Conference rocks::weight_control

509.0. "Low Cholesterol Guidelines" by MSDOA1::MCMULLIN () Fri Sep 08 1989 17:01

    I went to the Dr. yest. and my cholesterol level was a little high.  
    He has put me on a Low Cholesterol, Low Triglyceride Diet.  Below is
    the list of Guidelines I received, in case anyone is interested.
    
    Virginia
    
    The following is published by Warner-Lambert Company; copyright 1987
    
    Foods to Use
    
    Meats, Fish		Choose lean meats(chicken, turkey,veal, &
    			nonfatty cuts of beef with excess fat 
    			trimmed;one serving = 3 oz. of cooked meat)
    			Also, fresh or frozen fish, canned fish
    			packed in water, and shellfish(lobster, crabs,
    			shrimp, oysters). Limit use to no more than
    			one serving of these per week.  Shellfish are
    			high in cholesterol but low in saturated fat and
    			should be used sparingly.  Meats and fish should
    			be broiled or baked on a rack.
    
    Eggs		Egg substitutes and egg whites(use freely).
    			Egg yolks (limit two per week).
    
    Fruits		Eat three servings of fresh fruit per day
    			(1 serving =  1/2 cup)  Be sure to have at
    			least 1 citrus fruit daily.  Frozen or canned
    			fruit with no sugar or syrup added may be
    			used.
    
    Vegetables		Most vegetables are not limited.  One dark 
    			green(green beans, escarole) or one deep yellow
    			(squash)  vegetable is recommended daily. 
    			Cauliflower, broccoli, and celery, as well as
    			potato skins are recommended for their fiber
    			content. (Fiber is associated with cholesterol
    			reduction).  It is preferable to steam vegetables,
    			but they may be boiled, strained, or braised with
    			polyunsatured vegetable oil (see below)
    
    Beans		Driesd peas or beans (1 serving = 1/2 cup) may be
    			used as a bread substitute.
    
    Nuts		Almonds, walnuts, and peanuts may be used sparingly
    			(1 serving = 1 tablespoonful)  Use pumpkin, sesame
    			or sunflower seeds.
    
    Breads, grains	One roll or one slice of whole-grain or enriched
    			bread may be used, or three soda crackers, or four
    			pieces of melba toast as a substitute.  Spaghetti,
    			rice, noodles (1/2 cup) or 1/2 large ear of corn
    			may be used as a bread substitute.  In preparing
   			these foods, do not use butter or shortening; use
    			soft margarine.  Also use egg and sugar
    			substitutes. Choose high-fiber grains, such as oats
    			and whole wheat.
    
    Cereals		Use 1/2 cup of hot cereal or 3/4 cup of cold cereal	
    			per day.  Add a sugar substitute if desired with 
    			99% fat free or skim milk.
    
    Milk Products	Always use 99% fat-free or skim milk,dairy products
    			such as low-fat cheeses, low-fat yogurt, and 
    			powdered skim milk.
    
    Fats, Oils		Use soft(not stick) margarine; vegetable oils that
    			are high in polyunsaturated fats (such as
    			safflower, sunflower, soybean, corn, and 
    			cottonseed).  Always refrigerate meat
    			drippings to harden the fat and remove it
    			before preparing gravies.
    
    Desserts, snacks	Limit to two servings per day;substitute each
    			for a bread/cereal serving; ice milk, water
    			sherbet (1/4 cup); unflavored gelatin or 
    			gelatin flavored with sugar substitute (1/3 
    			cup); pudding prepared with skim milk (1/2 
    			cup); egg white souffles', unbuttered popcorn
    			(1 1/2 cups).  Substitute carob for chocolate.
    
    Beverages		Fresh fruit juices (limit 4 oz per day); black
    			coffee, plain or herbal teas; soft drinks with
    			sugar substitutes; club soda, preferrably salt-			
    			free; cocoa made with skim milk or nonfat dried
    			milk and water (sugar substitute added if 
    			desired); clear broth.  Alcohol: see below.
    
