So good to see a doctor who is slanted toward the prevention of illness in a natural, easy-to-manage way, rather than just prescribing meds. We need a million more like him.
@@MsElke11 Imagine, for just a moment, that there aren't any viruses! If there are say viruses, what are they? Dead debri from DNA. Yes, DEAD. How can something dead affect our health so negatively? It can't. There's a lot of information out there and I would invite all who are reading this to go on Odysee and look up for the love of viruses. Have we been lied to all this time and we didn't realize it? God Bless.
Hydration is important, and my RN wife is always reminding me to drink water after getting up in the morning. Helps keep the heartbeat regular (and the wife happy).
I have AFib and drink upwards of a gallon of water a day. I'm supposed to take metropol twice a day but I never remember the evening dose. I keep my weight under control by occasional fasting. Also have a reasonably healthy diet. I'm 77.
I have Afib and will be having a heart ablation procedure soon. I am wondering if this will help. I am under so much stress. I hate the medication. It made me gain weight so I have put it n God's hands. Please pray for me.+++
Hydration is key in my case. So long as I don't get dehydrated, I don't seem to go into A-Fib. I exercise and I'm very keen on good nutrition and sleep schedules. Thanks for reinforcing my beliefs
How can u exercise? I can’t even stand long enough to cook or walk far I’m out of breath and stairs about kill me I’m terrified I think I’ll have a heart attack if I exercise my quality of life is awful since I’ve been diagnosed with Afib and heart failure
Did you ever go on blood thinners. I’m 52 and just diagnosed with afib. I’m very healthy and exercise. I went on blood thinner until I can see cardiovascular do. In a week. Thanks
@@dougcoleburn1579 No, the doctor asked me if I wanted to and I said no. He said because I was healthy, I was at a low risk for a stroke. My afib has been very infrequent and I can get it to stop within a minute so far.
@@joew9392 Not if you do a LCHF diet. I did & even reversed my afib. Not a joke. Watch David H Diamond videos. He is not a cardiologist, but he explains the problem.
I have had AFIB for almost 4 years. I have been doing low carb for a little over a year and have lost 60 pounds. I limit drinking and exercise regularly. While I am in it most of the time I have almost no symptoms or discomfort. My condition seems to be getting better as time goes by so anecdotally speaking diet has worked to improve my life. Thanks for what you do Doctor
Seems to be working for me. I went on a low carb diet, reducing my blood sugar and insulin resistance. Insulin is very inflammatory, and inflammation has to distort the heart and cause irregular heart beats. I'm only doing it a few weeks but so far no AFIB, and I don't fee my heart fluttering like it's about to go into AFIB.
I have said for years ....that every patient needs to do a previous 4 week food log.... to show the in office nutritionist, and their practitioner when they arrive for their yearly physical. Holistic focus. I am also a retired nurse.
I am 82 had ad fib for well over 20 years. Went to the doctor who put me on Wafarin and am now on Xralto, if I remember to take it. I'm still alive, exercise every day and, apart from having one kidney, 2 stents, high blood pressure, I feel perfectly fit. Probably drop dead tomorrow but thems the breaks.
Xarelto To many Bad things about it. IT WILL THIN YOUR BLOOD. I got off of it few years ago. My brother past while on it My step dad past away while on it Only as news up date Arnold Palmer remember him. Did a Google on him Settlement reached in lawsuits over Xarelto blood thinner apnews.com/fa78dddfa7f04414996bcd1618aef5ac
I'm 82 with afib, among other things.. In my case, there's absolutely no doubt that regular exercise keeps the afib at bay and makes life better in general. That said, it still requires constant diligence to maintain the active lifestyle. The best advice I ever heard on the topic is "When you take care of your animal, your animal takes care of you". That is so true, yet so hard to do.
My mom is 88 and has had it forever. I remember in the 70s when I was a teenager she had these palpitations but I think it was a fib. She also went through 25 years of a bad diet from 1994 until 2020 just eating so much garbage and gaining so much weight, I have been going through all of this with her with her heart doctor over the last three years and they’re putting her through so much stuff and she just she’s tired. She doesn’t want to do it should be 89 in July.
Dr. Mandrola took care of my mother in the early 2000's. He put a pacemaker in, and has an excellent reputation. Take his advice because he's a great Doc.
Pacemakers are a joke. Keep away. I was advised to have a pacemaker years ago. They do nothing for irregular heartbeat no matter what the "experts" say. People I knew at the golf club had them and are now dead. I'm 82 with adfib , irregular heartbeat, high blood pressure, two stents and one kidney, still play golf every week walking and am still fit. Moderation in all things whether it's food or exercise and keep away from doctors until absolutely necessary.
I gave up all grains, all sugars, and all high carb fruits and vegetables. I walk 8,000 steps per day. I fast 23 hours a day. I eat protein, a little fat and low carb vegetables. My hypertension is normal now with 1/4 the meds as before, my blood glucose is now completely normal with no meds, and I haven’t had an a-fib episode in months. I take sodium and potassium supplements. My weight: 200->134.
I am not obese, but I do not have a thyroid. I went into AFib from stress from an auto accident. I discovered 2 tbsp ACV to 8 ounces of water. Then I started taking self package pills of Cayenne pepper with food. It stops AFib within minutes. Lastly, The only thing I take now is L-Arginine 500 mg daily. I haven't had an AFib episode in years!! I am also a regular user of Calm magnesium. Hope this helps someone. No, not a Dr. but I read a lot!
😁 You made me laugh with the "No, not a doctor " comment! It flashed my mind back to those old commercials when an actor was advertising some product and stated " No, I'm not a doctor, but I play one on tv!" 😂..And he was Serious!!LOL!
I had an afib attack 2 years ago and I figured that I need to lose weight and improve my diet and so I went on a plant based diet with no oil, sugar, meat, or flour and lost 100 pounds. I sleep better and I excerise daily and I am not taking any medications and I have not had any problems with my heart arythmia since and I am 70 years old.
Doctors need to help provide the environment in which these things can be attained and balanced. Telling someone something doesn't overcome what got them to that point, and everyone needs support and encouragement.
I got A-fib shortly after I turned 60. I was fit, exercised regularly, proper diet. Diltiazem controlled my afib no amount of exercise, diet would have changed my situation. Got atrial flutter at 63. Had to get cardioverted almost monthly. Because I had lone A-fib/A-flutter I was an excellent candidate to undergo a catheter ablation that resolved my irregular heartbeats. FYI. In retrospect I believe that placing my PC on my chest while I was in bed was the impetus to all of my heart issues.
@@karlaelvis9815 Yes it did. I am AFIB free for almost 10 years. I still take diltiazem and metoprolol for HBP and insurance for any possible AFIB or FLUTTER return. Good luck.
Yes at 72 last year I found out I had A fib/A-flutter and the meds didn't keep it down so they gave me the conversion that lasted maybe a month and went back into the A-flutter so they gave me an ablation and it lasted 4 months till I got Covid again and it came back. Doc thinks its because of the covid. So they did another conversion but didn't take at all. Had a bad reaction to Flecainide that night and next day was still in the 120bpm range. So now they want do another Ablation. Been on Xarelto the whole time and for awhile on Metroprolol but hate the way that makes me feel so now back on diltiasem. Will try some of these other approaches and see if it can correct it before the next Ablation.
Great advice to change lifestyle by adhering to an exericise regime etc. And on the dietary front, a Medeterranian diet with lots of extra virgin olive oil will greatly help to round things off: I have been taking 1 tablespoon 3 x daily of evoo for a long time now and am going really well. Afib disappeared quickly along my journey of dietary changes. I have to add that I have been on a Med diet for some 40 years, but when I commenced taking the 3 tablespoons of evoo daily on top of that, this really did the trick. Have not been on any pharma drugs since a few weeks after starting this process. I am now 80 years old, and exercising daily for 40 minutes and have been for 52 years. Thanks doc for being aware of, and and supporting exercise, lifestyle and diet as a way out of this problem, and away from nasty pharma drugs.
Hello Mike, I want inquire further on evoo for further evidence beyond conditional feeling. Please know I am simply looking for more than a few testimonials. 2 years back I tried 1/2 tablespoons of Coconut Oil daily for mental improvement. It caused my Cholesterol to jump 40 points. Returned normal after stopping. So if you can direct me to further studies I would appreciate it.
@@afmorris5939 Apart from the above that I have already outlined, to be specific, I have to say that I also do the Wim Hof method of breathing and cold showers. As I have already stated, I have had no afib problems at all. My resting pulse is usually around 70 with a nice even beat, and blood pressure 120s over the 80s.
i gotta tell yall, for me, my doctor tried everything. and nothing worked. turned out, i had a mineral/electrolyte imbalance. and i lift weights 6 days a week so i sweat a lot (which excretes more electrolytes and salt). i also drank nearly a gallon of water a day, further “thinning out” my salt and electrolytes. so my cure was drinking less water and taking Himalayan mineral salt (i also use redmond ancient salt). i put the salt in my coffee, sports drinks and coconut water. not a single palpation since. and i can sleep again. prior to this i literally called 911 out to my house 3 times, thinking i was having a heart attack. maybe ask your docs about salt and electrolyte imbalances.
Dr. Mandrola - are you real! Wish all doctors were like you instead of just pushing tablets to suppress a symptom. The world needs a lot of Doctors like you!!🙏
When I was diagnosed I had a bmi of 18% , sleep 8 hours a night, ate a healthy organic diet with zero fast food, I dont smoke and do not drink alcohol. At the time I had an active life style, little stress. Since being on the meds to control my arrhythmia and heart rate nothing in my lifestyle and diet has changed, except I have gained weight and now have a bmi of 25%. I guess I am one the ones that has no known cause for my afib. but the meds have ruined my skinny former self. Hopefully to get of them very soon as I am 1 month post ablation.
I hope your ablation is successful. My ago. Started when I was in my mid forties. Healthy diet always, exercise, etc etc everything this good dr said. No difference. Finally had ablation in 2009 and 2012. That lasted 8 years. Then last year with all the bushfires here in Australia, then the covid thing, it was back. I had an ablation in August 2020, cardioversion in December, another ablation in December (cardioversion lasted 36 hours) then in May 2021….it was back. Another cardioversion….didn’t hold, another ablation, fixed! Then had the watchman implant. All good till October 2021….then out of the blue, just after vacuuming, there it was again, only flutter this time with SVT. Another ablation planned for next week. My electrophysiologist is probably the best in the country. He said what is happening is very unusual, and it seems my atrium is very prone to it. He is hoping this is a breakthrough from the mitral isthmus that he did last time, and it hasn’t found yet another new path. We are delaying a pacemaker for as long as possible. My sister and mother both had afib. It seems to be a genetic issue. So it’s not always diet lifestyle etc. I have tried everything. meditation, magnesium etc etc. seems my heart has a mind of its own. This will probably be the last try though, over it!
@@muffyk6356 I also have excellent lifestyle per recommendations in video. Yet I am also experiencing afib and Bradycardia. It would be great to compare notes.
I got AF, went to the cardiologist who described very expensive new medicines. Discussed it with my house doctor, and decided not to take them. But... I raised the dose of AD Zoloft one day before. Had a lot of heart instabilities, all kinds of rithm problems. Lowered Zoloft: problems gone. But the doctors do not believe it has anything to do with it.
I had paroxistical AF, stop it with Propaphenone, pill in the pocket, 300 mg each two days. I had it just after eat, dinner, and start to sleep, only horizontal position. at rest. not working, at gym o walking...
My hat's off to Dr. Mandrola who could be making millions by doing cardiac procedures alone, but honors his Hippocratic Oath enough to stand by what really helps people, reserving the application of cardiac procedures for truly appropriate applications. Thank you! Thank You!! THANK YOU!!! for staying true to your calling!
