Cholesterol very high & had a stroke since I switched from vegetarian diet including dairy/eggs

[jen1177]

I am wondering if I should return to my former vegetarian diet (soy, dairy, eggs, beans for protein sources). I am currently eating non-red meats (chicken, turkey, a little fish) and some beans as my protein sources. I've completely stopped eating dairy, soy and eggs because I had taken a food allergy test and they came back positive. But since I've switched to eating meat and no dairy/eggs/soy, my cardiovascular health has plummeted. My cholesterol is over 300, my blood pressure is all over the place, and I had a small stroke in December. I had none of these issues when I was a vegetarian, but my diet was higher in cholesterol then. I have read several recent studies that show that dairy is beneficial for cardiovascular health -- yes, in contrast to popular beliefs in recent decades. Clearly the low cholesterol diet is NOT helping me at all.

Has anyone lowered their cholesterol and blood pressure by eating dairy? Eggs? Soy?

I would just like to know if others have had this experience or if it is a coincidence in my case, and simply due to advancing age and total hysterectomy affecting hormones.

 

[pamojja]

Has anyone lowered their cholesterol and blood pressure by eating dairy? Eggs? Soy?

Never had a problem with BP, or really high cholesterol, nethertheless experienced a walking-disability from a 80% stenosis at my abdominal aorta bifurcation (PAD). Interestingly had been for 30 low-fat vegetarian before that, with only some cheeses at times. Also recently found a silent stroke in my cerebellum on an MRI.

After my diagnosis added daily eggs and weekly fish back in, and occationally some beef. Took in total 7 years and lots of other efforts (comprehensive supplementaton and lifestyle-changes) to experience remission from the walking-disabilty. Whole story told here: https://www.longecity.org/forum/stacks/stack/111-pad-and-additional-remissions/

According to testing (IgE) I'm also allergic to all kind of foods (soy, eggs, wheat) but practically only feel it during the pollen-rhinitis season, and once an anaphylacic shock after a bee-sting. So seems sort of irrelevant in my case.

One thing I would be certainly careful about any animal food, s the different way animals are raised now than when we were young. I would only choose organically grown grass-fed meat/eggs/diary and non-farmed fish (not fed with fertilizers, fungicides, herbicides, pesticides like glycphosate or rudimentarily given antibiotics ; which due to the higher intake accumulate in all animal products to dangerous levels).

Other than that, I monitored every intervention mainly with standard blood-testing, and some for essential nutrients.

And yes, you are of course right, CVD is the predicament of many at advanged age, Conventional interventions (cholesterol lowering drugs) really help only 1 in about 84 who take them with not reduced 5-year mortality. Livestyle interventions and comprehensive supplementation contrarily showed very effective in my case.

But also have to mention it took a lot of efforts in my complicated case, which might not be worth it for any other. And results may differ, one thing that worked for me (ie. dietary wise) might not work for you, due to bio-chemical individuality. Therefore always good to monitor interventions with regular blood-tests.

 

[jen1177]

https://www.cardiosmart.org/news/20...-of-dairy-helps-reduce-risk-for-heart-disease

I think I will try adding some dairy back into my diet a little at a time and see how I feel. I'll also reduce my meat consumption because I won't need as much. I've always hated eating meat, anyway.

I can't figure out how to reply to the quote from Pamojja here so I will just copy and paste:

"One thing I would be certainly careful about any animal food, s the different way animals are raised now than when we were young. I would only choose organically grown grass-fed meat/eggs/diary and non-farmed fish (not fed with fertilizers, fungicides, herbicides, pesticides like glyphosate or rudimentarily given antibiotics ; which due to the higher intake accumulate in all animal products to dangerous levels). "

Yes, I am totally aware of all that and completely agree, and I will only buy organic dairy products. I only eat non-organic meat when the organic is not available. I hate how animals are treated on conventional farms. Those factory farms are hell on earth.

 

[lenora]

Hello....Life rather fell apart for me at age 73. In addition to a number of neurological illnesses, CFS/FM, etc., I began a year of hospitalizations all leading to diagnoses of many different conditions.

I have high cholesterol (familial) and yes, the meds do help to bring it down as does my diet, very high BP at certain times of the day/night, again meds control that, attacks of epilepsy (fortunately in front of the doctors), that become more common with age, so I have to take anti-seizure medication (keppra), then followed autoimmune encephalitis (not much known about it, but it can affect your brain) a mild heart attack, 7 shunts, including one in the carotid artery and finally surgery for a GI obstruction. A bit much to recover from....and I'm still not finished with ongoing problems.

So whether any of this is due to ME, etc., or just old age is up for grabs. We're among the first to be faced with any of this, so the answers are still unknown. I have a lot of things wrong, including many allergies, but can't tell you what to do about them. I've rather given up looking for answers in my case (and my husband agrees with me and our daughters know what I want done).

Progress is being made constantly...please remember that.

The world looks very different as we age, but I think you understand that. Yours Lenora.