Letter to WebMD

[kentid2k]

Doreen T.

Below is a copy of a Reply Letter I sent to the WebMD after reading an article on "Cholesterol IQ"

As of Dec 4th./2000, I have yet to have a serious reply from them.

What do you think ?


Dear WebMD,

I have just finished reading your article on Cholesterol IQ and I must say I am very disappointed in what you have to say. My own research and personal experience has revealed some things completely the opposite to what you have claimed in your article in regards to how cholesterol and tri-glycerides are introduced into our "system". You have made it clear in your article, or at least seemingly clear to the reader that the fat(s) we eat is the same fat we find on our body.

Also, current research shows no exacting relationship between fats and cholesterol alone in the diet, to the fat on our body and cholesterol and tri-glycerides in the blood. It is definitely accurate to say that a "bad" ratio of LDL to HDL is not good and that a high tri-glyceride level in the blood is also a contributing factor to cardiovascular disease and related problems. There has however, been too much attention put on how do we control it (the above mentioned levels) after it is discovered to be high and not enough true research on how it got to be high in the first place. When we truly understand how the levels become high, we will have an easier time answering the questions of how do we lower and control the levels.

My own personal experience contradicts traditional thinking on controlling the levels of cholesterol and tri-glycerides in my blood chemistry. Please note that I am a poly-organic chemist as well as a C.E.T. and have a background in research. I am not a medical doctor but I have studied and researched the morphology of cholesterol and fats in the Human diet extensively. My research and personal experiences have led me to rethink some of the accepted thoughts and practices on cholesterol and fats in the diet. I have discovered several "mumpsimii" ( persistent beliefs in mistaken ideas ). Here are some of the major ones:

A diet high in cholesterol and animal fats leads to a high cholesterol level and increased tri-glyceride levels in the blood
A diet low in cholesterol and animal fats leads to a low cholesterol level and decreased tri-glyceride levels in the blood
A diet high in whole grain breads, cereals, pasta, fruits and vegetables leads to a lower cholesterol level and decreased tri-glyceride levels in the blood
High cholesterol and tri-glycerides in the blood are genetically linked and cannot be reversed
Dietary cholesterol plays no significant positive role in human physiology
On June 5th., 1998, I became a "CABBAGE Patch Kid" ( Coronary Artery Bypass Graft ) at the age of 46. I found it easy to relate to the thinking above as my father was also a CABG recipient himself at an early age ( age 53 ) and passed away with related problems at age 64. I became determined to not let the circumstances that took my father away from me, happen to me.

Relying on "Current acceptable thinking" and under the supervision of my family doctor, I dove into a Low Fat, Low cholesterol, High Fibre diet. I gave up red meat entirely, gave up on eggs and bacon, limited my diet to a maximum of 25% of calories from fats, ate lots of whole grain (stone ground only) breads, lots of oat bran cereal, pasta, broccoli, three fruits minimum daily. I ate a lot of rice, chicken ( without the skin ) and fish. I increased the quality of my food and decreased the overall amount of food that I would normally eat. I also took a Vitamin C and Vitamin E supplement and a Salmon Oil capsule. ( essential fatty acid and Omega 3 ) I remained on drug therapy for my heart rate and blood pressure and I take an aspirin a day. I take these religiously every day. Here was my results after two years:
I had lost twenty pounds during my stay in the hospital in regards to my CABG operation. I gained that all back plus ten more pounds
My Cholesterol levels almost doubled
My Tri-glyceride level tripled
My blood pressure at least remained the same
My heart rate was increased
My waist line had increased to a size 40 pant i.e. more fat on my torso
I was devastated. It began to look to me that the "Genetic" factor was looming large in the background. I almost gave in and was ready to accept my fate. But my research into this area became more extensive into the role of cholesterol, tri-glycerides and I now included insulin. After consulting with my family doctor and armed with some new research, I started on a totally different route for my diet. I go back often for blood tests and monitor my Blood Pressure and heart rate three times a day. My doctor felt that I would not see any improvement in my blood chemistry for at least 3 to 6 months, if any. Here is my results in 52 days:
My cholesterol dropped from a high of 9.4 ( Canadian levels - very high ) to 5.7
My tri-glycerides dropped from 6.22 ( Canadian levels and very high ) to 1.14 ( amazing result )
My blood pressure was 121/70 down from 145/95
Heart rate dropped from 83 to 67
Lost 34 lbs and down to a very loose 38 and soon to be size 36 pant
Increased energy level
My Doctor was amazed and I am ecstatic. I have broken the chain of circumstance that I was in and that my father had died from. Understand that I am not done yet. Further research through my family doctor's practice reveals that I am not alone in the predicament I was in. The diet suggested to us to follow by the Canadian and American Health Institutions is not working like it was told to us it would.

