Prayers needed and meal suggestions...

[home4school]

:001_huh:Sounds crazy, doesn't it? I went to the dr yesterday about my blood pressure. Turns out it is high, 160/95 in the office yesterday. She put me on 1 rx, did some blood work, and told me to come back in 3 wks bc it would probably take a combo of more than 1 med to get this under control. She did give me a copy of the DASH diet, which had already been posted here to me by a WTMer!

 

Thing is, I also had an abnormal EKG & am going to a Cardiologist today. Seems it could just be the way me body does for an EKG or perhaps I've had a mild heart attack.

 

Here's the thing, I read all the suggestions of how much of this to eat and what to eliminate, but I can't put it into action. Can anyone offer healthy suggestions for breakfasts, lunches, snacks, and dinners? I eat pretty much the same thing everyday. Cheese toast (on white), maybe a turkey sandwich (on white), supper is basic Southern suppers, snacks are where I get my colors (M&Ms!).

 

I don't know what to eat! I don't even know what to drink! She said to decaf, so my response was to buy decaf Pepsi. She said she meant water. Well, I can't just drink nothing but water forever.

 

I have added green tea per TejasMamacita (thanks! its really good), but I make it like Southern iced tea and add sugar. :( Dr said I also had to go decaf on that, w/o sugar.

 

I know y'all can recommend some healthy, tasty meals and drinks so this won't be torture! I want to eat right, but I don't want to eat cardboard.

 

Also, if you could pray for the dx from the cardiologist. I'm hoping I'm just one of those people who give strange EKGs and haven't had a heart attack.

 

Thanks!

Kim

[Bambam]

I'm not an expert, but I'll give you my .02 worth!

 

For drinking, try white tea with splenda - and just put a little bit of splenda in there. A little goes a long way. I like seltzer water with a little dash of fruit juice for flavor. I used the V-8 Fusion as it isn't that bad for you. Be careful if you buy the already flavored seltzer water as it generally has HFCS.

 

I had my family take baby steps when we started eating healthier. That way it isn't such a shock to your system and your taste buds adjusted gradually. So, start with one of those white-wheat breads and use that for a couple of weeks before you switch to 100% whole wheat (no honey wheat!)

 

Try having a smoothie for one meal. Toss all this stuff in a blender - banana, couple of handfuls of organic baby spinach (less flavor than older spinach, so you won't even taste it), 6-9 frozen strawberries (the goal is to get the smoothie not to be green!), some frozen blueberries, some juice or milk or kefir (this stuff is good!), and maybe some frozen yogurt. I add a protein powder so I won't get hungry again in 2 hours! Others add raw nuts. I've tried adding raw almonds (ground in the coffee grinder first though), but I just don't like it. I also add ground flax seed.

 

Send all the candy,cookies, etc to work with your dh. Everyone there will appreciate it and you don't need the temptation around.

 

Make healthy muffins. http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Easy-Morning-Glory-Muffins/Detail.aspx is a easy and good recipe to start with. Read the reviews to see how to make it healthier (i.e. use splenda instead of sugar, applesauce instead of oil, etc)

 

If by Southern dinners, you mean fried, investigate do-it-yourself "shake-and-bake" type recipes where you bake it. If you have to fry, investigate using coconut oil vs. whatever you have been using.

 

I'm on the journey to feeding my family healthier, so I have a lot to learn as well!

 

Good luck!

[Jennefer@SSA]

Here are some ideas..........

 

Breakfast:

1. Egg white omelet with veggies and salsa. I do not like eggs but I know it's important to start the day with a dense protein. That's why I fill it with veggies and salsa; you can't taste the egg! :D On Sunday night I usually saute some mushrooms and roast some red bell peppers and then they are ready to go for the week. If you don't want to cook in the morning then make egg puffs (my mil's creation). Prepare your eggs just like you were going to make an omelet but pour them into greased muffin tins. Bake (350 until the center is set and not jiggly) at night before bed and reheat in the am. I usually make enough for 2 days.

