Insights on Nutrition?

[KimC]

Hello,

Funny how being diagnosed w/ a heart defect changes you: for the first time in my life, I'm attempting to change my dietary habits to promote healing and better health.

I'm guilty of dieting, self-deprivation and so on. You could say I've had a mild eating disorder since age 11. (Blame it on ballet, not me ... ha).

I had a consultation with a nutritionist yesterday who told me based on my blood work and saliva sample that my liver is technically failing, perhaps as a result of mild hypothyroidism or early heart failure, but more than likely because of my long-term eating habits. The good news, at least according to her, is that I have the "power" to turn things around.

What I would like to hear from our community is recommendations on books to read, etc. My nutritionist has put me on Gittleman's "Fat Flush" diet to detox my liver, etc. I don't need to lose any weight, if anything I need to gain about 10 pounds of healthy mass.

I've always been skeptical about alternative health because I grew up in a medical family. Does anyone care to share their personal success stories with a particular book or nutrition plan?

My goal is to have more energy, get rid of recurring respiratory infections and angina, and ideally heal my heart muscle as much as possible w/out having to go under the knife! Or in preparation for going under the knife ...

Am I naive to think that better nutrition will help to a noticeable degree? Could anyone suggest a support group for changing dietary habits? (I'll need it, as my first step is to quit dairy products -- I love my coffee and cream!)

Thanks for your insights.

 

[McCln]

KimC

KimC

Glad that you want to have a healthier lifestyle. But I hope you are not looking at this change in your diet as a cure for a defect. I had a friend who kept telling me about special diets as a cure for heart disease. Just look over the diet recommended and be sure to keep active. It is important to maintain a healthy weight to keep pressure of the heart. And be sure to drink plenty of water. And what heart defect do you have? I was born with aortic valve defect, heart murmur. Just curious. Take care.

Caroline
09-13-01
Aortic valve replacement
St. Jude's valve

 

[bethanne]

hi kim...
Have you had a chance to read her book? I really like her approach, just lack the personal discipline at this time in my life. Some things I have adapted permanently... flax seed oil, cooking with broth (all natural no sodium) versus butter/margerine... protein over carbohydrates etc. Let me know how it goes for you!

I am also trying some supplements called nuchoice you can find them at nuchoice.com . Not listed on the site but available through them is a product called heart factor formulated to fight against virus linked to heart disease. A cardiologist was part of the consulting team who developed their products.
Mostly what I like is the system is pretty simple. I get overwhelmed with all the products available on the market. Their's is 3 part: multi vitamin, immune defense & antioxidant.

I guess taking supplements and making changes to my diet help me feel proactive towards my health good for you in consulting with a nutrutionist...

 

[Christina L]

Kim,

I think it is great that you are changing your diet for the better.

My personal diet belief is to eat as "close to nature" as possible - lots of fruits and vegetables and lean meats. Protein is important and cutting back on carbs is a good idea, but a person needs some carbs (meaning whole grains and brown rice - NO white flour or sugar). I do feel that sugar is a major detriment to the health of the body, although I do like my ice cream and good dark chocolate at times. Life is too short to deprive yourself of the "good stuff" and we all know of people who have smoked and eaten terrible their whole lives and lived until they were 90 and others who were vegetarians, etc., who died young. There is sometimes no rhyme or reason -to us - God has a reason.

It IS important to get a certain amount of fats (good fats such as olive oil and lean meats - B-vitamins and amino acids are supplied by red meat). I eat red meat maybe once a week, the rest of the time chicken and most importantly fish such as salmon, sardines, etc. Eggs are also good for you - especially when you cook the egg with the yolk still very runny - the good stuff is still there for the body to assimilate.

There is a lot of reading on the internet and it is all a personal thing with diet and beliefs. You need to do what you feel is right for you, but most of all EAT-EAT!!! DO NOT deprive your heart of nutrients!! It is a muscle and needs a certain amount of fats and protein to keep it healthy.

Bon appetit!!

Christina L.

 

[Abbanabba]

I have to agree with Christina - eat as much unprocessed and natural food as you can and you can't go too far wrong! I also love my treats (..although I gave up caffiene years ago..) so I allow myself one day a week to indulge in pretty much whatever I like. This is the day I usually catch up with friends for lunch or movies and it enhances the entire experience. Because it allows me to eat some of those "naughty" foods (..think cheesecake, lollies, chips, etc...) it kills any cravings, and only being once a week, it really doesn't have an adverse effect on my overall diet.

