Husband has heart attack !!

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Missy

VR.org Supporter
Supporting Member
Joined
Jun 12, 2001
Messages
448
Location
New Mexico
My husband just got out of the hospital from having a major heart attack.
The main artery was totally closed. They put a stent in. He is home now and seems to be doing okay. Just has to have recovery time and change life style. He is trying to quit smoking. So far so good. He had quit once for 2 years and on the day of my surgery he was nervous and some one gave him a cigarette and he was right back on them.
The strange thing about this is that his cholesterol is only 137. The ratio of HDL and LDL was in range. The doctor said he was one of the very rare ones that do not have cholesterol but have plaque. Or sometimes during a heart attack the test is not totally accurate. The meds they give them through it off sometimes. So won't know for a couple of weeks until they do another one.
I will now have my diet low in vitamin k and his diet. I already do the low fat and sodium thing so won't be too bad. But we have got to be really careful about the sodium which means cooking everything from scratch.
I was under the impression that we needed good fat to combat the bad fat. I learned this when I didn 't get enough and my cholesterol went up. Like eating six almonds a day. But this nutriionist at this hospital in Las Cruces, N. M. says to not get any more of the good than we have to. I am talking about canola and olive oil and almonds and that sort of thing. She did say he could have fish oil tablets but they have very little fat.
Does anyone have any input here.
Don't our bodies need some fat even if one has had a heart attack. We have much to learn about all this.
Thanks, Missy
 
Missy,
I'm so sorry to hear about your husband's heart attack. I certainly hope his recovery goes well and that you continue to do well.

The problem with going low fat is that we then tend to load our diets with carbohydrates, a lot of it being starches. Carbohydrates that do not get burned right away turn to fat. This is why so many people gain weight on low fat diets. They are consuming way more carbs than their body is using. Naturally thin people (not me!) don't seem to have this issue.

I've been a lower-carb eater for 3 years (with the support of my cardiologist). My cholesterol (which is high genetically) remains in range with a combination of a statin drug and low-carb eating. If I just take the statin drug, it's still in a higher range - just not as high as with no statin drug. I do not carefully watch my fat intake but I do try to be sensible. It's better to have a nicely marbled steak than it is a baked potato, or a pasta dish. I usually eat almonds every day, I use butter instead of margarine (which most say is the way to go now anyway) and I use olive oil. You should never try to do low-fat and low carb together. And most importantly for anyone - drink lots of water - at least 8 glasses a day. Most people are in a continually dehydrated state because they don't drink enough water and water helps eliminate the junk from our bodies. However, if someone has CHF, then the water consumption is a different story.

The medical community is starting to change it's tune on low-fat diets. Unfortunately the American Heart Association hasn't caught up yet. I shudder when I hear someone is told to go low-fat for their heart, because so many people turn to pasta, rice and potato and think that by leaving the butter off they are being healthy. I think the key is a healthy balanced diet.

If you'd like to get a good book that discusses this topic and gives some easily understood scientific research check out Dana Carpender's book "How I Gave Up My Low Fat Diet And Lost 40 Pounds" Even if you aren't thinking that a lower-carb diet is the way to go, or are unsure about it, the book does a good job of explaining just how our bodies process and reacts to protein, fats and carbohydrates.

Best wishes to you both. Just remember that doctors don't give family discounts for heart issues - so cut it out!

Karlynn
 
Hi Missy-
Sorry to hear that your husband has had this experience in his life. I am a heart attack survivor (June 2002) and can sympathize with his circumstances. Just let him know that even though this is a life altering experience in his life, he should look on the bright side.....HE'S STILL HERE!:) Now he has been given the blessing of being able to make changes in his life...for the better!
Just out of curiosity may I ask how old he is...and what is his name? Please feel free to PM me if you would like if he has any questions or just needs someone to talk to.
Karlynn has given you some good sound advice on the diet portion of heart health. Personally, I have done well eating a well balanced diet with an emphasis on leaner meats, increasing fruits and especially veggies and choosing more complex carbs (in sensible quanities).
Glad to hear that he is trying to stop the smoking....
I am assuming he will be attending cardiac rehab???? A definite must after an attack. It will help not only help him to grow stronger physically but will probably help build his confidence again....MI's are definitely anxiety producers!:(
Hang in there....keep smiling and keep your chin up!
Julia
 
Sorry to hear, Missy

Sorry to hear, Missy

How frightening this must have been for you, Missy!

The diet / cholesterol / carb / fat debate is in major flux right now, and I think you'll be hard pressed to find a single definitive answer. I think simply by asking the questions and applying common sense, you're on the right track.

In my opinion (just a guy) the smoking is a big key for him, and possibly contributed to the plaque buildup, even with such a low total cholesterol number.

My thoughts are with you both as you go through recovery -
 
Thanks to everyone! I think after the next doctor visit and he gets leveled out we will probably just try to follow a sensible low sodium diet and use the heart friendly oils and let him have some of the good fat. I think we need some of the good fat.
He is really having trouble with the low salt thing.
The doctors didn't mention cardiac rehab. Don't even know if we have that here. We have a nice rehab center. They just told him to rest and walk a little and do for himself as tolerated and that when he sees him in 2 1/2 weeks he will tell him how things are going and how he can proceed. I will ask about the rehab.
YOu are all so kind.
Missy
 
hi missy!
i'm so sorry to hear that your husband had a heart attack. how frightening!
karlynn and the others really have great points. the debate is still out on dieets.
my family has, genetically high cholesterol. i am the only recessive gene ( and my daughters too) with a really low cholesterol. my brother who is an avid runner in a very stressful job is generally a healthy eater and has reasearched diets for lowering cholesterol up and down. he recently read a study that states that sugars are a major culprit in raising cholesterol levels or keeping them high. (insulin inducing sugars).
i found this interesting and he said that when he "watches" his foods he can actually lower his levels by about 20-30 points. (problem is, who wants to live that way? he'd sooner give in to meds).
in any case, i think a well balanced diet with lean protein, low salt, and complex carbs (whole grains, fruit, veggies) is the way to go. moderation, i think, is an easy way to live a healthy life.
wishing you all the best. hope your husband feels better,
sylvia
 
Missy,

I understand that the South Beach Diet was written by a cardiologist and does a good job of explaining how different foods affect the heart. Also a proponent of a balanced diet of protein, fat, vegetables, and limited simple carbohydrates. One thing about the salt - if you stop eating snacks like chips and crackers, you get a whole lot less salt in your diet.

My dad had a heart attack two years ago and he also had low cholesterol and was a non-smoker and not overweight. Sometimes your genes get you - there was a segment on 60 minutes last night that the docs at the Cleveland Clinic have discovered a gene that 100% identifies you as someone who will have heart toubles. They don't think it is the cause of all heart attacks, but they have now identified this gene that definately causes them in some people.

To Sylvia's comment about moderation, my dad always lived by the creed "everything in moderation". When his best friend visited him in the hospital after his heart attack, he admitted that maybe his theory wasn't working. His friend reminded him, "Well, it was a MODERATE heart attack."
 
Missy,
That low salt thing is really a bummer. Try some other spices in place of the salt. Cumin, all-spice, pepper etc. It could work, but if your husband is anything like mine - there is no substitute for salt. Glenn puts salt on his salt.

I hope he (and you) continue on a road with no bumps.

Karlynn
 
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