diet featured on horizon programme

[hairyfairy]

I saw a horizon programme about 2 or 3 months ago about the effect of diet on ageing, & have been following it since. It involves eating normally for 5 days a week, & then having just 500 calories for 2 days out of every week. It`s supposed to help with high cholesterol, & the doctor fearured who tried it had some good results after 2 months. I don`t know if it`s doing me any good yet, as I decided to give it about 3 months before having a blood test to find out. I`m just wondering if anyone else has tried it & had good results?

[KatyB]

I watched that programme too and found it very interesting. My cholesterol was 8.2 when I was first tested and I also had very high blood pressure 202/120. Was put on BP tablets but refused statins, instead went on a high fruit, veg, low fat, high fibre and less meat diet which brought it down to 6.1 in three months. Also did lots of exercise so lost some weight although I was not fat to begin with. Since this was about 7 years ago, my second test (3years ago?) was 7.8 but had not stuck to the diet. I am now sticking to the diet shown on the programme plus lots of fibre, fruit and veg. as I have another test in December. The programme was called 'Eat, fast and live longer' by Michael Moseley. By the way, I think my Dr has given me up as a lost case because I refuse statins!

[patch14]

Good for you refusing statins. I too am very chary of them. I have a reasonable level of cholesterol (LDL 3.8 HDL 2.3 Lips 0.7) Total not acceptable to Dr though! Lose a stone she says (already have BMI 24) am on a dairy free diet due to intolerances which she totally ignored (Drs DO NOT recognise "intolerances" only "allergies") and said I had to give up meat. I don't mind vegetables or fruit, but being dairy free where am I going to get my calcium which is VERY important as I have just gone through the menopause and NEED it.

I was under the impression that there is now a school of thought that statins in women did not give the results expected than those of men. Perhaps they need to go back to the drawing board and think again about statins and women patients (I know there is a place for statin use in those men and women who have had heart problems) but it needs careful monitoring and they should stop thinking of the "one pill for all" attitude that is prevelant at the moment.

[KatyB in reply to patch14]

I use soya milk and soya milk products instead of dairy milk, also tinned sardines, almonds, herrings and green leafy veg. are a good source of calcium. I make all of my own soups using onion, sweet potatoe, carrot, lentils and add turmeric and cumin powder, plus chilli flakes, a little bouillon powder, herbs and pepper but no salt. It's very filling and I find you don't eat so much.

[patch14]

Hi KatyB, I have oat milk, soya milk and soya yogurt. I also eat more or less what you do,and also take supplements so try to keep up my total calcium up amongst other minerals and vitamins. The meal you mentioned sounds lovely, I will try it. I, too, cook all my own meals and try to avoid processed food when possible. Reading all the labels takes longer than cooking from scratch!!!!!!