Strict Diet - Surprising Outcome

[Jafib]

My mother, who is over 80 years old now, has an absolutely amazing willpower. Approximately 10 years ago she started the keto diet and stayed on it for nearly 6 years during which time she saw fantastic success with weight loss. However, one fateful afternoon her blood sugars spiked so high she almost died - turns out she had a mass on her pancreas and it had taken over. Many appointments and many different predictions later (was told it was pancreatic cancer three times when it indeed was not!) she emerged from the situation a Type 1 diabetic with a whole new set of rules and processes to follow.

She then decided to drastically change her diet again - this time to 100% plant based with no oil. My Mom has an amazing ability to choose something and then just stick with it, no questions, which she did with this new diet. We are now several years into her doing this whole food plant based diet with no oils and her doctor is taking her off her flecainide!!! The medicine that had been keeping her in rhythm 99% of her life since she was in her 40s. She had been reducing her dose because she noticed that if she forgot to take it that nothing happened. She was taking so little that the doctor told her there was no real effect it was having any longer and she could just discontinue it altogether.

Has anyone heard of such success through diet alone? I can’t go without my flecainide for too long before my heart lets me know it is needed! I am also very aware that what, and how much, I eat had a great impact on my afib.

On another note - the mass in her pancreas has reduced in size to the point it is insignificant, however, the function of her pancreas is never expected to return.

Thoughts???

#flecainide #diet #WFPBNO

[Singwell]

Inspirational and goes to show none of us is a statistic. Fat free vegan type diet I think the one is recommended by the Ornish programme for heart conditions. And they report complete remission in some cases.

[Gezp in reply to Singwell]

Interesting that this worked for your mother, but I think we have to be very careful about recommending the vegan diet on any level and we can't just look at one possible outlier. Vegan is nutritionally deficient and there are many vested interests out there producing highly processed foods in support which we know cause inflammation. Removing good fats like olive oil that would only make this worse.

Low fat diets may work for losing weight but are not sustainable nutritionally.

[Jafib in reply to Gezp]

Nobody recommended anything @Gezp or suggested that you or anyone else look at the experiences of my mother and change their entire approach to self-care - it is simply a discussion. Also, WFPB specifically excludes processed foods so not sure where you are going with that...

[Gezp in reply to Jafib]

You might have missed that I was really replying to Singwell and the recommended Vegan diet point. All for WFPB in the main albeit I wouldn't do to the letter due to missing essentials for me like regular oily fish! Oh and I don't understand the obsession with whole grains as not evidence based.

[Singwell in reply to Gezp]

Not my mother! And simply reporting what I understood about the Ornish Programme in case the OP finds it helpful.

[Ppiman]

A wonderful story to read! Thank you. One swallow does not make a summer, I suppose, but that was inspirational, nonetheless.

You lovely story reminded me of my late father, who was a lifelong quite heavy smoker of "Park Drive" cigarettes, and nothing anyone could say would make him stop, or even consider doing. He had never once in his life been into hospital, but a cataract eventually took him there at the age of about 70. The ophthalmologist told him the smoking likely caused it and that he should stop, which he did, there and then. The family were amazed.

Steve

[mjames1]

Sounds like the Ornish or Esselstyn diet, which are similar. Esselstyn 100% vegan and Ornish mostly vegan but has fish oil. The hallmark of these diets is that only 10% of daily calories can come from fats. That means essentially no oil, nuts, avocados, etc. Pritikin, the "father" of the low fat diets is now a bit more liberal with animal protein.

These very low fat animal based diets are controversial but some anecdotal evidence is compelling in terms of reversing cardiovascular disease. All require discipline and eating out can be a real challenge where even hard to find a meal at a vegan restaurant because most of the dishes would be too high in fat.

To over-simply, the controversy has to do with the fact that many consider the diets too low in essential fats. A lot on the internet both pro and con if anyone interested.

I have been on Pritikin and Esselstyn for short periods of time and may go back at some point. Glad they worked out so well for your mother.

Jim

[Singwell in reply to mjames1]

Thanks for clarifying about the Ornish approach especially with regard to fats.

[RoyMacDonald]

Very interesting, thanks for posting. I have very few SVT events since I changed my diet. but... I struggle to keep my weight up so tend to eat oily fish, nuts etc. a lot. But I also know I cannot digest fat and that it upsets my stomach. So sometimes I feel between a rock and a hard place. Especially when eating with my family. 😪 Also I have a very active lifestyle that takes a lot of energy to fund. How does your mother manage with her energy?

All the best.

Roy

[Jafib in reply to RoyMacDonald]

She seems to have good energy most days, but her sugars are hard to regulate on occasion, which saps her energy. I am not a vegan by any stretch as I eat fish and venison and honestly, I have trouble being consistent with any specific way of eating. Stress, social situations, availability, etc. all seem to play a part in how well I eat. I like that you are active and hope you find a way to put the puzzle together and get all the nutrition and health you need!