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I have, for the most part, done what you have stated above. I have made a concerted effort to cut sugar out of my diet and I haven't drank pop in years. I don't eat fast food and I rarely eat red meat or pork. I haven't given up on my coffee but I only drink one cup a day and that is probably the only caffeine I have all day. I try to drink at least 48 ounces of water a day. I still like to have a couple of beers on the weekend but rarely more than 4 at any given time. I walk for 20 minutes every morning and do a weight workout 3X a week. I honestly don't notice my Afib probably because it is constant and I have just gotten used to it. I am open to looking into other options, as long as they don't involve prescription medication. I take a blood thinner but I am not going to go on pill regimen. I watched my parents go through that and I swore I would not go down the same path.
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BTW, in case you aren't aware of it, in order to get off meds, you do need to be free of arrhythmia. Ablations do a great job of doing that for you. But there is still the bit of risk, a higher risk, of stroke due to dislodging clots from the left atrial appendage. In recent years, many EPs recommend the insertion of a device called a Watchman into the LAA. Inside of about 15 weeks the Watchman should be sealed off with endothelial tissue, thus closing off the LAA and preventing either leaking from it or blood from entering it. If a trans-esophageal echo cardiogram at the six month mark shows no leakage, many/most EPs will advise that you can now cease the anti-coagulant. (Note: if you have other risks for stroke, your physicians would recommend you stay on an anti-coagulant for life. Please google 'CHA2DS2-VASc score', and you'll find an explanation of this calculus that physicians use to determine your whole-body risk of stroke and if you need a prophylaxis. Some sites have a calculator that you can use to fill in your own data and derive your own score...if you're scrupulously honest about the inputs).
I hear you; while I have the A-fib in control, I do take a lot of meds--some prescribed and some OTC. Unlike you, I can't stand the feeling of being out of atrial rhythm; it just makes me so uncomfortable and annoyed. I have been told that many folks really don't feel bothered by the arrhythmia, so if it is constant, there really isn't much you can do to change that. I am holding out for an ablation at this point since the small dose of anti-arrhythmia drug I am trying has been working so far, but if it fails then I am in for plan B. The other thing that makes my situation tolerable is that my insurance company pays for most of my meds; some folks are just paying a lot for Eliquis alone. These med costs can be a real drag on someone's budget. Take good care!
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The same path for long-standing persistent AF, or for permanent AF, is possible mitral valve failure and heart failure (cardiac insufficiency is a much more accurate term, but it means the heart loses a lot of efficiency in pumping due to vessel wall thickening, at which they lose volume AND become much stiffer against their own intended function).