I have not told you what my diet pattern has been to effect these positive changes in my blood chemistry. That is on purpose. I believe you already know what it is and if you really care to know, email me to request my answer. kentid2k@***

Thank you,
Sincerely,

Kenneth T., C.E.T., F.L.M.I.

[tamarian]

Originally posted by kentid2k
Please note that I am a poly-organic chemist as well as a C.E.T. and have a background in research. I am not a medical doctor but [/B]

Hi Ken,

I think Doctors should preface threir statements with "I'm a medical doctor, I'm not a biochemist but ..." when they attempt to tell us about the chemistry of weight loss, diet and nutrition, subjects they do not specialize in. Just my personal opinion that biochemistry is the field ignored by most "specialists" who want to tell us how unhealthy the low-carb lifestyle is.

Thanks for sharing, I'll dig up the original article and see what I can digets from it :p Please keep us posted on any folow ups.

Wa'il

[kentid2k]

We share the same opinion. I will add that not all doctors have the "HUB" disease. ( Head Up Butt )They recognize the limit of their expertise and are willing to learn from other experts and even from their patients ... sometimes. I am blessed and highly favoured to have such a Doctor as my family Doctor. They have a high profile, high pressure, psychologically demanding career and a great need to be right. They have to rely on the information, support, findings etc from their peers and colleagues to keep informed and on top of things. Unfortunately, too many of them blindly accept and support that which is given them by their colleagues while ignoring what is happening right under their noses. Low fat, High Fibre diets, although nutritionally sounding, just is not a panacea for ongoing good health for weight and blood chemistry. The very existence of this website is an attestment to that fact. We are not all stupid ignorant children who need constant parenting by the medical establishment.

Keep up the good work.

[tamarian]

I agree with you on doctors as well. I certainly mean no disrespect to their field and professionalism. With the constant advances in science, it's becoming harder and harder for professionals to be well-rounded in all the related fields, and must rely on other sciences and sub-sciences to complement their knowledge. In addition, the population in general adds more pressure on doctors to provide answers for everything on daily bases, a situation scientists rarely experience.

My doctor and I get along just fine, as long as we don't mention low-carb :p

Wa'il

[doreen T]

Hi, here are two articles about Cholesterol IQ from webMD. Not sure which is the one Ken is referring to; both of course, promote the lowfat, high carbohydrate way of eating to lower blood cholesterol.

This first one is from webMD Canada
http://my.webmd.ca/content/article/1671.50422

This one is from the US site
http://my.webmd.com/content/dmk/dmk_article_50256

From the US site, here's one scary comment: "For most children, who are not from high-risk families, the best way to reduce the risk of adult heart disease is to follow a low saturated fat, low cholesterol eating pattern. All children over the age of 2 years and all adults should adopt a heart healthy eating pattern as a principal way of reducing coronary heart disease."

WRONG! Children up to the age of 4 years should be getting adequate fat in their diet. Yet, I have seen my health conscious friends give their toddlers skim milk to drink, and skim milk cheese slices, or white bread smeared with fat-reduced peanut butter. Then they wonder why the kids are always sick, getting every bug around. Sorry, I'm ranting. Kids need real food, with real, natural fat in it.

Doreen

[jomil]

To Ken T,

After talking to your sister this afternoon, I took her advise and read your thread, which I found very 'heartening'

I assume that you never received a reply from WebMD?

