Does anyone else have Heart Failure here?

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  • kiteflyer105
    kiteflyer105 Posts: 128 Member
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    I see a nutritionist for my Binge Eating Disorder and work on moderation. I am demanded by my PCP to exercise 5x a week for at least a half an hour. After I graduate cardiac rehab, I can go to the weightlifting section again. Woo Hoo. Unfortunately, I moved from a larger city to a smaller town .Thank you for the idea though. My surgery date is 1/10/24. I get in a new ICD. I can't wait. Happy New Year's folks!
  • kiteflyer105
    kiteflyer105 Posts: 128 Member
    edited March 12
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  • VegjoyP
    VegjoyP Posts: 2,715 Member
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    I will share my testimonials.I simply stating facts from real life events. My fiance had CHF. He died in the table in operating room but came back.
    When we met he was 220 and recovering. We met at the gym. We became friends and I sharedwirhhimmy nutritionandhealth knowledge. I coach him. ForstI took Hinton the grocery store Sandwell went through all the isles. I showed him labels,asked questions, figured out things. We tried different foods, recipes.
    There is more but to summarize I had him on aplant based diet. I am vegan but when i help people I meet them where they are and respect thier choice.well he started doing what I do. He continues to learn now and I cook for him sometimes, and taught him how to cook WFPB SOS also. His ejection fraction went up, IT was ~ 23, now I believe 32. His cholesterol dropped in half. He lost wright and is 159. His waist went down several inches. He does cardio, walks with me, lifts weights. He even build us a home gym. He looks great and his skin looks incredibly better. I have seen this transformation in him and other people I know.
    He takes Coq10. He got off many of the meds but not all. He is still on his journey and wants to go to 155 then 150.
    I have been into health since I was 12. I worked in gyms as a trainer and health food stores. It is mind boggling the aggression,defensiveness of many prople who vhenimently defend thier belief with keto, carnivore, etc. Vegans too, yes. All I know is what I did, what I have seem anddine and where I amnow. I read science,studies and medical wellness pracritioners.
    YouTube, Twitter, etc. Magazines, celebrities, EVERYONE gas thier " best diet" I am not going to talk about those. I need not. This is what I k ow. A WFPB diet works.
  • springlering62
    springlering62 Posts: 7,463 Member
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    alys_nawawi wrote: »
    kiteflyer105 wrote: »
    IF you have heart failure and a low EF% (injection fraction percentage), can you tell me how you raised your EF % and got it back to normal? I have been taking all of my medicine.

    I started at 24% then 3 months laterI was up to 25%. This was discouraging to be honest. I hope it eventually goes back up to normal levels.

    Next, I am going to have an ICD placed in my body.

    Thanks for the input.

    I just joined. I have HF and 2 years ago had an EF of 22%. I was back to 55% in 7 months by close management by my HF specialist and medications. I am also strict about no added salt in cooking and I rarely eat packaged prepared meals. Always low sodium soup if not homemade, no sodium canned veggies, all that kind of stuff. I also limit my fluids to 64 oz per day. It takes getting used to and I miss salt. Has your team helped you with tips on how to reduce sodium and stay on track with fluids?

    What a wonderful, insightful and inspiring first post @alys_nawawi

    Welcome to the boards and I sincerely hope you’ll share more.
  • kseeds5112
    kseeds5112 Posts: 1 Member
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    I just joined the community and have HF. 2 years ago I had cardiac arrest (Widowmaker heart attack) with an EF of 35. It came up to 55+ a year later with the help of med combos from my Dr. I also was overweight by about 60 lbs. I hadn't really done anything about my weight until recently, this past October. I subscribed to another weight loss app and have lost 35 lbs so far. I am trying some other apps and free programs to continue my journey because I'm not sure if I want to keep paying as much for it. Weighing my options (pun intended 😆). Everyone is different with HF and the reasons for it, mine was high cholesterol, weight and generally didn't take care of myself. That's just my story and sharing some successes of what is working for me
  • MargaretYakoda
    MargaretYakoda Posts: 2,364 Member
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    kiteflyer105 wrote: »

    All I can do is keep on keeping on.

    BINGO!

    That is the one and only trick!

    One foot in front of the other!

    You got this!

  • springlering62
    springlering62 Posts: 7,463 Member
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    Exactly! You’re sticking with it and putting effort and thought in.

    That’s key. 99% of people fail because they just don’t.

    Here’s to great success and a long happy healthy life!
  • ddsb1111
    ddsb1111 Posts: 750 Member
    edited April 17
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    The first 1.5 days I was not a happy camper. I was ticked off over eating in front of people, and being forced to eat 3 meals and 3 snacks a day. It has taken awhile of getting used to....

    I am now incorporating some binge foods in my daily food plan. This makes me not crave them so much. Some of those foods are unappealing. We have exposure therapy where we eat different "scary' foods in front of the group or out in a restaurant. The point is to go out of our comfort zone.

    To the first part, I think this is such a key component for people who struggle with binging. For those of us who don’t binge, the number of meals don’t really matter, but for those who do, it’s about not allowing yourself to feel hungry, obsess over food, allowing food to be in control because you always have a meal or snack planned. I think this is the first step for a lot of people who need to get their eating under control if they have disordered eating. I absolutely do not think the answer out of the gate is to stop eating X food or X macro, or even use intermittent fasting for that matter. Especially if eating is an emotional gateway.

