Food for Angina

[Rob6868]

Anybody got any ideas of specific foods that could benefit Angina suffers.

I've changed my diet due to being diagnosed with CAD in may and one stent

But it seems I now have Angina

Just looking for foods that could help.

[Chappychap]

The British Heart Foundation (who sponsor this website) provide all sorts of superb advice. If you hunt around their website you'll find loads on diet and lifestyles that are appropriate for people with heart problems,

bhf.org.uk/informationsuppo...

[MichaelJH Heart Star]

Some of the trigger foods for migraine may trigger angina in some people. Examples are coffee, alcohol and chocolate. May be worth exclusion testing.

[Hidden in reply to MichaelJH]

Interesting, that one.

[HB-HB]

Some people on here are raving about WFPB (whole foods, plant based) diet and I'm about to have a go at it. Just watched Forks over Knives doc on Netflix and it seems worth a try. Good luck.

[Rob6868 in reply to HB-HB]

Seen it and tried it.

Very strict.

Very hard to adhere to when you have shift work and 4kids not giving you time to my think lol.

You will definitely lose weight on it lol

But it's a strict regime that I sadly dnot have the time to keep on top of

Good luck though.

[MichaelJH Heart Star in reply to Rob6868]

Someone I know tried a variation of this that allowed poultry but not fish! Working a 24x7 zero hour contract it only lasted three weeks. Their consultant was unconvinced and told them to go for a Mediterranean diet.

[HB-HB in reply to Rob6868]

You can be as strict as you like. If you can't live without meat/dairy/eggs, use it but be mindful of it. Reduce it by as much as you can and in time you may be able to wean yourself off of it. That's my plan and I'm starting today.

[Rob6868 in reply to HB-HB]

I hardly eat meat now..only chicken..fish...I stopped dairy months ago...occasionally someone goes and puts milk in my tea at work but that's it.

Eggs mmmm lucky if I have one a month to be honest.

I eat a lot..lot of fruit and alpro plant based unsweetened yougurt on top of fruit with odd bit of honey at times.

Chia seeds and linseed etc too plus usual beans and healthier stir frys

But I know there's more I can do but do find it a minefield.

Sadly I'm still in daily chest pain even at rest most days..hence I have another stress test this Wednesday

But it was me that pushed for it and I know it's angina

[jimmyq in reply to Rob6868]

Try weaning yourself off the egg, chicken and fish. Also minimize the salt, processed foods and oils (apart from nuts, seeds and avovados).

If you need inspiration to help with that read the book "How Not To Die", I think the audiobook version is free on Amazon at the moment.

[HB-HB in reply to Rob6868]

You can look into intermittent fasting as well. It helped me shift some weight but also having no food inside for a while does feel liberating. It may help you feel better but do some research first.

[MichaelJH Heart Star]

Have you had any follow up? There is always a possibility you may need an additional stent but hopefully not.

[Rob6868 in reply to MichaelJH]

Hi

No I was told I had 40% calcification in one other artery and that's not big enough to stent as you would probably know Michael.

My LAD was blocked and that's the one I've had stent put in.

The others are fine he said.

I came out of the procedure with ongoing chest pain

He was concerned and said it was an awkward procedures because my LAD was difficult to get to.

I've had an ECO after stent..then cardiac profusion scan that was normal

And now waiting for stress test this Wednesday.

I have the pain on waking most morning's and during the day and at rest and cold....classic angina.

I keep thinking will it go to a heart attack so I try to get on with my work to block it out.

Was back in A+E couple of days ago..usual triponin test lol..score of 5

Oh it's not a heart attack. ..yes doc I know lol...it's bloody angina so sent home.

Have a spray but not used it yet because I'm able to walk through the pain

At times its in my shoulder but my neck has been stiff for over a month..

Don't know wether that's angina or my statins Michael

[MichaelJH Heart Star in reply to Rob6868]

Before my bypass I was on an anti-anginal, isosorbide mononitrate, that reduced but did not stop the angina.

I got leg and shoulder pains with Simvastatin but am OK on Atorvastatin. Have you tried any other statin apart from the one you are currently on?

[Rob6868 in reply to MichaelJH]

I'm on atorvastatin at the moment

My problem is that I don't know if it's the statins or angina giving me the shoulder neck pain? He's offered me those drugs you took but haven't taken them yet.

