This is going to be long, so hold onto your seats!
All growing up, my Mom tried to be a healthy cook. Whole grains, no refined flours, very low sugar, lots of fruits, veggies, organ meats, no frying, no processed junk. Of course at some point she started listening to talk of liver, butter, milk, etc. being bad for you, and started using margarine, skim milk, lean meat. But she didn't switch to more sugar, white bread, or the like.
About 10 years later Dad's cholesterol was over 350. He took 6 months to try to lower it with diet, and it only crept higher. So, he started on Statin drugs.
Every time he has tried going off of them, his cholesterol has gone back up again. The doctor says it's genetic/familial high cholesterol, and it's his liver making too much.
Dad's cholesterol has now gone down to 160, which is great, but guess what? He was just diagnosed with ischemia--or coronary artery disease. Which he never had before, but now that his chol. has gone down, he has it. Shouldn't the opposite be true? I know you are all having a field day with this!
The doctor wants him to try to exercise more to strengthen his heart, and increase blood flow. But if his arteries are partially narrowed, then how is that going to work? Also, Dad has 1 prosthetic leg (from the war), and is over 60. So exercise is pretty difficult. He is using the treadmill and exercise bike.
But something about this whole thing just doesn't ring true to me.
Dad is now remarried, and eats slightly better than the SAD. Skim milk, whole grains, Heart Smart spread, lean meat & poultry, some white sugar, not enough fruits and veggies.
Stepmom and I had a talk the other day and she is totally interested in the idea traditional foods. I think I could get her on board with most of it, but not all of it (fermenting, soaking, organ meats I know for sure she wouldn't do). But grass fed milk, butter, meats, pastured eggs and poultry, cod liver oil, more produce, I think she would do.
That said, I will admit that I am very scared, as his daughter, to advise on his diet, then someday have him have a heart attack, and blame myself. I always think "what if we're all wrong about this? what if all this fat and cholesterol is really bad for us?" My health could take a hit because I'm young, and I could always reverse the damage in time. But a 60+ year old man? Not so much. I almost want to be hands off of the whole situation. But on the other hand, what if I could actually help?
Stepmom wants me to sit down with her and share some knowledge. What on earth do I say? What could help my Dad?
Thanks for hanging in there and reading this far!
All growing up, my Mom tried to be a healthy cook. Whole grains, no refined flours, very low sugar, lots of fruits, veggies, organ meats, no frying, no processed junk. Of course at some point she started listening to talk of liver, butter, milk, etc. being bad for you, and started using margarine, skim milk, lean meat. But she didn't switch to more sugar, white bread, or the like.
About 10 years later Dad's cholesterol was over 350. He took 6 months to try to lower it with diet, and it only crept higher. So, he started on Statin drugs.
Every time he has tried going off of them, his cholesterol has gone back up again. The doctor says it's genetic/familial high cholesterol, and it's his liver making too much.
Dad's cholesterol has now gone down to 160, which is great, but guess what? He was just diagnosed with ischemia--or coronary artery disease. Which he never had before, but now that his chol. has gone down, he has it. Shouldn't the opposite be true? I know you are all having a field day with this!
The doctor wants him to try to exercise more to strengthen his heart, and increase blood flow. But if his arteries are partially narrowed, then how is that going to work? Also, Dad has 1 prosthetic leg (from the war), and is over 60. So exercise is pretty difficult. He is using the treadmill and exercise bike.
But something about this whole thing just doesn't ring true to me.
Dad is now remarried, and eats slightly better than the SAD. Skim milk, whole grains, Heart Smart spread, lean meat & poultry, some white sugar, not enough fruits and veggies.
Stepmom and I had a talk the other day and she is totally interested in the idea traditional foods. I think I could get her on board with most of it, but not all of it (fermenting, soaking, organ meats I know for sure she wouldn't do). But grass fed milk, butter, meats, pastured eggs and poultry, cod liver oil, more produce, I think she would do.
That said, I will admit that I am very scared, as his daughter, to advise on his diet, then someday have him have a heart attack, and blame myself. I always think "what if we're all wrong about this? what if all this fat and cholesterol is really bad for us?" My health could take a hit because I'm young, and I could always reverse the damage in time. But a 60+ year old man? Not so much. I almost want to be hands off of the whole situation. But on the other hand, what if I could actually help?
Stepmom wants me to sit down with her and share some knowledge. What on earth do I say? What could help my Dad?
Thanks for hanging in there and reading this far!
, because it reduces production of CoQ-10 and mevalonate (in order to keep cholesterol at bay)--but CoQ-10 is also needed for a strong heart. This is great. Just great. NOT!
I'm thrilled about my dad's positive outcomes, and grateful as well that I shared what I'd learned about food w/ him--it was a leap of faith for me and him, for sure. At the same time, a big part of me feels that if you stick to eating what your ancestors would have eaten over the past 10 or 100 thousand years (or so) you really won't go wrong healthwise...
