Met with my doctor and...

For those questions and discussions on the McDougall program that don’t seem to fit in any other forum.

Moderators: JeffN, f1jim, John McDougall, carolve, Heather McDougall

Met with my doctor and...

Postby stoumi » Wed Jan 25, 2012 3:01 pm

Today was the first day I had confronted my doctor after changing my diet to a plant based, whole food diet. Last July he put me on a Statin to control my cholesterol and I took myself off it less than a month later because of the side effects (legs were sore). Between August and October I went about my daily life, eating pretty much how I had been before being put on the medication. Thankfully a friend recommended FOK and that was the first step.

This appointment today should have happened back in November for my doctor to check my liver for any abnormality due to the Statin he had put me on. Today I wanted to talk to him about my blood work from August, 2011 (my last physical) and my most recent blood test from December, 2011. You can see the results in this thread. Bottom line, in less than 3 months I dropped 26 pounds and 64 points in my total cholesterol.

We agreed on a few points today during the appointment. First he was proud of me for making changes in my lifestyle to help my cholesterol and health. We also agreed that this was just the beginning, but there was more work to be done. It had been his hope it was the medication that reduced my total cholesterol.

What we didn't see eye to eye on was the "diet" which I tried to explain was a lifestyle change. He understood that part of it, but he believes I will be "out of balance." I told him I gave up all meat, dairy and oils. He called it "extreme". He also said diet has helped you get to this point today, but what will you do in the future? He also asked me where was I going to get my protein from.

I mentioned to him that I had cut my fat back to around 10-12% of my total caloric intake daily. He said that was too low and it needed to be around 25% a day! If I did follow this percentage, he said there would have to be a trade off. If I wasn't eating fats, then chances are it would be more carbs.

While my cholesterol numbers have vastly improved, it still has a way to go. He didn't want me to concentrate solely on the numbers or the weight, but a balance in exercise and diet. One number that was still high was my Tri number (210). Healthy based on the paperwork I am looking at shows a number between 35-149. Good cholesterol (HDL) is linked to your Tris (his words to me). He cited the possibility of my Tris still being high because I am eating too many carbs. All of this I need to go research and read up on.

Finally my Vitamin D. Living in No.Cal he said many people in bay area are deficient in Vitamin D. My number was 23, when 40-60 was considered normal. His answer, a supplement, so he ordered up 50,000 IU, or one pill a week until he tells me to stop.

As I mentioned we both agreed that this is a start to improving my overall healthy. Best I can tell from his comments and gestures, he wasn't impressed with the "diet" calling it "extreme" and said I should start to mix meat back into my diet for protein. That won't happen, nor will dairy or oil. So while I have been pleased with my short term results I look forward to the future and want to build on this start.

The addition of exercise (Power 90) and walking (30 minutes a day) will only better my health from here on out and continuing this WOE. The outlook is positive. He did schedule another blood test in 3 months to see what sort of effect the Vitamin D supplement is having.

Love to hear some some comments...
User avatar
stoumi
 
Posts: 985
Joined: Sun Nov 27, 2011 1:30 pm
Location: Oakley, CA

Re: Met with my doctor and...

Postby lmggallagher » Wed Jan 25, 2012 3:15 pm

Steve: I have lots of comments, but no time today. So mostly CONGRATS on your stellar performance both with the food and exercise! Your are doing an exemplary job, wish I was doing so well myself! I am the only person I know with a Doc that is thrilled I am vegan, well aside from those here who have Dr. McD himself!

I too am in the SF Bay Area and got the vitamin D lecture from my periodontist. However, have since stopped due to the information I heard from T. Colin Campbell - who recommends small doses of sunshine instead. I have also heard from McDougall the same thing and also that the D will penetrate sunscreen you just need a bit more to do this. I wish I could remember how to access the videos this info was in - I'll try to remember! Meanwhile - why don't they ALL just say "Your numbers are great, so obviously you are doing exactly the right thing" - when pigs fly this will happen :lol:
Last edited by lmggallagher on Wed Jan 25, 2012 4:07 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Image

Image
lmggallagher
 
Posts: 2567
Joined: Thu Oct 13, 2011 8:21 pm
Location: San Francisco Bay Area, California

Re: Met with my doctor and...

Postby Adrienne » Wed Jan 25, 2012 3:29 pm

Adrienne
 
Posts: 1142
Joined: Thu Nov 22, 2007 3:26 pm

Re: Met with my doctor and...

Postby Lacey » Wed Jan 25, 2012 4:17 pm

stoumi wrote:Best I can tell from his comments and gestures, he wasn't impressed with the "diet" calling it "extreme" and said I should start to mix meat back into my diet for protein. That won't happen, nor will dairy or oil.


