Second Guessing my diet and myself - Wishing I didn't

[moodflow]

Well, I've been doing great on my LC diet - it includes such things as eggs (alot of eggs), beef, pork, chicken, turkey, salmon, tuna, and to a lesser extent, sausages, bacon, cheeses. Of course, I do eat nuts, berries, fruits, and vegetables, but not near as much as the proteins.

Anyway, I still have this 'background' concern I am clogging my arteries and I am a walking time bomb - despite evidence otherwise.

I feel really good on this diet, and its the only diet I've used thats ever really 'touched' my abdominal fat.

I hate second-guessing myself like this!

[Kimfort]

If you have concerns, you should go get your blood work done. It will let you see what LC is doing for/to your body. If you're nervous about what you're eating, then you probably won't be able to eat like this for long, so prove to yourself if it's okay or not. Good luck.

[NYNikki]

Hi Moddflow,

Someone else (Lady Lindi) recently had the same concerns and this was the response she got (mine included):

I implement my own plan that's a little of all plans (Atkins included). Check my stats, you'll see it has been working and after 1 year - I am close to goal.

I have heart disease, asthma, diabetes and other illnesses. For that reason I choose to not eat what others do on plan.

I'm NOT a cheese, egg, dairy, person, I'm allergic to mayo and any type artificial sweeteners including Splenda. I have my limitations (some personal) BUT I have found substitutes that fit my needs and give me peace of mind.

I enjoy loose-leaf tea's (nothing added), fresh fish, steel cut oatmeal w/Flaxseeds and an array of veggies. I don't fry but I use olive oil as a dressing.

You can make 'legal' adjustments to all plans (Atkins, Protein Power, South Beach, Paleolithic, etc...) and still do good.

I also take a large amount of supplements to help with my health issues - which are ALL totally under control with the use of LC & supplements - meaning I take NO prescribed medicines. Good supplementation also helps to absorb food nutrients with the benefit of waving off craving. For me, I get a world wind of all around goodness.

As far as expense ... after I mastered the good, bad & ugly of better nutrition and I stopped eating processed foods - I began to realize it's cheaper to eat LC then what I ate in the past.

http://forum.lowcarber.org/showthread.php?t=316768

[Nancy LC]

Well, the best thing to do is read up on the subject. There's a ton of doctors, cardiologists and others who think low carb is the win. You could read Dr. Eades, Loren Cordain, The heartscan blog and probably a lot of others out there.

[moodflow]

Well, the best thing to do is read up on the subject. There's a ton of doctors, cardiologists and others who think low carb is the win. You could read Dr. Eades, Loren Cordain, The heartscan blog and probably a lot of others out there.

Yes, I have done massive research, and my bloodwork from the past when I did LC a few years ago was really good. My last bloodwork was done in May, and wasn't too bad, except for LDL of 206 (and doctor nearly had a heart attack himself). My triglycerides were "awesome" in his words. My HDL was over 40. I read yesterday, this means the LDL was likely the less sticky type. That did make me feel better, and I was technically not doing LC (but still didn't consume candies, sweets, or softdrinks). Thats likely why my triglycerides were down.

There really is no other diet I can do. I am very active, constantly surf and lift weights, and need a good diet with lots of protein. Despite all this activity, if I eat grains, it goes straight to my abdomen before going to the muscles. So the protein diet is the only option I have...which will keep my LDL up and my doctor on my case. I'm not changing anything at this point.

[Nancy LC]

Read this: http://heartscanblog.blogspot.com/2006/11/fortune-teller.html

If you're really concerned, get a heart scan. Relying on cholesterol tests is like trying to figure it out from reading Tarot cards.

[moodflow]

Read this: http://heartscanblog.blogspot.com/2006/11/fortune-teller.html

If you're really concerned, get a heart scan. Relying on cholesterol tests is like trying to figure it out from reading Tarot cards.

Thanks for the link - I read that article yesterday. That sight has some incredible information! The hardest part is getting my doctor to agree to the heartscan. I looked, and there is a place that will do it in my town, but they require a referral.

At this point, I am likely fine. I just turned 34, and have taken care of myself, have never smoked, always exercised, and I am not obese. So odds are I have only minor calcification if at all since there hasn't been enough time to develop enough of it yet. I am hoping I won't develop ANY of it. But the medical establishment keeps reminding me this is something that "just happens" and here are some drugs to fix it. That Men's Health article explained this concept perfectly.

Anyway, right now is the time to make sure my diet is right and in order, not when I do have major calcification. I still have that background concern of 'maybe the docs were right'. Of course if I have an early heart attack, everyone is going to have a field day of "I told you so's". Most of my family and peers at work always give me a hard time about my 'strange' diet.

[cs_carver]

I have a girlfriend who's prone to sitting on both sides of a fence, so she gets the worst of it. I have to tell her to decide: She can have the benefits (and drawbacks) of one, but she has to let go of the drawbacks of being on the other side, too.

So then, if you did eat the "recommended LF, low-glycemic carby WOE" and had a heart attack still, who's to blame then?

You might just be a genetic type prone to early heart attacks. Could be. Could also be that it's more comfortable to worry about a low risk of heart attack than to actually take action on some other problem that's looming in your life, like _______ (fill in your own blank).

You picked your grandparents. They are your biggest risk factor, and you can't do a darn thing to change it. You're over 25, so your risk of dying in an accident is plummeting. You know your own AIDS risk. The next killers are likely to be a good couple of years away.

I think I'm far more likely to die by hitting a deer on the highway than by the consequences of eating LC, but that's not keeping me off the highway.

Good luck.

[moodflow]

Very inspiring words. Thanks Carver. I am going to keep doing what I am doing since I feel good doing it (and also look better as a result).

