Discussion Board

Hi Jeff,
I have been eating this way for 3 years. Before starting this WOE, all of my numbers were in the "normal" range but we all know those are set too high. Everything but triglycerides dropped considerably once I started eating this way and now my cholesterol is 132! My triglycerides have remained high the entire 3 years usually around 170 - 180. I didn't have any weight to lose so that wasn't the issue. My glucose has been fine the entire time. I've played around with my eating but I can't pinpoint anything I am really doing wrong (rarely eat out, only use sugar on the major holidays at best, no caffeine ever, whole grain, plant based, starched centered). My triglycerides have basically not budged in 3 years and they were normal before this WOE.

In January, I had to get blood work done because we switched life insurance policies. My triglycerides came back at 179. I was ticked! All my other numbers were perfect, by the way.

So at the end of January, on a whim, I added walnuts to my diet. I have not consumed any nuts in the past 3 years. I did not change a single thing about my diet except the nuts. I had my physical a few weeks ago and my triglycerides were 119!!

Coincidence?

My concern: I went from a diet that was between 8 - 12% fat to a diet that is between 18 - 20% fat. Too much?

This is very interesting.

I have heard Dr. Fuhrman state that he sees improved lipid scores on some folks when they eat more nuts/seeds.

It would be really cool if there was a "all encompassing screen test" that prescribed a perfect diet for all !!! ;~)

Having great #'s and feeling poorly is a real curse.... it's difficult to find the proper direction.. (

I eat an occasional walnut or two during the day. However, I am always leery about someone quoting risk factors. I read long ago in Pritikin's book that peanut oil did indeed reduce cholesterol in the blood but the amount of blockage remained equal to that of saturated fat consumption. Has it been found that adding nuts to a plant based diet actually reduces strokes and heart attacks or that adding them to the diet of someone who has had a heart attack prevents a second one (given a plant based diet)? Dr. Esselstyn's patients do not seem to require them as far as regressing heart disease is concerned.

On another group a guy who has had extensive heart surgeries and stents says that he gets a return of angina pain with walnuts but not with pistachios. I do not know what this means.

Didi

Walnuts are a good, if not great, source of omega-3 fatty acids and its well established that an increase in omega-3 fatty acids will block the formation of triglycerides and VLDL in the liver. Although the exact mechanism is still under debate. If this is the case, then substituting a higher omega-3 seed like flax seed or chia seed for the walnuts would make your triglycerides fall even more. Might make an interesting personal experiment.
Kate

My husband is actually experimenting with this. I can not do flax seed. I have tried and tried but my body does not handle so much as a teaspoon without serious bloating and nausea. When we started this WOE, my husband cut way back on flax. He used to do 2 Tbs. a day and now he does 1 tsp. I'm not really sure what prompted him to cut back. So after my triglycerides dropped, possibly from the walnut consumption, I encouraged him to try adding them to his diet. He said he would rather up his flax seed so starting last week he went back to 2 Tbs. He will get retested in 2 or 3 months. I will be very curious to see those results.