Just a thought, have you considered finding a different doctor?
Lacey
 
Posts: 816
Joined: Thu Oct 19, 2006 5:15 pm

Re: Met with my doctor and...

Postby stoumi » Wed Jan 25, 2012 4:39 pm

Not until today had I seriously consider it. While he was excited that there were positive changes in my blood work, I just didn't get a very positive vibe in the end. Much like the initial comments from my wife calling this WOE a "kick" my doctor seems to believe I need to reintroduce "balance" when it comes my diet. I can understand his reason, get me to eat his recommended 25% fat, get my cholesterol back up and then it's back to a Statin prescription. That is NOT how I want to live.

I wont' say I am expert when it comes to being my own doctor. All I can do is read and research information for myself, getting input from this discussion board. I do know I am healthier now than I have been in the last 3 years, why would I want to regress and go back to how I was, even 3 months ago?

What I might do is stick it out with him through this year and prove to him what I am doing is right for me. If I only see him one time a year for my physical, great! Hopefully in 3 months when I get my blood tested again there will be further improvements since December, 2011. As I have read, there is no money to made in healthy people.

@Adrienne, thank you much for those 2 links. The second one from Dr. McDougall especially, since it goes completely against what my doctor said and prescribed to me.
User avatar
stoumi
 
Posts: 985
Joined: Sun Nov 27, 2011 1:30 pm
Location: Oakley, CA

Re: Met with my doctor and...

Postby patty » Wed Jan 25, 2012 5:27 pm

He feels threaten. Mike Anderson's _Healing Cancer From Inside Out_, shares his father's doctor could have gone to jail, if he had suggested a alternative lifestyle change vs. the traditional medical way. And his father died. Our body doesn't lie, know you reside in the best lab there is.

Congratulations.. and your carbon footprint is that much Lighter. How great is that?

Aloha, patty
Last edited by patty on Wed Jan 25, 2012 5:28 pm, edited 1 time in total.
patty
 
Posts: 6977
Joined: Mon Feb 23, 2009 11:46 am

Re: Met with my doctor and...

Postby AlwaysAgnes » Wed Jan 25, 2012 5:28 pm

I think under 21 is considered deficient with vitamin D. At 23, you're probably considered sufficient for D. Typically, if D deficient, I think doctors would prescribe 50,000 once a week for 8 weeks, and then have you test at that point. I think it's a little odd to prescribe D 50,000 per week for 3 months without requiring another blood test, but maybe that's me.

You'll probably see further improvement in your triglycerides with exercise. You could check the fructose in your diet. You've probably read this http://www.drmcdougall.com/misc/2003nl/ ... erides.htm

If your doctor is like most doctors, he doesn't know anything about nutrition. Your next door neighbor might actually know more. :lol: We really are in charge of our own health in this world we live in. Keep researching.
You don't have to wait to be happy.
AlwaysAgnes
 
Posts: 3436
Joined: Sat Sep 03, 2011 12:45 pm

Re: Met with my doctor and...

Postby Lacey » Wed Jan 25, 2012 5:42 pm

AlwaysAgnes wrote:If your doctor is like most doctors, he doesn't know anything about nutrition. Your next door neighbor might actually know more. :lol: We really are in charge of our own health in this world we live in. Keep researching.


Here is a link to a short video from Dr. Greger about doctors knowing less than they think they do about nutrition:
http://nutritionfacts.org/videos/doctors-know-less-than-they-think-about-nutrition/
Lacey
 
Posts: 816
Joined: Thu Oct 19, 2006 5:15 pm

Re: Met with my doctor and...

Postby Glenn50 » Wed Jan 25, 2012 5:48 pm

I saw the dietician at my doctors practice on Tuesday for the free six weekly appointment that his heavier patients are given.
I asked him about dairy, eggs and oils.
"They are essential in the diet" he said.
I asked him about meat.
"If you are eating beans regularly I don't mind you not eating meat" he said.

I said nothing about this WOE and got weighed.
He was pleased about the weight I had lost one his portion based diet.

If he only knew!
I'm not telling him. Not until I get to my goal.
User avatar
Glenn50
 
Posts: 258
Joined: Sun Oct 23, 2011 5:02 pm
Location: New Plymouth New Zealand

Re: Met with my doctor and...

Postby Summer » Wed Jan 25, 2012 5:52 pm

stoumi wrote:He cited the possibility of my Tris still being high because I am eating too many carbs. All of this I need to go research and read up on.