    Miscellaneous	You may use the following freely: vinegar, 
    			spices, herbs, nonfat bouillon, mustard,
    			Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, and flavoring
    			essence.  
    
    
    Foods to Avoid
    
    Meats, Fish		Marbled beef, pork, bacon, sausage, and other
    			pork products; fatty fowl(duck, goose); skin
    			and fat of turkey and chicken; processed meats;
    			luncheon meats (salami, bologna); frankfurters
    			and fast-food hamburgers(they're loaded with fat);
    			organ meats (kidneys, liver); canned fish packed in
    			oil.
    
    Eggs		Limit egg yolks to two per week.
    
    Fruits		Coconuts (rich in saturated fats)
    
    Vegetables		Avoid avocados, starchy vegetables (potatoes, corn,
    			lima beans, dried peas, beans) may be used only if
    			substitutes for a serving of bread or cereal.
    			(Baked potato skin, however, is desirable for its
    			fiber content)
    
    Beans		Commercial baked beans with sugar and/or pork
   			 added.
    	
    Nuts		Avoid nuts. Limit peanuts and walnuts to one
    			tablespoonful per day.
    
    Bread, Grains	Any baked goods with shortening and/or sugar.
    			Commercial mixes with dried eggs and whole milk.
    			Avoid sweet rolls, doughnuts, breakfast pastries,
    			(danish), and sweetened packaged cereals (the
    			added sugar converts readily to triglycerides)
    
    Milk Products	Whole milk and whole-milk packaged goods; cream;
    			ice cream; whole-milk puddings, yogurt, or cheeses,
    			nondairy cream substitutes.
    
    Fats, Oils		Butter, lard, animal fats, bacon drippings,
    			gravies, cream sauces, as well as palm and
    			coconut oils.  All these are high in saturated
    			fats.
    
    Desserts,Snacks	Fried snack foods like potato chips;chocolate;
    			candies in general;jams;jellies, syrups;whole-
    			milk puddings; ice cream and milk sherbets;
    			hydrogenated peanut butter.
    
    Beverages		Sugared fruit juices and soft drinks;cocoa made
    			with whole milk and/or sugar.  When using alcohol
    			(1 oz liquor, 5 oz beer, or 2 1/2 oz dry table
    			wine per serving), on serving must be substituted
    			for one bread or cereal serving(limit, two servings
    			of alcohol per day).
    
    
    
    
    Special Notes:
    
    1.  Remember that even nonlimited foods should be used in moderation.
    
    2.  While on a cholesterol lowering diet, be sure to avoid animal 
    	fats and marbled meats.
    
    3.  While on a triglyceride-lowering diet, be sure to avoid sweets and
    	to control the amount of carbohydrates you eat (starchy foods such	
    	as flour, bread, potatoes).
    
    4.  Buy a good low-fat cookbook, such as the one published by the 
    	American Heart Association.
    
    5.	Consult your physician if you have any questions.
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
      
    		

    Exercise helps to significantly lower cholesterol levels.  Especially
    if done on a regular basis.  Aerobic is best because it gets the heart
    rate going.
    
    I went to my doctor back in January and my cholesterol was 235.  I
    started eating according to the diet in the previous note (although I
    generally always ate well-- probably ate a little more red meat and
    fast food than I should have) cutting out red meat completely for a
    couple of months and not eating junk food AT ALL.  More importantly
    than the change in my diet (which I don't think was *that* different),
    was that I began a program of regular aerobic exercise (up to 20 miles
    a day on an exercise bike) and that is what I believe REALLY lowered my
    cholesterol to 180 when it was reread in May.  It's also great for
    losing weight!
    
    

    re .1 
    
    Did you ride 20 miles a day all at one time or did you get on the bike
    several times a day?  Also, how fast were you going.  It usually takes
    me about 20 - 25 minutes to ride 5 miles.
    
    Thanks,
    
    Virginia

I broke it out into 2 40 minute sessions of 10 miles.  I really went for the distance
and not the time though (sometimes it took me a bit longer).