I am a 77 year old retired ER physician and I am a rabid advocate of the health benefits of cycling. It truly works miracles and as an example I can still do 4 minute 19 second on the USAA Cycling 5 minute TT (a 4% average upgrade at 6300 foot elevation in Colorado Springs). I weigh low 170 pounds. I can't believe how good I still feel thanks to cycling BUT one area doctors never discuss (and this is huge) is alcohol and the heart. Alcohol is a potent cardiomyotoxin (meaning it is toxic to the heart muscle and causes heart muscle inflammation) but this is dose related. When I was in training I had a 23 year old die from his excessive alcohol intake causing congestive heart failure. In the ER I would see young people come in with an arrhythmia over the holidays due to excessive alcohol (thus the title "Holiday Heart"). As one gets older the risk of Atrial Fibrillation goes up logarithmically and AF can be exercise induced. AF causation is multifactorial and these precipitators make it much more likely during a ride: dehydration, low potassium, hypothermia (even drinking a smoothie can bring it on!), lack of sleep, too much caffeine, thyroid excess, and others. But no one ever seems to bring up the subject of excessive alcohol prior and the risk of AF. I love a nice red wine and this leaves me conflicted but I have found that half a bottle 2-3 days a week seems to not precipitate AF so one does not need to totally do without. My take home message to all us geriatric cycling advocates is keep all those precipitators to a minimum including alcohol and you can continue to partake of the Fountain of Youth and not need what most doctors would recommend: blood thinners or cardiac ablation! Also, watch your heart monitor (Garmin or whatever) like a hawk and when your rate starts getting in the upper ranges just back off to keep it out of trouble. Very high rate from exertion can bring on AF.
Thank you doctor absolutely brilliant informative content, I don’t cycle but I swim a lot, always have done and doing breath stroke it fits in with this breathing problems I have which are still under investigation, I had a echocardiogram which was inconclusive, so I have recently had a MRI scan and I am awaiting results. Doctor your information is invaluable to the layman so thank you and would you consider putting it on RUclips. Can I ask a very personal question did you have the vaccines and if so which one and how many? What is cardiac ablation please? I don’t smoke never have, have a drink or two nothing to heavy I am over weight, but lost 4K 8.8 lbs of late. Would just love to be able to play football like I did previously with my grandchildren and get back to playing my walking football again, love the football love the guys. One of the guys is giving me a fit bit on Friday, as my high blood pressure as recently become low blood pressure. Our NHS throughout have been fantastic, I would also love to get back to work a few days a week, in between daily children and grandchildren pick ups and drop offs etc.
I have afib - started as a student. I now think the direct cause of the afib was excessive drinking. I was drinking far more than what is recommended nowadays (14 units a week or something like that; I was on about that much a day while at college - in the evenings).
@@brianevans2819 Still there. Didn't know I had it until (after a perforated ulcer op) it was recorded as 'fast' . It was there for years. I still get a drink or two, but no more excessive boozing!
Wish my dad had a friend like you 30 yrs ago. He has all kinds of health problems, AFib did not go away after his bypass surgery. I always take him for walks and try to make sure he eats healthy as possible. Thanks Doc, great video!
I got diagnosed with atrial fibrillation in 2012. Since then I was in hospital at least every six months because of it. In 2017 while in hospital for something else a nurse noticed that I kept my cell phone in a breast pocket and had done so since the advent of smart phones. She told me to stop because she thought it was the cause of the atrial fibrillation. I listened to her and have never had a problem with it since.
Here's another perspective. I had raging AF over a year ago. A C-Reactive Protein test, measure of inflammation, was 11.67 where the "normal range" is 1 to 3 and healthy/optimal is below 1. I was labeled as at a "very high risk of a cardiovascular event" and in fact had an episode where I passed out completely without ANY warning. That's why I had the CRP test. I started doing "Time Restricted Eating" (DO NOT EAT BEYOND SUNDOWN is key because even eating healthy food in the PM causes inflammation) and Intermittent Fasting (a few 2-3 day water only fasts). I repeated the CRP test 8 months later and my CRP was 0.05 (NOT a typo. The doctor's office had never EVER seen such a low score or anything close to it. My AF for the most part went away completely for quite a while. I still have a few minor episodes when I get emotional or when I grossly over-eat during my limited eating window - which is now a window of 3 to 4 hours per day. I have noticed a relationship between these few AF's and when I play golf. In 2008 I was diagnosed by a PHysical Therapist as having an unusually over-developed left side. She suspected I worked in a physically left-side demanding job. No. But I by then had played golf, sometimes competitively, for 50 years. She concluded that was the cause. Then I recently learned that physical things can cause AF such as over-eating which can extend the stomach further into the diaphram which can push on the heart. I firmly believe that IF/TRE radically affected me to the positive in less than one month and wish I had re-taken the CRP test much earlier to prove it. I say this because within the first month, a sore I had for 15 years due to severe frost-bite healed for the first time in 15 years (not a typo). It was replaced with a blood-blister looking covering which was in less than 2 weeks replaced with beautiful new (baby-like) skin. A year and a half later, it is still healed. Viewers look up IF, TRE and autophagy (a healing process triggered when one fasts long enough). It will require like this doctor recommends eating and lifestyle changes but they are not hard especially if one transitions over a number of months. I am literally a new person thanks to IF/TRE.
Thank you for your detailed post! I also practice IF and TRE. Nope, it hasn't helped my AFib much but it did clear a bad rash I'd had for over 4 Frigging Years! I have not done extended fasting however. I do not drink or smoke and I am not overweight. However, I underwent aggressive chemotherapy treatments a few years ago. I'm sure it probably had an influence in my developing Afib. Hopefully, continued IF with TRE will soon help with my AFib issues. But for now I must rely on medication.
You and me sound very similar brother. I’ve had AF for years but I’ve never been to a doctor about it. I learn to control it, basically through diet and exercise and I can’t emphasise what a powerful tool intermittent fasting is. Youre spot on about the overeating, guaranteed if I overeat I’ll get it. other trigger factors include alcohol, caffeine and stress as I have an anxiety disorder. It does also seem to be an electrolyte component to it because sometimes if I get it, I take an electrolyte powder which seems to makes it go away quickly. I would never say don’t go and see a doctor to anyone. That was my choice and some people might say it was a stupid one, but I didn’t want end up on warfarin.
@@Gealaiche There are much newer blood thinners available today that don't require constant blood tests or any food restrictions. I am on xarelto which is a powerful blood thinner. Because our risk of stroke goes Way Up with AFIB. Been on xarelto for almost 5 years now and never have had any problems so far. I Absolutely Hate having Afib!!#UGH😓
How do you do it if the AFib is from the COVID booster shot? Two weeks after getting the shot, it felt like I was having a heart attack over and over. Those extremely serious symptoms went away after a couple of days, but the serious AFib continued. I might have had a mild case of AFib, but now I have it is serous. A recent 2-week EKG showed 11075 Supraventricular Tachycardia runs occurred. I'm on a blood thinner and several heart medications. So tell me why it started 2 weeks after getting the COVID booster. I eat well, sleep with a CPAP machine (1.9 events/hour), exercise 4 days a week, not obese, and don't drink or smoke. So why are my doctors telling me that it has nothing to do with the COVID booster shot?
The boosters are bad news. I have spoken with too many people that have had bad experiences with them. The threat of Covid, for most of us, has long passed.
Due to extreme stress I was diagnosed with afib. A duel chamber pacemaker, ablation, and 7.5 years later, I manage everything through a mostly vegan diet.
Doc, I could really benefit from talking with you. Just had open heart in November. First thing doctors want to do is meds. Stomach totally screwed up. It is now March and pulse rate is still 112. I don’t think I am long for this world if I can’t get some help. I to live in Louisville, Kentucky. I am 75 years of age. Hope I can find you !!!
I'm sorry for you. I think that it will be useful to go and look at the videos here of Dr Eric Berg about this matter and diet and life style. They have changed my life and practically got rid of my AFib. I am 82. Wish you the best. ❤
Check for dehydration and stress in your life. Vitamin E helps a lot, but check with your doctor first, as it is not recommended with blood thinners. Dehydration can also contribute to clots and blockages over time, just like a dirty stream that cannot carry debris and therefore gets deposited. A book called "Your Body's Many Cries for Water" by Dr. Batmanghelidj is priceless.
True! I was going through multiple cardiac tests, including implanted loop recorder when I read about the effects of zinc. Added to my diet the day the recorder was implanted. Not one event since then except on one occasion which adverse reaction to a prescribed medication.
I wish I'd have said STOP before my cardiac ablation two weeks ago. I was told that "next" is a more serious ablation requiring a pacemaker. I am 61 years old, Type 1 diabetic for 37 years and two years ago I had a quintuple bypass. First time I went into AFib, meds corrected it. Second time I had a cardioversion. Third time, I was in for a an ablation before I knew hit me. I had been admitted to the hospital the day before and the next day the doctor had an opening in his schedule and I was taken away without researching, which I would have normally done. Not saying I couldn't have said NO, I could have for sure. I should have opted for another cardioversion and even a few days to study my situation. Unless you're on deaths door, research first.
Finally! Thank you. Yes, diet and lifestyle. Reduce stress. In an otherwise healthy heart, specifically, afib is not a disease of the heart. It is an autonomic nervous system problem that affects the heart. One would not treat Parkinson's as a hand problem when the hands tremble, right? No. Would they do hand surgery in a Parkinson's patient to stop the hands from trembling? No. But this is what they do in regular Cardiology with ablation and even pacemaker insertion. They treat healthy heart Afib by working on the heart. Wrong. That’s barbaric, misconceived, usually not very effective according to research, and can seriously shorten the lifespan of the patient. That makes zero sense. Moreover, in the for-profit medical system in the United States, being branded with a heart problem is to render a person uninsurable or highly expensive to insure. Doctors and medical billing and coders brand you with heart disease if you have Afib. That’s tantamount to an injustice. Nervous system specialists are starting to focus on Afib as originating in the hypothalamus in the brain, part of the command center for the ANS. Because we are starting to discover the complexity of communication between the heart, organs and brain, especially by way of the vagus nerve, locating the origin of the afib may be very complex. DLC; Albuquerque, NM; 18 January, 2019.
Changing your diet and lifestyle is definitely a preferable solution, but it doesn't help with everyone. It would only help temporarily for me and the afib would always end up creeping back worse than before. I'm having a cryoablation done in the next couple weeks and the statistics are showing it to be extremely effective right now. Nowhere near as risky as the burning option, which is known to be less effective as well. I'm in the UK and it's all being covered by the NHS, so it's not like I'm being pushed into this procedure for profit. They've got an extremely high success rate and I'm pretty hopeful. I wish diet and lifestyle was enough!
@@ellenmcquilkin I ended up having to have a regular ablation due to the difficult location of the anomaly (something about it being too close to the node). It worked perfectly for around 2 months but then I started having tachycardia again after exercise, so it must have healed better than it was supposed to! (The scarring is supposed to block off that electrical route). I was scheduled to have another ablation last month but it was disrupted by the coronavirus measures, so who knows when I'm getting it done now!
I supposedly had afib but my cardiologist was an ass... she wanted to thread me up with a cardiac ablation, burn out part of my heart (which thought filled me with horror) but I got her to compromise with putting a device in my chest to monitor my heart rhythms, which I left in there for a couple of years until I had it pulled out (during the pandemic- ugh) dumping her too like a bad habit; the device never recorded a single incidence of afib in 2+ years. It only found supraventricular tachycardia, which I live with by lowering my heart rate myself, using acupressure. I cannot tell you how many doctors have screwed me up; the line would stretch around the block. If you can, stay away from them. I try never to see them; I take no drugs for anything (Aleve every now and again for migraines). No metabolic disease; I don't drink, I'm gluten free, no fried foods or coffee. I'm almost 71 & do qigong every day & lift weights; I'm never sick, praise God. STAY AWAY FROM SAWBONES is my motto. PS- Most people have no idea what they're on about (doctors most certainly), but that probably includes me; embrace humility (it's probably well earned).
Thank you, Dr. McDougall, I have observed this in my own self and considered whether a total make-over of my lifstyle would not help a ton. YOU have encouraged me to proceed down this path on my AFIB journey.
Ihave a fib and I had a heart attack needed 2stents . I recovered well after my hear attack and excercised every day .but then I was diagnosed with a fib but my doc told me not to excercise but this stressed me out and now I have put weight on and I feel uncomfortable. After listening to this doc and reading your comments, I think I will start exercising again , my doc is not very nice and very abrupt but I go along with it because I thought she new best ..
After a bad bout of covid I ended up with afib and heart failure. Two cardioversion and medication did not fix it, eventually had an ablation, each day feel better, but I am on daily meds. Hoping to lose weight and see how that helps.
Tyramine from plants also.... Some foods are naturally higher in tyramine. Tyramine levels also increase when food is aged or fermented. Foods higher in tyramine may need to be omitted or limited. Fermented foods (kimchi, sauerkraut, tofu), aged bananas, avocado, grapes, citrus fruits, raw onion can make afib and migrains. These foods contain tyramine, which increases the release of norepinephrine.
