, wheat belly recipes, etc.
Sunday, October 13, 2013
More of the 'whys' and 'wherefores'
A few people over the last couple of days have asked me about my diet, even though it's not really a diet as much as it's new eating habits and patterns. I'm losing weight, which I need to do, but that is secondary. Even skinny people have heart attacks and get cancer.
I underwent intense chemo treatments for sinus lymphoma late last year and into this year, and still get rituxan every two months. I now eat a lot of foods that can help slow or stop the development of various cancer cells. These include avocados, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, flax, and others.
My total cholesterol was high and heart disease runs in my family. I now eat a lot of foods that help lower bad cholesterol (LDL) and raise good cholesterol (HDL). This group is for most part the SAME foods that fight cancer cells. Eating foods low on the glycemic index also help to raise good cholesterol, as does exercise. We all know that certain kinds of fish are high in omega-3s. So is flax seed and flax meal, which is why I regularly make bread made with flax mean and almond flour instead of wheat flour.
I eat wheat-free and sugar-free. Modern wheat is not healthy, it's not the same wheat as in Biblical times or even from 60 years ago. Research "Wheat Belly" if interested.
I've read articles giving evidence that inflammation, not just cholesterol, is the major cause of heart attacks, and many foods most people encouraged to eat daily cause inflammation. Here's a paragraph from Dr. Dwight Lundell - "What are the biggest culprits of chronic inflammation? Quite simply, they are the overload of simple, highly processed carbohydrates (sugar, flour and all the products made from them) and the excess consumption of omega-6 vegetable oils like soybean, corn and sunflower that are found in many processed foods." I have asthma and can't take anti-inflammatories (aspirin, ibuprofen) since they can make my asthma kick in. So I eat foods that are natural anti-inflammatories. And once again, the group is almost identical to the anti-cancer foods that also help cholesterol levels.
We avoid fast food, overly processed food, MSG (destroys the brain), BUT still eat eggs, cheese, and meat. My last cholesterol check showed so far, the system is working for me, as it has for many. In the past week I've switched canola oil for coconut oil for scrambling my eggs since there are a lot of mixed opinions about different types of canola oil.
There's no magic food that can guarantee I won't get bad news on my next PET scan in November that will show if the lymphoma is still in remission, or otherwise, and there's no guarantee I won't drop from a heart attack, but if I can increase my chances of improving my health by skipping McDonald's, other fast foods, overly processed foods like hot dogs that taste great but are filled with preservatives and nitrates, and instead eat healthy foods that aren't filled with empty calories (sugar), it's something I need to do. The way health care costs and insurance premiums are skyrocketing, I think it makes sense.
I can't say I'll never eat another Papa John's pizza and chug a Pepsi to wash it down, or scarf a plate of lasagna, but I'm trying to eat for overall health.
Maybe I'm going overboard, and I don't expect anyone to go to these extremes, but it's what I'm doing, and so far it seems to be working. A cholesterol check at my doctor's office in a couple of weeks will let me know if I need to stay on the present course or modify things.
P.S. - Olive oil is healthy as well. No more fried foods, not even with canola oil as opposed to vegetable oil, even though I love all things fried; no more mac and cheese. Oh well.
P.P.S. - Shredded cheese has potato and/or corn starch added to prevent caking, so we now just buy block cheese and shred it ourselves.
I underwent intense chemo treatments for sinus lymphoma late last year and into this year, and still get rituxan every two months. I now eat a lot of foods that can help slow or stop the development of various cancer cells. These include avocados, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, flax, and others.
My total cholesterol was high and heart disease runs in my family. I now eat a lot of foods that help lower bad cholesterol (LDL) and raise good cholesterol (HDL). This group is for most part the SAME foods that fight cancer cells. Eating foods low on the glycemic index also help to raise good cholesterol, as does exercise. We all know that certain kinds of fish are high in omega-3s. So is flax seed and flax meal, which is why I regularly make bread made with flax mean and almond flour instead of wheat flour.
I eat wheat-free and sugar-free. Modern wheat is not healthy, it's not the same wheat as in Biblical times or even from 60 years ago. Research "Wheat Belly" if interested.
