First week of high cholesterol diet and I'm depressed... Seeking advice
sbrno1985
Posts: 10 Member
I'm 35/male, 5'8, 160 lbs. I dont smoke/drink.
I went to a cardiologist because i had some shortness of breath episodes on/off for like 2 weeks on left side of my chest, but it subsided. She told me My LDL is high at 123, HDL is low 34. I also have a "minimal" plaque in my carotid arteries.
I've been stressed this year and haven't took my eating habits seriously (mcdonalds, pizza, soda, etc). Not every day but enough. I couldn't go to the gym because they were closed most of the year
So this doc said she's gonna treat this with lifestyle change. She put me on this weird 4 week diet. Thing it sucks and its pretty weird:
1) 1 protein shake/day, plant based powder, not whey.
2) calcium/magnesium tablet is my "snack"
4) Breakfast and lunch are lacking any protein source, only dinner has one.
5) no fruits/cheese/fat free yogurt
6) worst of all no cheat meals
for *4 weeks*
Today is day #4 of my diet and I've been trying to make it work.
I track everything on myfitnesspal. I've been averaging about 1500 calories/day and saturated fats less than 10g. I've been eating a protein with every meal unlike what she said. This morning i got creative and mixed my whey with oatmeal/almond milk. Ive been drinking water and seltzer only.
But no cheat meal? 4 weeks? Last night i had 4 starburst candy just to keep me sane. Yesterday at work they served brown rice, green beans, and lasagna. I had the rice, beans and took only 1/3 lasagna. I was trying to use portion control and be reasonable.
Soon i think im gonna go crazy and crave a slice of pizza with a coke for a cheat meal. Im gonna see a dietician for 2nd opinion but I'm curious what everyone's thoughts are on this in the meantime.
I'd appreciate your help and advice
I went to a cardiologist because i had some shortness of breath episodes on/off for like 2 weeks on left side of my chest, but it subsided. She told me My LDL is high at 123, HDL is low 34. I also have a "minimal" plaque in my carotid arteries.
I've been stressed this year and haven't took my eating habits seriously (mcdonalds, pizza, soda, etc). Not every day but enough. I couldn't go to the gym because they were closed most of the year
So this doc said she's gonna treat this with lifestyle change. She put me on this weird 4 week diet. Thing it sucks and its pretty weird:
1) 1 protein shake/day, plant based powder, not whey.
2) calcium/magnesium tablet is my "snack"
4) Breakfast and lunch are lacking any protein source, only dinner has one.
5) no fruits/cheese/fat free yogurt
6) worst of all no cheat meals
for *4 weeks*Today is day #4 of my diet and I've been trying to make it work.
I track everything on myfitnesspal. I've been averaging about 1500 calories/day and saturated fats less than 10g. I've been eating a protein with every meal unlike what she said. This morning i got creative and mixed my whey with oatmeal/almond milk. Ive been drinking water and seltzer only.
But no cheat meal? 4 weeks? Last night i had 4 starburst candy just to keep me sane. Yesterday at work they served brown rice, green beans, and lasagna. I had the rice, beans and took only 1/3 lasagna. I was trying to use portion control and be reasonable.
Soon i think im gonna go crazy and crave a slice of pizza with a coke for a cheat meal. Im gonna see a dietician for 2nd opinion but I'm curious what everyone's thoughts are on this in the meantime.
I'd appreciate your help and advice
9
Replies
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I would ask for a referral to a licensed dietitian. Most docs have little nutrition knowledge. I would also bring these concerns to the doctor.26
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Wow...that sound so restrictive. I'm not sure that is going to work for you. 1500 calories? I'd see a dietitian as well.5
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Wow...that sound so restrictive. I'm not sure that is going to work for you. 1500 calories? I'd see a dietitian as well.
Well actually i came up with the 1500 cal. That's just been my average over past 4 days. She didnt give me a calorie limit just a menu with choices and certain guidelines like aim for fat free or no saturated fats (ha, easier said than done, some things have like 0.50 to 1g sat fat in them)1 -
Also MFP gave me a saturated fat goal of 20g/day but as I've said i been trying to stay under 10g because now im scared to go anywhere near 20g due what she told me about my cholesterol and the plaque 1
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I used to aim for 12 grams of saturated fat or less per day. I feel your pain! I had a very hard time making it, but by being very aware of it, I did keep it lower. I don’t know if it helped or not. Good luck!1
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Dietary cholesterol (from what you eat) may not be as much of a factor in your current readings as you think.
I was in your shoes (well similar) a few months ago but didn't need to escalate to a cardiologist. Hopefully, I never will and I'm able to continue avoiding meds for now...as long as I keep active at a lower body weight (and body fat percentage) 🙏🏿
As been mentioned several times, check in with a nutritionist. Bring your medical results with you as well as your physician's suggested nutritional plan. If they work with a behavioral approach, then the concept of "cheat meals" and leveraging food for your "sanity" will certainly be addressed.