Unfortunately diet and lifestyle didn’t work in my mothers case. She did have to get a pace maker and ablation. She does not however take medication for the arrhythmia or blood thinners. She did follow a high raw high carb diet and exceeded but her Afib did not get better but each year a little worse so she finally had to seek medical assistance
I have had afib off and on through the years. If it comes around now it will follow a rapid heartbeat, then it will get out of sync. My solution is to get my heart rate up, take deep breaths, and hold my jugular vein while holding my breath. Don’t pass out tho! Try this a couple times. Main thing is to getting it back in sync and getting the heart working. Go for a run or do heavy lifting, just get the heart working. Do this till it gets back in sync. If all else fails, try a really hot bath. Get the water hot, real hot, hot as you can stand it. Get in the tub and add more hot water. Get a book and read, take your mind off the heart rate.
I was on an aspirin regiment for a year after being diagnosed with aFib. The periodic testing iNR while using warfarin scared me into the doctor suggesting that treatment. One year later, I had a severe ischemic stroke. Went onto warfarin and discovered my fears were not not supported by reality. I now take warfarin daily and have learned how to control my INR readings. I near fully recovered from my stroke and wish I had taken warfarin from the beginning. I did modify many of my lifestyle issues, albeit still have sleep apnea treated with a CPAP.
I wish I had a doctor like this caring Doctor. I have bad side effects with the meds that I have to take. When I explain these to my doctor, they put fear on me telling me if I don’t take them the consequence is a stroke.
If your doctor has put you on statins for high cholesterol, stop taking them, they are poison and most people cannot tolerate them. Your doctor will hate you, but he's not the one suffering, your body is. Change your diet instead.
Several years ago i was diagnosed with non valvular Afib. I do not like taking meds but the doctor got in my face in a fearful way and said "do you want to have a stroke? If not you better take this Xarelto. I have always been health concious, excercising and eating well. Before A fib was diagnosed with high blood pressure. All of this started when i was going through alot of stress when i was going through my adult sons heroin addiction which has continued till about a year ago.
@@sherylquine9148 Stress. Yes, and no one can tell me that Sress doesn't play a major role in some cases of AFib. First episode of AFib was 2 years ago after sister died of cancer. Started feeling very lousy about a month before first AFib. Very nervous stomach and jumpy. My nervous system was Shot, and I became anxious and depressed. And everyday noises that have never bothered me before had me constantly flinching all of a sudden!! (Here's hoping your situation has improved some these days!😊)
As soon as AFIB presented, I went on an IF program, and changing my diet. I still am on .25 of Metropolol, hoping that can be removed eventually. I was in the ER Wednesday May 4th with a bad episode. I made a SEVERE mistake in drinking a large glass of iced tea. UGH......I am now on blood thinners. Praying this goes away.
Caffeine is a big Afib trigger for me. And dehydration. I cut out sugar because I noticed that can trigger them too. I drink that Dr Berg electrolyte water if I have an episode and it clears it up by 15-20 minutes. Keep it by my bed and just constantly replenish my electrolytes and keeps the Afib in check.
@@N3dita Funny enough it's also what Stops Afib with some folks!? I've read several comments stating that their go-to method, when they get thrown into Afib, is to drink ICE COLD water! And to to splash their face with the ICE COLD water! It's truly very Hard to pinpoint what actually triggers someone's Afib. But I am Convinced it has a LOT to do with the vagus nerve!!! #UGH! #AfibSUCKS!😣
So if mild sleep apnea may be a cause to these problems you have mentioned. There really needs to be a better approach to correcting this than trying to sleep with a machine strapped to your face. I gave it an honest try and there was no way I was going to get any decent sleep with that machine. caused for more anxiety than it was doing any good. If you have any suggestions they would be recieved with honesy interest.
I have narrow nasal passages and I have found the breath right nasal strips to actually help my ability to breath while sleeping and trying to go to sleep. Hope this helps.
I definitely need help newly diagnosed with Afib and Heart Failure I am miserable my quality of life is horrible now I’m so short of breath..weak..I can’t take care of myself anymore I’m also on dialysis for 14 yrs Peritoneal manuals so I can’t take a med I need for my heart I’m on blood thinners this has ruined my life and I appreciate this information thank u
I cured myself of a severe heart attack that came within seconds of suffocating me to death. I also had 6 years of atrial fibrillation. 1988-1993. And again in 1999 because I had too many raisins. I did it with Macrobiotics and ginger compresses on my intestines. It’s 2021 and I’m now days away from 66 years old and am riding my bicycle 100 miles a week.
I was diagnosed with afib 15 years ago and being told I had a genetic condition to which none of my family have this. I have found I get this after eating food, I'm thinking the chemicals in food could be causing this so I gave up most processed foods, made alot of my own sauces, biscuits etc. I now don't have problems since strictly eating fruit and veg, seafood and I have limited red meat.
Wow! Great presentation Doctor! Thank you for this important information. Doctors need to start educating the public about prevention ratherthan just diagnosing and treating illness. This pandemic in the US would be nothing if we had more active lifestyles, less fast food and junk food and sufficient sleep.
I understand this. But what about people like me who have persistence A-fib? I had an ablation 8 months ago, but now I’m having an afib attack again tonight!! I just don’t know where to go from here!! I don’t want to be back on medication. I have been working out everyday, taking vitamins and supplements, cutting down on drinking and caffeine. And now this .... I just didn’t think it would return so soon. I am so distraught right now.
What kind of ablation procedure did you have? I'm having a cryoablation in 2 weeks, it's a lot more effective than the burning method. Statistically anyway... Hope you deal with your afib, I've been dealing with it for 10 years and it really does suck. Has so many knock on effects on your life and mental state.
Odd. I’m probably one of the healthiest eaters and most practical exercisers around. But unfortunately my A-Fib flares up just when I’m feeling amazing from eating healthier and exercising. I stopped running 10 years ago because of A-Fib. Started lifting weights and gained about 35 lbs and hated being heavy but it’s the only exercise that doesn’t give me A-Fib flare ups. Of course now that Im back to my old weight and getting fit and feeling younger from running again, my A-Fib is flaring up. Just stopped a halfway through my easy 5 mile run because it felt like my heart exploded in my chest. My resting heart rate dropped from 120 down to 48 in 5 minutes so I know I hadn’t overexerted myself. Now I’m thinking I really should just go back to walking and just weightlifting or I’ll drop dead on a jog one day.
I am none of the things he listed and had a fib for years, ending up with 10 - 12 hour episodes every day or two. Went to a professor who only does ablutions and he said I needed one the next week. The best thing I ever did as haven’t had an episode since
Doc, You are one special guy. Thank you for your expertise. 🤩 Point in question... sleep. It is the make break point in my CHF. I shoot for 9 hours but 8 will have to do sometimes.
I haD AFIB for about a year. I tried the medication route, but that made me dog tired all of the time. I read that AFIB could be controlled by diet as there are specific triggers in diet. I eliminated all alcohol, switched cold turkey to decaf coffee. Eight O’clock decaf coffee has the lowest amount of residual caffeine among the decaf coffees out there. I eliminated dark chocolate as there’s a good amount of caffeine in that. Cut back on sweets too. I have not had an AFIB event in over seven months. Diet modification does work. Doctor has told me to keep doing whatever I am doing.
@@singinprofessor5260 I get a very brief bout of AFIB about every 6-7 weeks that will last less than 45 minutes. These mostly occur when I'm dehydrated. I get something to drink and it dissipates shortly. Doctor says to keep doing what I am doing. I really don't want the heart ablation surgery.
@@pauldaignault7407 So, another words, there’s an alternative to allopathic drugs That’s what I’m trying to verify My husband is doing fine but my son is pressing me to put him on meds I’m not voluntarily going to do it
76 with AFIB and a year ago I quit drinking, cut sugar intake, lost weight and have active lifestyle. Have not had AFib in six months and was able to cut my blood pressure meds by 75%. I also take Magnesium and Potassium supplements and check my levels with blood tests.
Thank you so much, excellent information, I have AFid, but i am doing what you address, and doing well, I still got Afid, I am on blood thinner, thank you
A very interesting video. It is truly informative. I found that jalapeño peppers will set my heart back into a normal sinus rhythm when I go into AFib.
@@lazer4779 I was on Amiodarone, but quit taking it because of the side effects. Then I went on Tikosyn and I was on that med for 4 years. I am no longer on heart antiarrythmic medications.
I’m 75 and had daily AFIB episodes for a couple of years, medicated hypertension, and what I thought was normal age-related aches and pains, even though I had been on a low-fat Mediterranean diet for a decades. My primary care MD, who is a holistic practitioner, suggested I might try a Ketogenic low-carbohydrate, high-fat diet because my labs indicated that even though I was eating lots of fruits, vegetables and no added sugars, I was consuming too many carbs. After a month on Keto, my AFIB episodes gradually but completely stopped, my blood pressure reduced, my inflammation was less, and my A1C and fasting glucose reduced dramatically. It’s now been a year and I have been able to stop any blood pressure meds, I’ve never had another AFIB episode, and my arthritic and tendinitis pain is almost gone. This combination of benefits is very common with those who have converted to a clean Keto lifestyle.
I’ve been able to discontinue my two blood pressure meds and my allergy meds, but I’ve continued to take Eliquis , a blood thinner to reduce stroke risks.
I have AFIB now for over 10 years on and off. Since I know my triggers , and keep myself on a diet I reduced the Afib quite considerable . Only when I am not watching my diet and therefore what triggers my AFIB is suffer with AFIB and once the Rhythm is out of wack it takes meds and a strict diet to get back into Synus Rhythm . Also stress can bring on my AFIB, but mostly diet.
Exercise is the biggest trigger for my afib, so it's a horrible vicious cycle. I used to be really active but now avoid anything too strenuous as I really don't want to go into afib (have nearly passed out a few times). Can really feel myself getting out of shape, not fat or anything, just weak and unfit. It has been around 10 years for me as well, I didn't have any idea what it was for the first 8 years though... I'm only 28, was diagnosed with SVT last year when it got a lot more frequent. Having a cryoblation procedure in 2 weeks, fingers crossed!
I thought that would’ve never been a problem over exercising. However, I can attest to the fact I believe that is exactly what happened I would get on the treadmill and literally want to die on the treadmill, knowing it probably was possible to do that but during a stress test it’s spiked who would’ve thought too much exercise can cause heart problems when it supposed to be helpful
Your doctor adjusts your blood thinner medications to the amount of greens you eat. If you want to eat greens every day, your doctor will adjust for that...You just have to be consistent.
I cut alot on my diet. Sugar, cows milk, bread with gluten in it. Soda juices candies chips..chicken or fish is good. Vegetables fruits. Also is good. I eat peanut butter sometimes. Almond pancakes I eat too. Brown rice. Once or twice a month I will take a piece of chocolate. Exercise. Organic if u can if not then it's ok. Water. Yes I feel better when I fast sometimes. You have to know your body. I used to love food. Pizzas cakes candies sodas etc for years. I don't anymore. Think it is this way. You want to eat junk and have fun or you want to be able to do things without fatigue irregular heartbeat. And be sleeping most of the day. You decide.
Chicken and fish are just as high in cholesterol and fats, plus nitrosamines when cooked. Go completely plant based and only have those once or twice a year.
Diet and medication can definitely help a lot but the underlying problem is still there, you're basically just managing it. I've been going through all these stages for the last 8 years and while some stuff helped, the problem was always there (I'm only 28 years old so pretty young for this). I would make changes to my diet and it would help temporarily, but it would always end up creeping back and getting progressively worse. I'm having a cryoablation in 2 weeks, fingers crossed everything goes well... I don't want to live in a constant state of dealing with this shit so why not get it sorted now while I'm still young and the risk is extremely low! And yes it's covered by the NHS in the UK thank god... Not going to be paying anything for it. 97% chance of a successful procedure (from this particular hospital and surgeon) and almost all of those people never see any returning symptoms.
@@Ariadne147 operation was a success, took 4 hours under local anaesthetic and was extremely unpleasant + painful but I feel absolutely fine already, just got discharged from the hospital. My heart honestly feels better than it did this morning... First time I've been unable to feel my heart beating in years. Hopefully it sticks but for now it looks like it was a huge success!
@Kanga Roo had the ablation a couple days ago, feeling fine for now! Groin is a bit tender where they put the catheters in and I have slight heartburn due to inflammation but I'm doing good. Haven't had any tachycardia yet, hopefully it sticks.
One of the fittest cyclist in our club led his normal fast paced difficult rides yesterday. He rode home and rested on his couch and died. In addition to his fitness he was a nice fellow who always encouraged other cyclist. He didn't have an ounce of fat on him. The doctor mentioned over-exercise. How would you know if you are over exercising?
