Heart Healthy *and* Delicious?!?

[Santamarina]

Hello Pit Family!

Over the weekend my Father-in-Law had an angioplasty and a couple stents put in - finally got him to go to the ER after several days of complaining of chest pain. Had two arteries 90% blocked.

Everything went well and the doctors have a very positive prognosis because they caught things before major damage was done.

Now come the significant lifestyle changes since his diet has consisted of large amounts of red meat, butter, salt, and all the other things he can’t eat anymore that made up 90% of his diet.

I know many here in the Pit cook healthy - either for yourself or a family member with dietary restrictions. So I come to you looking for tips and recipes for seasoning chicken and veggies that don’t use salt but still taste good!

We do family dinners once a week and I’d like to make him things he’ll actually enjoy…because he’s already said things like “If I can’t eat anything that tastes good what’s the point of avoiding a heart attack.” He said it in jest, but food and wine is a passion of his, so this is a huge change.

So I beg you…what do you have?!?

[Mosca]

How old is he?

My story is completely my own, and cannot be extrapolated to anyone else: YMMV. I had quadruple bypass in March of 1992. For the last 30 years I have eaten and dranken whatever I wanted to. I haven’t restricted salt, or red meat, or anything.

I do take a crapload of pills. My last catheterization, in March, showed that all my original arteries are completely blocked, but all the grafts are fine and should outlast the rest of me. My last bloodwork, a few weeks ago, all my numbers are within normal range.

So, I’m no help, sorry.

All hail modern medicine, and modern pharmacology!

[Santamarina]

He’s 64…not terribly old, but between his diet and work stress for the last decade + we are all honestly surprised this didn’t happen sooner.

Glad to hear things are going so well for you. Gives us hope for a long, happy life with him!

[Michael_in_TX]

One thing that research has shown is that one's taste buds will adapt over time. Everything is going to taste bland if you go right into Mrs. Dash only for seasoning.

I'm starting to get concerned about my own salt intake. I've been thinking I've been over-salting my food for a while. Indeed, I recent ordered a delivery pizza -- perhaps one of the saltiest things on the planet -- and it didn't taste right until I sprinkled kosher salt on it. That seems to be suboptimal. So I'm working on gradually reducing salt.

One thing that I've done over time is that I rarely use butter, unless it is integral to a dish. I nearly am always using olive oils. Honestly, I find them more convenient than butter -- you don't have to wait for them to melt! There are some really good inexpensive extra-virgin olive oils out there.

[STEbbq]

Dang on the pizza Michael. Time to up the intake of salt-free tacos?

[Santamarina]

Salting a pizza is hard core. I had a friend that loved salt enough to do that…I always joked that for their birthday one year I was going to get them a salt lick like they use for cattle.

Made dinner tonight and subbed butter and bacon grease with EVOO. Everyone loved the food, so I think I’m on to something.

[Michael_in_TX]

I'm not totally crazy on the salting of pizza; Kenji does it. That's where I picked it up from.
The difference is, of course, Kenji is salting pizzas *he* makes whereas I am salting Papa Johns. (Which actually isn't all that great of pizza in the first place....)

[Panhead John]

I had a heart attack 8 years ago, 2 arteries were 100% blocked and a third was 40% blocked. I had 3 stents put in. Earlier this year I had a series of heart tests including an angiogram. The stents were all still fine and the 40% blocked artery…..was still at 40%. I’ve been on cholesterol medication, blood thinners and blood pressure medication since the heart attack. When I got out of the hospital I thought my steak and potato days were over, and prepared for a new diet. That lasted about a month. Similar to Mosca ‘s story, I also have no advice to give and this has been my own personal experience. I try to eat healthy occasionally, at least more often than I used to. I eat tuna fish for lunch 2-3 times a week and a salad for dinner a couple of times a week, but that’s about all I’ve changed in my diet. Y’all see what I eat the rest of the time. Anyway, I’d say have him follow his cardiologist’s advice of course, but it might not be the end of having some of the food he enjoys, at least occasionally.

[Troutman]

I'll bet its the chicken gizzards right ???

[Santamarina]

Before he left the hospital this afternoon (after I posted this) his cardiologist said “everything in moderation.” So he’s planning to make good changes, but knows he can still have a little of the foods he loves.

Their biggest concern was staying away from fast food. Understandable, since even the “healthy” things on most drive-thru menus is riddled with fat and sodium.

[Troutman]

Meat ain't the problem.

[Santamarina]

This seems to be what I’m learning!

[Carolyn]

Sugar is bad mmmm kay.

[STEbbq]

https://pitmaster.amazingribs.com/forum/pitmaster-general-discussion/1106055-a-good-ticker-gone-bad-then-good-again

https://pitmaster.amazingribs.com/forum/the-pit-mastery-program/misc-or-general-food-discusison/1281600-grilling-post-heart-attack

https://pitmaster.amazingribs.com/forum/excerpts-from-meathead-s-next-book/644500-to-eat-meat-or-not

[Santamarina]

Thank you for the links. I knew there had to be a wealth of information on here…just hadn’t had the time to dig around yet.

[SmokingSteve]

Contact Michael HeavenMadeProducts to get more info about their low-salt rubs. Excellent rubs! He provides part of the monthly 3rd prize goodies. Let him know you are part of Amazing Ribs for a discount. (832) 345-2393 https://www.heavenmadeproducts.com/

https://pitmaster.amazingribs.com/fo...ster-club-code. Code inside.

