hi Liz,
Hmmm, an awful lot of vague information out there on the web, but I'll give it a shot. On the subject of HRT, here's from Atkins' website on the subject :
Quote:
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Certain women do benefit from estrogen hormone replacement therapy (HRT), but others definitely do not. Women with a higher risk for breast or uterine cancers are the well-known exceptions, but many others should also steer clear. If you've gone through menopause, tend to gain weight, (especially in the midsection), have high triglycerides, and display insulin resistance, hormone therapy probably isn't for you. The supplemental estrogens, as conventional medicine prescribes, appear to aggravate these conditions, thus actually increasing the danger of heart disease. Before you embark on any form of hormone replacement, tell your doctor you want a careful, proper assessment of your relative risks and benefits.
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Definitely something to think about. I could not find any discussion as to how HRT causes a stall. Considering that pre-menopausal women are producing lots of estrogen in their systems, I'm not sure that it's a huge factor.
Beta-blockers can and do trigger elevated insulin levels, which is how they contribute to stalling.
Suggestions :
Weight loss alone has been shown to bring significant reduction in blood pressure. You sound like you have a good dr. who's following you closely. Perhaps a further reduction in the beta-blockers could be in order ..
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Magnesium also is helpful. The heart and arteries are MUSCLES, and muscles need Magnesium. (Mag. helps tense, tight muscles to relax, as in hypertension ..
) I can't remember if you mentioned taking supplements, but certainly make sure you're getting at least 500 mg daily. Most once-daily multi-vitamin-mineral supplements only have 100mg of magnesium. Try taking a Calcium-Magnesium combination in a 2 to 1 formula, twice a day, along with the multi. The calcium is good for your bones too. Take the second dose in the evening before bedtime. Some research has shown that magnesium is also helpful for reducing serum cholesterol levels.
It might just be a good idea to cut back the SATURATED fat, such as the red meats, cheese and high-fat dairy, and the skin on poultry. But don't be too drastic in cutting back the unsaturated vegetable fats, like the olive oil and flax seeds/oil and nuts. These fats are important for making the diet palatable, as well as they have very heart-protecting qualities.
Another suggestion might be food intolerance. I'm looking into this for myself too. There's some thought that eating the same foods every single day or very frequently, can cause a reaction in the body, not quite allergic, but fluid retention, impaired fat and glucose metabolism, etc....... it's like "over exposure". For instance,,,,,, you mentioned you eat eggs for brekkie.... probably close to every day, right?? Try alternating days, and have something else, like a bowl of ground flax seeds made into a porridge, with a couple Tbsp light cream, or some ricotta or cottage cheese with berries, or scrambled tofu or leftover meat from dinner, or a lowcarb, hi-protein shake.
Well, I'm out of ideas, for now anyway. Take care
Doreen
p.s.- Flax porridge is yummy. 3 Tbsp ground flax seeds, add hot, not boiling, water, stir till thickened. Add sweetener of choice, some cinnamon and a splash of cream. (Boiling water, or microwaving will destroy the Omega-3 fatty acids). Enjoy.