I am due a 4xCAB in 7 days and since finding out I have done lots of reading regarding whole food plany based diets and how people are tackling the cause, aiding recovery and seeing teversals. I have been 90% plant based for a few weeks now and am making the change to be 100% WFPB. I feel this will aid my recovery after bypass as well as prevent and possibly reduce what I have. Asking the community of any experiences, thought and opinions on this as I find it so hard no one has not even my GP has advocated this at any stage but upon research seems to be the only significant method of positive changes.
Happy 2020 | Whole Food Plant Based D... - British Heart Fou...
Happy 2020 | Whole Food Plant Based Diet (WFPB) - Thoughts, Experiences and Opinions discussion.
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Razta
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47 Replies
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It’s a superb diet in terms of reducing sugar, cholesterol etc. But boy is it hard to stick to unless your a brontosaurus 🦕.
Good luck on your journey
Razta in reply to
Yeah it's hard to stick to but am listing things I like and dont.. and trying new recipes to get to a list of the best ones imo. thanks for the message. Happy new year 
MilkfairyHeart Star
Hi Razta
This article was published a few days ago. Food for thought.....
Good luck on finding the way that suits you best.
theguardian.com/lifeandstyl...
Thank you! One last thing is oil! I am reducing this hugely and if possible cutting it out completely.
We actually do need some fat in our diet. However the type of fat we consume is important.
The BHF has lots of information
bhf.org.uk/informationsuppo...
There is some more information on Heart UK's website
Although Im not following a plant based diet( yet) Im a believer. My primary doc is an integrative medicine guy. He pushes plant based but not vegetarian. He thinks we need fatty fish( like salmon) twice weekly, red meat weekly but mostly veggies and a little fruit. Im hoping in 2020 I will get more serious about my diet.
Veeee in reply to
What kind of things do you eat? How many portions of fruit?
in reply to Veeee
My doc says to try 80% fruits/ veggies, heavy on the veggies. He says eat a handfull of nuts and berries daily. Try to get in fatty fish 1-2 times a week, like salmon, herring. He is big on intermittent fasting, which I find easy. Lots of variations but I only eat in an 8 hour window each day, like 10am to 6 pm works for me.
My excuse for not following it is that my hubby is a big junk food, fast food guy. Bad excuse. He is 70, Im 66 and he seemingly is in great health. So he has no interest in changing his bad habits, which I know I shouldnt make excuses for me. I just need to develope better eating habits. Ive improved alot over 4 yr of having a fib, which I believe has to do mostly with lifestyle changes.
MichaelJHHeart Star
I tend to go along with the Mediterranean diet recommended by the BHF. Mine is reduced carbohydrate as I am Type I diabetic.
Vegan diets need great care as there is a danger of vitamin deficiencies particularly B12.
Although I have seem claims about diets reversing artherschosis I have never seen any peer reviewed clinical trials to prove this. Many who make these claims seem to make money from diet books and associated products.
Do they have a vegetarian version of the Mediterranean diet?
The one I saw was basically the same but with beans, tofu and nuts&grains substituted for the usual protein sources. As you are a vegetarian you can also add on eggs and low fat cheese (e. g. cottage cheese).
Do you have the web lonk?
I think it's fairly easy to make simple meals from vegetables beans grains. I like to add eggs and nut butters or tahini also fish for more protein and omega 3. Baked potato are easy .Avocados are easy to snack on rice cakes, I love seaweed hummus noodles. Soup is a great way to eat lots of veggies.I eat far too much sugar free chocolate . I get both dark and white from sainsbury Dairy free yoghurt is nice too with bananas and nuts or stewed fruit sometimes too.
Veeee in reply to
Please can you share some easy and simple tips and meal ideas that are vegetarian?
in reply to Veeee
Umm aubergine and chickpea curry or Dahl , or roast veggie with couscous or quinoa and felafel or egg hummus, Chinese stir fry or noodles with leek and tofu and peanut butter , vegan cauliflower cheese with vegan cheese add eggs and veggie sausages if you eat them for some kind of bake idea,hummus and mushrooms on toast pea and spinach soup...I am a freaky eater and favourite foods are seaweed tahini and sugar free chocolate but I guess keeping carbs moderate, no sugar, moderate fat and protein in nuts seeds and eggs and fish and eat some filling vegetables like cauliflower and broccoli in the evening to bulk out the meal and prevent raiding the biscuit tin in the middle of the night as I am doing now.
