Hi Susan,
"Susan Carmack [log in to unmask] " wrote:
> > I have *severe* heart disease.
>
> Please relate how you are doing on the Paleodiet. I have a friend
> who has heart disease and I am trying to persuade him to go the
> paleoroute.
No problem. I will give you the long version!
(Anyone not interested - hit [Next] now.) :)
First a bit of history.
In 1988 at 30 years of age I had my first heart attack. It was small -
prognosis was good, IF I did all the "lifestyle changes". (Eat "right",
exercise, yada yada yada.) I didn't.
At 35 years of age I had my second heart attack. At that time an
angiogram was performed and the results were as follows. Occluded right
coronary artery (with some collateral bypass); occluded circumflex
coronary artery; the left anterior descending coronary artery had a 50%,
and a 70% stenosis (narrowing) and had diffuse narrowing over the entire
length. In essence, where healthy people have three main arteries to
feed the heart, I now had only one - and it was in *bad* shape. The
situation is to severe for surgical intervention.
Prognosis was grim. Grim enough that the doctors would kind of avoid the
issue. (You know things are bad then!)
From that time up until about 6 months ago, I have had an extraordinary
amount of angina. (Angina is chest pain caused by the heart muscle not
getting enough oxygen. Angina is the first step on the way to a heart
attack.) I have been having around 50 to 100 attacks per day. I have
been unable to walk from one room to another without the need for
Anginine. (Anginine is the medication one takes to relieve angina. (It
is nitroglycerine.))
I would need to take a tablet immediately on waking. (The small
adrenaline surge during waking was enough to cause my heart to beat a
little faster and therefore - starve for oxygen.) I would need a tablet
prior to taking a shower, and immediately after a shower - then another
after I dried myself. Then after a rest, another tablet during dressing,
and another after dressing, whilst I again rested. You get the
picture... my whole day consisted of small things being done between
resting and taking tablets to keep me alive.
None of this is an exaggeration. I would use a full bottle of Anginine
in 2 to 3 days. (100 tablets per bottle - I would try to get by on half
a tablet at a time.) (I used so much Anginine that whenever a new
pharmacist processed my order, they would at first refuse supply. I had
to get them to telephone my cardiologist to confirm the quantity I was
taking.) When they knew me, they would supply in shrink packs of a dozen
bottles! :)
Since that second heart attack, I had another two smaller heart attacks
within a couple of years. I have remained crippled by intractable angina
throughout that time despite many different drug combinations.
As of June this year, I was taking the following medications...
Aspirin 100 mg once per day.
Nicorandil 20 mg twice per day.
Carvedilol 25 mg twice per day.
Enalapril 20 mg twice per day.
Isosorbide Dinitrate 10 mg twice per day.
Isosorbide Dinitrate 5 mg(SL) three per day
Simvastatin 20 mg once per day.
Anginine 600 ug 40/50 per day.
During June I saw my cardiologist and explained that I felt foggy and
lethargic all the time and that I felt it was to some extent due to the
medications I was taking. He said to me "experiment with your
medications". (I have a great relationship with my cardiologist - he
knows I won't do anything too quickly, or stupidly.)
Within a week of seeing my cardiologist, I also started the Paleo diet.
Now, here's what you've been patiently waiting for...
Within *one week* of starting the Paleo diet, my bouts of chest pain
diminished a great deal. By the end of that one week period, I found
myself only needing about 5 Anginine per day.
Read that again... I went from 40 to 50 a day, to 5 per day in a one
week period.
I still have chest pain, by most people's standards I am still "crippled
by severe angina". (Ten angina attacks a day is still a heck of a lot -
but it is NOTHING compared to 50 to 100 attacks a day.)
I still have real bad heart disease - I still get chest pain - I still
can't do much exercise, but I can "do stuff" now. I can mostly wash the
dishes without a rest in the middle - and I don't have to line up 6 half
Anginine tablets on the bench so that I can lean over a suck one in with
out needing to open the bottle with soapy hands. I can walk the my
letterbox and get the mail without needing to take a tablet for angina.
I can get up from watching TV, go to the toilet and back, and not need
to take a tablet for the walk. I can usually wake up, have a shower and
get dressed without needing to take Anginine.
Yes, I am still a very sick puppy, and I have huge restrictions on what
I can do, but my life today is very, VERY different to what it was for
the 8 years preceding July.
Since starting the Paleo diet, I have reduced and eliminated some of my
medications. Currently I take the following medications... (Compare it
to the list above!)
Aspirin 100 mg once per day.
Enalapril 10 mg twice per day.
Anginine 600 ug 4/5 per day.
(I am about to start taking Pravachol also.)
> He was on Livitor which is deadly.
So is heart disease.
I presume you mean Lipitor (atorvastatin). All the "statin" drugs can in
*rare* circumstances cause a condition called rhabdomyolysis where the
body breaks down the muscles, releasing proteins into the blood, and
causing kidney failure. It is much *less* rare for people with heart
disease to drop dead.
I have recently concluded a personal test of the Paleo diet with regard
to cholesterol.
In 1988 when I had my first heart attack, my total cholesterol was found
to be 8 (310). Over most of the last 8 years, my total cholesterol has
been around 4 to 5 (150-190). Beginning July, I stopped taking
Simvastatin - my last total cholesterol measurement (September) was 8
(310).
I am aware that there is some debate as to the cause/effect relationship
between cholesterol and heart disease. I am aware of much disagreement
relating to fat consumption, saturated, PUFA, omega-6, omega-3, grain
fed/grass fed, etc. etc. However, on the balance of evidence available
to me, I think taking medication to lower my cholesterol is prudent. I
will shortly be commencing Pravastatin therapy.
> A testimonial from you (or anyone else with heart problems) may be
> all he needs.
I hope this long winded reply is helpful, and not too wordy! :)
I have intentionally "cheated" form the paleo diet on a couple of
occasions to see what would happen. I see an almost immediate response
of increased frequency of chest pain that takes about a week of Paleo
eating to recover from.
I feel that it is the elimination of grains, (and possibly trans fats)
that has probably had the most beneficial effects. Although I avoid
simple processed sugars, I don't make a strong effort to avoid carbs
altogether. I don't avoid carrots/turnips/swedes. It is summer here, and
I will consume maybe a kilogram (2 lb) of watermelon and 500 gm (1 lb)
of grapes a day. (This, I believe, has resulted in a stall of my weight
loss of late. Weight loss, although important, is not my first
priority.)
Unless your friend is in an equally bad predicament, he is unlikely to
have the palpable "in-your-face" results I have, (In one way, being this
severely diseased is an advantage.) but I feel confident his body will
be happier even if he can't *feel* it the way I can.
> I have Charles Hunt's book Diet Evolution. He cured his own heart disease.
Thanks for that - I shall try to get a copy for myself. Does he suggest
a Paleo diet, or the "standard" high carb extra low fat approach?
Jim.
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