Heart Issues

[John81]

Dear brothers, I pray that the LORD will have mercy on you in your weakness, & restore & strengthen you for his service.

My total chol was 7.6 in 2000 - when I was diagnosed with diabetes - I immediately started using the chol-lowering margarines, & including oat bran with my cereal. It's dropped to just above 5. After a few years Dr prescribed siMVastatin. Muscle pains developed which I did not realise was a drug reaction until I read of that problem. A week after stopping the drug, the pains were gone. I had taken it for a few months, & chol dropped to about 4 - but I was not prepared to take a potentially crippling drug. He later tried me on niacin for chol (1 g daily) but I felt muscle pains soon, & my blood sugars went up.

I now find a low carbohydrate diet keeps me in good health, free from pain, with acceptable levels of chol & near-normal blood glucose readings. I am convinced that a high carb diet - more than 100g daily is a cause of health problems.

Hope that helps.

They have me on siMVastatin but thankfully I've not noticed any side effects. I'm hopeful that dietary changes may help enough that I can get off that drug. I don't like taking any more medicines than I have to.

My carb intake is now lower, mostly consisting of fruits and vegetables.

[Anon]

Just saw this thread...hope you feel better soon, John! I know its terrible to have heart problems. I don't have them technically but I get hormone/stress induced palps and pounding at times and its so scary and uncomfortable!!!! No fun!

[Larry02]

Praying for all... Amen

[Covenanter]

Thank you LuAnne! I've been putting chopped walnuts and some blueberries in my oatmeal. I bought some flaxseed today to try as well.

My excercise had dropped down to very little over the past several months because I wasn't feeling right. I guess now I know why. With the meds I'm feeling better for at least part of the day and I've started doing more walking and started lifting a few weights again, light lifting for now.

Based on my diabetic experience, & a diab discussion forum, I would suggest replacing 1/2 the oats with ground almonds & making up a bread/cake to use instead of carbs (which have little food value.)

Any combination of low carb flours should do OK - mine are different every time. It's a spongy cake texture about 25 mm thick. You could leave out the sweetener & sultanas for a bread. I do. I normally slice & spread with chol-reducing margarine. A slice replaces potato to soak up gravy. After the first day it's best kept in the fridge.

Just made a low carb birthday cake for Sunday (for church lunch):
very roughly:
100 g ground almonds
50 g coconut flour
50 g soya flour
25 g oat bran
25 g milled flax seed
2 teasp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp coriander
2 tabsp non-sugar sweetener
all sieved together
90 ml olive oil
4 eggs
beaten together
1 handful sultanas
thoroughly mix
check for dropping consistence - I added the 4th egg
put in square silicone baking dish - 9", 220 mm
Bake for 20 minutes at 175 °C

Nice spongy texture
cut in half & stick together with cheese spread

I normally make about 2/3 that mix every 2-3 days. I made much the same recipe for tennis club.

It's a good healthy snack, replacing all the junk available.

[Covenanter]

My excercise had dropped down to very little over the past several months because I wasn't feeling right. I guess now I know why. With the meds I'm feeling better for at least part of the day and I've started doing more walking and started lifting a few weights again, light lifting for now.

Our local hospital runs a heart rehab exercise programme in the gym. I go with my wife who had a heart attack nearly 10 years ago. They built up her fitness & confidence & we keep going - it's a sort of exercise club where we have made friends. The exercise circuit is only part of the rehab. Company & encouragement are also important. But when you feel rough it's hard to exercise - I sat out & sometimes slept during the class before I changed my diet.

You need to find a non-stress exercise regime with encouraging company - or a lot of discipline to keep active.

[John81]

Thank you all for your prayers, words of wisdom and shared experiences!