Going vegan is one thing if you stick to real food and take the essential supplements if necessary i.e. B12. I would have thought it would be difficult to do and would be tempting to resort to ready meals and 'meat' substitutes. ALL those are processed foods and should be avoided. Ignore the traffic light system and read the actual ingredients.
I think the Traffic Light system can be useful but has to be looked at with the ingredients. It was interesting to read in another thread how eGFR needs to be taken in context with other results and also include age. I think the problem is that in trying to simplify things they are made less useful. What annoys me about the TL system is that it doesn't include total carbs which is important to me being pre-diabetic. But then many people think diabetes is about sugar intake not realising all carbs contribute to blood sugar. Our dumb downed media don't help!
I totally agree. People should do their own research from correctly peer reviewed trials if possible. Unfortunately this takes time and I've only been able to do this since I retired at the end of last August. 'Experts' are not necessarily looking at the latest research and, as you say, are dumbing down available information particularly if it suits their purpose. I would also like to see carbs on the traffic light system but doubt it will happen. Best to stay away from processed foods most of the time. I also agree about the health issues and results of tests. I have several conditions and don't feel that anyone is tying them together so have to try to do it myself!
What I don't understand is, why the French who eat lots of saturated fats as in their cheeses, butter and meats etc have far lower risks when it comes to heart disease and why are the BHF asking us not to use butter and instead use some chemically constructed spread.
I went vegan , low fat for ten months, felt dreadful and ended up anemic,I've been doing the same as Tom Watson lately (low carb) and feel so much better, with intermittent fasting thrown in. Do your own research but views are beginning to change dramatically.
I also follow low carb and IF. I have eaten some biscuits, yorkshire puds etc over the holidays and can't believe how sluggish it's made me feel. Back to real food today!
Keep it up Bicyclist it's the way to go
There is nothing wrong with butter nor eggs nor dairy.We all know the story about eggs and the scaremongering from big processed companies . keto works and the research coming out and also a new film soon will show its helping to slow down and I believe stop the progression of plaque build up.
The grainy old pictures of pci procedures from Dr Esletyns erea are just outdated and leave a lot to be desired.
Stick to your butter and your good fats and keep the carbs out if possible?As you say yourself,you can see the difference already!
Low fat????Yuk!!! It's low fat for a reason.
All the good stuff has been taken out and replaced by rubbish...example margarine
Hi,
I have been on it for 4 months now and initially it was tough but now it’s just my way of eating. I find I get mocked a bit by friends and family and they try to sabotage you sometimes but they are getting used to it.
I was a 150 mile a week cyclist and a gym trainer before my heart attack and stents and I am back to that now.
I feel I have more energy now and was surprised at the amount of athletes who are plant based. If you get the chance watch the film Game Changer about plant based athletics.
Not sure where you are but Aldi have a good range of plant based foods and I make a lots of my own stuff.
Luckily I have alway eaten chickpeas, lentils, beetroot and sweet potato.
You can make it interesting by the use of herbs and spices. It just takes a bit more planning.
All the best
Neil
Agree with comments about the limitations of a wholly plant-based diet which does not meet all nutritional needs especially iron and B12. Best to allow for some fish & meat or take supplements.
in reply to 45sue
Untrue.
True!
My attitude is that I owe it to my wife, to myself and to the NHS, who I believe have literally given me a second chance at life, to do my best to try and prevent any recurrence of what was a terrible shock to me 15 months ago (96% LAD blockage and 2 x stents). Nobody can say for definite that meat and saturated fats are the culprits, but personally I think they have played a big part in my condition. I feel switching to a plant based diet is, frankly, a no brainer. Also, a plant based diet, with research and adaption, can provide delicious and nutritious meals which will help you lose weight and make you feel better. Cutting out particularly beef will also contribute significantly to reducing greenhouse gases which I feel is also very important, so it is a win-win for me. Also, once you have had the procedure, I think it is very important to undertake as much exercise as possible within your ability, and could be said to be a moral payback for the treatment? Basically my outlook is that if anything bad happens in the future, I can at least say that I have done my best to prevent it. Good luck!
benjijen in reply to
If that is working for you then that's fine but don't forget hidden sugars.
in reply to benjijen
Could you expand on this?
benjijen in reply to
If you have any processed food you will more than likely find hidden sugars under another name. Refined sugar is a problem but if you read the ingredients and then google any you don't know you'll be aware. If you steer clear of processed food or meat substitutes you should be fine. Just be aware.
in reply to benjijen
Yeah sorry I should have said, I don't and never have gone anywhere near processed food with a bargepole! Thankfully my mum always cooked from fresh and it has stuck with me, my wife the same. I find it quite horrific to see the amount of ready meals and other crap that fill peoples trolleys, no wonder we have an obesity problem in this country.
