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Triglycerides
Typically, your doctor will tell you about how to lower triglycerides and ways to reduce them. Chemically, they are fats attached to a sugar molecule. We need them to function, so they’re in our blood along with other fat molecules. What makes high triglycerides a problem is that they can raise potential for heart disease.
* 200 mg/dl of blood or less is normal level triglycerides
Triglycerides correlate with good, or HDL cholesterol. Interestingly, factors that lower good cholesterol sometimes affect your triglycerides and make them higher (not good sign). Many people have high triglycerides and low HDL cholesterol, and these two problems happen at the same time.
*Low HDL cholesterol is less than 40 mg/dl of blood for men and less than forty five for women
Another few facts are that the combination HDL cholesterol and high triglycerides may indicate sensitivity to simple carbohydrates, and may increase risk of heart disease like coronary.
11 Ways on How to Lower Triglycerides Naturally
- Exercise! It burns up triglycerides and increases HDL cholesterol
- In a nutshell, eat plants: peas, beans, soy and other vegetable proteins directly affect cholesterol. For meat, try white poultry without the skin without much fat.
- Fiber-rich foods. They control your triglycerides, and you will be surprised by the variety: any fruit/vegetable, oats, whole grains, beans, flaxseeds and pumpkin seeds.
- Extra tip: It’s important to drink more water when you increase your fiber intake and increase your fiber dose incrementally to prevent intestinal discomfort.
- Steer clear of trans fats and anything fried like fat meats, mystery sauces, spreads, butter, shortening, lard, margarine or skin on poultry. Instead, try olive oil, rice bran, flaxseed oil, walnut oil, and canola oil.
- Watch your weight! Consultant with your dietitian or doctor what’s right for you. Even a difference of 10-15lbs, which is an idle weight loss, can substantially low your triglycerides, and thus your risk of heart disease. To lose weight, ask to be referred any dietitian. You won’t have to go hungry or exclude any food groups.
- Make omega 3 fatty acids your go-to choice 2x/week, which the American Heart Association recommends, and they suggest you eat mackerel, trout, salmon, sardines, or tuna. Some other foods that have them are dark leafy greens, ground flax seed, walnuts, legumes, and soy.
- Ditch those refi
ned carbs, but don’t eliminate them, as severely restricting or cutting out bread, cereal, pasta, and grains in general can contribute to making heart disease worse. The way to make it work and stay safe is by staying away from white rice, bread, or pasta made from semolina or white flour, and eating whole grains, multi-grain breads, brown rice, whole wheat pasta, oats, barley, quinoa, millet instead.
- Back off the booze! Drinking alcohol contributes to elevated triglyceride levels, and in a sensitive individual, even a bit can seriously elevate triglycerides, no matter what type of alcohol.
- Avoid those hidden fats and trans fats, and don’t let your sweet tooth creep up on you. If it has “hydrogenated vegetable oil” in it, skip it because you’re better off without. Beware of hotdogs, regular fat meats, lunch meats, and snack foods.
- Again, curb that sweet tooth. Soda, cookies, candy, pastries, pies, sweet desserts and even concentrated fruit juices will raise triglycerides in a shocking amount of people.
Hopefully, you’re learned enough about how to lower your triglycerides to step by step forward confidently into better health.
Bonus recipe:
Delectable Veggie Chili
3 cups cooked brown rice
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
2tbs chill powder
1 tsp cumin
1 cup tomato sauce
1pkg Morning Star Vegetable Crumbles
1 can kidney beans
1 can (28 oz) Italian tomatoes
2 large carrots, grated
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 medium onions, diced
2 sweet red peppers, cubed
3 tbs olive oil
2-3 large zucchinis or summer squashes
Step 1:
Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan with onions, squash, and sauté until tender.
Step 2:
Add carrots, peppers, garlic, and keep sauté another 5 minutes.
Step 3:
Add all the other ingredients except the brown rice, and simmer until everything is cooked thoroughly, which should be about 20 to 30 minutes. Stir occasionally.
Step 4:
Serve your chili over the brown rice and enjoy!
This recipe makes about 6 servings that are 1 cup each.
Bonus tip: If you want to reduce your fat cook with less olive oil.
Nutrition information (per 1 cup serving):
Calories: 390
Fat: 10g
Saturated fat: 1g
Fiber: 18g
Sodium: 200mg
You still can enjoy a full and satisfying meal while still remaining diligent in reducing elevated triglycerides, and the above tips which suggest healthier alternatives is a great way to be proactive in getting your desired result.
Like always, communicate with your doctor so they can help you best, and remember that health is about enjoying the best quality food for health that our bodies are designed to consume to be at their optimal level.
Now, you know how to lower your triglycerides and can now start to empower yourself one step and one meal at a time.
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