My nutritionist worked in the same clinic as my GP, shared medical files/notes with each other, and used an evidence-based approach. We had monthly check-ins over 6+ months.
Hope you're able to get everything sorted while finding (or adapting) ways to eat which are healthy and tasty. It's possible!9 -
Is this genetic in your family?3
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I would definitely ask for a referral for a dietician. But generally a diet like the Mediterranean Diet might be a better approach, especially so you don't become deficient in protein and fats. A diet high in fish and other omega 3 fatty acids are cardio protective, and so are other healthy fats like avocado, chia seeds, olives and olive/avocado oils. Also, I don't understand why no fruits given they have always been associated with improved metabolic markers. In the end, if you can't sustain the diet, it won't matter how good it is.
And of course, there should be a big focus on weight loss and exercise. They have a much bigger impact than the types of foods you eat.10 -
Wow...that sound so restrictive. I'm not sure that is going to work for you. 1500 calories? I'd see a dietitian as well.
Well actually i came up with the 1500 cal. That's just been my average over past 4 days. She didnt give me a calorie limit just a menu with choices and certain guidelines like aim for fat free or no saturated fats (ha, easier said than done, some things have like 0.50 to 1g sat fat in them)
She should have emphasized no trans fats, they can not only increase LDL (like saturated fats) they can also decrease HDL (bad double whammy).3 -
What exactly do you mean by "lacking any protein source"? Not even plant proteins?
Protein is an important nutrient, so I don't understand how a doctor would recommend a diet where most meals lack protein.5 -
Is 123 LDL considered high cholesterol??? I’m so much higher than that! 😬 I think this diet seems very restrictive..I’d seek a nutritionist for advice, sometimes medical doctors aren’t very knowledgeable in nutrition.3
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Diatonic12 wrote: »Is this genetic in your family?
No. This was pretty much brought on by months of stress that led to poor dieting and gym closures which screwed up my routine (i was consistently going 3x week for muscle building mostly)0 -
Is 123 LDL considered high cholesterol??? I’m so much higher than that! 😬 I think this diet seems very restrictive..I’d seek a nutritionist for advice, sometimes medical doctors aren’t very knowledgeable in nutrition.
Lol that's what im wondering. I looked it up and it says 123 is "near optimal" for LDL. But 34 for HDL is definitely low.2 -
JessAndreia wrote: »What exactly do you mean by "lacking any protein source"? Not even plant proteins?
Protein is an important nutrient, so I don't understand how a doctor would recommend a diet where most meals lack protein.
So it goes like this. Her meal plan has 5 food groups.
Group 1 is fiber/healthy carbs...whole wheat toast (x2), multigrain bread, 5 oz whole wheat pasta, 1 boiled potato, 2 oz oatmeal, 5 oz corn, or 5 oz cooked legumes.
Group 2 is fruits. Group 3 is low fat/fat free yogurt, ricotta or cottage. Group 4 are whole protein sources like eggs, skinless chicken, etc. Group 5 is veggies.
For me she crossed out groups 2 and 3 completely.
BREAKFAST: 1 item from group 1, multivitamin
LUNCH: 1 item each from groups 1 and 5, multi vitamin, omega 3 plus.
DINNER: 1 item each from groups 1, 4, and 5. Omega 3 plus.
SNACK: 2 calcium magnesium tabs.
She also told me to have 1 protein smoothie a day with plant powder not whey. And she wanted me to buy her own expensive powder from her Amway business.4 -
Your medical doctor has a side Amway business?
On the basis of the above datum I would seek a second confirmatory opinion as to the treatment they recommended while also seeking to verify their credentials.
23 -
JessAndreia wrote: »What exactly do you mean by "lacking any protein source"? Not even plant proteins?
Protein is an important nutrient, so I don't understand how a doctor would recommend a diet where most meals lack protein.
So it goes like this. Her meal plan has 5 food groups.
Group 1 is fiber/healthy carbs...whole wheat toast (x2), multigrain bread, 5 oz whole wheat pasta, 1 boiled potato, 2 oz oatmeal, 5 oz corn, or 5 oz cooked legumes.
Group 2 is fruits. Group 3 is low fat/fat free yogurt, ricotta or cottage. Group 4 are whole protein sources like eggs, skinless chicken, etc. Group 5 is veggies.
For me she crossed out groups 2 and 3 completely.
BREAKFAST: 1 item from group 1, multivitamin
LUNCH: 1 item each from groups 1 and 5, multi vitamin, omega 3 plus.
