Guest guest Posted September 5, 2001 Report Share Posted September 5, 2001 I have elevated cholesterol(LDL a little elevated, HDL fine, trigylcerides are the worst) due primarly to some rotten genes. I'm trying to increase my fiber intake as part of my multifacted plan of attack. Even deligent exercise and diet does not bring my total levels below 200, I'm trying desperatly to avoid taking statins which my dr. is threating to put me on if my numbers don't drop. I'm thin, young,active,eat sensibly etc---very frustrating! -Becky Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 5, 2001 Report Share Posted September 5, 2001 ----- Original Message ----- From: <bugnewberry@...> < > Sent: Thursday, September 06, 2001 4:58 AM Subject: [ ] metamucil > I know this had been discussed before, but i was wondering-----I take about > 3-4 tsp of original flavor metamucil in/8oz of water. According to the > label, that's 75-100k. Is it safe to assume that the majority of those > calories are not being absorbed? Just wondering.,thanks Hi Becky, Why are you taking Metamucil? Greg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 5, 2001 Report Share Posted September 5, 2001 Are you sitting down? Here's my blood work: Total cholest 257 HDL 56 Trigylcerides 153 LDL 170 fasting glucose 80 age 24 yrs height 5'7(67in) weight 120lbs frame very small exercise Powerwalking/jogging 3 mi, 3-4 times/week. Power yoga 2 times/week calories 1000-2000 per day(usually somewhere in between) I guess it's my LDL that is so alarming, these tests where taken a month ago. Since then I've really cut out my " treats " (I have an insaitable sweet tooth) I honestly eat much better than the typical american(never eat fastfood, redmeat and fattening things in general, take daily supplements,flax seed etc) but perhaps not as well as the typical cronie. I've been lurking on the support list for about 3 mos, dabbling in it here and there. I have 2 months to get my blood fat levels down or its medication time for me. Any suggestions??? -becky Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 5, 2001 Report Share Posted September 5, 2001 oh, I also forgot to add--yes, I am aware of the gylcemic index and the relationship of high gly. foods and negative effects on trigylcerides and their impact on LDL levels, no I don't own Dr. W's software but I do feel that I know more than the typical person does about nutriton and thought I could hold my own in conversations of the sort until I became a member of this group!! The enormity and complexity of information exchanged here is wonderful, yet a little overwhelming for a 1st year nursing student w/a psych degree! I have been humbled. -Becky Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 6, 2001 Report Share Posted September 6, 2001 ----- Original Message ----- From: <bugnewberry@...> < > Sent: Thursday, September 06, 2001 9:04 AM Subject: Re: [ ] metamucil > I have elevated cholesterol(LDL a little elevated, HDL fine, trigylcerides > are the worst) due primarly to some rotten genes. I'm trying to increase my > fiber intake as part of my multifacted plan of attack. Even deligent > exercise and diet does not bring my total levels below 200, I'm trying > desperatly to avoid taking statins which my dr. is threating to put me on if > my numbers don't drop. I'm thin, young,active,eat sensibly etc---very > frustrating! Hi Becky, May I ask for your figures: Total TG's HDL LDL Fasting glucose Age Weight Height Types and amount of exercise you do Daily Calories PCF ratio Controlling your lipids is ALL in the diet and we can help. Do you understand what the Glycemic Index is? Do you have access to Dr. Walford's DWIDP food / meal analysis software? You might find my site: http://www.ozemail.com.au/~gowatson of interest. Greg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 6, 2001 Report Share Posted September 6, 2001 Carb spillover you say? I'd say you've hit the nail right on the head, I used to eat primarily all simple carbs. I'm the type of person who would live on cake and ice cream if I could. That's what I crave tremendously and when I'd eat it I'd end up hungrier, sluggish and craving more. My appetite could care less about meat or non-sweet veggies. I'm slowly reforming, but still find it hard to eat a meal w/o a sweet element to it---be it carrots in my veggie mix, fruit on my salad or a sweet dressing or sauce. I thought b/c I was overly thin most of my life (used to be 5'7 and 107 to 110lbs), that was my excuse to eat whatever I wanted b/c I wasn't overweight but quite the opposite. Well, that was long ago and I have come a long way, now realizing that there is a lot more to health than weight and outwardly appearances. You've have enlightened me, thank you. Starting tomorrow I will log everything I eat for a 2-day period and will post it on Saturday. I've always wanted to try a fast, so I may implement that into my diet as well, my only concern being that when I don't eat enough or go too long inbetween meals, I often have a hypogylcemic response, why--I don't know???? so i don't know if I can do a 24-hour fast, but will try it on Sun. maybe. Thanks again for all your help and I will keep you posted. -Becky Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 6, 2001 Report Share Posted September 6, 2001 wow, you are truly an inspiration. If you can lower your numbers, than there is hope for me as well. Keep up the good work and thans for sharing w/me. -Becky Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 6, 2001 Report Share Posted September 6, 2001 ----- Original Message ----- From: <bugnewberry@...