Re: Does an "Insulin Resistance" diet improve blood pressure?

I can't diagnose you - only an EKG can diagnose you,

Both you and my Cardiologist both can't diagnose me. Most doctors that I have met, or I have seen, or that I know about, don't want or care to take the time and effort to do proper diagnoses. I have been diagnosed with Congestive Heart Failure, Atrial Fibrillation, Asthma, Valve Disease, and Pre-Diabetes, but am only self-diagnosed with Diastolic Heart Failure and Insulin Resistance. Back in 2003-2004 my health and heart disease was progressively getting worse and I was getting weaker and more depressed and felt that it was only a matter of time before I entered end stage heart failure. Then, in the middle of 2004, I self-diagnosed myself as having Insulin Resistance and Diastolic Heart Failure and I made drastic changes to my diet and medication; and my health has significantly improved to the point that I feel better and more healthy than I did when I was in my 40's!

My Cardiologist has no clue about my current medications, nor my diet, nor the status of my health. And...... of course, our broken ineffective medical system is going to continue to get worse, so being pro-active in one's health is more important than ever!

For the past several years my BP has been borderline (130-150/55/75) but I have not found that the insulin resistance diet has brought it down. 

Would you mind posting the type of Insulin Resistance Diet that you were on. In my non-professional opinion, an Insulin Resistance Diet is the best possible diet for one's health, and should work for everyone. I follow/followed the Diet created by Sheri Barke, MPH, RD of the UCLA Arthur Ashe Student Health & Wellness Center, 2002; link: http://www.snac.ucla.edu/pages/Resources/Handouts/HODiabetesandInsulinResista...
 

I've also found that eating high fiber foods offers me no benefit whatsoever regarding my blood sugar levels.

That is extremely different from what I have read, and what I understand, and what is accepted as fact about high fiber foods and blood sugar. That is very strange!?

You sound as if you are dealing with Syndrome X and what I would suggest is to get a BS monitor and check your levels two hours after your meals for a while to understand what (if anything) drives it up.  Many companies will send you a free meter, but where they make there money is in the test strips, just like printer companies sell you a cheap printer and make it up on the in refills.  Same difference.

Great diagnosis. You are completely right about my health. Nice going!

Yeh..... I've been checking my one hour postprandial, two hour postprandial and fasting blood sugar levels for the past few years, and I know exactly which foods spike my blood sugar up too high, and which foods keep my blood sugar levels down at very healthy readings. It irks me, because for about 60 years of my life I was able to eat and drink just about anything and any amount of food and didn't gain excess weight and enjoyed the hell out of constant snacking, eating, drinking, etc. These days, close to 70, I have to basically measure everything that I eat, and count calories and count fiber, and use a spreadsheet to keep track of my diet and the balance of my diet. If I could abandon my current health diet and go back to eating a unhealthy diet, I would do so in a heart beat, but I can't. If I want to survive my heart disease, with a high quality of life, I must adhere closely to the Insulin Resistance Diet. I have no choice!

Thanks again for taking the time to respond, and for telling your own story in such detail.

I wish you the best of health and luck going into the future. May you have a Merry Christmas Season!