I've read articles giving evidence that inflammation, not just cholesterol, is the major cause of heart attacks, and many foods most people encouraged to eat daily cause inflammation. Here's a paragraph from Dr. Dwight Lundell - "What are the biggest culprits of chronic inflammation? Quite simply, they are the overload of simple, highly processed carbohydrates (sugar, flour and all the products made from them) and the excess consumption of omega-6 vegetable oils like soybean, corn and sunflower that are found in many processed foods." I have asthma and can't take anti-inflammatories (aspirin, ibuprofen) since they can make my asthma kick in. So I eat foods that are natural anti-inflammatories. And once again, the group is almost identical to the anti-cancer foods that also help cholesterol levels.
We avoid fast food, overly processed food, MSG (destroys the brain), BUT still eat eggs, cheese, and meat. My last cholesterol check showed so far, the system is working for me, as it has for many. In the past week I've switched canola oil for coconut oil for scrambling my eggs since there are a lot of mixed opinions about different types of canola oil.
There's no magic food that can guarantee I won't get bad news on my next PET scan in November that will show if the lymphoma is still in remission, or otherwise, and there's no guarantee I won't drop from a heart attack, but if I can increase my chances of improving my health by skipping McDonald's, other fast foods, overly processed foods like hot dogs that taste great but are filled with preservatives and nitrates, and instead eat healthy foods that aren't filled with empty calories (sugar), it's something I need to do. The way health care costs and insurance premiums are skyrocketing, I think it makes sense.
I can't say I'll never eat another Papa John's pizza and chug a Pepsi to wash it down, or scarf a plate of lasagna, but I'm trying to eat for overall health.
Maybe I'm going overboard, and I don't expect anyone to go to these extremes, but it's what I'm doing, and so far it seems to be working. A cholesterol check at my doctor's office in a couple of weeks will let me know if I need to stay on the present course or modify things.
P.S. - Olive oil is healthy as well. No more fried foods, not even with canola oil as opposed to vegetable oil, even though I love all things fried; no more mac and cheese. Oh well.
P.P.S. - Shredded cheese has potato and/or corn starch added to prevent caking, so we now just buy block cheese and shred it ourselves.
Saturday, September 21, 2013
It's not just about weight loss
I already see that eating a healthier diet is helping me lose weight, but weight loss in and of itself is not the ultimate goal - overall better health is.
Heart disease runs in my family, plus I'm still undergoing chemo once every two months for small B-cell lymphoma in my sinuses. Certain foods are linked to shrinking cancer cells and inhibiting cancer cells from forming or spreading. Certain foods are good for your heart as well. It's nice to lose weight, it's nicer to see total cholesterol numbers drop, though. There are plenty of healthy veggies out there, and I've found I like some more than others, but almost all can be cooked or served some way that makes them taste anywhere from decent to delicious. But if certain foods can stop lymphoma cells from spreading, you better believe I'll eat them. And to lessen the chances of having to go through intrathecal methotraxte again (that's a spinal tap where they withdraw spinal fluid and replace it with methotrexate), I'd go in the backyard and eat grass and dirt if it would help.
I don't think any diet regimen can guarantee it will prevent cancer, heart disease, or any other disease, but if changes in diet can help increase your odds, it's worth it, at least for me.
Here's a few things I've found -
Cruciferous vegetables are among the healthiest veggies out there for several reason. From livestrong.com - "Do not underestimate the power of having cruciferous vegetables as part of your diet. Cruciferous vegetables contain powerful antioxidants, which may decrease inflammation and reduce the risk of certain chronic diseases. They contain glucosinolates, crambene, indole-3-carbinol and isothiocyanates, which have been shown to decrease cancer risks." The most common cruciferous vegetables are broccoli, cauliflower, kale, brussel sprouts, cabbage, and a few others. I try to have a serving or two every day, raw, boiled, or steamed. And if you are on a wheat/sugar free diet, don't be afraid to put some butter on them if desired.
Avocados are extremely healthy. Once again from livestrong.com - "Getting the fat in your diet from omega-3s and avocados can help support your heart health and reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease..." In my area, Aldi occasionally has avocados for 49 cents.
Also very good but I won't list all the details right now - squash (all varieties including zucchini), tomatoes, carrots, cucumbers, onions, asparagus, sweet potatoes. I'm still adding more kinds of veggies to my diet so the list will grow with more research and taste test.
And saute your vegetables in olive oil, not vegetable or corn oil. Again, Aldi has the best price on olive oil I've seen.
