Q: Would you please suggest some breakfast ideas for someone who has coronary artery plaque and is on a statin?
A: A cause of cardiovascular disease is inflammation. That inflammation is typically triggered by poor diet consisting of inflammatory foods like vegetable and seed oils, artificial sugars, sugar, and refined carbohydrates, additives and preservatives, glyphosate which is ubiquitous in the atmosphere at this point, and other toxic exposures from dental amalgams, personal grooming products, and household cleaning products.
It is critical to follow an anti-inflammatory diet which consists of whole, unprocessed foods the way they’re found in nature, healthy fats, and clean organics wherever possible.
Another wrinkle for you is the statin. Statins are known to deplete vitamin K and CoQ10, which is ironic because both are needed for heart and blood vessel health. Moreover, statins cause high blood sugar which may bring on diabetes—especially in women! High blood sugar causes inflammation and damage to coronary arteries so you have to be extra vigilant in keeping your blood sugar in normal ranges.
Some foods to choose for breakfast include pastured whole eggs, avocadoes, nitrate-free sausage, any grass-fed and organic meats and poultry, wild fish or organic farm-raised if available, all organic non-starchy vegetables, low-glycemic fruits, and nuts and seeds that haven’t been roasted in pro-inflammatory vegetable oils.
A qualified nutritionist can help you develop personalized meal plans based on your unique biochemistries along with appropriate supplements–especially in the setting of statin medication.
To your health!
Leyla Muedin, MS, RD, CDN