Sorry about your friend, but the answer is pretty clear: hard work wears you out. That's a fact borne out by the huge swaths of people across the world in all cultures that have repetitive stress injuries that occurr over time when a particular muscle/tendon set is obviously over used. The heart is a muscle that NEVER rests, unlike your legs, ankles, knees, etc. You can't make the heart lie still and regenerate through sleep. Some say we only have a finite number of heartbeats. So, over use can be subjective - or, it can be obvious, such as with your hard charging friend, like I used to be when I rode bikes; always at the top first, always at or near the front, very long strenuous rides that just blew out my lungs and had my blood pounding so hard I could hardly hear anyone speaking. Sure. I was in top shape, now I have AFIB - really bad. Plus, other joint and tendon problems that are clearly related to hyper cycling. I can't help but feel all that high stress exercise was partly to blame. So, to me, over use is simply measureed by how far out in front you are among your peers. It's good to lead, but every once in a while you need to look back and check if everyone is still in sight. If not, take it down a notch or two. Primitive humans did NOT do marathons.
@@OutnBacker Thanks! It makes total sense. I liked the reference to primitive humans not running marathons. At 76 I actually ride with the slower older group. I am all about longevity and riding as long as possible.
@@garyfowler1962 I don't know if he got the jab. I was reluctant at first but my daughter-in-law is a doctor and strongly suggested I get the jab because of my age. I ended up getting covid anyway but I suppose it helped me to not get a bad case of it.
Late one night I ate a lot of rice with black eyed peas & the next morning I was in afib. I am almost certain that put me over the edge. I had to go to the hospital where they shocked my heart back into sync. so I have cut way back on caffeine & sugar, taking magnesium coq10, omega 3's. Trying to loose some weight & get more exercise. I am on blood thinners & asprin as well as a beta blocker & another b/p med.
Agree 100%! I've changed my entire diet, and even discovered ingredients in shampoos and other products that were aggravating my A Fib. Thank you for being one of the doctors out there sharing good information, for a better understanding across medical disciplines and for the lay person willing to learn how to be healthier.
Hey just sharing my story . I’m a 23 year old male from Canada. I have been very active for most of my life , and currently have been training almost everyday for 2 years. Cardio, weights and yoga. I never have any heart issues ever , but if I drink myself to where I puke , I will get AFIB and have to get an IV to reset the rhythm. I’m really stressed about this because it seems that sometimes when I drink to much I will throw my electrical rythyms off in my heart. I just find it very odd that I live a healthy lifestyle but yet I get throw into AFIB after a good night out. Now at my youth age of 23 I have to watch my alcohol intake ?? It really sucks and I’m having a hard time accepting it , not even the doctors know why this happens and I even had a cardio gram or whatever and they said my heart is in great condition. I’m not an alcoholic but over the course of the last 2 years. I’ve gotten drunk maybe 20 times and just got AFIB again for the first time in 2 years on New Year’s Day . I’m not looking for answers just sharing my story in case I die soon lol (JK I feel great ) Maybe my heart just conducts to much energy and gets its rhythms thrown . Either way , I’m feeling great now and I’m gunna steer clear from alcohol for the most part. At least alcohol is one of the most destructive drugs out there considering how accessible , expensive and degraded it can be on people’s minds and body’s. Maybe it’s a sign from the gods that I will die from a drunken stupor and this is there way of saving my tender ass . Okay I’m gunna stop typing now as this edible has got me thinking of my death and existence on this hurling rock in the space time continuum . Cheers .
Officer, I only had”two” drinks, I can handle it, I “ only “ get drunk once a month( which is what this young man is saying) “Drunk”, especially” not drunk “ by the drinker’s definition. If I got drunk which I knew caused by afib( life threatening) , I would NEVER have even one drink!
@@joelbosh1223 I drink maybe a six pack per year and less than 5 mixed drinks per YEAR. Been that way since college, no I never had an alcohol “ problem” even though I drank some during college! I would rather have a lemonade, which tastes better.
Following knee surgery I was sent home with low dose aspirin - I developed pulmonary embolism and had to be placed on Xarelto for six months. I’m in New Zealand where they obviously still place faith in aspirin as a blood thinner. It was not effective as a profylactic nor as treatment, but it’s all you get post surgery. When I had a recent hip replacement they were very proactive with blood thinners, because of my previous history!
I’ve had Afib for 25 years , but mine is to leaky heart valves. It’s been pretty consistent for those years , so haven’t needed to have valve replacement yet . I hike , weight train 6 days a week , never smoked, I eat clean , lots of herbal supplements, and I have my BP well in control. Never really drank excessive amounts of alcohol., I totally quit drinking 2 years ago. I don’t have episodes, just irregular heart rate that no matter how much cardio I do won’t go over 150 🤔
My dad has Afib. He was diagnosed at age 38. My younger sister has Afib. She was diagnosed at age 18. I mentioned to my general practitioner that I was concerned that maybe I had Afib as well because I have always had heart palpitations. Her response was that I was too young; people are generally diagnosed in their 50s and 60s. I was a little annoyed with her response. I do have hypothyroidism though, which can cause heart rhythm issues. I have now gone plant based to prevent and cure some of my health issues.
Find a new doctor... You can also get a portable ecg device that sticks on your phone, that was the only way I was able to diagnose mine. Every time I went for a proper ECG I wouldn't be having any issues so it took ages to diagnose. Knew something was wrong but had no idea what it was. Once I got a clear recording of afib on the device I showed the doctor and he knew what it was straight away. I had my first symptons of afib when I was 19, had no idea what it was until I was 27 (last year). It gets worse over time, I would only get afib on extremely rare occasions when I was younger, the last few years it's almost every time I exercise or drink alcohol. Medication and diet will only help you manage the condition, it won't actually cure it. It can help some people for many years but it's gonna come back eventually. I'm getting a cryoblation done in 2 weeks, seems like the best option at this point.
@@naomimay82 no worries, best of luck trying to diagnose whatever you've got going on! Alivecor was the device I got by the way, it's expensive but was obviously worth it for me. If you're having bad episodes of afib that are lasting over an hour I would recommend checking it out.
LengPeng I was having episodes all day long for weeks!!! My other doctor recommended magnesium. I started taking magnesium two days ago and they completely stopped. I guess I was deficient in magnesium, and one of the symptoms is heart palpitations.
@@naomimay82 Yeah that can cause it so you should be okay. If magnesium is enough to get rid of them then I wouldn't worry about it! If that ever stops working then you may just be susceptible to it, hopefully that's not the case!
Finally, a doctor who is willing to look at something besides pills and surgeries! I treated and eliminated my own Afib by dealing with my digestive issues, losing weight, exercising and getting off almost all beta blockers and calcium channel blockers.
@@ferdousialam3744 I am not qualified to answer that. I only can speak to my experience and that of the many other people who know that their attacks of arrhythmia are triggered by trapped gas.
Now this is a Doctor with good common sense and sees the importance of truly taking care of the patient.❤️
So good to see a doctor who is slanted toward the prevention of illness in a natural, easy-to-manage way, rather than just prescribing meds. We need a million more like him.
The same opinion I wish to hear from doctors. If you have more resources of doctors who have practiced in this kind please share with me. Thanks.
unlike the FAUKCI cabal that is forcing us to take their VAXes
@@MsElke11 I can tell that you are uneducated. You have no clue why you don't want the vaccine other than Fauci wants you to take it. LOL
@@joereidy5732 how about heart palpitations, a frozen arm and 2 visits to the hospital after dose #2. That was a GREAT EDUCATION for me.
@@MsElke11 Imagine, for just a moment, that there aren't any viruses! If there are say viruses, what are they? Dead debri from DNA. Yes, DEAD. How can something dead affect our health so negatively? It can't. There's a lot of information out there and I would invite all who are reading this to go on Odysee and look up for the love of viruses. Have we been lied to all this time and we didn't realize it? God Bless.
Hydration is important, and my RN wife is always reminding me to drink water after getting up in the morning. Helps keep the heartbeat regular (and the wife happy).
Dehydration can be a trigger for AFIB. I can attest to that.
I really hate when men call
Their wives “the wife.” You don’t hear women calling men “the husband.” Good god, grow up, men!
i don't need to be reminded. i always want water first thing in am. and often 2 glasses.
@@cruisepaige Me too, so stupid🙄
I have AFib and drink upwards of a gallon of water a day. I'm supposed to take metropol twice a day but I never remember the evening dose. I keep my weight under control by occasional fasting. Also have a reasonably healthy diet. I'm 77.
Stress....STRESS. I have AFIB and it started when we went upside down in a mortgage. Marital problems I could go on and on. Reduce stress.
I have Afib and will be having a heart ablation procedure soon. I am wondering if this will help. I am under so much stress. I hate the medication. It made me gain weight so I have put it n God's hands. Please pray for me.+++
Stress depletes minerals which then affects the heart rhythm.
@Citizenthirteen It depends the amount of stress you go through.
richard hyser yes, stress definitely caused mine
Linda Kennedy Did you have the procedure?
Hydration is key in my case. So long as I don't get dehydrated, I don't seem to go into A-Fib.
I exercise and I'm very keen on good nutrition and sleep schedules.
Thanks for reinforcing my beliefs
What kind of exercise? I'm in persistent AFIB and don't have energy to walk up a flight of stairs much less exercise.
@@rogersmith7808 I don't think that any exercise will help. Medical intervention would likely be the best option here.
@@ardenpowers7730 Agree. If medication isn't working then maybe an ablation would be able to Stop the Afib?🤔
@@gloriamaryhaywood2217 true
How can u exercise? I can’t even stand long enough to cook or walk far I’m out of breath and stairs about kill me I’m terrified I think I’ll have a heart attack if I exercise my quality of life is awful since I’ve been diagnosed with Afib and heart failure
I had afib, I am 60 years old. I increased my exercise and started taking magnesium and the afib is gone. He knows what he's talking about!
Did you ever go on blood thinners. I’m 52 and just diagnosed with afib. I’m very healthy and exercise. I went on blood thinner until I can see cardiovascular do. In a week. Thanks
@@dougcoleburn1579 No, the doctor asked me if I wanted to and I said no. He said because I was healthy, I was at a low risk for a stroke. My afib has been very infrequent and I can get it to stop within a minute so far.
Add Vitamin C
What kind of exercise? I'm in persistent AFIB and don't have energy to walk up a flight of stairs much less exercise.
@@dougcoleburn1579 Have you stopped taking blood thinners? What have you replaced them with?
He has given us a very precious bit of advice: 1- improvement of diet 2- improvement of exercise 3- betterment of sleep 4- reduction of weight
Reduction of weight is the hardest one...
@@joew9392 but most important one
i wish i knew which of these i was/ am doing wrong. My heart is the weak point but I think magnesium ..and trying to see if thyroid is factor.
@@joew9392 Not if you do a LCHF diet. I did & even reversed my afib. Not a joke. Watch David H Diamond videos. He is not a cardiologist, but he explains the problem.
My heart disease is caused by a rare disease. I did improve my health dramatically by reversing my afib.
Dr John Mandrola thank you very much I appreciate your opinion, so wise. Please continue doing videos , how I would like to have a doctor like you.
I have had AFIB for almost 4 years. I have been doing low carb for a little over a year and have lost 60 pounds. I limit drinking and exercise regularly. While I am in it most of the time I have almost no symptoms or discomfort. My condition seems to be getting better as time goes by so anecdotally speaking diet has worked to improve my life. Thanks for what you do Doctor
Seems to be working for me. I went on a low carb diet, reducing my blood sugar and insulin resistance. Insulin is very inflammatory, and inflammation has to distort the heart and cause irregular heart beats. I'm only doing it a few weeks but so far no AFIB, and I don't fee my heart fluttering like it's about to go into AFIB.
Every cardiologist should have a nutritionist on staff/ referral. Jeanne retired RN
I have said for years ....that every patient needs to do a previous 4 week food log.... to show the in office nutritionist, and their practitioner when they arrive for their yearly physical.
Holistic focus.
I am also a retired nurse.
Diet is the answer, you are right.
It’s all what we eat.. Since being educated I am now whole food plant base. 👍🏼
That would be great 👍 😊
I am 82 had ad fib for well over 20 years. Went to the doctor who put me on Wafarin and am now on Xralto, if I remember to take it. I'm still alive, exercise every day and, apart from having one kidney, 2 stents, high blood pressure, I feel perfectly fit. Probably drop dead tomorrow but thems the breaks.
