Chocolate??

[shirljo]

Hello, I have a question! At the onset of my diagnosed AF in January I was told to avoid caffeine. So I have decaf coffee and tea with no problem, I also gave up other foods that may trigger my AF as chocolate, liquorice, pizza (that was weird but sent my heart into overdrive) and icecream. So my question is this do I introduce these back into my diet as a 'lets see what happens' or just avoid forever?

Oooooh I do want chocolate though, not much, just a square of fruit & nut, a creme egg, hot chocolate ............ I think Cadbury's profits may be a bit low since January as I haven't had a single bite - boohoo

[jeanjeannie50]

Sweets, chocolate and liquorice trigger my AF too (forgot to mention treacle toffee yum)! I'm too scared to eat them now although I love them all! I've tried many times to introduce them into my diet again, but it always ends in disappointment and AF. The trouble is I can never, ever just have a little of them - have to eat the lot and I think that's the problem. I never eat pizza either as it gives me nightmares and poor sleep. I'd say try and live without them. For something sweet I eat fruit, dried apricots, dates etc. Good luck with the willpower.

[BobD Volunteer]

Hi Shirljo and welcome and I don't think Pizza is weird at all. It used to make me quite bad. I think it is cooked cheese that does it and know several others with similar problems.. Caffeine has a bad reputation but experts have told me that it has little affect if any. I only have decaf due to bladder problems post surgery. I must admit that my arrhythmia nurse went ballistic when she knew how much Red Bull I used to drink. LOL Used to get through a can every fifty miles on long journeys to keep me alert and often did 400 miles in a day.

I know where you are on the choccy too and the only reason I avoid it is the same as Jean, Can't eat one block have to eat the whole huge bar.. Can't buy bigger trousers every month now can I?

The bottom line is that these things do not cause your AF, You have a pre-disposition to it from defects in your heart's electrical system and they are just triggers. Far better to sort that out by talking to an Electrophysiologist about possible treatments, What dugs are you on and I hope your stroke assessment has been done properly ?

Bob

[CDreamer]

Hi Shirljo milk chocolate and white chocolate have a lot of sugar in them which may be a trigger for a lot of AFibbers. I can eat small amounts of dark chocolate but as soon as I touch milk chocolate it was thump, thump! I used to find that if I avoided trigger foods for several months I could sometimes have occasional intake with no consequences as long as I didn't have more than one in three days. When I pushed it back to thump, thump. It is very much trial and error and different for everyone. Wine, caffeine in any form, cheese & sugar were my main ones. Stay well.

[kakapo]

I don't drink, smoke or like tea and coffee. I did blame chocolate for causing my AF for a while but all it really does is make me fat . It's a shame really because I do have the willpower not to eat it, I just don't have the willpower to stop once I've started.

[Hidden]

I can't take alcohol or caffeine, but I'm sooooo glad to say that chocolate doesn't seem to have any effect on me, and if it did I'd probably deny it. I only eat dark chocolate, but quite a lot of it, also hot chocolate, mocha, anything chocolate really

Re the pizza's, some of the cheese on pizza's isn't proper cheese, don't know whether that's relevant or not, just funny some people mention pizza's but not cheese!

Koll

[llamudos]

i think like all things in life moderation is the key factor and a little knowledge helps

i have one piece of dark chocolate mix into my porridge everyday. please read a snipbit i copied from a health site....

1) Dark Chocolate is Good for Your Heart

Studies show that eating a small amount of dark chocolate two or three times each week can help lower your blood pressure. Dark chocolate improves blood flow and may help prevent the formation of blood clots. Eating dark chocolate may also prevent arteriosclerosis (hardening of the arteries).

hope this is helpful

[dedeottie in reply to llamudos]

Oh dear I wish you hadn't mentioned chocolate in porridge. Now I can't wait to try it . Sounds yummy.x

[Hidden]

Hi shirljo I also find crisps and chips but everybodys different,but i agree with you about liquorice,thats a def no.

[shirljo]

Thank you for all your replies today. to BobD I'm on Rivaroxaban, Bisoprolol and Flecainide and after juggling a few tablets I find I am more settled on these. I think my main trigger is stress but obviously some foods haven't helped at all. I am going to try dark chocolate ... and may even try it on my porridge! I'm ok with wine as long as it's red but think I will stay away from Pizza for the rest of my life!!

I hope you all have a great weekend and thank you once again for your help

[fuzzflyer]

Reducing sugar is the key to many health issues. But you do need a life!