 

2. Cottage cheese is considered a dense protein. 1/2 a cup is plenty to get the protein you need.

 

3. Breakfast burrito: low carb, whole wheat tortilla filled with a scrambled egg and fat free refried beans (and hopefully squeeze some veggies by adding chopped tomatoes to the egg or some roasted poblano peppers)

 

Lunch:

 

1. Simple salad with greens (not iceberg) , tomato, and possibly shredded carrots or 1/2 a small avacado. Again you need protein so add 4 oz of grilled chicken chopped up. This is something else I usually do on Sunday night - prepare a batch of grilled chicken. A dressing with no or very little sugar. I like Newmans Own Light Balsamic Vinaigrette. Only 45 cal per 2T and very low sugar.

 

2. My dh eats a buffalo burger every.single.day for lunch. It is a red meat but lower in fat and cholesterol than even chicken. It makes him feel he is eating like he used to (when he ate really poorly). He makes a batch of these on Sunday night. 3oz of buffalo meat per patty, sea salt, pepper and some low-sodium V8 juice in the mix for added moisture. Buffalo is very lean so it can be overcooked really easily. He does this burger on one slice of whole wheat bread he cuts in half. For lunch veggies he does a glass of low-sodium V-8 with a splash of tabasco and lots of pickles on his burger. He gets a serving of legumes in here - usually black beans that I make in huge batches. He adds all sorts of spices like cayenne pepper since he likes everything spicy!

 

Dinner:

 

1. 4 oz grilled (or baked) chicken or fish seasoned simply with some oil oil and herbs (play around with the combination you like best), a big serving of veggies (or 2). One of these veggies can be potatoes (roasted with olive oil and herbs), carrots or sweet potatoes. For veggies, no butter and just a drop of sea salt if you need it. Try broccoli with only a touch of sea salt squirted with lemon juice. Yum! Also 1/2 cup serving of legumes.

 

2. grilled chicken over 1/2 cup angle hair pasta with a jarred organic tomato sauce with no sugar. Salad on the side.

 

Snacks:

 

am - 2 T nuts, preferably raw and unsalted

after lunch - small apple with 1 T peanut butter

after dinner - berries to equal not more than 100 calories (dh loves frozen cherries b/c it feels like he is getting a frozen treat like a popsicles or icecream!)

 

Drinks: 80 oz of water a day, decaf green tea and one small glass a milk (6 oz) a day if you need/want it.

 

The tricks to this way of eating - VERY limited sugar and foods that convert to sugar, very limited grains, very limited fruit and carbs are almost always mixed with a protein. Only oils used are olive and canola or other oils very low in sat. fats. Tons of veggies (Can be almost unlimited b/c they are so low in calories) and tons of lean protein. Lots of legumes as well. Very limited dairy as well.

 

Being on this food plan my dh has lost 32 pounds in 12 weeks and has gotten off his bp meds and lowered his cholesterol to the point where he won't need to start meds for his cholesterol. This was all done through our doctor but anyone can start using the basic principles in their cooking. We eat six times a day so we feel like we are always eating, although getting used to such small portions has taken some getting used to for us. :)

 

Best of luck to you!!!

[Ferdie]

Here are some suggestions for you:

 

Breakfast:

-Oatmeal, (not instant) add 1 Tbls ground flaxseed. Topping suggestions: cinnamon, chopped apple, raisins, or 1 Tblsp peanut butter.

-Scrambled eggs and veggies

-Protein pancakes - made with oatmeal and cottage cheese. (I have recipe if you need)

 

Lunch:

-Wraps, (Flatout multi-grain are excellent. In deli section of store). Fill with pureed beans, hummus, chicken or turkey. Flavor with salad dressing or Dijion mustard if needed. Add veggies - chopped green onion, bell pepper, cucumber, tomato, celery, shredded carrots or zuchinni. Add romaine lettuce.