And have one great sense of humor! ❤️
Geoff B Is your Afib constant or does it come and go?
A fib for me was too little salt. Half teaspoon in water and it stopped in 30 min. Electrolite'
imbalance.
Xarelto To many Bad things about it.
IT WILL THIN YOUR BLOOD. I got off of it few years ago. My brother past while on it My step dad past away while on it
Only as news up date
Arnold Palmer remember him.
Did a Google on him
Settlement reached in lawsuits over Xarelto blood thinner
apnews.com/fa78dddfa7f04414996bcd1618aef5ac
So great! Good on you! God speed God bless!
I'm 82 with afib, among other things.. In my case, there's absolutely no doubt that regular exercise keeps the afib at bay and makes life better in general. That said, it still requires constant diligence to maintain the active lifestyle. The best advice I ever heard on the topic is "When you take care of your animal, your animal takes care of you". That is so true, yet so hard to do.
My mom is 88 and has had it forever. I remember in the 70s when I was a teenager she had these palpitations but I think it was a fib. She also went through 25 years of a bad diet from 1994 until 2020 just eating so much garbage and gaining so much weight, I have been going through all of this with her with her heart doctor over the last three years and they’re putting her through so much stuff and she just she’s tired. She doesn’t want to do it should be 89 in July.
And you are vaccinated against COVID and have received all of the boosters. Right?
@user-kc7mu4jp4p Exactly. Moderation. Same thing with medication.
What's the difference between a medicine and a poison??
Answer: "The Dose."😉
I developed A fib a few years ago, age 69, cut back alcohol, energy drinks, coffee, continued to exercise. All good now.
After cutting alcohol, how long did it take before you were afib-free?
@garymills562 That's so good to hear, when people are going for cardioverts and ablations right and left!
Dr. Mandrola took care of my mother in the early 2000's. He put a pacemaker in, and has an excellent reputation. Take his advice because he's a great Doc.
Pacemakers are a joke. Keep away. I was advised to have a pacemaker years ago. They do nothing for irregular heartbeat no matter what the "experts" say. People I knew at the golf club had them and are now dead. I'm 82 with adfib , irregular heartbeat, high blood pressure, two stents and one kidney, still play golf every week walking and am still fit. Moderation in all things whether it's food or exercise and keep away from doctors until absolutely necessary.
@@geoffb5665bad advice on your part. You don't know these individuals and how our bodies work!
Thank you for this supportive information.. I notice a huge difference … if I vegetarian and don't drink any alcohol, my arrhythmia is almost gone.
Same here! I go even further I skip almost all animal products ie vegan. Then I have no episodes. It's the best medicine.
Vegetarian has nothing to do with it
4 months on wagon...3 1/2 months ZERO afib...
I gave up all grains, all sugars, and all high carb fruits and vegetables. I walk 8,000 steps per day. I fast 23 hours a day. I eat protein, a little fat and low carb vegetables. My hypertension is normal now with 1/4 the meds as before, my blood glucose is now completely normal with no meds, and I haven’t had an a-fib episode in months. I take sodium and potassium supplements. My weight: 200->134.
You only eat one hour a day?
That's some self control!
Are you human?
I am not obese, but I do not have a thyroid. I went into AFib from stress from an auto accident. I discovered 2 tbsp ACV to 8 ounces of water. Then I started taking self package pills of Cayenne pepper with food. It stops AFib within minutes. Lastly, The only thing I take now is L-Arginine 500 mg daily. I haven't had an AFib episode in years!! I am also a regular user of Calm magnesium. Hope this helps someone. No, not a Dr. but I read a lot!
@karenb1331 Of course, it's going to help many - I've made a note, THANK YOU!
😁 You made me laugh with the "No, not a doctor " comment! It flashed my mind back to those old commercials when an actor was advertising some product and stated " No, I'm not a doctor, but I play one on tv!" 😂..And he was Serious!!LOL!
I had an afib attack 2 years ago and I figured that I need to lose weight and improve my diet and so I went on a plant based diet with no oil, sugar, meat, or flour and lost 100 pounds. I sleep better and I excerise daily and I am not taking any medications and I have not had any problems with my heart arythmia since and I am 70 years old.
dauntie kay how did you switch to vegan? I don’t care for all veggies. What do you eat?
Pm
dauntie kay Amen ❤️🙏❤️
That’s terrific! How did you do that?
Awesome
It seems to me that most doctors aren't concerned about causes but rather what pill to give for what symptom.
Doctors need to help provide the environment in which these things can be attained and balanced. Telling someone something doesn't overcome what got them to that point, and everyone needs support and encouragement.
I got A-fib shortly after I turned 60. I was fit, exercised regularly, proper diet. Diltiazem controlled my afib no amount of exercise, diet would have changed my situation. Got atrial flutter at 63. Had to get cardioverted almost monthly. Because I had lone A-fib/A-flutter I was an excellent candidate to undergo a catheter ablation that resolved my irregular heartbeats. FYI. In retrospect I believe that placing my PC on my chest while I was in bed was the impetus to all of my heart issues.
You might be right about the PC.
Did the catheter ablation completely resolve your afib? If so, how long have you been "afib free"?
@@karlaelvis9815 Yes it did. I am AFIB free for almost 10 years. I still take diltiazem and metoprolol for HBP and insurance for any possible AFIB or FLUTTER return. Good luck.
Yes at 72 last year I found out I had A fib/A-flutter and the meds didn't keep it down so they gave me the conversion that lasted maybe a month and went back into the A-flutter so they gave me an ablation and it lasted 4 months till I got Covid again and it came back. Doc thinks its because of the covid. So they did another conversion but didn't take at all. Had a bad reaction to Flecainide that night and next day was still in the 120bpm range. So now they want do another Ablation. Been on Xarelto the whole time and for awhile on Metroprolol but hate the way that makes me feel so now back on diltiasem. Will try some of these other approaches and see if it can correct it before the next Ablation.
excellent video.
Thank you Dr.McDougall for your help and concern
Great advice to change lifestyle by adhering to an exericise regime etc. And on the dietary front, a Medeterranian diet with lots of extra virgin olive oil will greatly help to round things off: I have been taking 1 tablespoon 3 x daily of evoo for a long time now and am going really well. Afib disappeared quickly along my journey of dietary changes. I have to add that I have been on a Med diet for some 40 years, but when I commenced taking the 3 tablespoons of evoo daily on top of that, this really did the trick. Have not been on any pharma drugs since a few weeks after starting this process. I am now 80 years old, and exercising daily for 40 minutes and have been for 52 years. Thanks doc for being aware of, and and supporting exercise, lifestyle and diet as a way out of this problem, and away from nasty pharma drugs.
Hello Mike, I want inquire further on evoo for further evidence beyond conditional feeling. Please know I am simply looking for more than a few testimonials.
2 years back I tried 1/2 tablespoons of Coconut Oil daily for mental improvement. It caused my Cholesterol to jump 40 points.
Returned normal after stopping. So if you can direct me to further studies I would appreciate it.
@@afmorris5939 Apart from the above that I have already outlined, to be specific, I have to say that I also do the Wim Hof method of breathing and cold showers. As I have already stated, I have had no afib problems at all. My resting pulse is usually around 70 with a nice even beat, and blood pressure 120s over the 80s.
@@afmorris5939 Coconut oil or powder is contained in all artificial creamers; big no no; glad you're getting back to normal.
@@mikederidisi5805 i just started! 5b days in, hope it will help- the heart!
@@lulielawry Definitely Lulie! Along with this I also do the Wim Hof method (breathing and cold shower therapy).
A great Dr caring about his patients and giving great advice. Thank you.
i gotta tell yall, for me, my doctor tried everything. and nothing worked. turned out, i had a mineral/electrolyte imbalance. and i lift weights 6 days a week so i sweat a lot (which excretes more electrolytes and salt). i also drank nearly a gallon of water a day, further “thinning out” my salt and electrolytes. so my cure was drinking less water and taking Himalayan mineral salt (i also use redmond ancient salt). i put the salt in my coffee, sports drinks and coconut water. not a single palpation since. and i can sleep again. prior to this i literally called 911 out to my house 3 times, thinking i was having a heart attack. maybe ask your docs about salt and electrolyte imbalances.
Take makes sense
Sleep apnea is a common risk factor in afib!
Dr. Mandrola - are you real! Wish all doctors were like you instead of just pushing tablets to suppress a symptom. The world needs a lot of Doctors like you!!🙏
Very honest doctor, may God bless him!
When I was diagnosed I had a bmi of 18% , sleep 8 hours a night, ate a healthy organic diet with zero fast food, I dont smoke and do not drink alcohol. At the time I had an active life style, little stress. Since being on the meds to control my arrhythmia and heart rate nothing in my lifestyle and diet has changed, except I have gained weight and now have a bmi of 25%. I guess I am one the ones that has no known cause for my afib. but the meds have ruined my skinny former self. Hopefully to get of them very soon as I am 1 month post ablation.
I hope your ablation is successful. My ago. Started when I was in my mid forties. Healthy diet always, exercise, etc etc everything this good dr said. No difference. Finally had ablation in 2009 and 2012. That lasted 8 years. Then last year with all the bushfires here in Australia, then the covid thing, it was back. I had an ablation in August 2020, cardioversion in December, another ablation in December (cardioversion lasted 36 hours) then in May 2021….it was back. Another cardioversion….didn’t hold, another ablation, fixed! Then had the watchman implant. All good till October 2021….then out of the blue, just after vacuuming, there it was again, only flutter this time with SVT. Another ablation planned for next week. My electrophysiologist is probably the best in the country. He said what is happening is very unusual, and it seems my atrium is very prone to it. He is hoping this is a breakthrough from the mitral isthmus that he did last time, and it hasn’t found yet another new path. We are delaying a pacemaker for as long as possible. My sister and mother both had afib. It seems to be a genetic issue. So it’s not always diet lifestyle etc. I have tried everything. meditation, magnesium etc etc. seems my heart has a mind of its own. This will probably be the last try though, over it!
@@muffyk6356 I also have excellent lifestyle per recommendations in video. Yet I am also experiencing afib and Bradycardia. It would be great to compare notes.
GOod luck with the ablation- please post an update
I got AF, went to the cardiologist who described very expensive new medicines.
Discussed it with my house doctor, and decided not to take them.
But... I raised the dose of AD Zoloft one day before. Had a lot of heart instabilities, all kinds of rithm problems.
Lowered Zoloft: problems gone. But the doctors do not believe it has anything to do with it.
Zoloft caused my afib to get much worse too.
I had paroxistical AF, stop it with Propaphenone, pill in the pocket, 300 mg each two days. I had it just after eat, dinner, and start to sleep, only horizontal position. at rest. not working, at gym o walking...
Stress and anxiety has everything to do with it! .
@@jeaniparker227 big problem if you're a high level anxious person 🤔
My hat's off to Dr. Mandrola who could be making millions by doing cardiac procedures alone, but honors his Hippocratic Oath enough to stand by what really helps people, reserving the application of cardiac procedures for truly appropriate applications. Thank you!
Thank You!!
THANK YOU!!!
for staying true to your calling!
Now Your on the same page as me . I dont want to take a pill for life . I want to change what I need to change in my life style.
I am a 77 year old retired ER physician and I am a rabid advocate of the health benefits of cycling. It truly works miracles and as an example I can still do 4 minute 19 second on the USAA Cycling 5 minute TT (a 4% average upgrade at 6300 foot elevation in Colorado Springs). I weigh low 170 pounds. I can't believe how good I still feel thanks to cycling BUT one area doctors never discuss (and this is huge) is alcohol and the heart. Alcohol is a potent cardiomyotoxin (meaning it is toxic to the heart muscle and causes heart muscle inflammation) but this is dose related. When I was in training I had a 23 year old die from his excessive alcohol intake causing congestive heart failure. In the ER I would see young people come in with an arrhythmia over the holidays due to excessive alcohol (thus the title "Holiday Heart"). As one gets older the risk of Atrial Fibrillation goes up logarithmically and AF can be exercise induced. AF causation is multifactorial and these precipitators make it much more likely during a ride: dehydration, low potassium, hypothermia (even drinking a smoothie can bring it on!), lack of sleep, too much caffeine, thyroid excess, and others. But no one ever seems to bring up the subject of excessive alcohol prior and the risk of AF. I love a nice red wine and this leaves me conflicted but I have found that half a bottle 2-3 days a week seems to not precipitate AF so one does not need to totally do without. My take home message to all us geriatric cycling advocates is keep all those precipitators to a minimum including alcohol and you can continue to partake of the Fountain of Youth and not need what most doctors would recommend: blood thinners or cardiac ablation!
