Joe,

I lost the majority of my weight following Dr Atkin's Induction plan for two weeks and then about at a 30 gm per day pace until December. I lost 45 lbs by Xmas. (That's starting at Sept 3rd)

Since then, ( after a Xmas time splurge !! ), I consume somewhere between 40 to 45 gm per day and have lost an additional 12 lbs since the first of the year. I have the odd day where I will succumb to a slice of pizza or two with the family, but I do so knowing that I will be back on pattern the next day.

These days , I am enjoying fresh strawberries and blueberries with whip cream. Most of my daily carbs are consumed right there and I don't mind one bit.

Concerning my last statement in th previous letter, I would not use the word obstruction, rather extra distance. Think of a water pump pushing water through a 100 mile garden hose. Takes a lot of pressure to be built up by the pump. Now add on an additional 30 miles of hose !! Throw in some where along the line, a kink or partial blockage and the pump has to work even harder. Imagine the inside of a new or well maintained hose, nice clean smooth surface. The water flows by this area with less resistance and more freely. Now imagine the inside of the hose clogged with sediment, with the walls of the inside of the hose dirty and rough. The water does not flow as easily through these areas and the pump has to work harder, even at normal pressures.

A fairly rough analogy to the cardiovascular system but I believe one starts to get the picture. When the pump has to work harder, it requires more power to keep running without stalling just as the heart muscle requires more oxygen to run and maintain the blood flow, even at rest. If there are restrictions in the heart blood vessels that supply this oxygen to the heart, the heart has to work harder again to increase blood flow. Your nitro patch "boosts" your oxgen content (more or less) of your blood, allowing your heart to work a little easier. Your blood pressure medication helps to lessen the effects of restrictions in your blood system. (Many different types of medication work differently to alleviate your blood pressure.)

This is why it is important to follow your Doctor's regimen, to the letter. He seems to have brought your system into a controllable situation. However it is not a cure.

Following a diet like Dr Atkin's, can help to begin the reversal of some of the things that have caused your condition. And you need to do more than just this diet. Exercise, and possibly supplementation of certain other elements that may be lacking in your system i.e. Co-enzyme Q10, Vitamin E, Beta-carotene etc.. may all be beneficial to reversing your condition. You will need to get to know yourself better.

Understand this is not a quick fix, but with perseverance and knowledge of " Yourself" you can attain a better quality of life. You only need to decide !!

Regards,

Ken T