DINNER: 1 item each from groups 1, 4, and 5. Omega 3 plus.
SNACK: 2 calcium magnesium tabs.
She also told me to have 1 protein smoothie a day with plant powder not whey. And she wanted me to buy her own expensive powder from her Amway business.
That seems incredibly unethical.16 -
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Your medical doctor has a side Amway business?
On the basis of the above datum I would seek a second confirmatory opinion as to the treatment they recommended while also seeking to verify their credentials.
Yep. I had no idea. I found that out during our appointment. She showed me her $46 plant based protein powder (2 scoops = 10g) and said i should take 1 scoop per day. I showed my whey protein from Myprotein, she said its no good because its 1g saturated fat
Not for nothing but I've read that plant protein powder tastes like crap. If the whey is no good then couldnt i just switch to whey isolate instead? That has no sat fat at all in it.
Other than that, do you think the rest of her meal plan is a quack? The major red flags i see are the lack of protein for breakfast and lunch, the weird snack choice, and the restriction from things like fruits, greek yogurt, and low fat cheese.5 -
@sbrno1985 I feel like this thread and the red flag thread crossed over at some point.
Please get thee to an accredited professional with a higher ethical standard and level of nutritional knowledge for your symptoms. Stat.
At this point, a second opinion on the blood work altogether is also a good move.16 -
Your medical doctor has a side Amway business?
On the basis of the above datum I would seek a second confirmatory opinion as to the treatment they recommended while also seeking to verify their credentials.
Yep. I had no idea. I found that out during our appointment. She showed me her $46 plant based protein powder (2 scoops = 10g) and said i should take 1 scoop per day. I showed my whey protein from Myprotein, she said its no good because its 1g saturated fat
Not for nothing but I've read that plant protein powder tastes like crap. If the whey is no good then couldnt i just switch to whey isolate instead? That has no sat fat at all in it.
Other than that, do you think the rest of her meal plan is a quack? The major red flags i see are the lack of protein for breakfast and lunch, the weird snack choice, and the restriction from things like fruits, greek yogurt, and low fat cheese.
I would definitely go to another doctor. And 1g of sat fats are fine. The larger concern is fried and processed foods are they lack nutrients. I would look into the Mediterranean Diet. Focusing on lean meats, eggs, whole grains/oats, fruits and veggies (especially avocado), fish, seeds and nuts, and limiting processed foods and you will be in a good position.
Also, how did they determine that you had plague build up? That LDL isn't that high. Do you know how your triglycerides and fasting glucose look?
And no doctor should be pedaling products. They drives a conflict of interest and may not be best for your health.9 -
Chef_Barbell wrote: »I would ask for a referral to a licensed dietitian. Most docs have little nutrition knowledge. I would also bring these concerns to the doctor.
This aged well. Time for a new doctor who doesn't peddle crap like a snake oil salesman.6 -
Willpower takes effort and self control. Doctor isn't "making" you adopt this diet but what's the harm in trying? Does not having a cheat meal terrify you?1
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Edited to say that I see it's not genetic. I'd probably at least try her advice, as hard as it may be, for four weeks and see if the numbers go down.0
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Your medical doctor has a side Amway business?
On the basis of the above datum I would seek a second confirmatory opinion as to the treatment they recommended while also seeking to verify their credentials.
Yep. I had no idea. I found that out during our appointment. She showed me her $46 plant based protein powder (2 scoops = 10g) and said i should take 1 scoop per day. I showed my whey protein from Myprotein, she said its no good because its 1g saturated fat
Not for nothing but I've read that plant protein powder tastes like crap. If the whey is no good then couldnt i just switch to whey isolate instead? That has no sat fat at all in it.
Other than that, do you think the rest of her meal plan is a quack? The major red flags i see are the lack of protein for breakfast and lunch, the weird snack choice, and the restriction from things like fruits, greek yogurt, and low fat cheese.
I would definitely go to another doctor. And 1g of sat fats are fine. The larger concern is fried and processed foods are they lack nutrients. I would look into the Mediterranean Diet. Focusing on lean meats, eggs, whole grains/oats, fruits and veggies (especially avocado), fish, seeds and nuts, and limiting processed foods and you will be in a good position.
Also, how did they determine that you had plague build up? That LDL isn't that high. Do you know how your triglycerides and fasting glucose look?
And no doctor should be pedaling products. They drives a conflict of interest and may not be best for your health.
Yes im just starting to research Mediterranean. Sounds way more doable. Having a cheat meal once a week or every 2 weeks could help too.
Not sure about triglycerides she didnt mention. But i know my glucose is within normal range so thats no issue. Good question about the plaque. What she did was place her stethoscope on my carotid, asked me to take a deep breath and hold it for a brief period, and she said she could hear a little bit of the carotid "bruit".