Also, watch your heart monitor (Garmin or whatever) like a hawk and when your rate starts getting in the upper ranges just back off to keep it out of trouble. Very high rate from exertion can bring on AF.
Thank you doctor absolutely brilliant informative content, I don’t cycle but I swim a lot, always have done and doing breath stroke it fits in with this breathing problems I have which are still under investigation, I had a echocardiogram which was inconclusive, so I have recently had a MRI scan and I am awaiting results.
Doctor your information is invaluable to the layman so thank you and would you consider putting it on RUclips.
Can I ask a very personal question did you have the vaccines and if so which one and how many?
What is cardiac ablation please?
I don’t smoke never have, have a drink or two nothing to heavy I am over weight, but lost 4K 8.8 lbs of late.
Would just love to be able to play football like I did previously with my grandchildren and get back to playing my walking football again, love the football love the guys.
One of the guys is giving me a fit bit on Friday, as my high blood pressure as recently become low blood pressure.
Our NHS throughout have been fantastic, I would also love to get back to work a few days a week, in between daily children and grandchildren pick ups and drop offs etc.
Thanks doc, that was the main cause for me 2 years ago. In may I'll be sober 2 years
I have afib - started as a student. I now think the direct cause of the afib was excessive drinking. I was drinking far more than what is recommended nowadays (14 units a week or something like that; I was on about that much a day while at college - in the evenings).
@@arthurcrown3063 I have cut down, just a couple watching the football, mainly Liverpool games. How is your afib since you cut down?
@@brianevans2819 Still there. Didn't know I had it until (after a perforated ulcer op) it was recorded as 'fast' . It was there for years. I still get a drink or two, but no more excessive boozing!
Wish my dad had a friend like you 30 yrs ago. He has all kinds of health problems, AFib did not go away after his bypass surgery. I always take him for walks and try to make sure he eats healthy as possible. Thanks Doc, great video!
I got diagnosed with atrial fibrillation in 2012. Since then I was in hospital at least every six months because of it. In 2017 while in hospital for something else a nurse noticed that I kept my cell phone in a breast pocket and had done so since the advent of smart phones. She told me to stop because she thought it was the cause of the atrial fibrillation.
I listened to her and have never had a problem with it since.
Wow!!!
@@wap9137 MY HUSBAND BELIEVES THAT TOO MUCH COMPUTER CAN CAUSE IT
Oh, I can absolutely believe that!! I'm glad that nurse noticed that and told you about it!😉
I was watching a video monitor up close one time and my afib started. I have often thought it started because of my closeness to that monitor.
I don't like seeing extremely anecdotal stories being presented as evidence.
Here's another perspective. I had raging AF over a year ago. A C-Reactive Protein test, measure of inflammation, was 11.67 where the "normal range" is 1 to 3 and healthy/optimal is below 1. I was labeled as at a "very high risk of a cardiovascular event" and in fact had an episode where I passed out completely without ANY warning. That's why I had the CRP test. I started doing "Time Restricted Eating" (DO NOT EAT BEYOND SUNDOWN is key because even eating healthy food in the PM causes inflammation) and Intermittent Fasting (a few 2-3 day water only fasts). I repeated the CRP test 8 months later and my CRP was 0.05 (NOT a typo. The doctor's office had never EVER seen such a low score or anything close to it. My AF for the most part went away completely for quite a while. I still have a few minor episodes when I get emotional or when I grossly over-eat during my limited eating window - which is now a window of 3 to 4 hours per day.
I have noticed a relationship between these few AF's and when I play golf. In 2008 I was diagnosed by a PHysical Therapist as having an unusually over-developed left side. She suspected I worked in a physically left-side demanding job. No. But I by then had played golf, sometimes competitively, for 50 years. She concluded that was the cause. Then I recently learned that physical things can cause AF such as over-eating which can extend the stomach further into the diaphram which can push on the heart.
I firmly believe that IF/TRE radically affected me to the positive in less than one month and wish I had re-taken the CRP test much earlier to prove it. I say this because within the first month, a sore I had for 15 years due to severe frost-bite healed for the first time in 15 years (not a typo). It was replaced with a blood-blister looking covering which was in less than 2 weeks replaced with beautiful new (baby-like) skin. A year and a half later, it is still healed.
Viewers look up IF, TRE and autophagy (a healing process triggered when one fasts long enough). It will require like this doctor recommends eating and lifestyle changes but they are not hard especially if one transitions over a number of months.
I am literally a new person thanks to IF/TRE.
Thank you for your detailed post! I also practice IF and TRE. Nope, it hasn't helped my AFib much but it did clear a bad rash I'd had for over 4 Frigging Years! I have not done extended fasting however.
I do not drink or smoke and I am not overweight. However, I underwent aggressive chemotherapy treatments a few years ago. I'm sure it probably had an influence in my developing Afib.
Hopefully, continued IF with TRE will soon help with my AFib issues. But for now I must rely on medication.
You and me sound very similar brother. I’ve had AF for years but I’ve never been to a doctor about it. I learn to control it, basically through diet and exercise and I can’t emphasise what a powerful tool intermittent fasting is. Youre spot on about the overeating, guaranteed if I overeat I’ll get it. other trigger factors include alcohol, caffeine and stress as I have an anxiety disorder. It does also seem to be an electrolyte component to it because sometimes if I get it, I take an electrolyte powder which seems to makes it go away quickly.
I would never say don’t go and see a doctor to anyone. That was my choice and some people might say it was a stupid one, but I didn’t want end up on warfarin.
@@Gealaiche There are much newer blood thinners available today that don't require constant blood tests or any food restrictions. I am on xarelto which is a powerful blood thinner. Because our risk of stroke goes Way Up with AFIB. Been on xarelto for almost 5 years now and never have had any problems so far.
I Absolutely Hate having Afib!!#UGH😓
what is TRE?
I wish there were more doctors like you that actually want to find the causes vs just trying to address the symptoms with pills and surgery.
How do you do it if the AFib is from the COVID booster shot? Two weeks after getting the shot, it felt like I was having a heart attack over and over. Those extremely serious symptoms went away after a couple of days, but the serious AFib continued. I might have had a mild case of AFib, but now I have it is serous. A recent 2-week EKG showed 11075 Supraventricular Tachycardia runs occurred. I'm on a blood thinner and several heart medications. So tell me why it started 2 weeks after getting the COVID booster. I eat well, sleep with a CPAP machine (1.9 events/hour), exercise 4 days a week, not obese, and don't drink or smoke. So why are my doctors telling me that it has nothing to do with the COVID booster shot?
The boosters are bad news. I have spoken with too many people that have had bad experiences with them. The threat of Covid, for most of us, has long passed.
Dr Peter McCullough would tell you otherwise. Sorry for what’s happened to you. There’s deafening silence and gaslighting on all of this
You’re not the only one. 😢
Due to extreme stress I was diagnosed with afib. A duel chamber pacemaker, ablation, and 7.5 years later, I manage everything through a mostly vegan diet.
Doc, I could really benefit from talking with you. Just had open heart in November. First thing doctors want to do is meds. Stomach totally screwed up. It is now March and pulse rate is still 112. I don’t think I am long for this world if I can’t get some help. I to live in Louisville, Kentucky. I am 75 years of age. Hope I can find you !!!
I'm sorry for you. I think that it will be useful to go and look at the videos here of Dr Eric Berg about this matter and diet and life style. They have changed my life and practically got rid of my AFib. I am 82. Wish you the best. ❤
@@TessMArtcould you please share what stopped your afib? And any supplements you took that helped?
Check for dehydration and stress in your life. Vitamin E helps a lot, but check with your doctor first, as it is not recommended with blood thinners. Dehydration can also contribute to clots and blockages over time, just like a dirty stream that cannot carry debris and therefore gets deposited. A book called "Your Body's Many Cries for Water" by Dr. Batmanghelidj is priceless.
Plant based diet can reverse heart disease
Thank you so much for recommending the book.
True! I was going through multiple cardiac tests, including implanted loop recorder when I read about the effects of zinc. Added to my diet the day the recorder was implanted. Not one event since then except on one occasion which adverse reaction to a prescribed medication.
Anxiety is the killer! And do not OVER exercise!
#truth
Mine commenced with anxiety. I know when.
@kaseycornflakes Correct! I had chronic stress and anxiety and I tried to manage that with lots and lots of exercise. I now have a-fib.
@@joeskwara5823 Mine too.
I wish I'd have said STOP before my cardiac ablation two weeks ago. I was told that "next" is a more serious ablation requiring a pacemaker. I am 61 years old, Type 1 diabetic for 37 years and two years ago I had a quintuple bypass. First time I went into AFib, meds corrected it. Second time I had a cardioversion. Third time, I was in for a an ablation before I knew hit me. I had been admitted to the hospital the day before and the next day the doctor had an opening in his schedule and I was taken away without researching, which I would have normally done. Not saying I couldn't have said NO, I could have for sure. I should have opted for another cardioversion and even a few days to study my situation. Unless you're on deaths door, research first.
3
Chiropractic adjustments to the cervicals and upper dorsals is best for A-fib.
Finally! Thank you. Yes, diet and lifestyle. Reduce stress. In an otherwise healthy heart, specifically, afib is not a disease of the heart. It is an autonomic nervous system problem that affects the heart. One would not treat Parkinson's as a hand problem when the hands tremble, right? No. Would they do hand surgery in a Parkinson's patient to stop the hands from trembling? No. But this is what they do in regular Cardiology with ablation and even pacemaker insertion. They treat healthy heart Afib by working on the heart. Wrong. That’s barbaric, misconceived, usually not very effective according to research, and can seriously shorten the lifespan of the patient. That makes zero sense. Moreover, in the for-profit medical system in the United States, being branded with a heart problem is to render a person uninsurable or highly expensive to insure. Doctors and medical billing and coders brand you with heart disease if you have Afib. That’s tantamount to an injustice. Nervous system specialists are starting to focus on Afib as originating in the hypothalamus in the brain, part of the command center for the ANS. Because we are starting to discover the complexity of communication between the heart, organs and brain, especially by way of the vagus nerve, locating the origin of the afib may be very complex. DLC; Albuquerque, NM; 18 January, 2019.
tyanite1 YOU are a breath of fresh air and soo many folks MISS this important info you share. Thanx!
Changing your diet and lifestyle is definitely a preferable solution, but it doesn't help with everyone. It would only help temporarily for me and the afib would always end up creeping back worse than before. I'm having a cryoablation done in the next couple weeks and the statistics are showing it to be extremely effective right now. Nowhere near as risky as the burning option, which is known to be less effective as well. I'm in the UK and it's all being covered by the NHS, so it's not like I'm being pushed into this procedure for profit. They've got an extremely high success rate and I'm pretty hopeful. I wish diet and lifestyle was enough!
9oo
@@homedogoli How did the cryoablation go? Are you rid of the Afib now?
@@ellenmcquilkin I ended up having to have a regular ablation due to the difficult location of the anomaly (something about it being too close to the node). It worked perfectly for around 2 months but then I started having tachycardia again after exercise, so it must have healed better than it was supposed to! (The scarring is supposed to block off that electrical route). I was scheduled to have another ablation last month but it was disrupted by the coronavirus measures, so who knows when I'm getting it done now!
I supposedly had afib but my cardiologist was an ass... she wanted to thread me up with a cardiac ablation, burn out part of my heart (which thought filled me with horror) but I got her to compromise with putting a device in my chest to monitor my heart rhythms, which I left in there for a couple of years until I had it pulled out (during the pandemic- ugh) dumping her too like a bad habit; the device never recorded a single incidence of afib in 2+ years. It only found supraventricular tachycardia, which I live with by lowering my heart rate myself, using acupressure. I cannot tell you how many doctors have screwed me up; the line would stretch around the block. If you can, stay away from them. I try never to see them; I take no drugs for anything (Aleve every now and again for migraines). No metabolic disease; I don't drink, I'm gluten free, no fried foods or coffee. I'm almost 71 & do qigong every day & lift weights; I'm never sick, praise God. STAY AWAY FROM SAWBONES is my motto. PS- Most people have no idea what they're on about (doctors most certainly), but that probably includes me; embrace humility (it's probably well earned).
Thank you, Dr. McDougall, I have observed this in my own self and considered whether a total make-over of my lifstyle would not help a ton. YOU have encouraged me to proceed down this path on my AFIB journey.