For more info run searches for "most nutritious vegetables," "cancer-fighting fruits and vegetables," etc.
Heart disease runs in my family, plus I'm still undergoing chemo once every two months for small B-cell lymphoma in my sinuses. Certain foods are linked to shrinking cancer cells and inhibiting cancer cells from forming or spreading. Certain foods are good for your heart as well. It's nice to lose weight, it's nicer to see total cholesterol numbers drop, though. There are plenty of healthy veggies out there, and I've found I like some more than others, but almost all can be cooked or served some way that makes them taste anywhere from decent to delicious. But if certain foods can stop lymphoma cells from spreading, you better believe I'll eat them. And to lessen the chances of having to go through intrathecal methotraxte again (that's a spinal tap where they withdraw spinal fluid and replace it with methotrexate), I'd go in the backyard and eat grass and dirt if it would help.
I don't think any diet regimen can guarantee it will prevent cancer, heart disease, or any other disease, but if changes in diet can help increase your odds, it's worth it, at least for me.
Here's a few things I've found -
Cruciferous vegetables are among the healthiest veggies out there for several reason. From livestrong.com - "Do not underestimate the power of having cruciferous vegetables as part of your diet. Cruciferous vegetables contain powerful antioxidants, which may decrease inflammation and reduce the risk of certain chronic diseases. They contain glucosinolates, crambene, indole-3-carbinol and isothiocyanates, which have been shown to decrease cancer risks." The most common cruciferous vegetables are broccoli, cauliflower, kale, brussel sprouts, cabbage, and a few others. I try to have a serving or two every day, raw, boiled, or steamed. And if you are on a wheat/sugar free diet, don't be afraid to put some butter on them if desired.
Avocados are extremely healthy. Once again from livestrong.com - "Getting the fat in your diet from omega-3s and avocados can help support your heart health and reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease..." In my area, Aldi occasionally has avocados for 49 cents.
Also very good but I won't list all the details right now - squash (all varieties including zucchini), tomatoes, carrots, cucumbers, onions, asparagus, sweet potatoes. I'm still adding more kinds of veggies to my diet so the list will grow with more research and taste test.
And saute your vegetables in olive oil, not vegetable or corn oil. Again, Aldi has the best price on olive oil I've seen.
For more info run searches for "most nutritious vegetables," "cancer-fighting fruits and vegetables," etc.
Friday, September 20, 2013
So what do I eat?
What do I eat on a daily basis if I don't eat anything with wheat or sugar, including no fast food? I didn't eat at McDonald's a lot with the exception of breakfast. If I was running late is was hard to pass up a trip to the drive-thru for a couple of sausage McMuffins.
This eating plan is roughly based on the Wheat Belly plan:
http://www.wheatbellyblog.com/2012/12/wheat-belly-quick-dirty-2
but is very similar to a Paleo (hunter-gatherer) diet, and emphasizes foods low on the glycemic index; that is, foods that don't make your blood sugar spike. Stick to fresh food as much as possible, the less processed, the better. Check the ingredients of what you eat. And here's one of my soapboxes - if it has Monosodium Glutamate (MSG), TOSS IT OUT. There is some debate on the possible effects, but the evidence is convincing. Google it to find more info.
This kind of eating usually does take longer to prepare than a quick trip to Papa Johns or Taco Bell.
Just to let you know, I was never a big vegetable eater. I was a very picky eater growing up. Even as an adult I didn't eat a lot of veggies, so this is something I'm still learning.We eat as many single ingredient foods as possible, which means fresh vegetables and fruits. Ingredients on an apple: Apple. Ingredients on a stalk of broccoli: Broccoli. Ingredients on a pack of hamburger meat (unless it's from Wal-Mart): Ground meat.
But here it is. Typical breakfast: scrambled eggs (with cheese if at all possible), maybe a banana and or an apple, coffee with half and half (no more sweetened flavored creamers), a slice of Paleo bread (made with almond flour and flax seed meal) if I've made any lately. Bacon and ham are allowed on some Paleo diets but Wheat Belly discourages them since they're so processed and have too many nitrates.
Lunch: leftover chicken, pork, or hamburger from the previous night, leftover steamed/boiled vegetables, a piece of fruit.