The rest of the time I live on mainly fruit & veges, water & herbal tea, a little meat and dairy, and limited cereals (..these don't really agree with my system, so less seems to be best for me..). I make just about everything from scratch - including stocks, sauces, salad dressings - so I can control exactly what I'm eating. So far it seems to be working very well for me.

I've also found natural yoghurt is a great alternative for sour cream, mayonnaise, and dips (..chop up some fresh herbs, or add a little mustard for flavouring..). Mixed with fresh fruit, it is also delicious as a sweet treat - chop the fruit, add just a smidge of sugar and allow it to macerate for a while, which really brings the fruit flavour out.

It's amazing how many healthy alternatives are out there to replace those yummy things - half the time you can't even tell the difference!! Feel free to email me if you'd like some recipes... I could sit here and rattle off a dozen or so, but without knowing what you like, or where you need to make your adjustments, there's probably not much point.

I'm sure you'll find something that suits you. Good luck!!

Anna : )

 

[MelissaM]

Funny thing happened on the road to recovery. . .I went organic and can't switch back. Staying with a friend who only ate organic, I followed her routine, thinking that I would go along with her ways since she was kind enough to open up her house to me during recovery. After three months of eating organic, I got a fruit basket of "regular" fruit and COULDN"T EVEN EAT IT. To me, it tasted TERRIBLE! Blech. I used to get annoyed at the 'organic snobs' who poo-poo-ed regular food. . .now I am totally seeing the difference. We forget how much our 'regular' food is processed to make it look good (did you know they spray McDonald's fries with beef flavoring?) instead of taste good.

Before going organic I also struggled with a very sluggish digestive system. Since making the switch, my digestive system has returned to normal, my skin has cleared up, and I overall feel much better (of course, that could be the fixed heart at work. . . ),

There may be some special diet out there that will help your liver. My guess is that if you eat right and listen to your body (when it is hungry, when it is happy, etc), you will be well on the road to eating right.

 

[Christina L]

Well, Melissa, you DO live in Boulder, Colorado now - the capitol of the organic/holistic medicine world!! If you can't beat em, join em!!

I agree with you - forgot about the organic side of things.

You do look GREAT and so healthy (Wayne and I had brunch with Melissa in Boulder a month (?) ago) so organic eating is definitely working for you!

Christina L.

 

[Harpoon]

What Christina L said...


Organic is nice too, but it can be a bit hard on the wallet.


I've got a few cookbooks specifically for heart patients. One is called The No Salt, Lowest Sodium Cookbook by Donald Gazzaniga (on Amazon.com) and the other is from the American Heart Association.

I've got a third on the way (Amazon purchase) but I haven't seen it yet so I won't say if I like it or not.


There are a few good websites around with heart healthy and low sodium dishes.

I've been finding that a lot of stuff can just be adapted some to reduce sodium content and make it generally healthier.


Natrual stuff is great, buying fresh produce and veggies is good too and fun if you like cooking for yourself.

Avoid "pre-made" meals like the frozen dinner things and box dinners you get off the grocery shelf.

I have some trouble with this because I don't have enough time to cook stuff for myself and my family. When I do get something "ready made" I pay close attention to the nutritional information on the packaging. I try to go with whatever has the least carbs, least fat, least sodium, not in that particlar order.

The more fruit and veggies you can eat the better!

Oh, and as you start changing your diet, if you're on coumadin, pay real close attention to your PT/INR... It may change around and your dosage might need adjusting.

Be careful, consult with your doctor/nutritionist as much as you can.

Wish I had a nutritionist, though he/she would probably need to follow me around with a ruler to snap my hand whenever I reached for something I shouldn't be eating!

I do that entirely too much, no will power when it comes to food.

 

[Marge]

Just curious -- and was wondering -- Kim, why are you quitting dairy products?

 

[Nancy]

One of the easiest things you can do if you have a cooking time crunch, is to make a double or triple sized meal and then wrap and freeze the second/third portion for when you are time deprived. Just as easy to cook double or triple the amount.

 

[Raverlaw]

I, too, have decided to eat healthier. I've invested a lot in this re-built heart of mine, and might as well take care of it.

We've always tried to cook low-fat, low cholesterol, and I think I know how to do that pretty well. I've never concerned myself about sodium levels 'till now (although I never ADD salt at the table, and use very little when cooking), but now that I've started reading lables, I am SHOCKED at the sodium levels in most of the foods that we regularly buy. I don't even want to think about how much sodium is in restaurant food.

So I'm going to look into the book Harpoon recommended, but does anyone else have tips for reducing sodium? Do I have to look for "low-sodium" labeled products? and how much sodium should a 195 lb guy take in each day?

