|
|
We want to know what questions you have on health and wellness. Share your questions here and Arlene Sanoy, registered dietician at Kraft Kitchens, will stop by monthly to select two questions to be answered in our new upcoming KRAFT Live Healthy & Happy newsletter. The answers will also be posted here for everyone to see on the message boards.
Please keep in mind that other members may claim medical or nutrition expertise or status that they may, or may not, possess. Please use good judgment and discretion in following their advice. Always check with your doctor or nutritionist before modifying your diet.
|
Posts:
9
|
Posted:
Jul 27, 2009 2:09 PM
|
One doesn't need to be a Dr. or possess degrees to discover healthy eating or useful nutritional supplements.
I disagree with you about the prescription fish oil. It's a rip-off, people can buy very high quality fish oil from good health food stores.
|
|
Moderator_Pam
Posts:
290
|
Posted:
Jul 27, 2009 10:24 AM
|
Hi patzorb, welcome!
As noted at the top of the boards, please keep in mind that other members may claim medical or nutrition expertise or status that they may, or may not, possess. Please use good judgment and discretion in following their advice. Always check with your doctor or nutritionist before modifying your diet.
|
|
|
Posts:
939
|
Posted:
Jul 25, 2009 10:00 AM
|
Besides excessive refined carbohydrates, sugar and fat in the diet.. alcohol is another major culprit. (Note that Splenda and other sugar substitutes has NO effect on TGs.. as it is not absorbed in the GI tract). Soluble fiber can help lower levels. And, yes, adding omega-3 fatty acids to your diet can help as well. Flax seed oil OR Flax seed meal is appropriate (the body is unable to break down the seeds for n-3 bioavailability) as well as fish oil. The "burpy" effect can be eliminated by taking with food. I would also look for a brand that carries the USP certification (US Pharmacopeia)- which helps to ensure purity/effectiveness of supplements. There is also an Rx version of fish oil available which is FDA certified/approved specifically for lowering TGs (brand name LOVAZA).
Note, however, that you should not take greater than 2g (2000mg) of fish oil OR any other theurapeutic OTC medication (such as niacin or chromium) w/o talking with your MEDICAL (MD/DO) doctor. Many of these of supplements have significant side-effects (particularly when paired with other meds) which would need to be documented as part of your medical record.
Here is a good fact sheet on tips to lower TGs:
http://www.umassmed.edu/uploadedfiles/LoweringTriglycerides.pdf
Also be sure that your physician is using a true FASTING triglyceride level... as they will be increased after meals/snacks regardless of your baseline levels. Be aware that recommendations need to be based on your total medical history... the fact that your MD is thinking Zocor makes me wonder what exactly your other lipid levels were, your family history, past medical history, etc... as zocor is a statin and would have a more sweeping effect on your lipid panel than just targeting your TGs.
|
|
|
Posts:
293
|
Posted:
Jul 24, 2009 8:24 PM
|
> Burp a fishy taste--not if you buy the very good
> quality liquid oil from a good health food store. I
> never burped from the liquid, but did from the
> capsules.
> As to your assertion that flax seed fed to chickens
> produces a 'fishy taste', flax is not fish, so I
> don't know where you got that idea. I have been
> eating free range eggs for decades, esp while
> pregnant, and would have noticed it by now. I take
> flax oil everyday and have NEVER had a fishy burp or
> odd aftertaste. That is why I take mine mixed in with
> yogurt. It also depends on which brand of liquid oil
> [not capsules] you decide to use. Barlean's is always
> good, I use Spectrum Organic, never bitter, filtered.
> There is a brand I did once try and it was not so
> o good, sorry can't recall the name. I have tried
> nearly every brand out there.
> You are correct in mentioning decreasing sugar and
> empty carbs, however, you are wrong about cous cous.
> It is not a grain, in fact, it is a form of tiny
> pasta, that looks like grain.
> And, although freezing flax or fish oil caps sounds
> like a good idea, by the time you have purchased them
> in the store, they are already rancid--hence the
> stinky burps.
I agree with you steinwaybaby I never burped a fishy taste either.
I didn't say no red meat just decrease (limit your intake) of it. You're right fats is not always the enemy, polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats are good for you, it's the saturated fats that we then to eat too much of that is our enemy (lol). I also include natural cheese in my diet, and limit my intake of process cheese to reduced fat or fat free.
**Also, try Chromium Picolinate 200mcg it helps to support a healthy blood glucose level. **
|
|
|
Posts:
9
|
Posted:
Jul 24, 2009 8:21 PM
|
You are quite correct about reducing empty carbs in her diet. I do disagree with you about no red meat, one can eat very lean, high quality beef. And fat is not always the enemy--the right fats are very useful in balancing our diets, such as the flax or fish oil mentioned, and neutral ones like olive oil. I also eat hard cheeses, these are lower in fat, and provide lots of calcium.
I have tried every eating 'plan' known to man, and the ones that work the best and keep me trim and peppy, are the ones that include a little healthy fat in each meal. Fat slows down the digestion, thus steadying the blood glucose levels, controlling hunger for many more hours than meals without it.