Supper, or dinner, if you prefer: a hamburger pattie covered with cheese, avocado, onions, and tomato, or whichever of those we have, or baked/grilled chicken, pork chops, fish. Two, three, or four veggies - cauliflower, broccoli, tomatoes, an occasional sweet potato, asparagus, squash, zucchini, carrots, a few others. We try to follow a friend's recommendation of making our dinner plates 25% meat and 75% veggies.
Snacks: natural peanut butter (made ONLY with peanuts and salt, no added sugar or oils), flax seeds ground and added in with peanut butter, nuts, fruit, sliced veggies. I still need to get some organic thousand island dressing for dipping.
There are a lot of recipes that we need to add some diversity to what we eat now. Homemade chili fits the diet with the exception of the Fritos I like to add. There are plenty of recipes for homemade wheat-free crackers out there, though. Run a search for almost any recipe and put the word "Paleo" in front of it and you'll see there are plenty of options.
This eating plan is roughly based on the Wheat Belly plan:
http://www.wheatbellyblog.com/2012/12/wheat-belly-quick-dirty-2
but is very similar to a Paleo (hunter-gatherer) diet, and emphasizes foods low on the glycemic index; that is, foods that don't make your blood sugar spike. Stick to fresh food as much as possible, the less processed, the better. Check the ingredients of what you eat. And here's one of my soapboxes - if it has Monosodium Glutamate (MSG), TOSS IT OUT. There is some debate on the possible effects, but the evidence is convincing. Google it to find more info.
This kind of eating usually does take longer to prepare than a quick trip to Papa Johns or Taco Bell.
Just to let you know, I was never a big vegetable eater. I was a very picky eater growing up. Even as an adult I didn't eat a lot of veggies, so this is something I'm still learning.We eat as many single ingredient foods as possible, which means fresh vegetables and fruits. Ingredients on an apple: Apple. Ingredients on a stalk of broccoli: Broccoli. Ingredients on a pack of hamburger meat (unless it's from Wal-Mart): Ground meat.
But here it is. Typical breakfast: scrambled eggs (with cheese if at all possible), maybe a banana and or an apple, coffee with half and half (no more sweetened flavored creamers), a slice of Paleo bread (made with almond flour and flax seed meal) if I've made any lately. Bacon and ham are allowed on some Paleo diets but Wheat Belly discourages them since they're so processed and have too many nitrates.
Lunch: leftover chicken, pork, or hamburger from the previous night, leftover steamed/boiled vegetables, a piece of fruit.
Supper, or dinner, if you prefer: a hamburger pattie covered with cheese, avocado, onions, and tomato, or whichever of those we have, or baked/grilled chicken, pork chops, fish. Two, three, or four veggies - cauliflower, broccoli, tomatoes, an occasional sweet potato, asparagus, squash, zucchini, carrots, a few others. We try to follow a friend's recommendation of making our dinner plates 25% meat and 75% veggies.
Snacks: natural peanut butter (made ONLY with peanuts and salt, no added sugar or oils), flax seeds ground and added in with peanut butter, nuts, fruit, sliced veggies. I still need to get some organic thousand island dressing for dipping.
There are a lot of recipes that we need to add some diversity to what we eat now. Homemade chili fits the diet with the exception of the Fritos I like to add. There are plenty of recipes for homemade wheat-free crackers out there, though. Run a search for almost any recipe and put the word "Paleo" in front of it and you'll see there are plenty of options.
How all this started
So how did I go from eating mac and cheese two or three times a week, bread every day, fried foods, drinking Coke and Pepsi (not as much as I used to, but a few times a week), etc, to having an almost totally wheat and sugar-free diet?
Last October I was diagnosed with stage 4 lymphoma in my sinuses and on the side of my neck. During a rough regimen of chemo I actually gained weight because when I had an appetite I'd eat whatever I wanted to. In the end I got a good prognosis (I still have maintenance chemo bi-monthly), but had gained about 15 pounds in roughly 10 months.
I went to a new primary care physician after kicking Dr. That's-probably-just-a-swollen-gland-come-back-in-three-weeks-if-it's-not-better to the curb. She ordered some bloodwork and it showed my total cholesterol (non-fasting) was 284, told me to exercise 30 minutes daily and eat a lower fat diet - cut the eggs, cheese, whole milk, red meat, etc.
