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I have a double whammy of a lipid/triglyceride problem compounded by a genetic heart issue - mitrolvalve prolapse. (Both my father, and grandfather died due to complications of the valve disease.)

My cardiologist as a few vegan clients, but he does not understand the diet. He keeps telling me to include "healthy" oils in my diet. I feel he is very out of touch.

My cholesterol problem is under control with the McDougall diet. Any amount of fat/oil in my diet sends my cholesterol up. As a result, I avoid all fat as much as I can. No peanut butter, hummus, free oils, nuts, etc. I simply can't process them...not even in the slightest bit.

My Triglycerides, on the other hand, I can't figure out. Before the McDougall diet I had readings in the range of 400-800. They are currently at about 200.

I gave up alcohol, but that did not do much. I try to limit my sugar and do not eat much refined sugar at all. I buy granola that is both low in sugar and fat. I don't eat processed food (french fries and fruitloops).

I am "all-in" on the starches. I eat almost 3 potatoes a day. I love the starches. White rice, pasta and corn, as I understand it, are okay when eaten with other fibers.

My cardiologist said potatoes are evil. "They are all sugar. Stop eating them." This is counter to Dr. McDougall. But, my triglyceride numbers don't lie...

Given the propensity of my family to die of heart issues at an early age, I am super concerned about triglycerides at 200.

Do you have any suggestions? I am open to a formal nutritional consultation if you feel that is necessary.

There is always temptation to keep tweaking, like adding niacin or fish oil, to dial in the numbers to where they want them. I found a few questons to test their conviction and you find out why they promote it and if its something to try or if its something they feel is necessary. I have had good experiences and good dialogue esp once they realize you are a savvy medical consumer.

My fave examples is a year or so after my cabg,no one ever brought up ornish diet to me. One visit i told my doc i was trying ornish after i read the book and he says "really, you will live longer." Keep wondering to this day why if they believe that they dont back it more, but i discovered over many conversations they usually have preconceived notion of what kind of lifestyle and medication regimine their patents will accept. And odds are they are right.

Very well could be your doc doesnt believe you can "stick" to mcdougall diet or your docs not extremely versed in it. Have you ever taken the books in, esp the triglycerides sections?

It is amazing how much we are as a culture are in denial about our medical community. I loved this from "Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease", by Dr. Esselstyn Jr.



Knowledge is power, self-knowledge is self-empowerment. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out it takes very little soap to wash dishes when there is no oil. I love watching Dr. McDougall MS online video when he shares how the fat coats the cell where they no longer repel from each other, they stick together and create a sludge in the blood stream breaking the barrier to the brain. Dr. McDougall has some great electures that can be downloaded for a dollar. How great and generous is that?

You might email Dr. McDougall and Dr. Esselstyn Jr. It takes just a few horses to change the direction of the herd. Hopefully that is happening today. I bought three blood pressure kits for my adult children... because of the insanity of treating the symptom vs the cause has to be eradicated ... we no longer can give our power away.

Aloha, patty

Great quote, patty.

One problem with getting docs to suggest dietary prevention is that the results are invisible on the scale that any doctor can see, and only over a fairly long term would they become socially (scientifically) visible in data about large populations' health. Individual doctors would only see any successes as anecdotal, episodic.

And another problem is that it would seem, to doctors, inactive, passive. They have to do something--and writing prescriptions, referring to surgery, and performing surgery are doing something. This translates into "positively caring for my patients."

I think the quotation by Dr E of the surgeon talking about his billed charges is shocking. In fields of law and real estate, just to take a couple examples, the lawyer and real estate licensee are legal agents for clients, with fiduciary responsibilities to their clients. That means that they must put the client's interests--including financial interests--before their own. This doctor is quite clearly putting his own financial interests ahead of his patients' financial and health interests. There must be some kind of ethical and legal violation in doing so. If not, I trust doctors even less.

I hear you with feeling. I feel the only hope is education.. as when the consumer changes the supplier will change. The only place we have to go is up. As soon as someone draws a line in the sand, it becomes mine and yours. It is like the Chinese feel the US is giving them the coffee and cake, while expecting them to pay for the whole meal, the US has eaten. I feel change will happen. And we are at the grass roots.

Dr. McDougall's electures makes it real clear there is no money in lifestyle maintenance. Everyone understands money, no matter what language they speak. The banks/wall street is being spotlighted now.. the medical and insurance companies will be next. The food industry change will be a given as "The China Study" says the power is at the end of the fork. My sons lost with the mortgage companies. Paradigms change with death:) So there is hope:) as death always gives a gift. The power is within.

