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58 year old healthy, active female with high coronary artery calcium
I am a 58 year old female who lives an active, healthy (or so I thought) lifestyle. I exercise 6 days a week which includes cardio dance, weights, and walking. I have borderline high cholesterol (LDL 102, HDL 83), low triglycerides, BP 110/66, A1C 5.9. My primary doctor recommended a calcium scan which came back at 107, putting me in the 92nd percentile for my age, with most of the calcium in the LAD. I was shocked! I’ve never had symptoms, but my dad had a heart attack in his 60’s.
I am now on 10 mg rosuvastatin, a very low fat, low carb diet, and am exercising less than before. The cardiologist I saw said that I may have been exercising too much which was causing inflammation that could have led to the calcium in my arteries. My EKG was normal, I had a carotid artery ultrasound which came back minimal 1-15%, and I am awaiting a stress test in February 11.
Any advice or words of wisdom or encouragement? I’ve been very worried since learning about this back in November.
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I haven’t been tested for Lpa yet. That along with several other tests have been recommended on this forum, so I’m going to ask for some more lab work from my doctor. I’m not sure why they don’t automatically check it when the CAC score is high.
As for my diet, I have always eaten healthfully by following the 80/20ish rule. I guess the 20 has not worked to my advantage. I have now gone to a whole foods based low fat, low carb diet. My doctor said to eat lots of lean protein at every meal which is difficult for me to do. You mentioned you eat a whole food plant based diet. Are you vegetarian or vegan, or do you eat some meat?
Also curious to know what they did for the blockages.
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1 ReactionI'm doing repatha, baby aspirin and sticking to my low fat (10%) whole food plant based diet - no oil, no sugar , low sodium and exercising. Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn and Dr. Dean Ornish were the first ones to show you can reverse or halt disease eating this way. Going this route.
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3 ReactionsI wonder if 80/20 rule for the above diet will work!!!
How is it possible to stick with no oil, no sugar diet 100% of the time?
Is it possible to satisfy the sweet tooth, and crunch munches???
How do you enjoy travelling?
Any seed or even occasional alcohol allowed?
Thank you,
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1 ReactionGuess the fear of a cardiac event keeps me motivated. The Cleerly test showed 80 and 70 percent blockages.... I ask myself "is it worth dying for?" I brought my food with me when I travelled. Yes, it harder but lucky I don't travel. No alcohol, it's a cancer causing. From dresselstyn.com
Your tastebuds do change. You don't want to eat anything that damages the endothetial lining. He's another link - https://thankful2plants.com/heart-disease/can-we-become-heart-disease-proof/index.html
How do you encourage your patients to stay on the diet?
There is no question it is hard at first. And it is hardest eating out at friends’ houses. However, I am always impressed how well my patients do once they experience the relief of chest pain, weight loss, and the improved feeling of well being they have eating a plant-based diet. Then the motivation comes from within. It also helps that within 8-12 weeks of starting the program the fat receptor in the brain down regulates and they lose the craving for fat. And as they start feeling better and better, they know that they are the ones– not their physician or their surgeon–that have control over the disease. It is a powerful feeling!
I also had a calcium scan when I was in my late 50 then my cardiologist recommended another one 2 years later which showed a increase score that was mostly in my LAD, so he then recommended cardiac angiogram which I never did because they never called to schedule. I do have high cholesterol, diabetes which was /is controlled but in October of 24, I started having arm pain and neck discomfort, just did not feel well went to ER had a emergency cath and ended up with a 95% blockage in my LAD. Had a stent placed. So the moral of the story is don’t ignore calcium CT cause apparently they are accurate.
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7 ReactionsThis sounds like how my current diet started. I do have dairy 3Xday and lots of whole grains. I eventually added olive oil and almonds/walnuts. A good amount of black coffee as well. I am curious what is typical for you to eat?
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1 ReactionOatmeal w/ blueberries for breakfast.
Lunch: cabbage soup, large salad w/ chickpeas and apple
Dinner: large potato, black bean chili, vegetable
Dairy causes cancer. I stay away from nuts (high in fat and have weight to lose). All oils damage the endothelial lining
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2 ReactionsVery similar. My cardiologist is who recommends olive oil AND it was a game changer for my symptoms. I see differing information on dairy and this study on olive oil
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22872323/
Evidence is conflicting and recommendations are all in different directions. Protecting the endothelium by reducing inflammation makes sense.
Recommendations on nuts, seeds, olive oil etc. continues to be confusing. Also sea food, if it provided omega 3.
How about the calcium and other deficiencies on vegan diet. I am osteopenic and not on calcium supplements!
Thank you
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1 ReactionIf you are prediabetic or diabetic, oatmeal and lentils raise blood sugars. Chickpeas are fine!