- My Forums
- Tiger Rant
- LSU Recruiting
- SEC Rant
- Saints Talk
- Pelicans Talk
- More Sports Board
- Winter Olympics
- Fantasy Sports
- Golf Board
- Soccer Board
- O-T Lounge
- Tech Board
- Home/Garden Board
- Outdoor Board
- Health/Fitness Board
- Movie/TV Board
- Book Board
- Music Board
- Political Talk
- Money Talk
- Fark Board
- Gaming Board
- Travel Board
- Food/Drink Board
- Ticket Exchange
- TD Help Board
Customize My Forums- View All Forums
- Show Left Links
- Topic Sort Options
- Trending Topics
- Recent Topics
- Active Topics
Started By
Message
Anyone Done Mediterranean Diet?
Posted on 8/27/24 at 7:21 am
Posted on 8/27/24 at 7:21 am
I’ve done bloodwork the last few years and have really high cholesterol. It is genetic, but my doctor wants to avoid putting me on meds at my age (29) so he wants me to do an aggressive Mediterranean diet. Any tips for this or guides to follow? I will be cutting out red meats completely and removing any alcohol or sodas which will help, but some tips would be appreciated so I don’t experience immediate burnout
9
Posted on 8/27/24 at 7:39 am to Tiger328
quote:
’ve done bloodwork the last few years and have really high cholesterol. It is genetic, but my doctor wants to avoid putting me on meds at my age (29) so he wants me to do an aggressive Mediterranean diet. Any tips for this or guides to follow? I will be cutting out red meats completely and removing any alcohol or sodas which will help, but some tips would be appreciated so I don’t experience immediate burnout
nothing special about the Mediterranean diet, just a way to control calories
but biggest thing is losing weight, cutting out processed crap and cut alcohol. For most, ingestion of dietary cholesterol doesnt have much of an effect on cholesterol levels
biggest thing is get in a caloric deficit, make your diet protein based, cut out all processed crap, start walking a lot and try and lift weights in a progressive manner 2-3x per week.
Posted on 8/27/24 at 8:03 am to lsu777
Thank you! I’m not completely inactive, as I walk around the plant daily and the dogs in the evening, probably 3-5 miles per day, but I am not currently going to gym but I will be starting. Kind of an eye opener with the concern the doctor had, but guess now is as good a time as any. I would definitely like to cut out 20 lbs by end of year
Posted on 8/27/24 at 8:30 am to Tiger328
Sometimes you can't fight genetics. I waited and waited. I finally got my heart scan done at 46. 29% blockage in the widowmaker. Now that I am on Zetia and a Statin, cholesterol is in the 140s.
Posted on 8/27/24 at 8:49 am to Tiger328
there are supplements that can help too, if you are interested ill post you a list
Posted on 8/27/24 at 8:50 am to lsu777
I am definitely interested! I’m having my first baby in December and it’s hitting me that I need to get healthy and on track for him
Posted on 8/27/24 at 11:08 am to Tiger328
For similar reasons, I went on that same eating plan last year at 57 years old so I have a bit different situation than you. That plan is a drastic change from a typical Louisiana diet but combined with regular exercise, it totally changed my labs for the better. As you know, the diet focuses on whole fruits, vegetables, and some whole grains. Meat is an occasional inclusion. If I eat meat, it's chicken, turkey, or salmon. It took me a while to get used to lentils and beans instead of potato chips and a malt but the cravings lessened over time. On the positive side, I lost a fair amount of weight, haven't felt better in decades, have more energy, and don't get nearly as hungry as before.
Plan your meals so you don't cheat out of convenience because cheating leads to more cheating. Eating whole fruits and vegetables requires more frequent trips to the grocery so think ahead about what you will consume for a week and plan the grocery trips accordingly. If there are others in the home with you, try to get them to eat the meals you can have. Weakness is intensified if everyone around you is eating a hamburger while you have chickpea and cucumber salad (which is actually pretty good). Also, read food labels. There is so much trash included in packaged foods that you will end up well off the path in no time if you eat blindly.
While the transition seems rough, its fine once you get in the routine. Good luck.
Plan your meals so you don't cheat out of convenience because cheating leads to more cheating. Eating whole fruits and vegetables requires more frequent trips to the grocery so think ahead about what you will consume for a week and plan the grocery trips accordingly. If there are others in the home with you, try to get them to eat the meals you can have. Weakness is intensified if everyone around you is eating a hamburger while you have chickpea and cucumber salad (which is actually pretty good). Also, read food labels. There is so much trash included in packaged foods that you will end up well off the path in no time if you eat blindly.
While the transition seems rough, its fine once you get in the routine. Good luck.
Posted on 8/27/24 at 11:34 am to lsu777
@LSU777
That position may overlook some of the other benefits of the Mediterranean diet. It includes lots of soluble and insoluble fiber which help control blood sugar and serum cholesterol, includes foods high in nutrients compared to typical American diets, and it reduces saturated fat intake which is a component of arterial plaque. For those with known heart-health issues, it's a big step forward. By the way, thanks for your continuous activity on this board. Your responses have helped me immensely.
quote:
nothing special about the Mediterranean diet, just a way to control calories
That position may overlook some of the other benefits of the Mediterranean diet. It includes lots of soluble and insoluble fiber which help control blood sugar and serum cholesterol, includes foods high in nutrients compared to typical American diets, and it reduces saturated fat intake which is a component of arterial plaque. For those with known heart-health issues, it's a big step forward. By the way, thanks for your continuous activity on this board. Your responses have helped me immensely.
This post was edited on 8/27/24 at 11:40 am
Posted on 8/27/24 at 11:59 am to Tiger328
I’m reading and studying “The Big Fat Surprise” currently.