Ihave a fib and I had a heart attack needed 2stents . I recovered well after my hear attack and excercised every day .but then I was diagnosed with a fib but my doc told me not to excercise but this stressed me out and now I have put weight on and I feel uncomfortable. After listening to this doc and reading your comments, I think I will start exercising again , my doc is not very nice and very abrupt but I go along with it because I thought she new best ..
@@margaretdowney1390 Time for a new Doc.
Excellent video & advise! - greetings from New Zealand ...
Was just diagnosed last month. My once normal thyroid was totally out of whack. Over 4 times the normal high
After a bad bout of covid I ended up with afib and heart failure. Two cardioversion and medication did not fix it, eventually had an ablation, each day feel better, but I am on daily meds. Hoping to lose weight and see how that helps.
I'm surprised that he never mentioned caffeine. Cutting out caffeine was my cardiologist's first suggestion.
Tyramine from plants also.... Some foods are naturally higher in tyramine. Tyramine levels also increase when food is aged or fermented. Foods higher in tyramine may need to be omitted or limited. Fermented foods (kimchi, sauerkraut, tofu), aged bananas, avocado, grapes, citrus fruits, raw onion can make afib and migrains. These foods contain tyramine, which increases the release of norepinephrine.
These foods mentioned are also high in histamine which some people are allergic to
One of the triggers is: anemia. I know when my iron levels are very low when the atrial fib shows up (not my only symptom but a clear one).
So please tell me how I got Afib at 26. Never drink never smoke not overweight and exercise everyday (not hardcore).
Had Afib for decades. Rx'd with everything including meds and ablations. Ended with a pacemaker.
Plant based diet
Unfortunately diet and lifestyle didn’t work in my mothers case. She did have to get a pace maker and ablation. She does not however take medication for the arrhythmia or blood thinners. She did follow a high raw high carb diet and exceeded but her Afib did not get better but each year a little worse so she finally had to seek medical assistance
I was diagnosed with wpw. I am not treating it with pills ablation etc. I am going natural...
i had a cardio version followed my mitral valve repair and the maze procedure. no more AFib. Going on 6 years. 🎉🎉🎉🎉
I have had afib off and on through the years. If it comes around now it will follow a rapid heartbeat, then it will get out of sync.
My solution is to get my heart rate up, take deep breaths, and hold my jugular vein while holding my breath. Don’t pass out tho!
Try this a couple times. Main thing is to getting it back in sync and getting the heart working. Go for a run or do heavy lifting, just get the heart working. Do this till it gets back in sync.
If all else fails, try a really hot bath. Get the water hot, real hot, hot as you can stand it. Get in the tub and add more hot water. Get a book and read, take your mind off the heart rate.
Blessings on your journey home Dr. McDougall!
I was on an aspirin regiment for a year after being diagnosed with aFib. The periodic testing iNR while using warfarin scared me into the doctor suggesting that treatment. One year later, I had a severe ischemic stroke. Went onto warfarin and discovered my fears were not not supported by reality. I now take warfarin daily and have learned how to control my INR readings. I near fully recovered from my stroke and wish I had taken warfarin from the beginning.
I did modify many of my lifestyle issues, albeit still have sleep apnea treated with a CPAP.
Why did your MD not suggest Eliquis?
Did you have an a fib episode that caused the stroke ?
@@jeaniparker227
How safe is it?
I wish I had a doctor like this caring Doctor. I have bad side effects with the meds that I have to take. When I explain these to my doctor, they put fear on me telling me if I don’t take them the consequence is a stroke.
If your doctor has put you on statins for high cholesterol, stop taking them, they are poison and most people cannot tolerate them. Your doctor will hate you, but he's not the one suffering, your body is. Change your diet instead.
Several years ago i was diagnosed with non valvular Afib. I do not like taking meds but the doctor got in my face in a fearful way and said "do you want to have a stroke? If not you better take this Xarelto. I have always been health concious, excercising and eating well. Before A fib was diagnosed with high blood pressure. All of this started when i was going through alot of stress when i was going through my adult sons heroin addiction which has continued till about a year ago.
@@sherylquine9148 Stress. Yes, and no one can tell me that Sress doesn't play a major role in some cases of AFib. First episode of AFib was 2 years ago after sister died of cancer. Started feeling very lousy about a month before first AFib. Very nervous stomach and jumpy. My nervous system was Shot, and I became anxious and depressed. And everyday noises that have never bothered me before had me constantly flinching all of a sudden!! (Here's hoping your situation has improved some these days!😊)
@@sherylquine9148 I wish you have better health now
As soon as AFIB presented, I went on an IF program, and changing my diet. I still am on .25 of Metropolol, hoping that can be removed eventually. I was in the ER Wednesday May 4th with a bad episode. I made a SEVERE mistake in drinking a large glass of iced tea. UGH......I am now on blood thinners. Praying this goes away.
But hydration is good, no? Was it the caffeine?
Caffeine is a big Afib trigger for me. And dehydration. I cut out sugar because I noticed that can trigger them too.
I drink that Dr Berg electrolyte water if I have an episode and it clears it up by 15-20 minutes. Keep it by my bed and just constantly replenish my electrolytes and keeps the Afib in check.
@@frankfeldman6657 I doubt it was the caffeine. I'm thinking that Big Cold glass is what actually triggered his Afib!?🤔
@@gloriamaryhaywood2217yes it’s the ice cold temperature that triggers afib in many people
@@N3dita Funny enough it's also what Stops Afib with some folks!? I've read several comments stating that their go-to method, when they get thrown into Afib, is to drink ICE COLD water! And to to splash their face with the ICE COLD water!
It's truly very Hard to pinpoint what actually triggers someone's Afib. But I am Convinced it has a LOT to do with the vagus nerve!!! #UGH! #AfibSUCKS!😣
So if mild sleep apnea may be a cause to these problems you have mentioned. There really needs to be a better approach to correcting this than trying to sleep with a machine strapped to your face. I gave it an honest try and there was no way I was going to get any decent sleep with that machine. caused for more anxiety than it was doing any good. If you have any suggestions they would be recieved with honesy interest.
I have narrow nasal passages and I have found the breath right nasal strips to actually help my ability to breath while sleeping and trying to go to sleep. Hope this helps.
Notice When I Upset Change diet I did Did Exercises I am 68 Quit Smoking Loss weight Blood Pressure Good Quit Smoking.
I definitely need help newly diagnosed with Afib and Heart Failure I am miserable my quality of life is horrible now I’m so short of breath..weak..I can’t take care of myself anymore I’m also on dialysis for 14 yrs Peritoneal manuals so I can’t take a med I need for my heart I’m on blood thinners this has ruined my life and I appreciate this information thank u
I cured myself of a severe heart attack that came within seconds of suffocating me to death. I also had 6 years of atrial fibrillation. 1988-1993. And again in 1999 because I had too many raisins. I did it with Macrobiotics and ginger compresses on my intestines. It’s 2021 and I’m now days away from 66 years old and am riding my bicycle 100 miles a week.
Plant based diet
@@jamberry1135 yes
I was diagnosed with afib 15 years ago and being told I had a genetic condition to which none of my family have this. I have found I get this after eating food, I'm thinking the chemicals in food could be causing this so I gave up most processed foods, made alot of my own sauces, biscuits etc. I now don't have problems since strictly eating fruit and veg, seafood and I have limited red meat.
Very honest and very well explained! Thank You Doctor! God Bless You!!!
I was hoping to hear more of a good diet. What to include and what to avoid. What are the foods that help? Would really appreciate some guidance.
Wow! Great presentation Doctor! Thank you for this important information. Doctors need to start educating the public about prevention ratherthan just diagnosing and treating illness. This pandemic in the US would be nothing if we had more active lifestyles, less fast food and junk food and sufficient sleep.
I understand this. But what about people like me who have persistence A-fib? I had an ablation 8 months ago, but now I’m having an afib attack again tonight!! I just don’t know where to go from here!! I don’t want to be back on medication. I have been working out everyday, taking vitamins and supplements, cutting down on drinking and caffeine. And now this .... I just didn’t think it would return so soon. I am so distraught right now.
What kind of ablation procedure did you have? I'm having a cryoablation in 2 weeks, it's a lot more effective than the burning method. Statistically anyway... Hope you deal with your afib, I've been dealing with it for 10 years and it really does suck. Has so many knock on effects on your life and mental state.
Odd. I’m probably one of the healthiest eaters and most practical exercisers around. But unfortunately my A-Fib flares up just when I’m feeling amazing from eating healthier and exercising. I stopped running 10 years ago because of A-Fib. Started lifting weights and gained about 35 lbs and hated being heavy but it’s the only exercise that doesn’t give me A-Fib flare ups. Of course now that Im back to my old weight and getting fit and feeling younger from running again, my A-Fib is flaring up. Just stopped a halfway through my easy 5 mile run because it felt like my heart exploded in my chest. My resting heart rate dropped from 120 down to 48 in 5 minutes so I know I hadn’t overexerted myself. Now I’m thinking I really should just go back to walking and just weightlifting or I’ll drop dead on a jog one day.
Seems unfair , this condition ,i have ot too is so damed perplexing.
I am none of the things he listed and had a fib for years, ending up with 10 - 12 hour episodes every day or two. Went to a professor who only does ablutions and he said I needed one the next week. The best thing I ever did as haven’t had an episode since
You're just overdoing it otherwise for a little while I had 8 girlfriends they'll drive you crazy.. now I see one about once a month
@@jimjotka2187 hahaha for real? 8? Hahah
Doc, You are one special guy. Thank you for your expertise. 🤩 Point in question... sleep. It is the make break point in my CHF. I shoot for 9 hours but 8 will have to do sometimes.
I haD AFIB for about a year. I tried the medication route, but that made me dog tired all of the time. I read that AFIB could be controlled by diet as there are specific triggers in diet. I eliminated all alcohol, switched cold turkey to decaf coffee. Eight O’clock decaf coffee has the lowest amount of residual caffeine among the decaf coffees out there. I eliminated dark chocolate as there’s a good amount of caffeine in that. Cut back on sweets too. I have not had an AFIB event in over seven months. Diet modification does work. Doctor has told me to keep doing whatever I am doing.
R u still off meds?
My husband’s haulter recently caught PAFib
I’m paranoic about allopathic drugs
I hope to find some natural supplement to help
Only meds that I take are Metropolol (one half tablet) and Eliquis, both as a precautionary measure.
@@pauldaignault7407
Any sensible side effects?
@@singinprofessor5260 I get a very brief bout of AFIB about every 6-7 weeks that will last less than 45 minutes. These mostly occur when I'm dehydrated. I get something to drink and it dissipates shortly. Doctor says to keep doing what I am doing. I really don't want the heart ablation surgery.
@@pauldaignault7407
So, another words, there’s an alternative to allopathic drugs
That’s what I’m trying to verify
My husband is doing fine but my son is pressing me to put him on meds
I’m not voluntarily going to do it
76 with AFIB and a year ago I quit drinking, cut sugar intake, lost weight and have active lifestyle. Have not had AFib in six months and was able to cut my blood pressure meds by 75%. I also take Magnesium and Potassium supplements and check my levels with blood tests.
An incredible Doc .. ive worked with him for 20yrs as anesthesia doc
Thank you so much, excellent information, I have AFid, but i am doing what you address, and doing well, I still got Afid, I am on blood thinner, thank you
After 50years of SVT , with wrong diagnosis of anxiety, I had a 10 minute Ablation and was cured forever
A very interesting video. It is truly informative. I found that jalapeño peppers will set my heart back into a normal sinus rhythm when I go into AFib.
Do you take meds? How many peppers do you eat to get to normal sinus rhythm? Do you eat peppers with cheese? Thanks
@@lazer4779 I go to Wal-Mart and buy a jar of jalapeño pepper slices. I eat some where between 5 and 8 slices.
@@lazer4779 I was on Amiodarone, but quit taking it because of the side effects. Then I went on Tikosyn and I was on that med for 4 years. I am no longer on heart antiarrythmic medications.
I’m 75 and had daily AFIB episodes for a couple of years, medicated hypertension, and what I thought was normal age-related aches and pains, even though I had been on a low-fat Mediterranean diet for a decades. My primary care MD, who is a holistic practitioner, suggested I might try a Ketogenic low-carbohydrate, high-fat diet because my labs indicated that even though I was eating lots of fruits, vegetables and no added sugars, I was consuming too many carbs. After a month on Keto, my AFIB episodes gradually but completely stopped, my blood pressure reduced, my inflammation was less, and my A1C and fasting glucose reduced dramatically. It’s now been a year and I have been able to stop any blood pressure meds, I’ve never had another AFIB episode, and my arthritic and tendinitis pain is almost gone. This combination of benefits is very common with those who have converted to a clean Keto lifestyle.