And also calcium channel blocker dizlatin. ..don't know much about them..

I thought I was eating healthy lol lots of fruit..now I'm being told that fruit will raise my bad cholesterol. ..I can't win I feel

[MichaelJH Heart Star in reply to Rob6868]

Diltiazem is another anti-anginal. Being a CCI (calcium channel inhibitor) it works differently to the nitrates. I found it very effective but the side effects for me were unacceptable!

[Rob6868 in reply to MichaelJH]

Can I ask what they were?

[MichaelJH Heart Star in reply to Rob6868]

They lower your blood pressure further. I got occasional slight dizziness on standing quickly (not uncommon with BP medication) but with me it would sometimes develop into nausea and vomiting. Many others are fine though.

[Rob6868 in reply to MichaelJH]

I suppose I don't have a choice other than to take them if I'm diagnosed with CAS or angina soon..

But I'm not taking them at the moment although docs are not happy because of exactly that..I don't need more side effects at the moment when I haven't been diagnosed if that makes sense.

Just sick of all this.

I'm beginning to think the ones who have CABG are better off than the ones who have stents and have angina.

Did your angina go after bypass then Michael?

As for sickness and nausea

Stuff that..I will come off them straight away if that happens

[MichaelJH Heart Star in reply to Rob6868]

Yes my quadruple cured both angina and breathlessness. First six weeks were a struggle due to heatwave. Main issue now is tiredness caused by beta blocker. There is always something!

[Rob6868 in reply to MichaelJH]

You know what.

I could move forward and move on in life if I wasn't having this daily angina pain..it's that what is getting me down because I'm usually a positive person and I was after the stent.

Now I have this and I'm 99.9% it will be unstable angina or something like prizmetal angina.

Either way I get it all day while at work.

And it stops me being me...does that make sense Michael?

I'm currently suffering really bad bruised feeling in left shoulder as it rolls down towards bicep

And severe neck stiffness

Is this statins or angina?

And why mostly left side?

[tezza80 in reply to Rob6868]

Hi Rob6868,hope you don't mind be replying on this thread.just curious of your type of pain on waking in a morning.i am due to see a cardiologist anytime soon due to chest pressure and tightness on exertion.most mornings now I wake with tightness around my neck and shoulder.is this symptoms of angina?I can get chest pressure and the same feeling in my neck,shoulder,back and heavy left arm.these are all new to me as I was only having symptoms when exercising to start with.been given gtn spray,do you use your spray when you get these symptoms too or only chest pain?thank you.

[Rob6868 in reply to tezza80]

Hi tezza.

In simple terms "yes" pretty much what your telling me I am experiencing.

Apart from the jaw pain that if I'm right is more associated to a heart attack! But in march I experienced chest pain at exertion. When I was at the gym or swimming etc..

Slight breathlenses and that's when I knew something was wrong.

I had to push to get a ct scan etc

In the end I had a sent in may this year. Big blockage in LAD

But after the pain didn't subside and has slowly become more frequent. during rest and sleep and cold weather...so I know it's changed.

Sadly I believe it's now become unstable angina.

So yesterday I had another stress test..

The only positive thing so far is that I actually got through the whole test with know stress pain and resting heart rate of 150/ forgot the lower number lol..

[tezza80 in reply to Rob6868]

Thank you,sounds like I might have angina then,I'm only 38 and GP has pushed for an urgent referral,think my symptoms are getting worse.stopped all exercise now until I find out what's causing it.worrying times.i hope you are alright,frustrating isn't it.i've always exercised and eaten healthy.think mine must be hereditary.hope they get you sorted soon and thank you for the reply.

[Rob6868 in reply to tezza80]

Tezza are you on watsapp?

[tezza80 in reply to Rob6868]

No,not on there

[Rob6868 in reply to tezza80]

OK mate no worries

I started going to rehab and was the youngest there but the only one who wasn't allowed to exercise because I had chest pain..hilarious really since I was doing the gym thing 3times a week plus running 10k with partner and swam..yet I sat and watched as people who had never obviously done anything fitness wise got stuck in..

Good for them though.

I found that very frustrating but that's the policy on rehab.