> < > Sent: Thursday, September 06, 2001 12:19 PM Subject: Re: [ ] metamucil > Are you sitting down? Here's my blood work: > > Total cholest 257 > HDL 56 > Trigylcerides 153 > LDL 170 Ther are not that bad!............ > fasting glucose 80 > age 24 yrs > height 5'7(67in) > weight 120lbs > frame very small > exercise Powerwalking/jogging 3 mi, 3-4 times/week. Power yoga 2 times/week > calories 1000-2000 per day(usually somewhere in between) Hi Becky, Your high TG's and LDL may indicate a carb spillover effect (excess carbs being converted into fat). This means you are either eating too many carbs (glycogen storage is full) or you are eating the wrong kind (too high a GI which delivers glucose into the blood quicker than your body can store it) or you have high insulin resistance. Probably a bit of all three. Without knowing the details of your diet, I would suggest you need to look at the type of your carbs and maybe eating smaller meals more often. What do you think of a 24 hour fast, once a week? This allows your glycogen stores to empty, helps to lower insulin resistance and trains the liver to accept lower glycogen levels before it yells at the brain " EAT " . Could you do a 2 day detailed list of what, how much & when you eat? Greg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 6, 2001 Report Share Posted September 6, 2001 ----- Original Message ----- From: <bugnewberry@...> < > Sent: Thursday, September 06, 2001 12:29 PM Subject: Re: [ ] metamucil > I have been humbled. No, just learning. Greg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 6, 2001 Report Share Posted September 6, 2001 Becky, I'm not sure we compare very well, but here's my experience. Let me say first that I'm fat, old, and only active when I must be (I get about 5 hours, net, of programmed exercise a week). My tc was above 300 (about 320), bp 200 over 120+, triglycerides over 1,000. hdl was 25. I went on a Walford modifed Ornish program...very low fat, some skim milk products and egg whites for animal protein and B12 (I also used nutritional yeast)...and get my tc down to 180. Because of my age, I didn't feel that was low enough, so I started on Lipitor, 40 mg per day. I continued adhering strictly to diet, although I didn't do the entire Ornish program as faithfully as I should have. The diet was easier when I did the whole program. Anyway, in time my tc dropped as low as 114. We reduced the Lipitor to 40 mg every other day. Triglycerides are in the 45 - 55 range now, HDL near 50...and tc about 150. I haven't been following my food program especially well - although compared to the average American diet, I look like the soul of self-restraint. Exercise is ok. My ratio was 3.2 last time around. It's been as low as 2.9. My experience was that the combination worked much better than just the program alone. It may be that in time, the program would have (or will) reach the same favorable levels. For instance, a big drop in triglycerides occured after I added epa/dha and flax and a little salmon as well to my program. I had been in the 300's triglyceride-wise until I started with the fish-oil. I did lose a lot of weight, but even though I've regained about a third of it, my numbers remain favorable. Hang in there with your program, give yourself some time, but don't be afraid of the statins. So far, most of the side effects, other than those your doc can easily detect with his blood tests, are (possibly) beneficial. Having said that, I still plan to go all the way, and eliminate the drugs completely. Nothing wrong with using a boat to cross the river until you can swim across. Good luck, Ed bugnewberry@... wrote: I have elevated cholesterol(LDL a little elevated, HDL fine, trigylcerides are the worst) due primarly to some rotten genes. I'm trying to increase my fiber intake as part of my multifacted plan of attack. Even deligent exercise and diet does not bring my total levels below 200, I'm trying desperatly to avoid taking statins which my dr. is threating to put me on if my numbers don't drop. I'm thin, young,active,eat sensibly etc---very frustrating! -Becky Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 6, 2001 Report Share Posted September 6, 2001 ----- Original Message ----- From: sully@... Sent: Thursday, September 06, 2001 1:30 PM Subject: Re: [ ] metamucil Becky, I'm not sure we compare very well, but here's my experience. Let me say first that I'm fat, old, and only active