I started down that road even though I'd been on SugarBusters and South Beach-type diets in the past, and when I stuck with them I lost weight and my cholesterol had gone down. A couple weeks later my brother, who is just two years older than me, had a heart attack. He's doing fine and on the mend now. His son started researching nutrition and came across an article about the true cause of heart disease. I forget if he sent it to me or if I saw where he posted it, but that was maybe the second week of August, give or take a few days.
Here's the link, which I've posted in another blog entry:
http://www.sott.net/article/242516-Heart-Surgeon-Speaks-Out-On-What-Really-Causes-Heart-Disease
In short, he says inflammation, not cholesterol, is the cause of heart disease. And here's a key paragraph: "What are the biggest culprits of chronic inflammation? Quite simply, they are the overload of simple, highly processed carbohydrates (sugar, flour and all the products made from them) and the excess consumption of omega-6 vegetable oils like soybean, corn and sunflower that are found in many processed foods."
Then on August 24 a friend sent me a link to an hour-long video concerning modern wheat and how it's actually bad for you. Yes, wheat - the stuff in bread, breakfast cereal, and most products in the grocery aisles at your neighborhood Wal-Mart, Publix, or other grocery stores. And here again is the link to it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UbBURnqYVzw
The article by Dr. Lundell and the Wheat Belly video seemed to go hand in hand. My wife and I discussed it and decided to take the wheat and sugar-free plunge. On September 11 my cholesterol level had gone down from 284 to 190. No, on the 284 reading I hadn't been fasting, and the September check was done at work, not at the doctor's office. But even if the July reading was off 20 points due to not having fasted, it would be 264. And even if the work-place results were skewed by 20 points, the number would be 210. And a drop from 264 to 210 in a few weeks is still pretty good by any measuring stick. I had similar drops in glucose and triglycerides, as noted in another blog post.
Long story short, we're sticking with our current eating plan.
We're eating more vegetables than ever, cheese, eggs, meat, but no fast food, no fried food, no sugar or wheat, or as much as that's possible.
Do I ever get hungry? Yes, but my blood sugar hasn't plummeted like it used to, making me shaky.
On July 24, my most recent maintenance chemo date and my first visit with my new doctor, I weighted 256. This morning, back at the Kirklin Clinic for a stress test, I weighed 238. My clothes were lighter this morning since I wore shorts for the stress test, so let's say 240. I'll still take it.
I'll have another blood test at Kirklin in a few weeks so am looking forward to seeing the results.
Last October I was diagnosed with stage 4 lymphoma in my sinuses and on the side of my neck. During a rough regimen of chemo I actually gained weight because when I had an appetite I'd eat whatever I wanted to. In the end I got a good prognosis (I still have maintenance chemo bi-monthly), but had gained about 15 pounds in roughly 10 months.
I went to a new primary care physician after kicking Dr. That's-probably-just-a-swollen-gland-come-back-in-three-weeks-if-it's-not-better to the curb. She ordered some bloodwork and it showed my total cholesterol (non-fasting) was 284, told me to exercise 30 minutes daily and eat a lower fat diet - cut the eggs, cheese, whole milk, red meat, etc.
I started down that road even though I'd been on SugarBusters and South Beach-type diets in the past, and when I stuck with them I lost weight and my cholesterol had gone down. A couple weeks later my brother, who is just two years older than me, had a heart attack. He's doing fine and on the mend now. His son started researching nutrition and came across an article about the true cause of heart disease. I forget if he sent it to me or if I saw where he posted it, but that was maybe the second week of August, give or take a few days.
Here's the link, which I've posted in another blog entry:
http://www.sott.net/article/242516-Heart-Surgeon-Speaks-Out-On-What-Really-Causes-Heart-Disease
In short, he says inflammation, not cholesterol, is the cause of heart disease. And here's a key paragraph: "What are the biggest culprits of chronic inflammation? Quite simply, they are the overload of simple, highly processed carbohydrates (sugar, flour and all the products made from them) and the excess consumption of omega-6 vegetable oils like soybean, corn and sunflower that are found in many processed foods."