My interest is more directed to your condition at this time as compared to December, 2000.

If you will be so kind as to let me know how you have progressed since then, with regards to your current blood tests. Also did you manage to come right off of all medications?

The 52 day results where astounding to say the least.

I have an Angina condition, and have been on Atenol, Nitro-patch, and aspirin for two years. All that I have accomplished is to stabilize my pressure to 145/80. But at a price of a pulse of under 50. This has resulted in my constant feeling of lethargy.

I started LC WOE in mid March and have lost only 14.5 lbs. I have another 25/35 lbs. to lose.

At a party last night, I met a gentleman who has the same hypertension condition, and has lost 40 lbs. in the past year, but he maintains that his cholesterol has not improved. In addition he is taking diuretic. He maintains that my losing the weight on a LC diet will not help me remove my medications. He feels that he is on them for life!

Any comments would be much appreciated,

Regards
Joe

[kentid2k]

To Jomil,

Please accept my apologies for such a long delay in returning your request. I have only just read your letter.

Here is an update on my condition, as of June 28th, 2001.

I have lost 57 lbs.
My pant size is now a loose 36, heading for my goal of size 34 ( my Son's size ! )
My cholesterol is at 5.3
My Tri-glyceride level has been stable at 1.12
Blood pressure is 125/70 and my blood pressure medication has been halved.
Heart rate at 67 still ( at rest )
High energy levels have remained.
I have not had a headache since last August (hunger-low sugar headache)
I still take an aspirin a day, and with all the knowledge we now have, I will continue to take aspirin every day for the rest of my life.
All signs of my Angina are gone, and I hope and pray they are gone forever.

My quality of life has dramatically improved, which makes adhering to my new eating pattern much easier.
I have consumed no RED MEAT, knowingly. (The no red meat decision was a personal one and is not based on any medical criteria.)

The WEB MD has never replied.

I empathize with your lethargy. This is a silent symptom of angina even without medication adding to it.

Your friend at the party has an additional problem that you don't have. He is taking a diuretic. Diuretics alleviate water retention problems and therefore allow the heart to work easier (Sometimes and not all the time). They also flush out the water soluble minerals like sodium, potassium, magnesium and calcium, all essential for proper heart rythym, heart beat pressure and to some extent, cholesterol levels.

A low carbohydrate diet at first acts as a diuretic and that is why you may experience a big weight loss initially. Oddly enough, the best thing you can do is to increase your water intake to at least 8 to 12 8oz glasses of water per day. Hard at first, but well worth the effort. We as a nation do not drink enough water and most Canadians and Americans are in a state of dehydration. Your body does many "funny" things when it is dehydrated, as a defense. Stores water and fat when it gets it, and changes the metabolism rates at which these nutrients are used just to name a couple. Supplementation of these important minerals is certainly not out of line when on diuretic medication and when on any diet that may reduce or restrict these elements.

As a suggestion, if you have not already, read Dr Atkin's Diet Revolution book very carefully, and read ALL of it.

Also, please note that I have reduced my medication dramatically but only with close medical supervision. I still have my blood tested every month ( at least for 2 more months to make it a full year ) and I have a digital blood pressure machine at home to take my own blood pressure readings as often as I desire.

You should keep notes on everything you eat for awhile and monitor your blood pressure as often as you can. You may be surprised what you learn. Some people, for example, learn that caffeine in any form ( tea, coffee, chocolate, colas etc. ) dramatically increases heart rate and blood pressure just moments after consuming. Some people react to red food colouring. (Did you know that white flour as used in white bread, has red food colouring ?!) Some people have a dramatic drop in blood pressure when they consume garlic!

Bottom line, everyone is distinctly different in the way we react to specific things. Get to know yourself as well as you can and never ever dismiss the care and advice from your family doctor until you can prove to him/her that you know more about you than they do, and that will take some "doing".

I hope I have not babbled too much and I wish you success in your quest for good health. Contact me if you wish an even more detailed account. It may take me awhile, but I will get back to you. I would be interested in hearing your situation and what you have accomplished so far.