Aloha, patty

I would make the following small changes and see if they help. First, if you are eating russet potatoes, try switching to Yukon gold or baby redskins. Russet potatoes have a very dry texture that metabolizes rapidly. Yukon golds and baby reds have a more gummy texture and won't raise your blood sugar as fast. Same thing with the rice - try switching to brown. Have whole grain oatmeal for breakfast instead or granola. Add whole fruits instead of dried. And limit them to 2 or 3 a day. Increase exercise to burn glycogen from the muscles. That way any excess sugar will be stored in the muscles to replace metabolized glycogen instead of being converted to triglycerides. I personally find that the closer I follow the Maximum Weight Loss plan the lower my triglycerides. Best of Luck,
Kate

"It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out it takes very little soap to wash dishes when there is no oil." Great line Patty. "good eatin," Don

"It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out it takes very little soap to wash dishes when there is no oil."

Funny how I was thinking just this as I washed my dishes today and didn't need a soap with a degreaser in it. "Kinda' like my blood stream. Doesn't need any "degreaser" whatever that may be." lol Lynn

Kinda' like my blood stream. Doesn't need any "degreaser" whatever that may be." LynnCS

We have over 60 thousand miles of blood vessels. It took watching Jeff Novick's _Oil to Nuts_ to realize corn oil came from corn. It amazes me how programed we are. We are such a funny species.

Aloha, patty

HI to all, and I love those Dr Essy quotes myself. Patty, your line about the dishes and the de-greaser, is priceless. I absolutely love eating this way,and am now so repulsed by all the fatty globby puffy food that lurks in every restaurant and family gathering I am every lucky to be around too.
but on thing about how your trig will go up with the compliance to the McD plan, made me really think... I just did a 28 day challenge for the RIp Essy book, and you know what? my trig went up from 99 to 200!! I was already vegan for at least a yr, and so I do wonder about the pre and post labs, (lab vouchers were avail for $32 from the doctor running the program) but hey, I am on my way to good health, so why worry, right? I was astounded, but maybe it is my baby reds, I love them, and seem to be eating them all the time now. I keep some boiled up and ready to reheat in the pan with a few spices all the time. That could be my explanation of it. So thanks! I don't care for the russets near as much, so they are on the wayside for me now.

amargonis,

A couple of ideas. First, you might take this one to the new Star McDouglars's section that opened up today on this site. I can almost hear the great advice coming from Jim and Scato Bob regarding the cholesterol. In my case I would add that I found out unfortunately that for me my body produces too much triglycerides when I eat sweet fruit. I am OK on tomtatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers, all I want. My Triglycerides got up to 500 something but I was able to bring them down to normal by forgoing sweet fruit. Not everyone reacts to fruit like me but I am not alone. I discovered the answer for me by reading the McDougall program for a healthy heart. Available on this site as a PDF book for $10. It can also be ordered through any book seller. Also see Dr. McDougall's hot topics area for more information. Here are the links. From your post I can see you got the information on simple sugar, but in my case it was the fruit, not the simple sugar. Seems unfair. Please re-read the hot topics, or better yet read the book. I used the index in the book to study Triglycerides. It is a great reference to have, and the recipes are fantastic.

Book = http://drmcdougall.com/store_eb_hh.html
Hot Topics = http://drmcdougall.com/med_hot_cholesterol.html

Good luck,

Steve

There's the all fruit diet and the all starch diet and the juice etc diet and many more. I think the reason they all do so much good is more what is not eaten than what is eaten. Namely animal products, oils, and gluten for me. I love it all, but it doesn't all love me. I am still wondering about a person like me eating potatoes, peppers, tomatoes etc. The "nightshade" vegis. The fibromyalgia is better, but can still mess me up.

I have learned to briefly talk with any doctor about wanting to work on my health with diet and exercise and from then on, just say ok if they come up with some therapy. I want the blood tests show the progress. Just get out and walk or get on the treadmill and get the blood and lymph moving and even with the MVP, I'll lay my bet down with your choices to go against the doc's and follow your heart to health. Let's prove them wrong. I won't go into detail here, but suffice it to say that I relate with making my own choices for my own body. How can whole food and gentle exercise be considered a negative, I ask. Good luck. Onward!!

You guys are all amazing and have so much knowledge to share on these topics! I'm still pretty new at all this - 9 months now. I don't even know what the triglycerides are supposed to be. Could someone tell me that?

While I am not a standoff with a cardiologist, my family physician doesn't believe this way of life can be sustained. I was told last year at my physical that removing foods from your diet was not the right way to the road of health. I can armed with a my blood results, with some questions written down, as well as a copy of The McDougall Plan. When I just flashed the book and brought up Dr. McDougall, he quickly dismissed the idea of how I had improved my TC. Solely by diet and no by his prescribed Statins.

He still isn't on board with what I have been doing to achieve my health. I am even debating on scheduling an appointment for my yearly physical. Not sure I have a reason for it. Although I believe I will, just to prove to him that eating as I have been doing isn't a short term fix, but a long term solution. If I schedule the appointment, it will have been nearly 9 months since I started the program and I have seen nothing but improvement.

I wish you the best of luck when you discuss this with your cardiologist. I do like the suggestion of contacting Esselstyn, his prevention/reversal book is wonderful!