[Nancy LC]

Anyway, right now is the time to make sure my diet is right and in order, not when I do have major calcification. I still have that background concern of 'maybe the docs were right'. Of course if I have an early heart attack, everyone is going to have a field day of "I told you so's". Most of my family and peers at work always give me a hard time about my 'strange' diet.

Are these people shoveling down chips and soda pop while they're needling you about your diet? There's usually some pretty easy to find irony involved in these things.

[moodflow]

Are these people shoveling down chips and soda pop while they're needling you about your diet? There's usually some pretty easy to find irony involved in these things.

Yep. My family has become more supportive, but when my coworkers see me eating the eggs every morning, they make the "don't you worry about cholesterol?" cracks. Then they go back and have their healthy bagel and orange juice for their breakfast.

If eat something like that, I wind up getting extremely sleepy, can't think straight, and usually end up with a massive headache that afternoon from the sugar crash.

[KvonM]

Yep. My family has become more supportive, but when my coworkers see me eating the eggs every morning, they make the "don't you worry about cholesterol?" cracks. Then they go back and have their healthy bagel and orange juice for their breakfast.
see, this is when you look at them and say "why yes... yes i do", smile, and keep eating the eggs. same thing when they see you eating tuna and mayo, full fat dressing, thick steaks with butter dripping down the sides, etc. eventually as they see you losing weight and looking better, some will actually take you seriously. the ones that don't aren't really deserving of any kind of explanation at all.

If eat something like that, I wind up getting extremely sleepy, can't think straight, and usually end up with a massive headache that afternoon from the sugar crash.
and here is where you'll have a definete advantage. you'll have energy in the afternoons when everyone else is zoning away at their desks.

[Kisal]

About 10 years ago, my cholesterol began nudging it's way upward until it was just about to cross over into "high." My doctor prescribed medication to keep it under control. The medicine didn't make my levels return to normal, but it did prevent them from getting even higher.

I began low-carb in October of 2004. This past May, my doctor had my cholesterol levels checked again as part of a routine physical exam. They were smack dab in the middle of normal! My doctor was shocked, but also, very pleased. She said she would test me again in 6 months, and if my levels remained the way they were in May, she would take me off the medication.

Like you, I eat a lot of eggs. I go through about 3, and sometimes 4, dozen every week. I also eat plenty of red meat, and pork chops and chicken thighs. (I don't care much for chicken breast, and I never remove the skin from my chicken.)

I think the best way for you to resolve your question is to have a very frank discussion with your doctor about exactly why you want the scan you've mentioned. If your family's history includes a predilection toward heart disease, be sure to stress that point with your doctor. If you belong to an HMO, you might offer to pay for the test yourself if that is within your ability, in exchange for a referral. Just some suggestions.

[stacy0912]

im not much of an egg eater but i do share your concerns...some weeks i feel somewhat uncomfortable so those are my chicken and fish weeks...then is start feeling brave again and go out and buy (today) a whole slab of ny strips. 2.97 lb that makes 35 steaks and start eating them until i'm feeling guilty again lol.

btw it takes us about 3 months to eat that many...i'm not that bad yet that i could eat that many in a couple of weeks lol.

[Bat Spit]

Whenever I feel myself being concerned about going against the current medical advice, I remember that for HUNDREDS of years bathing was unhealthy, and bleeding was a sure cure for everything from depression to the plague.

The were wrong then, they're wrong now, and eventually they'll come to their senses.

[black57]

My this will help. I love my meat and I believe it is for a reason. I eat my steaks, fish, poultry, eggs, cheese. I also eat plenty of veggies and ocasional lc treats. I do this without fear. Why because I get regular check-ups that prove that, not only am I healthy, I am healthy because of my diet. My joints are pain-free and my energy has picked up. My bones are strong, my eyesight is strong, my low blood sugar has normalized. What is wrong with my diet??? Absolutely nothing. I share my diet with my mom who is diabetic, high blood pressure amongst other things. My brother is diabetic/high bloood pressure/bad knees. my sister is diabetic. She is just starting.

I say, low carb for your health not for your weight, without fear! Then we can sing that old Negro spititual Free At Last, Free At Last, Thank God Almighty-I'm Free At Last!!!

[Nancy LC]

Then we can sing that old Negro spititual Free At Last, Free At Last, Thank God Almighty-I'm Free At Last!!!
Sing it Sister! :)

Thanks, this brought a big smile to my face.

[lisaz8605]

I don't have specific medical evidence to back up how I "feel" but I'll tell you one thing...my LCing has inspired a WOL for me that has GOT to be healthy - and I feel I can prove it in the way I now live every day working hard on home and business. It has to do with my energy and strength.

When I was doing lowcal and drinking a Slimfast shake in the morning, I'd try to go to the gym and workout and actually have to curtail my workouts because I got so hungry and felt weak. Now I'm able to go to the gym on FEWER CALORIES and work out hard and rarely feel hungry and push myself more. My core strength is better than its been in years (which is helping my herniated discs in my neck and back to the point where I NO LONGER FEEL PAIN). I can bolt up my stairs with a full laundry basket and carry heavy camera equipment around...I bring in most of my grocery bags from the car in ONE TRIP some days, straining my biceps. Do I sound like a broken record about this? Sorry, because I have mentioned this is my journal and other threads. But all I can say is that my body is reshaping before me and responding to my strength training in such a way (especially as compared to my lowcal "before") that I simply can't question that what I'm doing is OH SO RIGHT!

[rightnow]

Reminds me of a cartoon someone emailed me awhile ago --



http://blog.firedocs.com/tdlc/Netrition-Atkins.gif

[moodflow]

Heheh, good cartoon.

[camaromom]

I loved the cartoon. I've got to print it!!