Ken T.

[jomil]

Ken, you did not have to apologize for anything because you answered my enquiry in 1.5 hours after I posted it, for which I thank you very much.

I found your comments very encouraging and I hope some of the other members of this Forum will have found this thread useful, because I noticed that there have been a few members make some enquiries about cholesterol problems.

Your weight drop of 57 lbs. within 10 months (I guess) is something I would want to be able to duplicate. Perhaps you can enlighten the rest of us slow losers what your daily menu consists of? Have you been sticking to a daily 20 gram carb induction diet all this time or have you increased the carb count to a maintenance level?

Am very happy to see your dramatic drop in you blood analysis.
Cholesterol down to 5,3
My blood test was done last October and the cholesterol was 5.74. My triglycerides was .85. My HDL was 1.21 and my LDL was calculated at 4.14. All this is before I started on the LC WOE in mid March this year.

I promised my Doctor to do another blood test this October, especially if I lose 30/40 lbs. It has been very slow losing weight, maybe because I have been on the CAD programme. I think I will have to go to the Atkins induction. I have truthfully not been counting carbs or using ketosticks.

My main concern with Dr. Atkins programme is that the cholesterol watching actually goes out the window if you keep to his low carb plan. It is easier to stay on his plan if you can bypass hunger pangs by eating the eggs, heavy cream, etc. Which to me does not 'compute'.

My pulse was hardily ever above 60. When I started on the medications it dropped below 50, and that is when I started to feel the lethargy set in.

I hope that this thread will be useful to the many other members who are in the same situation.

Regards
Joe

[kentid2k]

Joe,

I had the exact same concern as yourself. How is it possible to eat all those foods, (some of them chock full of cholesterol) and maintain an acceptable level of cholesterol and triglycerides ? How is it possible to lose weight when you consume all those fats and calories ?

When you starve your body of dietary cholesterol, your body takes over and produces its own. In many individuals, the body is very ineffecient at producing cholesterol. In my case, it produced it at an uncontollable level and very little HDL. A very dangerous situation for someone with my medical history and genetics. By consuming as much cholesterol as the body needs in your diet, the body no longer needs to produce any of its own, and is much more effecient at removing the dietary cholesterol from your system. By introducing higher levels of poly and mono-unsturated fats, ( i.e. - Virgin cold pressed Olive oil and good quality Canola oil etc. ) you also help to increase your levels of HDL ( the "good" cholesterol )

It would also help you to understand the major role of cholesterol as it is a necessary element in your system. I suggest again that you read Dr Atkin's book again, reading everything.

It is important to lose weight, at least to a level where you feel comfortable and feel good about it. Here is some incentive for you, one pound of body fat can have as much as one mile of arteries, veins and capillaries. The heart has to beat with sufficient pressure to push the blood through all of it, with each single beat. With each pound of body fat you lose, through diet or exercise, the heart can work a little easier. Lose 30 pounds and the heart no longer has to push through as much as 30 miles of blood vessels, ... that's over 160,000 feet !

Good luck.

Ken T

[jomil]

Ken, I will certainly re-read Dr.Atkins book, but what really caught my undivided attention was your statement in your last paragraph!

Do I understand this correctly?
Are you stating that every extra pound of fat has added an extra obstruction (don't have a better word to describe this) for the blood to pass through, and therefore has to increase in pressure to reach the heart with oxygen?

I started with Heller's C.A. Healthy Heart Programme in mid March and found that his programme was not as austere as Dr. A. I felt that I could stay with it as a way of life. My only disappointment is that I find that I am losing very slowly, and therefore I am considering following Dr. A's induction plan.
That is why I asked you if you had lost your weight based on his 20 gram (max.) daily induction plan.

Thanks for your comments

Regards
Joe

[kentid2k]

Joe,

I lost the majority of my weight following Dr Atkin's Induction plan for two weeks and then about at a 30 gm per day pace until December. I lost 45 lbs by Xmas. (That's starting at Sept 3rd)

Since then, ( after a Xmas time splurge !! ), I consume somewhere between 40 to 45 gm per day and have lost an additional 12 lbs since the first of the year. I have the odd day where I will succumb to a slice of pizza or two with the family, but I do so knowing that I will be back on pattern the next day.

