Dietary questions and answers

[garlichead]

Hopefully here will be a space to help people better understand nutrition, especially as it relates to diet. This is in no way medical advice, just opinion based on my 20 plus years of research as a person who finds the subject quite fascinating. I'll do my best and of course others will have expertise that I'm sure will be helpful as well.

Don't be shy.

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[Morning Glory]

I've been in hospital several times in recent years with atrial fibrillation (a long standing condition). Each time I'm found to be lacking in potassium and magnesium and they've put me on drips to supplement. I'm eating a banana every day (and I'm not that keen on bananas!) for potassium. I'd welcome any (non calorific) ideas for increasing potassium and magnesium intake in my diet.

 

[LissaC]

I've been in hospital several times in recent years with atrial fibrillation (a long standing condition). Each time I'm found to be lacking in potassium and magnesium and they've put me on drips to supplement. I'm eating a banana every day (and I'm not that keen on bananas!) for potassium. I'd welcome any (non calorific) ideas for increasing potassium and magnesium intake in my diet.

Same. I have really bad cramps on my leg when I stop my magnesium supplement, really all it takes is to miss a couple doses and the pain is back. I hate bananas and refuse to eat them, and welcome ideas for naturally increasing my magnesium and potassium intake.

 

[garlichead]

I've been in hospital several times in recent years with atrial fibrillation (a long standing condition). Each time I'm found to be lacking in potassium and magnesium and they've put me on drips to supplement. I'm eating a banana every day (and I'm not that keen on bananas!) for potassium. I'd welcome any (non calorific) ideas for increasing potassium and magnesium intake in my diet.

Check the water your drinking, magnesium and potassium levels varies with brands but you could start there. Also you could acknowledge your need around your diet that are higher in magnesium and potassium to begin with. For example salmon, avocado, legumes, nuts and cooked spinach are decent for magnesium and root veg like potato, sweet potato, beets and spinach, legumes and again salmon are good for potassium.

You can supplement but it's better if someone understands what their eating and maximize their needs through the foods they consume. It's not possible 100% of the time but being more aware of what your eating reaps dividends in life in general and it's lifestyle that will promote best results for health imo A health diet, a healthy BMI, exercise, meditation for chronic stress can also help a person with AFIB. I would imagine your Dr. has checked you for high blood pressure, which should be controlled as well.

 

[Morning Glory]

Check the water your drinking, magnesium and potassium levels varies with brands but you could start there.

Ha ha - you assume I drink water! I suspect my deficiencies are mostly to do with alcohol intake.

I do eat loads of spinach as I love it. Smoked salmon I can do but fresh salmon is an intolerance I have (along with mayo, taramasalata and coconut milk). It makes me mildly nauseous.

Potato and legumes I do eat quite often as I'm more or less vegetarian - well, pescatarian.

 

[garlichead]

What, there is some water in alcohol.....just kidding lol. Did your Dr. prescribe the banana and if not what advice did they give.
Fish in general is good.

 

[Morning Glory]

What, there is some water in alcohol.....just kidding lol. Did your Dr. prescribe the banana and if not what advice did they give.

I haven't talked to my GP about this. I tend to avoid docs. No particular advice from the hospital regarding diet. I just knew bananas were high in potassium so I thought it would be easy enough to eat one every day.

 

[garlichead]

I haven't talked to my GP about this. I tend to avoid docs. No particular advice from the hospital regarding diet. I just knew bananas were high in potassium so I thought it would be easy enough to eat one every day.

Damn. Sounds like we have a similar health care system on this side of the pond as well, or at least in Canada. Why didn't your GP follow up with you after the hospitalization? You have a history of AFIB and some guidance of some description would probably be of help. Maybe talk with a registered dietitian that actually have an education in nutrition, it could be a more a relaxed atmosphere and feel less intimidating. just a thought. Sorry MG I hear hospitalization recently and I react, can't help it.

 

[caseydog]

My body is pretty good at telling me what I need, and more so, what I need to avoid. I rarely eat three full meals a day. I tend to eat small amounts of food throughout the day. I call it "grazing."

My gall bladder is basically dead. As many here know, they tried to remove it seven months ago, but couldn't safely do it. So it's just taking up space. I have to eat fatty foods in small amounts (or pay for it later).