[Mosca]

Those rubs are GREAT. And they don’t taste low salt, not at all.

[STEbbq]

I’d delete the actual code itself as the site is Google searchable. Huskee

[rodkeary]

+1 on the Heaven Made products.

[captainlee]

I've been on restricted salt my entire life. Mom had blood pressure issues so she cooked restricted salt. I eventually inherited her blood pressure issue. Especially with chicken or fish there are a ton of spices that can be used such as parsley sage, rosemary...... Lemon or lemon pepper. Start reading labels, you'll be shocked about how much sodium is in pre prepared foods, frozen foods...... Also the bbq rubs for the most part are high in sodium, make your own. Once you get into it, salt is easy to eliminate. I know nothing about the issues with red meat under his circumstances. I have no red meat restrictions. I hope everything works out

[captainlee]

Sounds like some type of song.

[Santamarina]

I’ve been making my own rubs for many years - thanks to all the great info on the free site. Since I like to dry brine meat none of my rubs have salt. Tonight I modified a couple rubs I use for chicken and made a new twist that had a lot of flavor. I was shocked that the chicken breasts didn’t need salt at all!

[captainlee]

Chicken and fish can be prepared nicely with no salt. I do cheat on red meat but I hardly use any. Like you I never acquired a taste for salt.

[DavidNorcross]

Not a Dr. so do not follow my advice. Do what you think it right for you. I can only speak from experience. I had a widow maker 19 years ago. Was air lifted and rushed into surgery where I had two stents put in and had one artery that was at 99%. Nearly 20 years later, I have zero issues. I eat fat, bacon, red meat, pork, eggs, etc. I firmly believe and subscribe to the beliefs that sugar is the culprit, not meat and fat.

I wish your father in law nothing but the best.

[Mosca]

Sugar is the one thing I did cut back on. Over the 30 years I did have periods where I ate sugar around the holidays (including Halloween, lol), but a bag of sugar lasts several years in our house.

[DavidNorcross]

Mosca same here. Cannot say that I do not eat sweets because that would be a lie. But it is limited along with bread, pasta and potatoes. All eaten in moderation.

[FireMan]

I will agree some with Troutman . Meat is not a problem, neither is butter or salt. Do your research. You can be your best advocate. The medical industry, which includes many nutritionists are playing to a corporate drum.

[Santamarina]

As I recently found out while dealing with a chronic illness personally, everyone’s body is different and reacts in unique ways to what we consume. What works for one may not work for another.

I think there’s going to be a lot of experimenting!

[Jim White]

If you want to go somewhat healthier, a Ninja air fryer/oven is a great investment. A simple start on that would be chicken and potato chunks seasoned with just sumac. Sumac gives great, bright flavor and some (red) color, so things don't look or taste bland.

[Michael_in_TX]

I just recently discovered sumac. That is a flavorful spice! As you indicated, it is wonderful on chicken.

[Santamarina]

We are big fans of air friers. My wife’s parents have one, but I don’t think they use it often. Might be time to change that!

[Oak Smoke]

I had a heart attack 16 years ago. I ended up with 3 stints and no heart muscle damage. This was three weeks after going off the Atkinson diet because I had reached my target weight. I was sure I would get lectured about the diet when my Dr and I met. He said mine was the result of what he called a genetic problem. There was narrowing of two small arteries on the back of my heart which they were able to open with stents. He said I had no problems anywhere else. He did promote a conservative diet. In his words “don’t eat a porterhouse every time have a filet once in a while”. I have done the keto diet once since then and stayed with it to my target weight with no problem. I’m on it again now to lose all the weight I gained from Prednisone trying to stop ulcerative colitis, with the blessing of my cardiologist and gastroenterologist. I have avoided sweets much more than fats for years now. My experiences are not typical and in no way do I advocate anyone follow my example.

[Oak Smoke]

Santamarina Has your Dr talked with you about Entivio? It’s an IV you go in for once every 60 days. I’ve gone from being on steroids and Masalamine with very little relief to complete remission. I mean complete, no symptoms at all, eat what I want, travel without worrying, just normal with no other meds at all. If you have questions please PM me.

[Santamarina]

Oak Smoke I haven’t heard of that one, but my Dr did connect me with a team that does clinical trials of new meds - some of which have had the kind of success you describe. I have a call into schedule an appointment with them.

[Oak Smoke]

Santamarina This isn’t a new med or in clinical trial. It is available and requires some blood work once in a while. The third Dr I went to suggested we try this and it worked in less than two weeks. I’m no conspiracy theorist but dang I wonder if my needing the first two every time I turned around had any bearing on their not suggesting this med. I’ve been on this well over a year now and only go to see the gastroenterologist every 6 months to tell him how very grateful I am for his idea.

[smokenoob]

My strategy was marry a woman who cooks super healthy, so it all evens out! 😁

[Draznnl]

You also eat a boatload of fish noob. That stuff is good for you, believe it or not.

[Oak Smoke]

I so wish that had been what I was looking for in my first two.

[SmokingPat]

I used to have a bad salt habit, even using it before tasting my food.

After becoming a member here, I paid attention to salt, and used it less. I started using more spices, and homemade salsas & sauces. I sometimes eat smoked meat without salt. A couple of times over the past year I've had fast-food burgers and thought 'This is too salty.'

Yes, your taste buds can shift, and you'll still like food.

[Michael_in_TX]

(As an aside, these threads are always so sobering and, quite frankly, scary.)