So how did he explain why you saw a decrease in your Tris? If his conjecture was at all accurate then surely your triglycerides would've increased, not gone down over 20%, from all the carbs.
Summer
 
Posts: 214
Joined: Fri Jul 15, 2011 12:35 am

Re: Met with my doctor and...

Postby stoumi » Wed Jan 25, 2012 6:30 pm

@Summer: He told me the Tris went down due to weight loss. Now adding in daily exercise, I firmly believe I will improve on this any many other numbers as they relate to my body. He believes this "diet" is a short term answer, not a long term solution. I will disagree with there.

@Lacey, thanks I will have to view that video.

@Glenn, I couldn't sit there and not tell him what I did. He fully believed it was the medication he prescribed until I told him what I had done and was currently doing to improve my health. Unfortunately he was not convinced this "diet" is a long term answer.
User avatar
stoumi
 
Posts: 985
Joined: Sun Nov 27, 2011 1:30 pm
Location: Oakley, CA

Re: Met with my doctor and...

Postby Summer » Wed Jan 25, 2012 7:06 pm

stoumi wrote:@Summer: He told me the Tris went down due to weight loss.


Ah, ok, thanks for the feedback, I was quite befuddled by your doctor's reaction! Well, as you continue to improve over time perhaps he will be more convinced and hopefully share with others in the future... shame that he would be discouraging you even with what benefits you are seeing already, glad you have this forum and fortitude to know better.
Summer
 
Posts: 214
Joined: Fri Jul 15, 2011 12:35 am

Re: Met with my doctor and...

Postby Dissolution » Wed Jan 25, 2012 7:08 pm

stoumi wrote:He also asked me where was I going to get my protein from.


BUZZZZZ! Sorry, wrong question for a doctor to ask. Please thank him for playing "Let's Pretend I Know Something About Nutrition".

Seriously, I sure wouldn't take ANY form of dietary advice from someone who asks this question, I don't care whether he's a doctor or not. I could see a question like, "Are you supplementing B-12?" or something like that, but not THE protein question. I would have laughed at him. At this point you know more about nutrition than your doctor does.

Sorry, guess I ranted a little bit...
Image
User avatar
Dissolution
 
Posts: 515
Joined: Sat Oct 22, 2011 8:12 am

Re: Met with my doctor and...

Postby shell-belle » Wed Jan 25, 2012 7:11 pm

I was recently reading that in order to get enough Vitamin D from sunlight, a person needs 85% of their skin exposed for at least 30 minutes a day. I do not see how this would be possible or practical without daily nude sunbathing! this is why most people are low on Vitamin D.
shell-belle
 
Posts: 1361
Joined: Tue Aug 30, 2011 7:39 pm
Location: San Diego

Re: Met with my doctor and...

Postby shell-belle » Wed Jan 25, 2012 7:14 pm

This is from Life Extension:
....
WORD ABOUT DOSING
To reach the 25-hydroxyvitamin D blood levels that Life Extension recommends for optimal health of 50-60 ng/mL, most typical Americans will need to use dietary supplements, given the real risks ofprolonged exposure to sunlight or UV tanning lights. But neither officially-recommended daily intakes of vitamin D (400 IU/day) nor consumption of vitaminD-fortified foods can effectively prevent vitamin D deficiency.4,85,86 As leading researcher Dr. John Cannell points out, “Adequate oral supplementation will require doses that might make a practitioner initially uncomfortable, as physiological doses of vitamin D, in the absence of sun exposure, probably range between 400 IU/day for premature infants to 10,000 IU/day for the morbidly obese.”4 Cannell goes on to cite another expert, Dr. Robert P. Heaney of Nebraska’s Creighton University, who estimates that 3,000 IU/day is required to assure that 97% of Americans obtain levels greater than 35 ng/mL.87 The Canadian Pediatric Society recommends that pregnant women should take 2,000 IU vitamin D daily to reduce the risk of autism and other adverse health conditions in their children.88 In a recent comprehensive review, Dr. Cannell recommends that “parents supplement breast-fed infants with at least 800 IU of vitamin D daily, while formula-fed infants need 400 IU per day. Toddlers and young children who do not get regular sun exposure should take 1,000-2,000 IU daily year round, depending on body weight, keeping in mind that current Food and Nutrition Board recommendations state doses up to 2,000 IU per day are safe for children over the age of one.”4 Dr. Cannell and other experts believe that autistic children may require even higher blood levels of vitamin D than other individuals, and should take enough vitamin D to maintain serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels of approximately 70 ng/mL.
shell-belle
 
Posts: 1361
Joined: Tue Aug 30, 2011 7:39 pm
Location: San Diego

Next

Return to The Lounge

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 7 guests



Welcome!

Sign up to receive our regular articles, recipes, and news about upcoming events.