I wasn't actually offered rehab because I never had a heart attack

So I asked to go on it.

But my pain has changed kezza

I can now go to the gym and do a fairly good workout.

I walk for miles in my job and with dogs now..BUT it's changed in respect that I could be watching TV and it will come on at rest or in bed and particularly in the cold when I step out the door in the early hours.

That's the big difference.

I got my cardio team to keep on the case and I was given a cardiac mri profusion scan..that came back normal but that was for blood flow so no good for angina.

I'm getting the pain as I message you now.

I find it frightening and it does make me feel very low every time it hots me.

Especially as unstable angina can lead to a heart attack and I had young kids.

Keep in touch mate and I will keep you posted OK!

[tezza80 in reply to Rob6868]

You were healthy too.i was told not to stop exercising when I started with the tightness but then i started getting other symptoms when at rest.its frightened me.i wasn't going to be seen till Feb cause I am 38 but GP contacted cardiologists and they agreed I needed to be seen sooner.just waiting on an appointment.family history of strokes.running around after kids is exercise in itself some days.strange how you can do exercise now but still get symptoms at rest.its very confusing,isn't it.take care.

[Hidden]

Forget all this crap about diets.If you want to lose weight and feel better about yourself eat less and move about a bit more.x

[Rob6868 in reply to Hidden]

😄 I'm not looking for a diet plan but more the advice of what foods can help the pain of angina...probably imflamation I suppose.

I have already lost nearly 3stone even though I wasn't obese and do the gym and walk 4miles a day so that's not the issue 😃😃

But thank you for your advice

[Rob6868]

Thank you concerned

I've actually cut dairy out and use oat or cashew milk these days.

I eat more fruit than a bloody fruit bat too lol mainly apples raspberries strawberries pears and bluberries with odd banana.

And usually chuck the plant based Alpro unsweetened NO SUGAR yogurt over it with odd bit of honey or dark chocolate

Veg I do my best...was getting expensive buying fresh every day so now switched to frozen as I now believe it's been shown to be just as good...obviously cheaper and bigger shelf life.

I usually only eat sourdough if I can find it lol or wholemeal bread but don't eat a lot of it.

Otherwise it's tins of tuna or Mackrell and whole grain ricentre etc..

I have the odd biscuit or slice of cake though oops!

[Rob6868]

Yes but I'm being told that in particular strawberries and apples along with raspberries are good daily..Basically I can't win..eat sweets or eat fruit? As for bread well I'm trying to source 100%oat bread as I believe that's the best but it's hard to find .That or sourdough

So wholemeal that I would prefer not to ear is my only alternative at moment.

I'm well aware it's not much different from white through the process of making it but I don't have a lot of choice at this present time or I will continue to lose weight.

I can't eat grains all day long and it's unrealistic to expect someone to eat salmon fresh every week (as much as I would like to ) because I simply cannot afford it..so what does that leave me with? Olive oil..sardines.Mackrell and tuna that I eat a lot of...from tins..

I also understand about low gI foods and carbs as my partner is a personal trainer and competes so she helps as much as possible

But as she points out..I still need my protein and carbs .

It's a minefield. ..and there's me thinking I was doing the right thing eating lots of fruit

[Rob6868]

My problem is that if I lose weight I find it hard to put back on...so what am I supposed to eat to get that weight back on if I don't take too many cars in...grains? ??lol...all day..

[Rob6868]

But them if you speak to people on plant based diet they will say your wrong..milk and full fat etc...that's why I say you can't win..

[Rob6868]

Cheese in the low gi...but we are constantly told NOT to eat cheese or in tiny amounts for instance

[Rob6868]

And I will thank you..

But as you put yourself at top of the page...The words May be good for you! Into relation to cows milk...that's the dilemma.

No one really knows and that it's personal choice.

But I will go away and rethink my gi foods if anything.

I do feel at the moment I'm doing my best.

Fruit veg grains beans and olive oil with plenty of salads etc ..

I'm trying

[Rob6868]

I've just read a report that states there is no evidence to prove that a low gi diet helps people with coronary heart disease in men...or that it can prevent it

But that in studies it could...could help woman...

It's more directed towards diabetic patients.

I'm not diabetic .