wfi@rti-sel.UUCP (William Ingogly) (03/21/86)
Back in December, I found out I have high blood pressure, a high
cholesterol count, and a high uric acid count to boot. The doctor put
me on medication for the blood pressure, advised me to lose some
weight and start working out, and warned me that the blood pressure
medicine could cause gout (it's a mild diuretic).
Well, I've been losing weight, taking my medicine, and working out
every other day and have managed to lower my blood pressure to around
140/78 (from a high of 180/103!). My resting heart rate has also gone
down dramatically. I'm going back for another set of blood tests next
month. The doctor hopes to take me off the medicine eventually.
I've been minimizing fats and salt in my diet and have restricted my
meat intake to small servings of fish and poultry. I've also totally
avoided things that can precipitate a gout attack like beer, wine,
anchovies, organ meats, etc. I'd heard about the Pritikin diet and
decided to read up on it. It seems like its recommendations for
limiting fats, salt, and protein are sound and would lead to the lower
blood pressure, cholesterol, and trigliceride counts that Pritikin
claims result from adhering to the diet.
However, the Pritikin diet is EXTREME. Does anyone reading this group
know if any research has been done to evaluate various low fat/low
salt diets? Are polyunsaturated fats as bad as Pritikin claims? Would
a less extreme diet with a somewhat higher fat and protein content be
just as effective? Are monounsaturated fats preferable to polyunsat.
fats (e.g., olive and peanut oil)? I'm looking here for something more
solid in the way of evidence than personal opinion and flames.
Also, I've heard Pritikin died last year. Anyone know of what?
-- Cheers, Bill Ingogly