Then on August 24 a friend sent me a link to an hour-long video concerning modern wheat and how it's actually bad for you. Yes, wheat - the stuff in bread, breakfast cereal, and most products in the grocery aisles at your neighborhood Wal-Mart, Publix, or other grocery stores. And here again is the link to it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UbBURnqYVzw
The article by Dr. Lundell and the Wheat Belly video seemed to go hand in hand. My wife and I discussed it and decided to take the wheat and sugar-free plunge. On September 11 my cholesterol level had gone down from 284 to 190. No, on the 284 reading I hadn't been fasting, and the September check was done at work, not at the doctor's office. But even if the July reading was off 20 points due to not having fasted, it would be 264. And even if the work-place results were skewed by 20 points, the number would be 210. And a drop from 264 to 210 in a few weeks is still pretty good by any measuring stick. I had similar drops in glucose and triglycerides, as noted in another blog post.
Long story short, we're sticking with our current eating plan.
We're eating more vegetables than ever, cheese, eggs, meat, but no fast food, no fried food, no sugar or wheat, or as much as that's possible.
Do I ever get hungry? Yes, but my blood sugar hasn't plummeted like it used to, making me shaky.
On July 24, my most recent maintenance chemo date and my first visit with my new doctor, I weighted 256. This morning, back at the Kirklin Clinic for a stress test, I weighed 238. My clothes were lighter this morning since I wore shorts for the stress test, so let's say 240. I'll still take it.
I'll have another blood test at Kirklin in a few weeks so am looking forward to seeing the results.
Thursday, September 19, 2013
Recent diet changes....
I have another blog I started last year after being diagnosed with stage 4 lymphoma. This post is just a copy and paste of the latest entry (as of 9/19/2013) on that blog, www.davidsurretthealth.blogspot.com. I decided to start a blog dedicated solely to nutrition and other health areas. I'll update my other blog as I continue maintenance chemo, have more PET scans, etc.
Here's the post from the other blog:
A friend on Facebook mentioned nutrition and I said I was trying to eat better for several reasons. She sent me a link to a video about how the wheat we have today is not the same as the wheat in the Bible, or even the same as 50 years ago. It’s about an hour long but is worth the time. It’s where the Wheat Belly Diet comes from.
Cutting out as many GMOs (genetically modified organisms, or Frankenfoods) is part of it. We hope to eventually switch to all organic, but at this time that’s cost prohibitive, as it is for many people.
Study the effects of MSG (monosodium glutamate), for example, and you might toss all food in your panty or fridge that contain MSG. Check for it in salad dressings, especially ranch, as well as seasoning mixes.
I’m now eating more vegetables than ever, including a lot of steamed veggies, plus broccoli and/or cauliflower daily since they’re among the top veggies with cancer-fighting properties. A friend said I should aim at having 25% of my plate containing meat, and the other 75% having vegetables.
I’ve been spending time doing research into what’s healthy or not healthy. I’ll be glad when it’s just part of my lifestyle and I don’t spend so much time doing research or thinking about it.
Here's the post from the other blog:
I’m not a doctor or a nutritionist, haven’t played one on
TV, and didn’t stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night. These are just my
observations and changes I’ve made in my diet. They may seem drastic, but I
believe they are worth it. This isn’t for everyone, but it’s what I’m doing.
On July 25, my total cholesterol was 284. On September 11,
it's 190. My HDL (good cholesterol) rose
from I think (couldn’t find the exact results) 52 to 62
(that’s
a good thing). During that time period, I lost about 12-15 pounds.
**added on 9/15/13 - I got my Dr. to send me my lab results from July 24
- My triglycerides at that point were 156, glucose was 104 and my HDL
was 57. I had NOT been fasting beforehand so those numbers might be a
little high, but probably not much. On Sept 11 my triglycerides were
either 45 or negative 45 (not sure if that's possible), glucose was
79.**
First of all, I’m exercising regularly, trying to get in at
least 5 walks/runs of at least 30 minutes weekly. I’m sure that has a lot to do
with the weight loss and the lower cholesterol numbers.
At the time I started chemo late last year I weighed 243, if
memory serves correctly. There were days I didn’t feel like eating, so whenever
I ate, I ate whatever I wanted. I finished the major chemo treatments in March,
and when I saw a new primary care physician in July, I weighed 256, which is I
believe the heaviest I’ve ever been. Friends who haven’t seen me in a long time
might find that hard to believe since when I got out of high school I was 6’2”,
155 pounds. My present goal is to get down to 200 pounds. Anyway, my doctor
told me to start eating better – more vegetables, fewer eggs, red meat, etc. So
I made some adjustments (fake eggs, low fat cheese, less red meat) and started exercising.