when I must be (I get about 5 hours, net, of programmed exercise a week). My tc was above 300 (about 320), bp 200 over 120+, triglycerides over 1,000. hdl was 25. Hang in there with your program, give yourself some time, but don't be afraid of the statins. Hi Ed, I must congratulate you on something most folks never do or even attempt to do. To get off of statins. Most people I know who use statins, use the cholesterol lowering effect to make their diet even worst. As you have found out, it's really all about diet and the power you have to use diet to alter your body as you want. My lipids: Total 155 TG 55 HDL 71 LDL 73 I'm 55. Greg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 6, 2001 Report Share Posted September 6, 2001 ----- Original Message ----- From: bugnewberry@... Sent: Thursday, September 06, 2001 2:52 PM Subject: Re: [ ] metamucil I've always wanted to try a fast, so I may implement that into my diet as well, my only concern being that when I don't eat enough or go too long inbetween meals, I often have a hypogylcemic response, why--I don't know???? Hi Becky, The hypo occurs due to insulin being too high and thus stopping the liver converting glycogen into glucose. Also hypo can occur due to a carb reactive insulin response, too many carbs too quickly, shoots insulin too high, which then drops blood glucose too low. It's all in the carbs. Sweets are all right in MODERATION, just not too many, to not too often, Snickers is a good snack as the peanuts holds down the GI. Try 1/2 as a snack. I like a FEW stone ground, multi grain crackers with a bit of fresh ground peanut paste. Delicious. Just don't eat the whole box! As to the fasting, ok it may take some time to do a 24 hour fast, just slowly work up to it. Greg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 20, 2004 Report Share Posted May 20, 2004 I would like to reiterate that I lowered my cholesteral total from 224 to 130 solely with the use daily of a combination of psyllium and guar, this over about a year. No CR, no dietary change, no drugs. CR is still the goal. Peg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 21, 2004 Report Share Posted May 21, 2004 > I did an archive search in this forum for Metamucil and psyllium and > came up with nothing. It seems like if the claims made in the info > from Center for Science in the Public Interest (Post 12001) were > valid (that it lowered LDL 7%) this would be a hot supplement? I was at the local health food store and found a product called Psyllium Husk Powder from Arise & Shine that is 100% natural fiber without the additional stuff that metamucil has. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 21, 2004 Report Share Posted May 21, 2004 You may want to do a search, fiber has been well discussed. They are good for you but are best incorporated into recipes and consumed with copious fluids. In general added fiber will improve volume and transit time in lower alimentary canal, both good things. Too much dry fiber/not enough liquid could cause blockage or other problems. Too much fiber will work against extraction of nutrients, clearly a double edged sword as you also get less calories. Good if you are over the top for nutrition, can be too much of a good thing if abused. I personally use guar and psyllium in several recipes. JR -----Original Message----- From: [mailto:johnr9q@...] Sent: Thursday, May 20, 2004 9:46 PM Subject: [ ] Re: METAMUCIL > I did an archive search in this forum for Metamucil and psyllium and > came up with nothing. It seems like if the claims made in the info > from Center for Science in the Public Interest (Post 12001) were > valid (that it lowered LDL 7%) this would be a hot supplement? I was at the local health food store and found a product called Psyllium Husk Powder from Arise & Shine that is 100% natural fiber without the additional stuff that metamucil has. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 21, 2004 Report Share Posted May 21, 2004 Now Foods sells pure pysillim husks, also. Fairly widely available. >From: " " <johnr9q@...> >Reply- > >Subject: [ ] Re: METAMUCIL >Date: Fri, 21 May 2004 02:45:38 -0000 > > > > I did an archive search in this forum for Metamucil and psyllium >and > > came up with nothing. It seems like if the claims made in the info > > from Center for Science in the Public Interest (Post 12001) were > > valid (that it lowered LDL 7%) this would be a hot supplement? > >I was at the local health food store and found a product called >Psyllium Husk Powder from Arise & Shine that is 100% natural fiber >without the additional stuff that metamucil has. > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 21, 2004 Report Share Posted May 21, 2004 I'm a guar user mostly. I have read that some use psyllium in baking recipes. Does anyone use psyllium in cooking or baking? john roberts wrote: >I personally use guar and psyllium in several recipes. > >JR > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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