Feeling heart beat, skipped beats through skin

I agree with AFRobin in her approach to trying lifestyle changes before adding yet another prescription medication to your plate. I, too, believe drugs should be your last option. I just want to say that when, and if, dugs ARE the last option, do not feel guilty or that you have failed in your attempt to improve your condition, and therefore, your health, by turning to pharmaceuticals. Sometimes, unfortunately, we simply have no choice. Case in point...….I have a condition known as hyperlipidemia, this means that no matter how careful and diligent I am about watching my levels of cholesterol, my body produces too much cholesterol. When my lipid panels kept coming back with really bad numbers, my doctor said I needed to go on a very strong statin. I really wanted to avoid that for obvious reason. I was sent for a consult with a nutritionist to help me lower my cholesterol. I was put on a diet for 6 months that I didn't think would even keep a rabbit alive. But I was determined to stay off statins, so I followed that diet religiously. At the end of the 6 months, I had another lipid panel drawn and my LDL (the "bad" cholesterol) numbers had actually gone up! I already had 2 cardiac stents and it was decided that in MY case, there really was no other course of action besides going on the statins. I have been on a very high dose for several years now, my cholesterol levers are nearly normal and my cardiologist is keeping very close watch on my liver function, which so far, knock on wood, has remained very minimally elevated. I wrote this only as an example that SOMETIMES, even when we try our hardest to correct a medical issue naturally, there will be times it simply is not enough and we must rely on medication for optimum health. This does not mean that you should skip any lifestyle changes you've made. I still stick to the ultra-low cholesterol diet the nutritionist put me on, but I DO cheat now and again. Which I see as one of the dangers of believing if we're taking a pill to keep the condition under control, then we can just stop trying to help ourselves...….and that's NOT how it works.

What’s a good recommendation for this diet as I also want to lower my blood pressure as well. I just don’t know where to start ?

What’s a good recommendation for this diet as I also want to lower my blood pressure as well. I just don’t know where to start ?

The DASH diet for lowering bp has been around for ages. Cut out salt.

Hi Ruby Witch!
Oh boy! You've hit a raw nerve. I am SO anti-statin, you cannot imagine.
Here is Canada we have a documentary program which cannot be seen in the US. It's called The Nature of Things with renowned scientist, Dr. David Suzuki. Last year, they broadcast a documentary on cholesterol and statins with interviews with the top cholesterol/statin research scientists in the country. So this is not my opinion. The bottom line is that ONLY A MAN IN HIS FORTIES WHO HAS HAD A HEART ATTACK should be on statins.
My husband has had high LDL/bad cholesterol since his twenties or even earlier... (but always excellent, good HDL cholesterol I think because his diet is high in vegetables). After watching the documentary with me 3 times just to be sure of what we were learning, he was convinced not to take statins.
If you go on the Mayo Clinic site you can read that statins can cause diabetes, muscle wasting, liver problems that require monitoring every 6 months (and for which you need to take CoQ10 to protect the liver) and memory loss. And this is just what happened to my husband's sister who also has high cholesterol and took statins for years even at age 80 when even the American Heart Association sets the statin bar at age 75..
Let's face it, a doctor who does not do as Big Pharma says, can get him or herself into a lot of hot water.
A very experienced pharmacist friend told me that years ago 'normal' cholesterol was set at a particular level and it was recommended that anyone with a higher rating, take statins. Then Big Pharma lowered 'normal' and more people needed to be put on statins. Then Big Pharma lowered 'normal' a 3rd time so that now almost half of the elderly (who should especially not be on statins) are taking statins.
My husband tried to lower his cholesterol through diet; principally through a very high fibre breakfast. His numbers slowly went down into the normal range but again slowly went back up even though he kept up with his super fibre breakfast. He was always a walker but then began walking at least 10 km per day and as many as 25 km (maybe 16 miles) per day. His numbers are closer to Big Pharma's latest 'normal' range.
Cholesterol readings are passé. What is important now is your c-reactive protein levels which indicate inflammation in the body. On Web-MD it states: A recent study found that elevated levels of C-reactive protein were associated with three-times-greater risk of a heart attack. How is your c-reactive protein levels, Ruby Witch? My cholesterol is in the newest normal range but I could do better with my c-reactive protein levels and have to work on it with a more Mediterranean, high vegetable diet, plenty of vitamin C and fibre++. If I had high cholesterol like my husband I would not touch statins with a 10 foot pole.

Sue......my cardiologist recently put me on a low salt diet. WOW! It is SO hard since everything is loaded with sodium. Even if it says "Low Sodium," the amount will still shock you. Eating everything "fresh" is the easiest way, besides hiding your salt shaker, but buying fresh can get really expensive. I just bought a book from Amazon called "The Low-Sodium Diet Plan" by Christopher Lower. (There are SO many to choose from!) I like his slow cooker recipes! It was published in 2017 and I got it used for under $10 which included S&H. I'm 68 and have never had to watch my salt intake before and this book is a great primer for the novice and "saltaholics!"

What about canned veggies such as peas, corn, green beans?

What about canned veggies such as peas, corn, green beans?