Anna,
I'll send you an e-mail, but I'd love to get some recipies for things you can do with plain yogurt. I use it on cereal instead of milk, and like to have a little with fruit as a snack sometimes, but I haven't used it for dressings and such.

 

[Marge]

<< So I'm going to look into the book Harpoon recommended, but does anyone else have tips for reducing sodium? Do I have to look for "low-sodium" labeled products? and how much sodium should a 195 lb guy take in each day? >>

Bill, we've found that a problem with "low sodium" labeled products is that a LOT of them are only "low sodium" by comparison with the equivalent regular products. Take a look at "low sodium" canned soups, for example. Canned soups are one of THE worst offenders in terms of sodium content and "low sodium" canned soups are still very high in sodium.

When you are reading labels, you also have to be careful about what they identify as a "serving." The sodium content on the label is given "per serving." Problem is that quite often a "serving" is a lot less than you think it is. Back to that canned soup: a can of Campbell's Select Chicken With Egg Noodles contains 990 mg "per serving." But there are two servings in a can. Which means that the total sodium content of ONE can of this stuff is perilously close to the 2000 mg or less per day that my cardiologist said I should be on.

I don't think there is any rule about how much sodium you should ingest based on your weight. The AHA recommended maximum sodium-per-day for "healthy" adults is 2400 mg -- and the guidelines don't say anything about weight. (Depending on specific medical issues, some people, for example CHF'ers, need to be on less, sometimes MUCH less. ) For the AHA guidelines see http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4708

The average American diet is, of course, several times 2400 mg. a day.

Chief offenders are canned and processed foods. It's not just the foods where you would assume there's a lot of salt -- like potato chips or other salty snacks -- but all kinds of foods where you wouldn't expect to find a great deal of sodium.

We have actually not had that much trouble with sticking to a low sodium diet. Even before my cardio said I should be on low sodium, we never used that much salt or ate a lot of salty snacks. (My cardio said that this is probably the reason I haven't had any problem with fluid retention despite my CHF diagnosis. He's never had me on any diuretics.) We eat mostly freshly prepared foods and we've always preferred seasoning with herbs, spices, garlic, to salt.

I confess to occasionally breaking the low sodium rules -- but I save my rule breaking for things that are really worth it, like the occasional wedge of really GOOD cheese, or a bit of prosciutto with my melon.

 

[Marge]

A couple of websites that list the sodium content of various foods:

http://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/nutrition/components/DJ0827-01.html

http://www.midwestear.com/sodium.htm

 

[tobagotwo]

I actually take a fair number of supplements each day. Enough to glean an occasional odd look from my friends at work.

I take a multiple with minerals. Then there is a B-50 capsule, which is 50 mg or mcg of each of the B vitamins. Then an 800mg folic acid. A capsuler of borage oil (Omega 3 & 6 fatty acids - also thins blood slightly), and a capsule of virgin salmon oil (similar to borage oil, though I don't know how they figure out they're virgins), a variety of antioxidants, garlic (natural antibiotic and thins blood slightly), vitamin E with tocopherols (antioxidants and thins blood slightly), vitamin C with bioflavinoids (yes, even this thins blood slightly), and magnesium (200 mg, twice a day). I will elaborate on antioxidants (and reasons) if asked, but fear to bore people further in the public venue.

I don't take calcium supplements, as I understand that may shorten my valve life. I don't take anything with CoQ10 in it, as it is normally manufactured and regulated within the body. When you take it externally, it creates an initial bump, then your body regulates it again (no real gain). However, if you stop taking it, your internal CoQ10 does a nose-dive for a few days, while your body gets back into synthesizing it. This is important because many "heart formulations" include CoEnzyme Q-10 (CoQ10).

Is it a waste of money? Probably some of it. I think some of it helps, though. Especially the antioxidants. My surgeon is OK with these for me. You should check with your doc first.

I get some of my vitamins online through swansonsvitamins, there's also Puritan and many others, I'm sure. This is not an add for any of them in particular, but there's no point in paying more for equivalent goods, so shop around somewhere besides your local grocery, pharmacy, or health-food store where they tend to be most expensive.

Well, there you have it. Some who only suspected that I was a nut case now have proof. "He's one of those vitamin wierdos, honey..."

 

[Harpoon]

During my cardiac rehab, one of the nurses sat us down with a little set of sealed test tubes in a foam container. Each tube had a lable on it; "Hamburger", "slice of cheese", "cereal", "orange juice" and corresponding amounts of sodium per serving. in each test tube was that amount of sodium.

I forgot what food in the display had the high mark for sodium content, but it was a nearly full test tube, for one serving.

