HELP!!! CAD vs. Low carb.Diet

[ebwarren]

:confused: I have recently been diagnosed with Coronary Artery Disease and was just recently discharged from the hospital. My cardiologist stated to me, as well as my peers at work, that I am insane for even considering following a low carb/ high protein diet with my current diagnosis; and that I would be quickening my time for having by-pass surgery if I followed this type of diet plan. Everybody wants to push the current food pyramid down my throat stating that I need to cut all fats and proteins from my diet and focus on a high carb diet. From the information that I have been reading, it seems to me that the ADA is wrong in its recommendations of the current food pyramid. I am an RN and therefore I recieve alot of negetive feedback in regards to any type of low carb diet. Is the information that I am receiving from the medical profession wrong ? Am I not assimulating the information correctly re: low carb diets ? Is a low carb diet such as the Atkins diet safe for me with CAD ? Please ...any information that anybody could supply me with, or other research information re: CAD vs the high protein diet would be greatly appreciated. I am scared and confused in regards to my future cardiac health. Thank You in advance for your help.

[Lisa N]

Hi ebwarren!

You might find this link helpful: http://forum.lowcarber.org/showthread.php?s=&threadid=54255
The more I read and research, the more convinced I become that it's the combination of high carb and high fat that is responsible for heart disease; not fat alone. Drs Dan and Mary Eades do a very good job of explaining why this is so in their book Protein Power. I had to read through a few chapters a couple of times to really wrap my mind around what they were saying, but once I understood it made a lot more sense to me than the "fat gives you heart disease" dogma we've been fed for the past 20 years or so. The Eades' give hope that CAD can actually be reversed by getting your insulin and eicosanoid production under control and balanced correctly again through a carb restricted diet and the proper use of supplements.

[Zuleikaa]

Many people have REVERSED the effects of coronary artery disease by doing low carb. CAD is not incompatible with other LC plans. It is a diet primarly for carbohydrate addicts who have an exaggerated insulin response and an addictive reaction to the presence of carbs in their diet. It is comprised of two very low carb meals and a meal, that must be consumed with 60 minutes, that contains carbs.

It is the presence of high carb with high fat that produces coronary and artery damage not the presence of fat alone.
Why don't you give a lc plan a try for two months, or more, while regulary checking in with your doctor?

Over to the right is a quick link for "Which low carb plan is right for me?".

[Lisa N]

Zuleikaa....

CAD also refers to coronary artery disease (not just carbohydrate addict's diet) which is what ebwarren was asking about...can you still do Atkins without worsening coronary artery disease.
Since the same abbreviation refers to two totally different things, it's easy to confuse.

[ebwarren]

It is more than obvious to me that I have alot to learn at this point about living a healthy low carb life style. The referral that you made to me was very in depth to the point of being almost overwhelming. I am very new to this and now I have to re educate myself and unlearn everything that I have ever learned re: proper nutrition. Thank you for clarifing that I was refering to Coronary Artery disease and not the cad diet. Now my search will continue to find local support groups who have the same philosophy that this forum has so that I can become successful at this new venture.

[CindySue48]

ebwarren....start your research my reading the "LowCarb Studies" link in the top navigation bar.

Also check out Atkin's site: http://atkinscenter.com/about/index.html
There's a lot of info and it's all free.

What I would do? Either just go on the plan and not say anything to my doc (that's what I am doing)....or just say you want to try it and to ask for retesting your numbers in 6-8 weeks.

My numbers went way up after a year of low-fat dieting, even tho I had lost #18 and was totally miserable! My doc is not at all supportive....actually, I didn't even mention Atkins to her, started to and she said (rather nastily) "just cut down on fat and exercise"!!!! I have always had a fairly low-fat diet....bake or broil all foods, never fry foods, eat mainly chicken and fish....carbs have always been my weakness, not fat...and over the past year I had practically cut out fat completely! And over this year of low-fat dieting my numbers ALL went up...triglycerides over 900!!!!!

With the doc's reaction, I just kept my mouth shut and decided I was going to try this and see what happened....I'm not going for retesting until November.

Also a few questions....as a nurse....how were you diagnosed? Stress test? cath? symptoms? what's your family history like? what has your diet been like? have you been a big fat-eater? or have carbs been your problem? How is your blood sugar? any problems there?

Good luck....IM me if I can be of any more help!

Cindy

[Lisa N]

ebwarren...

Given the current opinions on dietary fat and CAD, I can well imagine how your cardiologist and your peers would think that you are committing dietary suicide with what you are doing. Good for you on taking matters into your own hands and educating yourself! The more you know, the better people tend to do with low carbing. I know that the link that I provided you is quite technical and overwhelming. You might want to start by reading through some of the threads on this very forum...a lot has been said here about the subject!
You might also want to pay a visit to our Nutrition/supplements forum for ideas on natural supplements that might be helpful in controlling CAD such as fish oil, garlic oil, no-flush timed release niacin and red yeast rice.
Another great book (although one that I have yet to read) is "Fats That Heal, Fats that Kill" by Udo Erasmus.
Keep reading and feel free to ask all the questions that you want! :)

[kjturner]

...And remember: Dr. Atkins is a CARDIOLOGIST!!!!!! :D