    To the second part, allowing yourself to add a binge food makes perfect sense. It’s empowering when you learn food isn’t evil or scary, and over time you care less and less about that food specifically, and look at it as just a part of your meals. Nothing more nothing less. That doesn’t happen on its own, it takes practice, especially in places where you give it so much power. Yet another reason why villainizing certain foods or macros can be dangerous advice when given to random people. We never know what their relationship is with food and it’s best to start with a healthy balanced approach.

    Thank you for telling us your experience, and sharing your personal BED journey. You should be incredibly proud. I hope others are inspired to speak with a therapist or professional to work on the internal parts that often get overlooked when trying to get healthy.
  • sollyn23l2
    sollyn23l2 Posts: 1,612 Member
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    ddsb1111 wrote: »
    The first 1.5 days I was not a happy camper. I was ticked off over eating in front of people, and being forced to eat 3 meals and 3 snacks a day. It has taken awhile of getting used to....

    I am now incorporating some binge foods in my daily food plan. This makes me not crave them so much. Some of those foods are unappealing. We have exposure therapy where we eat different "scary' foods in front of the group or out in a restaurant. The point is to go out of our comfort zone.

    To the first part, I think this is such a key component for people who struggle with binging. For those of us who don’t binge, the number of meals don’t really matter, but for those who do, it’s about not allowing yourself to feel hungry, obsess over food, allowing food to be in control because you always have a meal or snack planned. I think this is the first step for a lot of people who need to get their eating under control if they have disordered eating. I absolutely do not think the answer out of the gate is to stop eating X food or X macro, or even use intermittent fasting for that matter. Especially if eating is an emotional gateway.

    To the second part, allowing yourself to add a binge food makes perfect sense. It’s empowering when you learn food isn’t evil or scary, and over time you care less and less about that food specifically, and look at it as just a part of your meals. Nothing more nothing less. That doesn’t happen on its own, it takes practice, especially in places where you give it so much power. Yet another reason why villainizing certain foods or macros can be dangerous advice when given to random people. We never know what their relationship is with food and it’s best to start with a healthy balanced approach.

    Thank you for telling us your experience, and sharing your personal BED journey. You should be incredibly proud. I hope others are inspired to speak with a therapist or professional to work on the internal parts that often get overlooked when trying to get healthy.

    Exactly this! People are often wanting to continue the restriction and just stop the binge behavior. But it doesn't work that way. The binge starts with the restriction, so we have to deal with the restriction (eat regularly and no food "off limits").
  • kiteflyer105
    kiteflyer105 Posts: 128 Member
    edited April 18
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    Thank you all. It has been one of the best choices I have made in my life. The nutritionist altered my meal plan today. We discussed going part-time in roughly 3 weeks. I am counting down the minute’s truth be told. =)

    I have experienced so many positives. This past Sunday I went to the grocery store, and I could have any food I wanted--I was overwhelmed. There were too many choices. I have told myself no to certain foods for years. It was super freeing. I have never felt Freedom before. I am eating my "scary foods" at lunch. Two weeks ago, I was in tears, the thoughts I had to eat a piece of cake in front of everyone, my anxiety was off the charts. To the normal person who doesn't have an ED, this sounds silly. I wasn’t the only one. Someone was fretting over a piece of toast.

    It hurts me to see my recovery family hurt themselves, or treat themselves as less than. It has been said plenty of times, “Treat yourself like you would a family member or a friend”. I’m not sure why I can be encouraging and compassionate to other people, yet I have a harder time treating myself kinder. It is a work in progress.

    I have faith and hope that this time it will work. I have to stop all restricting, eat multiple times a day, and incorporate binge foods into my meals in moderation. It is weird not dieting. In fact, I am relieved taking a break from it. I need to get these habits truly down first. I am relieved I don’t have to live by strict food rules. I am relieved I can eat whatever I want in moderation.
    Submitting to this process was hard at first, now I wouldn’t have it any other way. Truth is, if I am not willing, I will die. I still don’t like eating 6 times a day. I like 4 meals much better. If I binge, I do a behavior chain analysis exercise; I always feel better after that…

    Everyone has to figure out what path works for them without the most negative consequences.
    Funny to think I was considering RNY surgery as a last resort. This has been one of the best choices I have made in my life. The nutritionist altered my meal plan today. We discussed going part-time in roughly 3 weeks. I am counting down the minute’s truth be told. =)

    I have experienced so many positives. This past Sunday I went to the grocery store, and I could have any food I wanted—I was overwhelmed. I have told myself “No” to certain foods in the past for years. Now, it was super freeing. I am eating my "scary foods" at lunch.

    Two weeks ago, I was in tears, I had to eat a piece of cake in front of everyone. My anxiety was off the charts. To the normal person who doesn't have an E.D., this sounds silly. The rituals of stinking thinking, restricting, and bingeing are self-destructive. Now I know here are better ways to cope, like journaling for grief, mindfulness, do the opposite, listening to music, a podcast, read a book, go walk, etc.

    With drug and alcohol rehab, you take the substance away. With the Eating Disorder Clinic, they are adding foods to properly fuel your body for the long haul.

    This time I am miserable enough to make the change. For other people with EDs, you have to want it bad enough to DO whatever it takes. No, you will feel uncomfortable a lot of the time. I have felt too full in getting used to this whole process. I have never liked that part. You will get overcome that. I have real hunger cues now, where I am not famished. The benefits of healthy eating and self-care are priceless. The real goal from this is to move to intuitive eating where you are getting a wide variety of nutrition.

    We owe it to ourselves, because we deserve better. Good luck!
  • MargaretYakoda
    MargaretYakoda Posts: 2,364 Member
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