These days , I am enjoying fresh strawberries and blueberries with whip cream. Most of my daily carbs are consumed right there and I don't mind one bit.

Concerning my last statement in th previous letter, I would not use the word obstruction, rather extra distance. Think of a water pump pushing water through a 100 mile garden hose. Takes a lot of pressure to be built up by the pump. Now add on an additional 30 miles of hose !! Throw in some where along the line, a kink or partial blockage and the pump has to work even harder. Imagine the inside of a new or well maintained hose, nice clean smooth surface. The water flows by this area with less resistance and more freely. Now imagine the inside of the hose clogged with sediment, with the walls of the inside of the hose dirty and rough. The water does not flow as easily through these areas and the pump has to work harder, even at normal pressures.

A fairly rough analogy to the cardiovascular system but I believe one starts to get the picture. When the pump has to work harder, it requires more power to keep running without stalling just as the heart muscle requires more oxygen to run and maintain the blood flow, even at rest. If there are restrictions in the heart blood vessels that supply this oxygen to the heart, the heart has to work harder again to increase blood flow. Your nitro patch "boosts" your oxgen content (more or less) of your blood, allowing your heart to work a little easier. Your blood pressure medication helps to lessen the effects of restrictions in your blood system. (Many different types of medication work differently to alleviate your blood pressure.)

This is why it is important to follow your Doctor's regimen, to the letter. He seems to have brought your system into a controllable situation. However it is not a cure.

Following a diet like Dr Atkin's, can help to begin the reversal of some of the things that have caused your condition. And you need to do more than just this diet. Exercise, and possibly supplementation of certain other elements that may be lacking in your system i.e. Co-enzyme Q10, Vitamin E, Beta-carotene etc.. may all be beneficial to reversing your condition. You will need to get to know yourself better.

Understand this is not a quick fix, but with perseverance and knowledge of " Yourself" you can attain a better quality of life. You only need to decide !!

Regards,

Ken T

[Libbyfcr]

Ken,

Are you still out there? I somehow wandered into this thread and found it to be very interesting.

I am curious as to how you are doing now that more time has passed. Can you update us?

Congratulations and best wishes for your continued good health.

Libby

[kentid2k]

Dear Libby,

It has indeed been awhile since I have logged in.

My health is currently excellent. Blood pressure is great, cholesterol is still below 5.0 and triglycerides are about 1.12 !

I have not lost much more weight but I have maintained. In fact I reached my original personal goal of being able to wear size 36 pants.

I have stalled in weight loss but more by design than a problem. With the summer coming up, I have set some new goals for myself. For one whole year now, I have been free from pain of arthritis in my knees and ankles. ( Thank you Celebrex !! ) So I have run out of excuses to not exercise.

I will lose an additional 15 lbs. by the end of June 2002 by proper diet ( aka Atkins ) and exercise. I have purchsed a Total Gym , the one promoted by Chuck Norris and Christie Brinkley. I figure if its Okay for Chuck, its okay for me. He looks pretty good for a 58 year old !! :roll:

I have also rediscovered the benefits of Calcium and Magnesium. I supplement with the kind you mix in water and then drink.My heart rate is stable at 67, not bad for an old guy like me with my medical history, and it really does help me to get to sleep faster.

I hope all is well with you, and you will likely hear more from me in the near future.

Ken

[doreen T]

hi Ken,

Hope you don't mind, but I have linked many, many people to this thread and your message. They've just chosen to post their thanks and gratitude elsewhere on the forum.

I just wanted to say, your testimony to the success and effectiveness of low-carbing to correcting heart disease and even reversing damage that's been done .. has helped many, many people around the world.

:heart:

Doreen

[Libbyfcr]

Thanks Ken for updating us. You are really the kind of inspiration I am looking for.

I hope to check back with you again in the future and hear how you are doing.

LC certainly has been a lifesaver for me too.
Libby :wave: