Substitute for sugar

[Adityac]

Can anyone suggest whether I should avoid sugar completely and also suggest an alternative Harmless artificial sweetener? I have two cardiac stents and non diabetic. Now on aspirin, Rosuvastatin and clopidogrel. Should milk be also avoided?

[Mascha1900]

Interesting! That would explain the fact that I often feel a craving for something sweet immediately after eating savory food (such as a cheese sandwich or something). I’ll try to suppress that and maybe have some fruit instead.

[Markl60]

Would you ask for a safe alternative to cocaine

[Markl60]

The only drug dealer I know is my local GP but I will ask around for you

Merry Xmas

[sandybrown in reply to Markl60]

GP, doctor or a specialist gives you a prescription and the pharmacist dispense the medication, this can be free or you have to pay for it !!!

[sos007 Ambassador]

Milk is fine in moderation. Clopidogrel is only required for one year after stenting - I will address your medications further at the end of my response.

SUGAR IS TOXIC TO THE HUMAN BODY. Sugar and sweeteners are not required for optimal health. Sugar's consumption is a function of the industrial age and serves no purpose in the human body other than to provide pleasure to the taste buds and stimulate the production of dopamine in the brain which increases the sensation of pleasure. It therefore acts similarly to other recreational drugs.

Sugar increases cholesterol levels, it triggers an inflammatory response in the endothelium (the inner lining of your arteries) which results in its damage. When the endothelium is damaged the body needs to repair it. Collagen is what the body would normal use to repair damaged tissues, but to create collagen requires high amounts of Vitamin C beyond the recommended daily amount (RDA) advocated by most health authorities. In its place, the body sends Lipoprotein (a), a fat molecule within the LDL (low density lipoprotein) cholesterol particle.

Lipoprotein(a) or Lp(a) is therefore the atherogenic component of the LDL particle and is responsible for the creation of plaque in your arteries triggering a cascading effect of the body's immune system resulting eventually in cardiovascular disease. Statin medications like Rosuvastatin DO NOT reduce the amount of Lp(a) in your body, therefore it serves no viable function. The artificial reduction of LDL-C (the so-called bad cholesterol), which is the principle function of Rosuvastatin, does not protect you from cardiovascular disease. LDL-C's existence in your bloodstream is a by-product of the existence of endothelial dysfunction.

Sugar shuts off the 'leptin' hormone in your brain which regulates your satiety (tells you when to stop eating). If the leptin hormone is turned off, you over-eat and gain excess body fat which contributes to elevated blood pressure which causes mechanical stress in the coronary arteries and causes more damage to the endothelium. As noted, the repair process for the endothelium triggers the release of more Lp(a).

THEREFORE:

Discipline yourself to avoid sugar. Artificial sweeteners are exactly that - 'artificial'. They are a foreign substance that cannot possibly help your body in any way and can only potentially cause damage.

If you have sugar in the form of dessert once a month you'll be fine, but it should be avoided in your regular daily diet.

Sugar is an addictive substance - some scientists consider it 8 times more addictive than cocaine. Watch this video:

youtu.be/aIc6iF5k9v4(Not working as expected?)

Getting off sugar will trigger similar responses by your body as to getting off of other addictive substances. It will take about 2 weeks and you'll be in a very bad mood and short tempered - warn those around you. Once you're off it though - you'll eat less because your leptin hormone will start functioning again and stop you from over eating.

You also need to dramatically reduce the consumption of simple carbohydrates - white flour products like white bread, white pizza dough, white pasta, as well as white rice and white potatoes. You CAN eat - brown rice, whole multi-grain bread, whole wheat or spelt pasta, quinoa, and sweet potatoes. In general you should focus on lean and healthy proteins and increase consumption of vegetables and fruits. Learn to eat beans, lentils and chick peas which are high in fiber and naturally reduce cholesterol and are also an excellent source of protein.

I'm a 55 year old male who had triple bypass surgery in 2015 as well as 4 stents afterward. I was given all of the medications you are currently taking. Through self education about cardiovascular disease, I permanently changed my diet and lifestyle (I now exercise daily). The result was I lost all unnecessary body fat and my weight slowly declined to its natural level (I'm 5' 10" or 178 cm. tall and 155 lbs. or 70 kg.). I use to weigh 195 lbs. or 88.5 kg.

As I lost weight and improved my lifestyle I slowly stopped taking all of the medications you are currently taking. I now take only vitamins and a baby aspirin only.

Stents and bypass surgery are temporary solutions for the underlying problem - poor dietary and lifestyle choices. IF YOU DO NOT CHANGE YOUR DIET AND LIFESTYLE YOU WILL AT SOME POINT IN THE FUTURE NEED MORE STENTS OR WORSE - BYPASS SURGERY, OR STILL WORSE, SUFFER A HEART ATTACK OR STROKE.

Vitamin C is inversely related to Lp (a). As a principle component in the synthesis of collagen, Vitamin C is required in doses of at least 3,000 mg per day. Vitamin C is not toxic, even in large amounts. Ignore the myths that are circulating in the popular press and internet about vitamin C.

The more Vitamin C you take, the less LDL-C cholesterol and Lp(a) that your liver produces.

I personally take 5,000 mg per day, spread throughout the day. When I was only taking 2,000 to 3,000 mg per day, my Lp(a) dropped by about 15% and my LDL-C by about 17%.

You can read all of my posts here:

healthunlocked.com/user/sos007

Turmeric and Vitamin E are natural anti-coagulants. Vitamins B6, B9 (Folic acid or folate), and B12 together work to reduce blood platelet stickiness and levels of homocysteine and fibrinogen.

Therefore, you should be taking turmeric and Vitamin E AFTER the one year period recommended for the clopidogrel. The B vitamins you can take immediately.

Statins such as Rosuvastatin have a long list of potentially dangerous side effects that include:

muscle deterioration (your heart is a muscle)

type 2 diabetes

alzheimer's disease and dementia

cataracts

bladder cancer

CoQ10 is an enzyme that among other things ensures the proper functioning of your heart. Your cardiologist should've recommended that you take the supplement CoQ10 as soon as he prescribed Rosuvastatin.

It took about 6 months for rosuvastatin to destroy my left rotator cuff. That's when I began learning about its deleterious effects and I began to materially change my diet and lifestyle.

You don't need any statin drugs - you need to change your diet and lifestyle and to start taking 3,000 mg of Vitamin C daily. Take an equal dose of the amino acid supplement called Lysine which works together with Vitamin C to build collagen and to reduce the atherogenic Lp(a).

Artificial sweeteners and prescription drugs are band aid solutions - good health requires permanent changes.

One final thing - watch this video:

youtu.be/O0lEmXJD7p4(Not working as expected?)

Good luck.