At the low end was a test tube showing the amount of sodium neccesary for maintaining a healthy body, 200mg per day as I recall.


The USDA is something like 2000mg, most people get closer to 3500-4000mg a day.


I'm mindful of that 2000mg number. I like to keep myself well under that if possible.

 

[KimC]

Thanks and keep the great info coming ... there's so much for me to learn. You really don't know what a major change of lifestyle this is for me. For years and years I deprived myself and lived on bagels and cream cheese, coffee and salads! Not to mention white wine! I have years to make up.

Marge, my nutritionist said that my history, bloodwork/saliva sample revealed a severe dairy allergy. I'm on Day Three w/out dairy and feel OK, but miss my almost nightly scoop of chocolate chip ice-cream. She said I can start eating it again after my immune system calms down. Until then, you guys are lucky you don't have to live with me!

Warm regards,
Kim

 

[Abbanabba]

Crikey.... and here's my cardiologist telling me to INCREASE my sodium intake..!!! And here I was thinking all this healthy eating was good for me!

Meanwhile, I swear those salt & vinegar chips are purely "for medicinal purposes only"

A : )

 

[Harpoon]

Oddly enough, one of the MANY MANY problems I had going into the hospital for my valve replacement was a severe LACK of sodium in my system.

I never got a straight answer on why that was the case, but I know it was there in the bloodwork they did. I think it had something to do with my kidneys and adrenal glands shutting down. I was in REALLY bad shape....

I wish I could keep myself just to bagels, cream cheese, and salads...

Once upon a time my diet was a slice to toast with PB and jelly and a little OJ in the morning, a PB+J sandwich and some chips or a cookie for lunch, an afternoon (or evening) snack and a "normal" dinner. Now I just can't seem to stop eating.

I'm not obese by any means, but I am significantly overweight for my height. I hover around 168lbs and the mean BMI should put me at 140 or less... I'm working on that one.



Slowly...


One final thing that might be worth considering. I've added a fair amount of wine into my cooking. Mostly white zinfandel and a dry sherry.

The zinfandel I use is actually non-alcoholic and on occassion I'll have a small glass straight. It's got a little alcohol in it, like trace amounts, but it's no where near a regular glass of wine. Most cooking will evaporate off the alcohol used in recipes so I don't worry about it messing with my meds and such.


I've always been a VERY light drinker. Had my first bottle of beer when I left college, a Sam Adams Boston Lager. I've always been picky with my booze and I don't think I've ever been drunk. A little "buzzed" once when I had three glasses of hard cider in one night, but never more than that.

I'm just strange.


Quick recipe to try just for fun...

Two onions, quartered
14 cloves of garlic
A big carrot, chopped into big junks
A stalk of celery, chopped like the carrot
4 cups low sodium chicken broth (Wylers and Herb-Ox both make low sodium brands that are carried in grocery stores)
1/2 cup dry sherry

Toss it all into a pot on the stove and boil for a little bit then simmer over low, bubbling heat for about 2-3 hours or toss into a crock-pot on low for 10-12 hours.

Yummy garlic soup.

Leave the veggies in or take them out if you'd like. I've added pasta noodles to this before about an hour or so before the soup is ready.

If you're real adventurous (I haven't tried this one yet but it should work) chop up a chicken breast (one or two servings worth) into bite size pieces and set them on a plate in the microwave to cook through then toss them into the soup like the noodles...

Garlic chicken noodle soup maybe???

 

[Rain]

Yikes!!

Yikes!!

I don't take calcium supplements, as I understand that may shorten my valve life.

Hey Bob,

What does calcium do to the valve?

My gynecologist has some silly idea that I'm getting to be an 'older' woman. For that reason, she wants me to take calcium supplements. I?ve been taking 1000 daily along with my multi-vitamin. Do you remember where you got the information on calcium being bad for our valves?? I'd like to read it, if you do.

Hey Harpoon... I'm gonna make some of your Garlic chicken noodle soup!! It sounds yummy!!

 

[Harpoon]

Calcium sticks to heart valves. It can build up over time, something called "calcification."

It can happen on damaged tissue valves and in blood vessels as well. Anything thing that offers a "catch" which material can stick to can lead to a buildup of either plaques or calcium or clots which can cause problems...

I haven't heard anything about not taking calcium suppliments because you have an artificial valve, however it might be possible.

Seems to me though that the calcium would be picked up first where it was needed if you had a predisposition to low bone density or something like that...


I HAVE heard that some meds (specifically a few that I'm on) can lead to calcium deficiancies and that came from a registered nurse friend I have...