I'm pissed off

When my dad had multiple heart attacks in 1995, I took a look at my pudgy self, and said that I had to do something about it.

At first, it was a foray into supplements (remember I was yellow for a while from too much Beta Carotene?).

Then I did some more study, and found from multiple sources (they almost all agreed) that the healthiest diet you could have would be high fibre, low fat, and vegetarian (or mostly vegetarian).

Over the last 15 years, my cholesterol has been monitored every year (lately, several times a year) - the problem was always identified as low-HDL. I've seen countless doctors, now including the lead for stroke research in BC, countless interns, cardiologists, heart surgeons, and others. I we ever had a party, they probably couldn't all fit in my house. Everyone I ever met thought I was doing an admirable job - they were surprised I was able to ""stick to it" for so long

Every one of them knew I was a vegetarian - and most knew I was a "high fiber, low fat" person. As Gabe Mirkin used to tell me on the radio (which I listened to for a few years) "eat whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds" (the nuts and seeds were added in the last few years). EVERY SINGLE professional I ever talked to about diet reiterated - low fat, high fiber, no meat.

I really thought I knew what I was doing - and nobody every suggested otherwise. After pulling through the stroke two years ago, most people said to me "the reason you survived was because you were so healthy".

Bullshit.

After what I've learned in the last few days is still held as "controversial" because it seems to me that the following groups control what we think:

• doctors parrot what they're told - we've invested so much in the old paradigm, that we're unwilling to accept a new reality 
• the science of 1984 made some "conjectures" - the science was incomplete - which were later adopted by national organizations, like governments, as gospel (and nothing changes gospel ... it's too expensive)
• big pharma sold $27B in statin drugs in 2009, and spent >$2B lobbying congress - there's a problem and they're selling a fix
• big wheat and big soy lobby governments everywhere - the government of Canada has gone so far as to take control of the wheat board
• big meat, big milk, and big eggs have these messages too - you'd actually think that the meat/egg people would see this research as a marketing opportunity.

What I've learned is that

• Carbohydrates of any kind lower HDL and increase insulin in your bloodstream (to metabolize the sugar)
• Simple carbs and complex carbs aren't really that different in the insulin response they cause - a variance that now seems quite small - look at the Glycemic Indexes of all grains/grain-based-foods
• Low HDL is becoming a standard predictor of heart disease and stroke
• Carbohydrates of any kind raise insulin levels. Pure sugar has a glycemic index (GI) of 100, whole wheat bread 48-58, regular white bread 73
• I love cereal - so I eat the very best - Raisin Bran GI 61, Oatmeal GI 58

The bottom line, is that exactly what was predicted has happened to me. Too many carbs. Lots of veggies,  (sure, so my vitamin levels are just fine). I've just nearly died. Twice.

When you think about it, carbs are a fairly recent addition to our diet (meat, vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds have been around forever), so their digestion is a new thing for us. Grain, especially cereal grains, are only in the last couple of hundred years. Even the potato (GI-85!) came from the New World, so it's a recent addition.

So based on this new-to-me information, I'm doing this for 30 days to see how it goes - I'll have my bloodwork redone and see where I stand. I suspect LDL and total cholesterol to rise slightly, but I expect my HDL to rise significantly. I just might lose weight too. I'm hopeful that the energy levels come back, my brain works better, and I get some sleep.

• lots and lots of nutritionally dense veggies
• a much smaller amount of low sugar fruit (the sugar is in the fruit) - replacing bananas and apples with strawberries and blackberries
• lots and lots of olive oil - anywhere I can put it, I will
• lots of meat from ruminants (cow, bison, lamb) - grass fed if I can get it - these animals were never meant to eat grain
• lots of nuts - almonds (raw) and cashews (raw)
• lots of eggs - this will be for breakfast on days I don't have a smoothie
• smoothies for breakfast - 1 can of coconut milk blended with lots of frozen berries and some flax seed - it actually tastes great
• no dairy at all except (maybe) butter 
• healthy butter (grass fed) or ghee (clarified butter) if I can find it
• no soy or soy products (tofu)

So here I go again .... another attempt to save my own life....