I've learned so much from Dr. Robert Lustig

[CallmeAnn]

I've watched "Sugar: The Bitter Truth" twice now, because it has SOOO much info. It's kind of long, so it might even be better to break it up and watch it in sections. He covers so much. It also came in really handy when I went in to discuss my latest lipids panel with my internist this past Monday. She was mildly unhappy with my overall cholesterol of 211, even though my HDL and my TG numbers were great. I told her that according to the latest science I've read online, you need to look at LDL as a ratio of TG and HDL since they now know there are the type A and type D LDL particles. When you do this, my numbers are pretty darned good, especially since I am still almost 200 pounds. (actually over 200 on her lousy scales)
She couldn't argue with me, so she just backed off. Then, she wanted to discuss my diet and exercise. That was a fun discussion. I have decided no more LC in the closet. There are lots of doctors out there and I have nothing to be ashamed of, dietary fat and all. She said, "So, you're not eating carbohydrates?" and I confirmed, but clarified that I do eat up to 40g/day and educated her that a low carb diet can be considered up to almost 100g/day but that my plan is considered Very Low Carb or VLC. Then, she said "And you're not eating fat?" I went ahead and said, no, I am eating fat because of avoiding the carbs. She started to get upset but I just said, "Doctor, I have to eat SOMETHING to burn for energy. You know that our energy comes from either carbs or fat unless we burn our muscles. If I avoid the carbs, I'll burn the fat." She tried to tell me I would burn dietary fat and save the body fat and I told her that isn't right. I compared it to holding water if you don't drink enough. If we don't get dietary fat, we'll hang onto our fat stores because our bodies will think we aren't getting any new fuel anytime soon. She had nothin'. :lol:
Gotta love that Dr. Lustig

[JEY100]

:thup: Love the new photo avatar

Liked Lustig's new blog post on the CI/CO theory:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/robert-lustig-md/sugar-toxic_b_2759564.html

You could also have rolled out the argument that the ideal total cholesterol range to optimize health and minimize mortality is 200-260.

WHO chart on that: http://forum.lowcarber.org/showthread.php?t=430996

[CallmeAnn]

:thup: Love the new photo avatar

Thanks. That old one was from '05. I kept forgetting to get the IT dept. on it. It was easier when they lived at home.

[WereBear]

I love the new avatar, too!

One of the reasons I love my doctor is that he doesn't argue with me, he agrees with me.

Sounds like you TKO'd yours :)

[21818]

Good discussion! I have finally found a doctor that didn't frown and argue about eating low fat when I told her I was eating low carb. Her response was "good!" - she has been working with me since November and has been really supportive. She explained that she originally had been working in an area of the country that had so much diabetes that it drove her to really research the benefits of low carb diets and insulin. I think we will see more and more doctors coming on board as the benefits start to show in their patients.

[CallmeAnn]

I love the new avatar, too!

Thanks. It was long overdue.

One of the reasons I love my doctor is that he doesn't argue with me, he agrees with me.

Sounds like you TKO'd yours :)

Yeah. She probably just decided not to argue since I am losing. All she cares is that I keep taking my thyroid.


Here is my required ten characters to get the response to print.

[CallmeAnn]

What part of the country do you live in?

[aj_cohn]

The question now is will your doctor mark you as non-compliant your chart, the first step to getting rid of you as a patient?

[CallmeAnn]

The question now is will your doctor mark you as non-compliant your chart, the first step to getting rid of you as a patient?

I take it you mean me. I don't know. If I continue to improve, it won't really matter. Do you mean in terms of future health care under the ACA? None of us really knows how bad that will get. I know it will be very bad for sick people. I only hope I can get my extra weight off in time to avoid needing to show up as compliant. If necessary, I can always recant in the office and then go back to eating one way and reporting another.

[jigsaw]

Good for you! I have been arguing with my doctor, she wants me on statins, I won't do it, my cholesterol, like yours is improving like crazy, but because my LDL is still slighty high, she goes crazy. She said "I can't make you take it," I said "yeah, you can't, and I won't" I may have to find another doctor if she doesn't start doing some research and learning...

[CallmeAnn]

Yeah, mine wants me to have a mammogram and I refuse. She probably thinks I'm a nut. :lol:

[jigsaw]

Yes, mine wants me to have a mammogram as well, I refuse as well. I thought I was the only one! :)

[CallmeAnn]

Are you over 50?

[WereBear]

I refused mammograms for years, and finally broke down and agreed because I was now over 50.

Well, it was a disaster. Mine wouldn't "squish" enough, I wouldn't let them put me in pain, and the radiologist came out and said the films were useless, and I said "never again!"

[bevbme]

Has any doctor offered you the choice of an ultrasound instead of a mammogram?
It is supposed to be more effective for women with dense breast tissue.

I never thought the mammo was that painful . At 59 they found 3 tumors. Did a double mastectomy and chemo(now that is nasty stuff) Since they found DCIS in undiagnosed breast the dbl surgery was more then just evening up the sides.

[CallmeAnn]

I'm told that insurance won't cover them and they are madly expensive because it's not a typical ultrasound. My concern is not the pain. I've read that if you do have small tumors, the procedure could rupture them, making a bad situation worse. If we had cancer in our family, I wouldn't be so stubborn, maybe. Instead, we have heart disease. So, when the cardiologist says he wants me to take a stress test, I will do that. I'm waiting for them to schedule me.