I am now down to 10 miles a day (I'm fairly happy with my weight and am just on a
maintenance plan at this point.  Lately I have been very time-constrained and can
only manage one session of five miles (I don't like this-- I am now psychologically
hooked on exercise and I don't feel like I'm doing enough).

Once we are through announcement, I plan on picking up the pace again.

    	I'm surprised at your doctor allowing you to eat seafood, such
    as Oysters. My doc told me that some sea food such as oysters are
    nearly 100% cholesterol, & to stay clear of these. This is fine
    with me as they cost a bomb, & I'm not overly keen on them.

    	However I really liked your list, which is most helpful.
    
    	I'm a great believer in a one hour walk a day, non stop, as
    an excellent way to loose weight.	Without really dieting, but
    cutting out beer & such like, I can count on loosing 5lbs a week.
    
    					Nick
    

.4>    	I'm surprised at your doctor allowing you to eat seafood, such
.4>    as Oysters. My doc told me that some sea food such as oysters are

    	Seafood got reclassified about 2-3 years ago.
    
    	Not only is most shellfish (or all shellfish?) low in cholesterol,
    most are high in omega-3 fatty acids that act to further lowed LDL,
    low density lipoproteins, the "bad cholesterol".
    
    	Anyway, if your info on oysters is pre-1987, it can't be trusted.
    
    -mike z

                   Lowering Cholesterol Fast - Foods That Do

	The trace element chromium continues to build its reputation
    as a big-league cholesterol fighter.  The latest evidence shows
    just how wise it is to include brewer's yeast and other foods rich
    in (biologically active) chromium in your daily diet : they lower
    the levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol while at the same time increasing
    levels of HDL (good) cholesterol

	A team of researchers [ ... ] ... produced changes in just
    42 days - about twice as fast as the 3 months it usually takes a
    cholesterol drop to show up as a result of dietary restrictions or
    drug therapy.

	And the researchers achieved their results with just 200 micro-
    grams of the trace mineral - that's within the 50mcg-200mcg range
    that the National Research Council recommends we eat every day.

	If brewer's yeast doesn't appeal to you, there is a variety of
    foods that supply biologically active chromium - kidney and liver
    top the list, but unfortunately, as organ meats, they also serve up
    a HEFTY dose of cholesterol.

	Other choices are broccoli, whole grains, mushrooms, black pepper,
    and nuts.

                        [ from Longevity, June90, p83 ]

-mike z

	[...]

	"The researchers studied 30 monkeys for 2 years.  They found that
    the 15 fed a diet low in fat and cholesterol were 50% more likely than
    monkeys who ate a high-fat diet to grab, bite, shove, and otherwise
    torment their neighbors.

	The diet followed by the low-fat monkeys wasn't painfully spartan.
    In fact, it was based on guidelines issued by The American Heart
    Association that limit fat to 30% of calories consumed.  The low-fat
    monkey's blood cholesterol counts averaged 145, a healthy level that
    humans following a similar diet might hope to achieve  The high-fat
    group's cholesterol was about 3 times that of the low-fat group.

	Manuck and Kaplan's interest in a possible cholesterol-aggression
    link was sparked by an unanticipated finding from 2 large studies aimed
    at reducing cholesterol in humans.  Particiapnts in the studies had a
    higher-than-expected chance of dying from accidents, homicide, and
    suicide.  Finnish researchers also have linked, violent, aggressive
    behavior with low blood cholesterol.

	'We have no idea what the mechanism might be,' says Manuck. 'We
    don't know if high cholesterol mellows the monkeys, or if low-
    cholesterol makes them mean.'  Since changes in fat intake can alter
    the composition of cell membranes, he speculates that such changes
    might affect the way brain cells transmit mood-altering chemicals like
    serotonin."

                      [ In Health, Jul/Aug90, p10 ]

-mike z

    Wasn't there some play with a line about distrusting men with " a
    lean and hungry look"?  They probably had low cholesterol, to boot!
    
    ;-)