Ironically, the Mediterranean diet became popularized after Dr Keys a scientist performed his “Seven Countries Test” back in the 1950’s (and was funded with $20m from Proctor & Gamble). He found that the Greeks consumed very little meat and lots of olive oil so they deemed they found the magic to heart health.
What Keys did not note was he performed his test during the middle of a very strict Greek Orthodox annual fast.
Ironically, the Mediterranean diet became popularized after Dr Keys a scientist performed his “Seven Countries Test” back in the 1950’s (and was funded with $20m from Proctor & Gamble). He found that the Greeks consumed very little meat and lots of olive oil so they deemed they found the magic to heart health.
What Keys did not note was he performed his test during the middle of a very strict Greek Orthodox annual fast.
Posted on 8/27/24 at 12:27 pm to Grillades
quote:
it reduces saturated fat intake which is a component of arterial plaque.
not true for most people.
quote:
For those with known heart-health issues, it's a big step forward
but 99% of the benefits are because it forces you get rid of the processed foods and eat whole foods that are much more satiating which causes most to eat less
95% of the health benefits of any diet are going to because
1) caloric deficit
2) cutting of processed foods that cause inflammation
3) if an elimination diet like Carnivore, whole30 etc... removes almost all foods that are known to cause distress, inflammation etc
nothing really special about the Mediterranean diet, its just a basic whole food diet with lots of veggies and things are cooked in healthier ways
but the findings on the mediterranean diet are all correlation based and based on the health of those countries and what they eat. the correlations do not factor in things like step count, consumption of caffeine, total caloric intake etc that are all shown to help with all cause mortality
Posted on 8/27/24 at 12:34 pm to Tiger328
quote:
I am definitely interested! I’m having my first baby in December and it’s hitting me that I need to get healthy and on track for him
for cholesterol specifically, dont be scared of low dosed statin but these will help tremendously
1) nattokinase @ 12,000 iu daily (3 caps morning, 3 before bed)
LINK
2) citrus bergmont- 1200mg twice daily (2 caps morning, 2 before bed)
LINK
3) Vitamin K- 1 in the morning, 1 before bed.
LINK
Posted on 8/27/24 at 2:29 pm to Shepherd88
quote:It's great and she's great.
I’m reading and studying “The Big Fat Surprise” currently.
quote:My memory was she said the Med Diet was basically created out of whole cloth when they were taking all those food industry workers on junkets to Europe. She makes the point that there are like 27 countries on the Mediterranean - with LOTS of variation between them. In short, it's a diet that doesn't even really exist.
Ironically, the Mediterranean diet became popularized after Dr Keys a scientist performed his “Seven Countries Test” back in the 1950’s
quote:It was also smack dab in the middle of most-WWII austerity. I believe the island in question had been massive meat eaters, but were essentially too poor for meat when he found them...and that's before any considerations of ridiculously tainted data (the urns he shipped back to the US lol).
onically, the Mediterranean diet became popularized after Dr Keys a scientist performed his “Seven Countries Test” back in the 1950’s (and was funded with $20m from Proctor & Gamble). He found that the Greeks consumed very little meat and lots of olive oil so they deemed they found the magic to heart health.
What Keys did not note was he performed his test during the middle of a very strict Greek Orthodox annual fast.
Olive oil - that's my favorite trivia question for people that I got from the book. She claims there is basically zero evidence of any peoples anywhere consuming olive oil as part of their diet prior to like 1885.
Posted on 8/27/24 at 9:55 pm to Tiger328
I have some family members who tried it. Eating lots of seafood was ok. Nobody lost more than a few pounds though.
Posted on 8/29/24 at 8:08 pm to Tiger328
quote:
Cutting out red meats completely
You would be better off cutting out gmo wheat completely. Nothing wrong with red meat as long as it’s organic / grass fed.
Posted on 8/29/24 at 9:08 pm to Tiger328
Cutting out all that junk food, sodas, alcohol, sugars... is a big factor.
Sugar is almost a poison as is HFCS.
IDK much about the Mediterranean Diet per say but the foods listed below will help you get your cholesterol levels to where they need to be.
Try eating a few avocados a week, you can flavor them up with a little sage and lemon pepper.
Eat a small handful of almonds per day, broccoli & cauliflower is great too. Nuts like sunflower seeds and walnuts
Omega 3 rich foods like fish, salmon, sardines, mackerel. I take a fish oil supplement a few times a week.
Hope this helps.
Sugar is almost a poison as is HFCS.
IDK much about the Mediterranean Diet per say but the foods listed below will help you get your cholesterol levels to where they need to be.
Try eating a few avocados a week, you can flavor them up with a little sage and lemon pepper.
Eat a small handful of almonds per day, broccoli & cauliflower is great too. Nuts like sunflower seeds and walnuts
Omega 3 rich foods like fish, salmon, sardines, mackerel. I take a fish oil supplement a few times a week.
Hope this helps.
Posted on 8/29/24 at 10:32 pm to Reubaltaich
Sugar isn’t poison and it’s the cutting of the calories
Posted on 8/30/24 at 1:54 pm to Tiger328
It has benefits other than just calorie control. It is good for heart health and avoiding sugar level spikes as well as decreasing inflammation.
Posted on 8/30/24 at 7:29 pm to Tiger328
How much do you weigh? You are too young to be having high cholesterol.
Posted on 8/30/24 at 8:07 pm to lsu777
Didn't you recommend Nattokinase at some point?
Posted on 8/30/24 at 8:47 pm to bdavids09
I’m 6 foot and weigh 210
Page 1 of 2
Popular
Back to top
Follow TigerDroppings for LSU Football News