I also agree with you about the niacin and the CoQ10.
|
|
|
Posts:
9
|
Posted:
Jul 24, 2009 8:15 PM
|
Burp a fishy taste--not if you buy the very good quality liquid oil from a good health food store. I never burped from the liquid, but did from the capsules.
As to your assertion that flax seed fed to chickens produces a 'fishy taste', flax is not fish, so I don't know where you got that idea. I have been eating free range eggs for decades, esp while pregnant, and would have noticed it by now. I take flax oil everyday and have NEVER had a fishy burp or odd aftertaste. That is why I take mine mixed in with yogurt. It also depends on which brand of liquid oil [not capsules] you decide to use. Barlean's is always good, I use Spectrum Organic, never bitter, filtered. There is a brand I did once try and it was not so good, sorry can't recall the name. I have tried nearly every brand out there.
You are correct in mentioning decreasing sugar and empty carbs, however, you are wrong about cous cous. It is not a grain, in fact, it is a form of tiny pasta, that looks like grain.
And, although freezing flax or fish oil caps sounds like a good idea, by the time you have purchased them in the store, they are already rancid--hence the stinky burps.
|
|
|
Posts:
293
|
Posted:
Jul 24, 2009 4:18 PM
|
> I am a 56 year old female. My recent bloodwork showed
> quite a spike in my triglyceride level. I walk 2
> miles daily and monitor my food intake. A few months
> ago I started using flax seed. Could that have
> contributed to the spike in my levels. I read in
> HEALTH magazine that this can elevate triglyceride
> levels. My Doc wants me to start taking Zocor. I want
> to discuss alternative help due to the side effects.
> Any suggestions/opinions much appreciated.
Hello patzord,
The only reason that your triglyceride level has spiked up is the fact that you're eating too much sugar and carbs. You need to decrease all refined sugar in your diet, including soda, fruit juice, fat-free desserts, candy, cakes and cookies. Also, you need to decrease "white flour" products such as pretzels, saltine crackers, white pasta, white rice, and white bread. Finally, decrease satrurated fat intake such as red meat, cheese, and high -fat condiments, and eat smaller meals in the evening.
The Zocor medication that you doctor prescribed to you will help to improve your triglyceride level alone with your diet and exercise.
I buy flaxseeds too and sprinkle them over my cereal and salads. However, I did try the flaxseed oil and when I took a tablespoon of it "yuck" it taste like pure oil.
I hope this helps and good luck to you.
**You mention some other alternative to take besides the Zocar. I take Niacin (flush free), if it is not you will experience hot flashes 500mg once a day and CoQ10 30mg, these are other the counter dietary supplement you can buy at a healthfood or drugstore such as Wal-mart, CVS, or Walgreens. I take these for my cholestrol after I read the side effects from Lipitor.
However, my doctor didn't reccomend it to me I went to a wellness physcian.***
Rate this post:
|
|
|
Posts:
1
|
Posted:
Jul 24, 2009 2:42 PM
|
flax seed oil is good, fish oil is good too, but my husband says that you can "burp a fishy taste" for hours later - and sometimes you can get that same taste and feeling from plain flax oil as well (you can notice this in the eggs that are omega-3 heavy, they feed flax seeds to the chickens and the eggs can taste fishy as a result) If you find capsules that contain either flax seed oil or fish oil - put them in the freezer and take them frozen as you would normally, freezing them helps to decrease or eliminate the fishy aftertaste.
Also, since high triglycerides is a measure of the fat in your blood - decreasing sugar helps too. Try eating more sprouted grains (sprouted grain bread takes some getting used to for those of us that eat only white or that "wheat" bread from the store) eat less white starch and more whole wheat pasta, whole wheat tortillas, whole grain bread, brown rice. As little sugar as possible (that includes Splenda) NO potatoes - try cous cous, quinoa or other such grains as a substitute for mashed potatoes. The lower sugar will help with weight (which reduces triglycerides) the higher fiber will help with colon health and is better for you.
Good luck!
|
|
|
Posts:
9
|
Posted:
Jul 24, 2009 1:59 PM
|
You are not helping by using the seeds--the fiber will trap the good oils from the flax and you just pass it all out.
You must use the pure OIL instead, cold pressed, unheated. My mom had the same issue as you [she's in her 70's]. We started her on taking 1-3 tablespoons of pure flaxseed OIL per day. Do not take with any fiberous foods--she took it mixed with some yogurt. Her numbers dropped like crazy, within a few months she dropped over 100 points. Her doctor was deliriously happy with results.
Now mom switched to pure FISH OIL, from cold Norwegian waters-she likes it better and only needs to take 1 teaspoon a day. You can buy the flax oil OR the fish oil from any good whole foods market in your area. DO NOT TAKE THE PILLS--the oil is already spoiled and too old to have any value.
Hope this helps.
Rate this post:
|
|
|
Posts:
1
|
Posted:
Jul 24, 2009 12:17 PM
|
I am a 56 year old female. My recent bloodwork showed quite a spike in my triglyceride level. I walk 2 miles daily and monitor my food intake. A few months ago I started using flax seed. Could that have contributed to the spike in my levels. I read in HEALTH magazine that this can elevate triglyceride levels. My Doc wants me to start taking Zocor. I want to discuss alternative help due to the side effects. Any suggestions/opinions much appreciated.
|
|
|
|