Other than that, we also did EKGs, echocardiogram, stress test, and pulmonary test. All turned out normal.1 -
@sbrno1985 I feel like this thread and the red flag thread crossed over at some point.
Please get thee to an accredited professional with a higher ethical standard and level of nutritional knowledge for your symptoms. Stat.
At this point, a second opinion on the blood work altogether is also a good move.
most definitely. I'm gonna try and book a dietician for next week. Meanwhile i think I'll try out Mediterranean while limiting processed/cheat foods.7 -
Your medical doctor has a side Amway business?
On the basis of the above datum I would seek a second confirmatory opinion as to the treatment they recommended while also seeking to verify their credentials.
Yep. I had no idea. I found that out during our appointment. She showed me her $46 plant based protein powder (2 scoops = 10g) and said i should take 1 scoop per day. I showed my whey protein from Myprotein, she said its no good because its 1g saturated fat
Not for nothing but I've read that plant protein powder tastes like crap. If the whey is no good then couldnt i just switch to whey isolate instead? That has no sat fat at all in it.
Other than that, do you think the rest of her meal plan is a quack? The major red flags i see are the lack of protein for breakfast and lunch, the weird snack choice, and the restriction from things like fruits, greek yogurt, and low fat cheese.
I would definitely go to another doctor. And 1g of sat fats are fine. The larger concern is fried and processed foods are they lack nutrients. I would look into the Mediterranean Diet. Focusing on lean meats, eggs, whole grains/oats, fruits and veggies (especially avocado), fish, seeds and nuts, and limiting processed foods and you will be in a good position.
Also, how did they determine that you had plague build up? That LDL isn't that high. Do you know how your triglycerides and fasting glucose look?
And no doctor should be pedaling products. They drives a conflict of interest and may not be best for your health.
Yes im just starting to research Mediterranean. Sounds way more doable. Having a cheat meal once a week or every 2 weeks could help too.
Not sure about triglycerides she didnt mention. But i know my glucose is within normal range so thats no issue. Good question about the plaque. What she did was place her stethoscope on my carotid, asked me to take a deep breath and hold it for a brief period, and she said she could hear a little bit of the carotid "bruit".
Other than that, we also did EKGs, echocardiogram, stress test, and pulmonary test. All turned out normal.
Yea, that is a bit of a stretch. It seems like she was using her doctor status to sell you something. I would have a discussion with a GP and they can evaluate your full panel. If there is concerns, you can be sent to a lipidologist for a deeper evaluation.
And yes, you can certainly have a meal that a less healthy once in awhile. I don't consider that a cheat, as it can support your mental health and improve the sustainability of your diet. Just don't use it as an excuse to "binge".
As you research Mediterranean Diets, you should realize it's more of a concept as it encompasses a variety of foods (Spanish, Italian, Greek, etc..).8 -
Also, exercise may raise your Hdl. If you stopped exercising ‘cause of corona, that could be part of it. Starting to exercise again could help.3
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JessAndreia wrote: »What exactly do you mean by "lacking any protein source"? Not even plant proteins?
Protein is an important nutrient, so I don't understand how a doctor would recommend a diet where most meals lack protein.
So it goes like this. Her meal plan has 5 food groups.
Group 1 is fiber/healthy carbs...whole wheat toast (x2), multigrain bread, 5 oz whole wheat pasta, 1 boiled potato, 2 oz oatmeal, 5 oz corn, or 5 oz cooked legumes.
Group 2 is fruits. Group 3 is low fat/fat free yogurt, ricotta or cottage. Group 4 are whole protein sources like eggs, skinless chicken, etc. Group 5 is veggies.
For me she crossed out groups 2 and 3 completely.
BREAKFAST: 1 item from group 1, multivitamin
LUNCH: 1 item each from groups 1 and 5, multi vitamin, omega 3 plus.
DINNER: 1 item each from groups 1, 4, and 5. Omega 3 plus.
SNACK: 2 calcium magnesium tabs.
She also told me to have 1 protein smoothie a day with plant powder not whey. And she wanted me to buy her own expensive powder from her Amway business.
Just to clarify, groups 1 and 5 do have protein-containing foods. There is protein in foods like bread, pasta, corn, legumes, and vegetables. Not all of these are high protein foods and I think this diet sounds really sketchy, but you can get protein from plants too.2 -
Everyone posting before me have ably addressed the question of the 'doctor' and 'diet' she recommended. So let's address your stress. Find workouts you like and can do now while the gym is closed. Try them. Repeat.
I personally recommend yoga to everyone who is struggling with stress. It has helped me so much with mine. Adriene on YouTube is a good introduction for anyone looking to start. Good luck on your journey!5
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