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Living with high calcium score
I am a 53 year old male. Just found out I have a CAC of 731. Most of it (699) is in the right coronary. I exercise 5 times a week , used to eat eggs every day (15-20 per week), cottage cheese and yogurt. Upon hearing this news, stopped eating eggs right away. Just trying to figure out what else to adjust. I don't have BP and am at a healthy weight of around 160 lbs for 5'8".
Doctor still has to reach out to me and I think most likely I will be put on Statins. I have high LDL and Apo(b), but triglycerides are under control.
The question I have is, how else should I adjust the lifestyle. I don't drink or smoke or eat meat. Should I reduce how hard I work out? I used to take my HR to 165 and whenever I did it I used to get a heartburn. I was thinking that the workout has triggered acid reflux but looks like something else is going on.
For those with high CAC , how hard do you work out? Should I stop hiking and running? Looking for some insights.
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Sugar from what I understand spikes your blood sugar. My main reason not to consume it is because I am trying to avoid dementia, which seems to run in my family. I think sugar overall is bad for us. I read the book Sugar Crush years ago and I forget the specifics now. I just decided not to consume it if I can avoid it. I do have maple syrup from time to time because it is lower on the glycemic index, so it doesn't give the spike. I do have some sorbet from time to time. So, I don’t totally deprivd myself. I have such a restricted diet because I am gluten and dairy free. I don’t think brown sugar is any better than white sugar, but you just need to find a balance if you really want your treat. I have read if you take a walk after consuming food helps. Pair it with fiber, fat, or protein I have read, helps slow down dugestion. Try reading the book, Sugar Crush, or research online. Best wishes.
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3 ReactionsThey have given me different interpretations about nutrition. For example, it doesn't matter if I have a high calcium score of 900 and I consume sugar. The endocrinologist had a different opinion that sugar does not harm the heart but increases calories and weight and thus can do harm. Another different perception is that garlic cannot help because we eat it in small amounts.I have concluded that vitamin C and omega-3 from red pepper every day, onion or garlic soften atherosclerotic plaque. Also, maintaining a healthy weight and walking 1 hour and a half per day. My question is whether I can drink a cappuccino with two tablespoons of brown sugar every 7 days?
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2 ReactionsHello @mikeoskokie -
I see you tried sharing a journal article. There is a short period of time new members are unable to share links to protect the community from spam.
In the meantime, allow me to post the link for you:
"INCREASING DURATION OF STATIN THERAPY IS ASSOCIATED WITH HIGH CORONARY ARTERY CALCIUM SCORE"
- https://www.jacc.org/doi/10.1016/S0735-1097%2822%2902236-7
Look up "collateral arteries." That's what I have, and I bet you do, too. In fact, I have a blockage in the right artery, and I still run. I had an angiogram, and they said I didn't need a stent because other arteries had taken over.
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1 ReactionI am 72 y/o male. At a routine check (which I ask for every five years) I got a perfectly normal resting EKG from my cardio guy BUT coronary artery calcium came back at 1409, most of it in the right coronary artery. Yes I freaked, especially in light of my dad dying of his third heart attack. However a Nuclear Myocardial Perfusion Stress Test resulted in me being classified as a "low risk study", although I will be on statins for the rest of my life. No problem running on the treadmill as long as they wanted and then some (9 minutes total) or achieving the target heart rate. HOWEVER , I attribute this result to running or cycling most of my adult life (except for the last three years). I think it provides a physical reserve. Other than that I certainly was never the poster boy for a healthy life style. So if you have a healthy, fit past you might not be as bad off as you think, BUT get the stress test and find out!
Has anyone with high CAC score done anything factual to lower the score? high intake of vit. K2-MK7 then repeating the CAC test?
Statins DO increase the CAC score plus the cognitive implications (smaller brain vessels get calcified from statins - connection with early Alzheimer/Dementia)
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1 ReactionYour post got buried in a post about coronary artery calcium. Suggest you try again to post it as its own thread in the Heart and Blood Health group.
how do you qualify for the program? Is it your CAC score or your cholesterol numbers etc.?
I have seen Dr. Ornish program being discussed on this forum. Can we have more discussions on this topic here. I have high CAC score, but do not qualify for the program yet. There are a lot of info online.
If anyone is following the program, can I get some input on how practical the diet is and also tips on how to lead a social life on this diet. Thank you
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