No such thing as "clean" keto. You live on dead animals and fat.
so you don’t take any meds?
I’ve been able to discontinue my two blood pressure meds and my allergy meds, but I’ve continued to take Eliquis , a blood thinner to reduce stroke risks.
@@davegarth do u still be in afib after ur ablation?
Congratulations. I did the same.
I just got diagnose with Afib and my Duke Dr. didn’t talk to me about anything to change my overall health 🙁
Finally a few MDs are catching on to what NDs have been saying for decades.
'Let medicine be your food, and food your medicine' … some old Greek dude
Hippocrates, the father of medicine. Absolutely, thanks for the reminder!
I have AFIB now for over 10 years on and off. Since I know my triggers , and keep myself on a diet I reduced the Afib quite considerable . Only when I am not watching my diet and therefore what triggers my AFIB is suffer with AFIB and once the Rhythm is out of wack it takes meds and a strict diet to get back into Synus Rhythm . Also stress can bring on my AFIB, but mostly diet.
I believe AFIB is more a symptom then a disease in itself...
Exercise is the biggest trigger for my afib, so it's a horrible vicious cycle. I used to be really active but now avoid anything too strenuous as I really don't want to go into afib (have nearly passed out a few times). Can really feel myself getting out of shape, not fat or anything, just weak and unfit. It has been around 10 years for me as well, I didn't have any idea what it was for the first 8 years though... I'm only 28, was diagnosed with SVT last year when it got a lot more frequent. Having a cryoblation procedure in 2 weeks, fingers crossed!
I thought that would’ve never been a problem over exercising. However, I can attest to the fact I believe that is exactly what happened I would get on the treadmill and literally want to die on the treadmill, knowing it probably was possible to do that but during a stress test it’s spiked who would’ve thought too much exercise can cause heart problems when it supposed to be helpful
If you are on Warfarin it is a problem since dark green vegetables must be limited, and also such healthy spices, like clove, cinnamon, ginger.
Your doctor adjusts your blood thinner medications to the amount of greens you eat. If you want to eat greens every day, your doctor will adjust for that...You just have to be consistent.
I cut alot on my diet. Sugar, cows milk, bread with gluten in it. Soda juices candies chips..chicken or fish is good. Vegetables fruits. Also is good. I eat peanut butter sometimes. Almond pancakes I eat too. Brown rice. Once or twice a month I will take a piece of chocolate. Exercise. Organic if u can if not then it's ok. Water. Yes I feel better when I fast sometimes. You have to know your body. I used to love food. Pizzas cakes candies sodas etc for years. I don't anymore. Think it is this way. You want to eat junk and have fun or you want to be able to do things without fatigue irregular heartbeat. And be sleeping most of the day. You decide.
Chicken and fish are just as high in cholesterol and fats, plus nitrosamines when cooked. Go completely plant based and only have those once or twice a year.
Plant based diet
Thank you
I was just diagnosed with a fib 3 months ago , scary trying to learn as much as I can
Thanks again
Diet and medication can definitely help a lot but the underlying problem is still there, you're basically just managing it. I've been going through all these stages for the last 8 years and while some stuff helped, the problem was always there (I'm only 28 years old so pretty young for this). I would make changes to my diet and it would help temporarily, but it would always end up creeping back and getting progressively worse. I'm having a cryoablation in 2 weeks, fingers crossed everything goes well... I don't want to live in a constant state of dealing with this shit so why not get it sorted now while I'm still young and the risk is extremely low! And yes it's covered by the NHS in the UK thank god... Not going to be paying anything for it. 97% chance of a successful procedure (from this particular hospital and surgeon) and almost all of those people never see any returning symptoms.
LengPeng please let us know how you did. God bless!
@@Ariadne147 Got postponed by a month, having it done on Wednesday! Will try to remember to update here.
@@Ariadne147 operation was a success, took 4 hours under local anaesthetic and was extremely unpleasant + painful but I feel absolutely fine already, just got discharged from the hospital. My heart honestly feels better than it did this morning... First time I've been unable to feel my heart beating in years. Hopefully it sticks but for now it looks like it was a huge success!
@Kanga Roo had the ablation a couple days ago, feeling fine for now! Groin is a bit tender where they put the catheters in and I have slight heartburn due to inflammation but I'm doing good. Haven't had any tachycardia yet, hopefully it sticks.
One of the fittest cyclist in our club led his normal fast paced difficult rides yesterday. He rode home and rested on his couch and died. In addition to his fitness he was a nice fellow who always encouraged other cyclist. He didn't have an ounce of fat on him. The doctor mentioned over-exercise. How would you know if you are over exercising?
Sorry about your friend, but the answer is pretty clear: hard work wears you out. That's a fact borne out by the huge swaths of people across the world in all cultures that have repetitive stress injuries that occurr over time when a particular muscle/tendon set is obviously over used. The heart is a muscle that NEVER rests, unlike your legs, ankles, knees, etc. You can't make the heart lie still and regenerate through sleep. Some say we only have a finite number of heartbeats.
So, over use can be subjective - or, it can be obvious, such as with your hard charging friend, like I used to be when I rode bikes; always at the top first, always at or near the front, very long strenuous rides that just blew out my lungs and had my blood pounding so hard I could hardly hear anyone speaking. Sure. I was in top shape, now I have AFIB - really bad. Plus, other joint and tendon problems that are clearly related to hyper cycling. I can't help but feel all that high stress exercise was partly to blame.
So, to me, over use is simply measureed by how far out in front you are among your peers. It's good to lead, but every once in a while you need to look back and check if everyone is still in sight. If not, take it down a notch or two. Primitive humans did NOT do marathons.
@@OutnBacker Thanks! It makes total sense. I liked the reference to primitive humans not running marathons. At 76 I actually ride with the slower older group. I am all about longevity and riding as long as possible.
Could have been result of vaccine.
By any chance did your cyclist friend get the jab? Athletes and those in really great shape are the most adversely affected by the clot shot
@@garyfowler1962 I don't know if he got the jab. I was reluctant at first but my daughter-in-law is a doctor and strongly suggested I get the jab because of my age. I ended up getting covid anyway but I suppose it helped me to not get a bad case of it.
Late one night I ate a lot of rice with black eyed peas & the next morning I was in afib. I am almost certain that put me over the edge. I had to go to the hospital where they shocked my heart back into sync. so I have cut way back on caffeine & sugar, taking magnesium coq10, omega 3's. Trying to loose some weight & get more exercise. I am on blood thinners & asprin as well as a beta blocker & another b/p med.
Agree 100%! I've changed my entire diet, and even discovered ingredients in shampoos and other products that were aggravating my A Fib. Thank you for being one of the doctors out there sharing good information, for a better understanding across medical disciplines and for the lay person willing to learn how to be healthier.
Which ingredients?
Which shampoo triggers you and how did you figure out?
"ingredients in shampoos and other products that were aggravating my A Fib." You are an idiot.
I've seen what appears to be the elimination of my AFIB with conscious attention to my hydration levels and electrolyte consumption.
Hey just sharing my story . I’m a 23 year old male from Canada. I have been very active for most of my life , and currently have been training almost everyday for 2 years. Cardio, weights and yoga. I never have any heart issues ever , but if I drink myself to where I puke , I will get AFIB and have to get an IV to reset the rhythm. I’m really stressed about this because it seems that sometimes when I drink to much I will throw my electrical rythyms off in my heart. I just find it very odd that I live a healthy lifestyle but yet I get throw into AFIB after a good night out. Now at my youth age of 23 I have to watch my alcohol intake ?? It really sucks and I’m having a hard time accepting it , not even the doctors know why this happens and I even had a cardio gram or whatever and they said my heart is in great condition. I’m not an alcoholic but over the course of the last 2 years. I’ve gotten drunk maybe 20 times and just got AFIB again for the first time in 2 years on New Year’s Day . I’m not looking for answers just sharing my story in case I die soon lol (JK I feel great ) Maybe my heart just conducts to much energy and gets its rhythms thrown . Either way , I’m feeling great now and I’m gunna steer clear from alcohol for the most part. At least alcohol is one of the most destructive drugs out there considering how accessible , expensive and degraded it can be on people’s minds and body’s. Maybe it’s a sign from the gods that I will die from a drunken stupor and this is there way of saving my tender ass . Okay I’m gunna stop typing now as this edible has got me thinking of my death and existence on this hurling rock in the space time continuum . Cheers .
Officer, I only had”two” drinks, I can handle it, I “ only “ get drunk once a month( which is what this young man is saying) “Drunk”, especially” not drunk “ by the drinker’s definition. If I got drunk which I knew caused by afib( life threatening) , I would NEVER have even one drink!
@@martinmaddox5315 Your so smart man
Don't forget alcohol converts to sugar possibly causing inflammatory response
@@joelbosh1223 I drink maybe a six pack per year and less than 5 mixed drinks per YEAR. Been that way since college, no I never had an alcohol “ problem” even though I drank some during college! I would rather have a lemonade, which tastes better.
Alcohol is poison.
Following knee surgery I was sent home with low dose aspirin - I developed pulmonary embolism and had to be placed on Xarelto for six months. I’m in New Zealand where they obviously still place faith in aspirin as a blood thinner. It was not effective as a profylactic nor as treatment, but it’s all you get post surgery. When I had a recent hip replacement they were very proactive with blood thinners, because of my previous history!
What about the Autonomic Nervous System having a problem. I have an old neck injury. Could it be the cause?
YES.
I’ve had Afib for 25 years , but mine is to leaky heart valves. It’s been pretty consistent for those years , so haven’t needed to have valve replacement yet . I hike , weight train 6 days a week , never smoked, I eat clean , lots of herbal supplements, and I have my BP well in control. Never really drank excessive amounts of alcohol., I totally quit drinking 2 years ago. I don’t have episodes, just irregular heart rate that no matter how much cardio I do won’t go over 150 🤔
My dad has Afib. He was diagnosed at age 38. My younger sister has Afib. She was diagnosed at age 18. I mentioned to my general practitioner that I was concerned that maybe I had Afib as well because I have always had heart palpitations. Her response was that I was too young; people are generally diagnosed in their 50s and 60s. I was a little annoyed with her response. I do have hypothyroidism though, which can cause heart rhythm issues. I have now gone plant based to prevent and cure some of my health issues.
Find a new doctor... You can also get a portable ecg device that sticks on your phone, that was the only way I was able to diagnose mine. Every time I went for a proper ECG I wouldn't be having any issues so it took ages to diagnose. Knew something was wrong but had no idea what it was. Once I got a clear recording of afib on the device I showed the doctor and he knew what it was straight away. I had my first symptons of afib when I was 19, had no idea what it was until I was 27 (last year). It gets worse over time, I would only get afib on extremely rare occasions when I was younger, the last few years it's almost every time I exercise or drink alcohol. Medication and diet will only help you manage the condition, it won't actually cure it. It can help some people for many years but it's gonna come back eventually. I'm getting a cryoblation done in 2 weeks, seems like the best option at this point.
LengPeng Thank you! ❤️
@@naomimay82 no worries, best of luck trying to diagnose whatever you've got going on! Alivecor was the device I got by the way, it's expensive but was obviously worth it for me. If you're having bad episodes of afib that are lasting over an hour I would recommend checking it out.
LengPeng I was having episodes all day long for weeks!!! My other doctor recommended magnesium. I started taking magnesium two days ago and they completely stopped. I guess I was deficient in magnesium, and one of the symptoms is heart palpitations.
@@naomimay82 Yeah that can cause it so you should be okay. If magnesium is enough to get rid of them then I wouldn't worry about it! If that ever stops working then you may just be susceptible to it, hopefully that's not the case!
I dont see docs treating the cause. They treat symptoms.
Finally, a doctor who is willing to look at something besides pills and surgeries!
I treated and eliminated my own Afib by dealing with my digestive issues, losing weight, exercising and getting off almost all beta blockers and calcium channel blockers.
Are you still on blood thinners?
@@dougcoleburn1579 Yes, Eliquis.
I have inappropriate sinus tachycardia for 2 years do I need catheter ablation ?
@@ferdousialam3744 I am not qualified to answer that. I only can speak to my experience and that of the many other people who know that their attacks of arrhythmia are triggered by trapped gas.
How did you treat your digestive issues?
So doc...what does a good diet consist of to reduce afib?