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Heart Health Fuhrman Ornish

Support to take control of your health, reverse disease. Medically documented. ... more

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DeadManWalking56

Joined: 03/01/2010

My Story:

I have severe atherosclerosis with ectasiac (long, stretched out) sections, small aneurysms in primary cardiac arteries. I am blessed to also have (had ?) a complete secondary collateral capillary network which helps keep my activities somewhat normal, and allows me to exercise more vigorously then expected.

I had an emergency triple bypass Friday, January 13th, 2006. A dozen other 80% inoperable blockages further down the artery tree did not leave the doctors thinking I would fair very well. My cholesterol numbers at that time were thought to be normal: LDL 137, HDL 37, Tri's 55.

I follow a very low fat diet, high in antioxidants, that also includes chicken breasts, tuna, salmon and egg whites. Sensitivity to fatty foods shows its ugly head in the form of angina in 4 - 24 hours after a meal. This makes me something of a "canary in the coal mine" for fatty foods that aggravate heart disease.

I still work full-time, though at a desk job, and do online research at home in functional foods that aid heart disease, and exercise for heart disease. I do this sporadically but persistently, and share what I find on WebMD, and occasionally Yahoo! Answers .

One key thing I believe strongly is that my diet works tremendously to keep my LDL low and for the most part un-oxidized.

Special foods I eat include green tea, pomegranate juice, a little dark chocolate, pistachios, prunes, and berries. They all all work to boost paraoxonase activity, which 1) reduces blockages through cholesterol efflux from foam cells and plaque; 2) enhances HDL functionality, functionally boosting my effective HDL numbers.

My cholesterol numbers have been excellent since November 2006, averaging LDL of 55, HDL of 45, and Tri's in the 50's, for total cholesterol under 120. Predominantly through diet and near daily exercise.

A book I think everyone should read is "Longevity Made Simple" by Dr. Richard Flanigan, a Denver cardiologist. We've never met, but share a passion for rowing. The good doctor is still world class in his age group.

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Reply: pomegranate juice.

Pomegranate juice is supposed to stimulate production or effects of the...

Posted by DeadManWalking56

6 Replies | Reply | Watch This DiscussionReport This| Share this:pomegranate juice. Pomegranate juice is supposed to stimulate production or effects of the...

Heart disease and migraines

I have been reading some about migraines, and they seem related via arterial...

Posted by DeadManWalking56

0 Replies | Reply | Watch This DiscussionReport This| Share this:Heart disease and migraines I have been reading some about migraines, and they seem related via arterial...

More Member Bio's, More Members

Don't be shy folks. Have an appropriate biography on exchanges you frequent. I...

Posted by DeadManWalking56

3 Replies | Reply | Watch This DiscussionReport This| Share this:More Member Bio's, More Members Don't be shy folks. Have an appropriate biography on exchanges you frequent. I...

Reply: Are cholesterol values important?

re: " I have no angina, shortness of breath, swollen ankels and feet or any other...

Posted by DeadManWalking56

32 Replies | Reply | Watch This DiscussionReport This| Share this:Are cholesterol values important? re: " I have no angina, shortness of breath, swollen ankels and feet or any other...

Reply: Are cholesterol values important?

We look at all the recommendations for healthy things, and if there is room for a...

Posted by DeadManWalking56

32 Replies | Reply | Watch This DiscussionReport This| Share this:Are cholesterol values important? We look at all the recommendations for healthy things, and if there is room for a...

Reply: Are cholesterol values important?

Ones weekly exercise improvement, and big improvements over time, indicate...

Posted by DeadManWalking56

Ones weekly exercise improvement, and big improvements over time, indicate improved blood flow and a stronger heart.

If blockages worsen, shortness of breath and angina will be more frequent and more severe.

If heart failure sets in, ankles and feet will gradually swell.

My HMO is so certain of my imminent demise, but so certain it will be expensive first with medical interventions, that twice in the past four years, they have had a nurse call me at home every month to ask me a battery of questions over the phone. We are doing it again this Spring.

The first 6 months after my stents were added, 8 months after bypass surgery, a doctor visited me at home every two weeks doing the same thing. I took a day off from work to be home to see her. The HMO did not accept that I did not need to see her.

The odds are seriously in their favor that I will worsen and require hospitalization. They hope to catch that early and minimize their costs. They seem to have no provision in their system that a person can be trusted to make all necessary lifestyle changes and have disease regression and a strengthened heart. There are probably more people lying and making false claims that they do those things, than people who actually do. Or if they manage for awhile, eventually they stop and do worsen.

The Reaper always wins. When heart disease is the "weapon of choice", no other is usually necessary.

Taking the disease seriously is itself rare. My little wake-up call was five very serious, extremely heavy bouts of "angina", that were almost major heart attacks, in about 3 days, while on vacation visiting my wife's family in a very small town in Nicaragua. Two of them were on the same day within 15 minutes of each other. They were both exertional in cause, but not much. They lasted a couple minutes each or more.

I was hit with almost the same level of pain from those four times I have eaten the burger, the fries, the avocado, the walnuts. But then I was home, minutes from a big hospital, and armed with nitro spray. The walnuts led to my stents and minor heart attack. The avocado caused over 3 hours of chest pain unrelieved by nitro, and a two-day hospitalization and more tests.

A person has to be an idiot to not connect the dots.

For me, the nuts are really dangerous, because the negative effect takes a few weeks to build up, and months to dissipate and recover from.

If in any week I get no chest pain, and can exercise and do anything I want, except fatigue will nail me eventually, then I am doing well, and probably getting a tiny bit better that week.

This canary still sings, mainly songs in the key of life and health.

So Josvin, too, could use a similar moniker of

DeadManWalkingView Thread

Posted byDeadManWalking56

32 Replies | Reply | Watch This DiscussionReport This| Share this:Are cholesterol values important? Ones weekly exercise improvement, and big improvements over time, indicate...

Reply: Question about beans.........

No, I'm not very concerned about Campbell's view. Few studies are comprehensive...

Posted by DeadManWalking56

31 Replies | Reply | Watch This DiscussionReport This| Share this:Question about beans......... No, I'm not very concerned about Campbell's view. Few studies are comprehensive...

Reply: Are cholesterol values important?

With a couple 4 ounce whole grain bagels a week for the better part of four years,...

Posted by DeadManWalking56

32 Replies | Reply | Watch This DiscussionReport This| Share this:Are cholesterol values important? With a couple 4 ounce whole grain bagels a week for the better part of four years,...

Reply: Are cholesterol values important?

Pistachios, pomegranates, and green tea ? RE: "Flour products are at the bottom...

Posted by DeadManWalking56

32 Replies | Reply | Watch This DiscussionReport This| Share this:Are cholesterol values important? Pistachios, pomegranates, and green tea ? RE: "Flour products are at the bottom...

Reply: Pritikin and nuts

I'll throw in my two cents from some months ago, again. The fat content of nuts...

Posted by DeadManWalking56

27 Replies | Reply | Watch This DiscussionReport This| Share this:Pritikin and nuts I'll throw in my two cents from some months ago, again. The fat content of nuts...

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