-Salad

-Brown rice with stir fry or roasted veggies

-Baked sweet potato with black beans and salsa

 

Dinner:

-Eat what you fix for the family and fill your plate at least 1/2 full of veggies.

 

Snacks:

-Veggies platter with hummus

-Fruit with cheese or yogurt

-Smoothie - (mix 1/2 cup soy, rice or almond milk + 3 cups fresh spinach + 1 Tblsp ground flaxseed + 1 cup frozen fruit + sweetener like Stevia or aguave nectar)

-Bagel with cream cheese

-Fruit with handful or raw nuts

-Whole grain pita bread with white bean dip

 

Also, here is a list of the top 25 power foods that will help keep your immune system strong and fend off disease. Eat as many of these as you can in a day:

 

apples

berries

mango

red grapes

tomatoes

avocado*

sweet potato

brussel sprouts

colorful bell pepper

broccoli

kale

mushrooms

spinach

bok choy

sea veggies

beans

brown rice

flax seed

oatmeal

whole wheat

beans

almonds*

walnut*

olive oil*

salmon*

garlic

sesame seeds

green tea

 

Lastly, don't worry about the water issue. As your taste buds clean up drinking water will become more desirable.

 

Good for you for making some healthy changes for you and your family.

Edited June 2, 2009 by Ferdie

[Quiver0f10]

 

http://drmcdougall.com/ lots of good info here and there are forums for help making it work. Here is a link to the basic program for free so you don't have to buy the book or while waiting for it to arrive. http://drmcdougall.com/free.html

 

[Denisemomof4]

for drinks, make herbal teas, ice them and add Stevia! Stevia has been used for centuries. It's a ground up leaf and is SUPER sweet. In the local health food store I opened it to see if it had a smell, and I could actually taste the sweet particles on my tongue!

 

Stevia is all natural, NO chemicals. Also blue agave nectar won't mess with your blood sugar. Same with stevia.

 

What is the DASH diet?

 

I know you're not excited about changing your diet but you'll eventually be happy with your "new" and healthier way of eating. You'll find new favorites!

[HollyDay]

What are the long term goals here? I know that might sound silly with what you are describing. But, are you looking at weight loss to bring down the blood pressure; or are you at goal weight and still have blood pressure issues? Has the doctor recommended any exercise or is that out until you see the specialist? So many other questions come to mind - hormones, age, family history, lifestyle, etc.

 

You need a consultation with a nutritionist. You need to learn a completely new way of eating. It wont be easy, so you need to see a nutritionist to guide you through the process. Information is your friend and you need someone to teach you what to eat and how to eat and when to eat.

[home4school]

Thanks for all the replies. I knew y'all would come thru! You've given me a lot to get me started and some ideas on how to make this work.

 

What is the DASH diet?

 

It means Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension.

 

What are the long term goals here? I know that might sound silly with what you are describing. But, are you looking at weight loss to bring down the blood pressure; or are you at goal weight and still have blood pressure issues? Has the doctor recommended any exercise or is that out until you see the specialist? So many other questions come to mind - hormones, age, family history, lifestyle, etc.

 

You need a consultation with a nutritionist. You need to learn a completely new way of eating. It wont be easy, so you need to see a nutritionist to guide you through the process. Information is your friend and you need someone to teach you what to eat and how to eat and when to eat.

 

I will look into a nutritionist. I need to do this for long-term. I come from really bad stock. Only my mother has lived past the 60s. Everyone else died from cancer or mostly heart attacks. My sister actually died a few years ago from a heart attack at age 43. Just died at work. No warning signs that we know of, just died. I have a cousin my age (43) that is battling cancer now. He's had it for about 2 yrs and not doing well. I have lost all my grandparents, aunts, uncles, etc. My father died from cancer at 58. Not good stock, not good stock at all. :(

 

Thanks again. Off to read.

 

Kim