I used to run a lot, but that’s been several years ago. I started out by
walking, and then added in a little running.
Two or three weeks later I read an article posted by my
nephew on the true cause of heart disease. http://www.sott.net/article/242516-Heart-Surgeon-Speaks-Out-On-What-Really-Causes-Heart-Disease
What he said made sense, and I’ve found other sources that
corroborate the findings. Check the link for more info. Several years ago I
tried SugarBusters and SouthBeach and lost weight on them, so decided to go a
similar route again.
A friend on Facebook mentioned nutrition and I said I was trying to eat better for several reasons. She sent me a link to a video about how the wheat we have today is not the same as the wheat in the Bible, or even the same as 50 years ago. It’s about an hour long but is worth the time. It’s where the Wheat Belly Diet comes from.
So after seeing all that info plus other things, we’ve gone
almost totally wheat and sugar free. Yes, that means say good-bye to Papa
John’s, Coke and Pepsi, almost all breads, breakfast cereals, almost all pasta.
NO fast food, and not just because of the bread. Most fast food has tons of
additives and preservatives. Nothing battered and deep fried. I use half and
half for my morning coffee instead of sweetened flavored creamers. That took
some getting used to.
Cutting out as many GMOs (genetically modified organisms, or Frankenfoods) is part of it. We hope to eventually switch to all organic, but at this time that’s cost prohibitive, as it is for many people.
Study the effects of MSG (monosodium glutamate), for example, and you might toss all food in your panty or fridge that contain MSG. Check for it in salad dressings, especially ranch, as well as seasoning mixes.
I’m now eating more vegetables than ever, including a lot of steamed veggies, plus broccoli and/or cauliflower daily since they’re among the top veggies with cancer-fighting properties. A friend said I should aim at having 25% of my plate containing meat, and the other 75% having vegetables.
The diet I’m following for the most part is listed here:
It has similarities to SugarBusters, South Beach Diet, gluten-free
eating, a Paleo diet, a low glycemic-index eating plan, and the Atkins Diet to
a lesser extent. Let your diet include a large percentage of single ingredient
foods, limit starches (sweet potatoes or brown rice are allowed, but not every
day), stay away from overly processed food. Use whole eggs, healthy oils (olive
oil and coconut oil for example), butter (not the fake stuff, not even the
so-called “cardio healthy” stuff), full-fat cheese, and milk. As always,
moderation is one of the keys. Don’t fill up on steak to the exclusion of
veggies. It’s still a work in progress.
I’ve been spending time doing research into what’s healthy or not healthy. I’ll be glad when it’s just part of my lifestyle and I don’t spend so much time doing research or thinking about it.
Other fun facts:
2 tablespoons of flaxseeds contain over 100% of the recommended daily allowance of omega 3 fatty acids. That’s the same good stuff that’s in salmon and other cold-water fish.
Most regular peanut butter, even name brand, contains partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. That’s the stuff in margarine that many brands are taking out due to the publicized negative health benefits. Even a lot of natural peanut butter has sugar and oil added. We now only buy peanut butter where the ingredients are peanuts and salt - period. You have to stir it since the naturally occurring peanut oil separates, but it’s a small price to pay, and it tastes great to boot.
Publix ground beef doesn’t have the pink slime that has been in the news the last couple of years. I emailed them asking about GMOs and they said their buyers never knowingly buy any GMO produce. Google it if you’re not familiar with it.
2 tablespoons of flaxseeds contain over 100% of the recommended daily allowance of omega 3 fatty acids. That’s the same good stuff that’s in salmon and other cold-water fish.
Most regular peanut butter, even name brand, contains partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. That’s the stuff in margarine that many brands are taking out due to the publicized negative health benefits. Even a lot of natural peanut butter has sugar and oil added. We now only buy peanut butter where the ingredients are peanuts and salt - period. You have to stir it since the naturally occurring peanut oil separates, but it’s a small price to pay, and it tastes great to boot.
Publix ground beef doesn’t have the pink slime that has been in the news the last couple of years. I emailed them asking about GMOs and they said their buyers never knowingly buy any GMO produce. Google it if you’re not familiar with it.
Okay, that’s enough.
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