Other than that, I have a mild allergy to raw bananas, but otherwise I can eat what I want. I find that when I "crave" some particular food, it is often my body talking to me. Even if I crave something unhealthy, like a cheeseburger, it is often because I haven't had enough protein in my diet recently.

CD

 

[garlichead]

My body is pretty good at telling me what I need, and more so, what I need to avoid. I rarely eat three full meals a day. I tend to eat small amounts of food throughout the day. I call it "grazing."

My gall bladder is basically dead. As many here know, they tried to remove it seven months ago, but couldn't safely do it. So it's just taking up space. I have to eat fatty foods in small amounts (or pay for it later).

Other than that, I have a mild allergy to raw bananas, but otherwise I can eat what I want. I find that when I "crave" some particular food, it is often my body talking to me. Even if I crave something unhealthy, like a cheeseburger, it is often because I haven't had enough protein in my diet recently.

CD

Sorry to hear about your gall bladder, that sucks. My BP is somewhat high and has been since I was a kid when i was lanky/skinny. So I take meds for that, but their the only meds I take, thankfully. Yep, the body will let us know if it's craving some nutrients. Humans eventually figured out how to extract nutrients from grains through attrition, funny how that happens. Probably took thousands of years but eventually it became a crop. I put salt licks in the forest near the cottage and in the winter it's always attracts wildlife. We do at least have some of our instincts still fully deployed.

 

[GadgetGuy]

My body is pretty good at telling me what I need, and more so, what I need to avoid. I rarely eat three full meals a day. I tend to eat small amounts of food throughout the day. I call it "grazing."

My gall bladder is basically dead. As many here know, they tried to remove it seven months ago, but couldn't safely do it. So it's just taking up space. I have to eat fatty foods in small amounts (or pay for it later).

Other than that, I have a mild allergy to raw bananas, but otherwise I can eat what I want. I find that when I "crave" some particular food, it is often my body talking to me. Even if I crave something unhealthy, like a cheeseburger, it is often because I haven't had enough protein in my diet recently.

CD

You have to have it removed!! it's no good & it will give you mega problems later. Trust me. I know it kept me sick all the time. Didn't know what it was until I went to the hospital that night!! I'm so glad that it's out!! I feel a hell of a lot better. No more pain & vomiting!!!

 

[caseydog]

You have to have it removed!! it's no good & it will give you mega problems later. Trust me. I know it kept me sick all the time. Didn't know what it was until I went to the hospital that night!! I'm so glad that it's out!! I feel a hell of a lot better. No more pain & vomiting!!!

A very top-notch surgeon tried to remove it. The risk of my liver being damaged, with my possibly bleeding to death were too high. My gall bladder is dead -- hard as a rock. So, it is basically like it is no longer there.

CD

 

[GadgetGuy]

Any top-notch surgeon, in my book should've been able to remove it. The surgeon who took mine out was a woman. I did not see, hear or feel a thing! And this is the first time ever hearing of a dead gall bladder being left inside someone. All I know is that I'm better off without that thing. They said that it was ugly!! Don't know what cause the stones to form, but I was so tired of being sick all the time. Sick & tired of being sick & tired!!!!

 

[caseydog]

Any top-notch surgeon, in my book should've been able to remove it. The surgeon who took mine out was a woman. I did not see, hear or feel a thing! And this is the first time ever hearing of a dead gall bladder being left inside someone. All I know is that I'm better off without that thing. They said that it was ugly!! Don't know what cause the stones to form, but I was so tired of being sick all the time. Sick & tired of being sick & tired!!!!

I didn't have gall stones, so I didn't feel bad at all. I had a "spot" that "might" be a tumor. The surgeon weighed the chance of cancer against the chance I'd bleed to death on the operating table, and decided not to remove the gall bladder. Not every "routine" surgery is actually "routine." My situation was unusual.

CD

 

[GadgetGuy]

Do you have atril fib? If so, then you must be on a blood thinner. I am. I had to stop taking it enough to be able to have the surgery, so that I won't bleed too much. I, also, had a tumor in the front of the brain. The hospital was going to do surgery, but it had shrunk & went away. But because of it, I have to go have an MRI done every year to scan the brain, making sure that it doesn't come back.