I think the Christmas sprouts contributed significantly to greenhouse gases! 😁 Joking apart I think the real problem is the ever increasing population but politicians in all countries do not want to address this. Yes we can plant trees but we might need the space for crops!
in reply to MichaelJH
The ever increasing population is very definitely also a problem, but do not underestimate the contribution of beef production, it is very significant, and is also a poor use of available land. I fear the problem with overpopulation will never be addressed due mainly to religious reasons, but we can all do our bit and cut down (or preferably out) our beef consumption.
Statex in reply to
I agree that the population explosion of some countries is to blame for green house gasses. People who give up beef do not realize that
the land used to produce grass is not capable of growing crops. The whole global warming issue is ramped up by scientists who are justifying their jobs.
What happened to the hole in the Ozone Layer?
That was the main gripe in the eighties but not mentioned today.
Governments all need excuses to raise taxes and global warming lets them off the hook and the flock follows without question.
in reply to Statex
Mmmm. I fear you are obviously beyond persuasion and thankfully in an ever decreasing minority. Have a look on the news tonight, along with the hottest December on record in the UK and the evidence unfolding in front of you in Australia, you response is frankly beyond belief, as well as factually incorrect.
The hole in the ozone layer was blamed on ....... greenhouse gases...... I seem to recall!
in reply to santisuk
You both need to do some swatting up. Ozone depletion is caused by man made gasses called CFC's and is nothing directly to do with climate change, although there are similarities. Greenhouse gasses are primarily responsible for climate change and are mostly in the form of carbon dioxide the main culprits of which are burning of fossil fuels and land usage change. Methane and nitrous oxide are also significant contributors hence my comments regarding Beef production. I find it a bit sad that the very people who derided ozone depletion (which is now actually beginning to get fixed by the banning of CFC's) will be the same sorts who now deny climate change and seek to criticise "scientists", the very people who's peers have probably helped save their lives!
It seems that what a person eats to get maximum benefit is based on a combination of knowing ones Genes, Lifestyle and Health Conditions. There may be many different reasons a person has Heart Disease and different food choices may benefit their individual circumstances. It seems LCHF may work for some and WFPB for others. Most doctors are not trained in Nutrition and don't have access to a persons individual Genetic Markers.
Thank God
Someone with some knowledge has spoken. 😅Your spot on.
We are all different and what works for one doesn't for the other!
But I will stick to LCHF thanks😃😄😅Nearly died of malnutrition on a bloody vegan diet.Bring on the good fats and forget the vegan fake foods in supermarkets.
Maybe not all vegetables are good for you.
Tomatoes, bell peppers (capsicums) and even potatos are said in some quarters to have an inflammatory effect on the body .... but I also noticed that the anti-inflammatory info on the internet is dominated by websites that are pushing anti-inflammatory supplements, so I have an element of scepticism.
Surely the worldwide health organisations should be pushing for funding to give the world better research on dietary impacts on the body. I doubt we'll ever get trustworthy answers from the traditional health industry - too much vested interest in pushing pills and no incentives to do that type of research (and given the lack of incentives we can hardly blame them, though lots of people do!)
can you explain more please regarding peppers and tomatoes being inflammatory. I've heard two sides to this.
Rob you have a choice
Follow the research based evidence of the Department of Health and the BHF or follow the opinion of others not based on research.
nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/e...
theguardian.com/lifeandstyl...
There is also the biome
nesta.org.uk/feature/ten-pr...
Food for thought.....
smarternutrition.com/blogs/....
Look down the article for the listing of inflammatory foods. Dr Nancy is one of the backers behind supplements promoted by "Smarter Nutrition". Probably this article leads you into SN's sales hook by saying - don't worry you can eat all these inflammatory foods; all you need is our supplements (at about 70 US$ a month from memory).
I'm not going to knock it - I'm just naturally sceptical generally. Even more so now that, in quickly googling to get a Smarter Nutrition link using "tomatoes inflammatory Dr Nancy"*, I came across more links that were clearly saying tomatoes are good anti-inflammatory foods. I hope they are right - I still use tomatoes and bell peppers in the salads that form a major part of my lunchtime diet even though I have headed for what I call a low-inflammatory diet (no dairy, no gluten, lots of pineapple and papaya loads of green veggies, little processed food reduced barbecued/fried foods etc)
*Yes, I'm sorry ladies; one of the few things I could remember about the subject I was searching for was the memory of pictures of an attractive Asia-origin lady doctor - my bad 
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