Content

• Steps
• Method 1 of 3: Changing Your Diet
• Method 2 of 3: Changing Your Lifestyle
• Method 3 of 3: Consult your doctor
• Tips

Triglycerides are fats that are the body's main source of energy. To have energy, the body needs to get calories, which come in the form of food. The extra calories are converted to triglycerides and stored in fat cells for later use. Studies have shown that elevated triglyceride levels can lead to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, as well as certain types of cancer. Your doctor may prescribe certain medications, but lifestyle changes can also be effective in lowering triglyceride levels in your blood. Thanks to this, you will significantly reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular disease, heart attack and stroke.

Steps

Method 1 of 3: Changing Your Diet

1. 1 Reduce your sugar intake. Simple carbohydrates such as sugar and white flour products increase triglyceride levels. Eliminate white foods from your diet. Avoid cookies, cakes, muffins, pasta, white bread, candy, and so on.
   • According to research, corn syrup is high in fructose, which is very harmful when it comes to elevated triglyceride levels. Eliminate foods high in fructose from your diet. Pay attention to the composition of the products you buy. Consider the sugar content of the selected product.
   • If you find it difficult to give up sweets, snack on a piece of fruit. Of course, fruits also contain natural sugars, but that doesn't compare to the processed sugars we consume along with sweets and similar sweets.
2. 2 Eliminate bad fats from your diet. Reduce your intake of fat, particularly saturated fat and trans fat. This will help lower your triglyceride levels. Of course, it is not necessary to completely abandon fatty foods, but the daily rate of calories received by the body from fat-containing foods should not exceed 25-35%. Include foods that contain good fats in your diet.
   • Eliminate fast food and processed foods from your diet. They contain trans fats, which are very unhealthy. Do not believe everything that is written on the package. Sometimes you can see an inscription that the product you have chosen does not contain trans fats. However, it can contain unhealthy fats, so read the ingredients carefully before buying. If hydrogenated oil is found among the ingredients, then there are trans fats in the product of your choice.
   • Eliminate saturated fats from your diet, which are found in animal products, such as red meat, butter, and pork fat.
3. 3 Include healthy fats in your diet. Replace bad fats with good ones. However, please note that they should also be eaten in limited quantities. Healthy fats include olive oil, nuts, and avocados.
   • Make an effort to replace unhealthy fats with healthy ones.For example, use olive oil instead of butter, or eat 10-12 almonds instead of cookies.
   • Polyunsaturated, unsaturated, monounsaturated fats, and omega-3 fatty acids are examples of healthy fats.
4. 4 Limit your cholesterol intake. The daily intake of cholesterol should not exceed more than 300 mg. If you suffer from cardiovascular disease, reduce the amount to 200 mg per day. Avoid high cholesterol foods such as red meat, egg yolks, and whole milk products. Pay attention to the composition of foods and the amount of cholesterol they contain.
   • Note that triglycerides and cholesterol are not the same thing. These are two different types of lipids. Triglycerides store unused calories and provide the body with the energy it needs, while cholesterol is used by the body to build cells and maintain hormonal balance. However, both triglycerides and cholesterol do not dissolve in the blood and cause various diseases.
   • Many companies today make products with low cholesterol levels. Pay attention to product labeling. The product you choose should indicate that it contains a small amount of cholesterol. Look for these types of products in the store.
5. 5 Include more fish in your diet. Increasing your intake of fish high in omega-3 fatty acids helps lower triglyceride levels. Fish such as mackerel, lake trout, herring, sardines, tuna and salmon are the best choices because they are high in omega-3 fatty acids.
   • To reduce triglyceride levels, it is recommended that you consume fish high in omega-3 fatty acids at least twice a week.
   • However, in some cases, the amount of omega-3 fatty acids in your diet may not be enough to lower your triglyceride levels, so your doctor may recommend a fish oil supplement. You can buy this drug at any pharmacy.
6. 6 Eat a healthy diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. As you cut back on foods that contain sugar, cut out processed foods, and those that contain simple carbohydrates, you will need to increase your intake of whole grains, fruits and vegetables. Eat a balanced diet rich in nutrients. This will greatly improve your well-being.
   • Include whole grains in your diet. Eat whole grain breads and pasta. In addition, you should include quinoa, barley, oats, and millet products on your menu.
   • Include a variety of fruits and vegetables in your daily diet. Ideally, two-thirds of your plate should be plant-based foods that include fruits and vegetables.

Method 2 of 3: Changing Your Lifestyle

1. 1 Limit alcohol consumption. Alcohol is high in calories and sugar. Therefore, it can increase triglyceride levels. Even a small amount of alcohol can significantly increase triglyceride levels. Some studies show that triglyceride levels rise significantly in women who consume more than one alcoholic drink per day and in men who consume more than two drinks.
   • Some people with very high triglyceride levels will need to eliminate alcohol from their diet altogether.
2. 2 Pay attention to the composition of the products you buy. When shopping, take a few extra minutes to read the labels on the packaging. This will help you determine if a particular product is worth buying or is it better to leave it on the shelf in the store. It only takes a minute, but it saves both money and health.
   • If sugar is mentioned as one of the first ingredients on the label, then leave this product on the shelf.It is not recommended to buy brown sugar, high fructose corn syrup, honey, molasses, concentrated fruit juices, dextrose, glucose, maltose, sucrose, and syrups. All of the above can increase triglyceride levels.
   • Buy groceries located around the perimeter of the store. As a rule, fresh food, cereals and meat are located here. Processed and packaged foods are usually located in the center of the store. Therefore, bypass this place.
3. 3 Lose weight. If you are overweight, losing only five to ten percent of your total body weight can lower triglyceride and cholesterol levels and reduce your risk of heart disease. Fat cell volume is directly related to body weight. People who maintain a healthy weight tend to have normal (in other words, healthy) triglyceride levels. Belly fat is the main indicator of high triglyceride levels.
   • The most accurate way to determine whether a person is overweight and obese is to use the body mass index (BMI). Calculating your BMI is a snap. BMI equals your weight in kilograms divided by the square of your height in meters. A BMI between 25 and 29.9 indicates overweight, and a BMI over 30 is considered obese.
   • If you want to lose weight, reduce your calorie intake and increase your time spent exercising. This is the best way to lose weight. Be sure to check with your doctor or dietitian before embarking on a new diet and exercise regimen.
   • Also, reduce your portion sizes. Eat slowly and get up from the table when you are already full.
4. 4 Exercise regularly. To lower your triglyceride levels, try a daily exercise for 30 minutes. Studies have shown that practicing aerobic exercise for 20-30 minutes (exercise where your heart rate should not drop below 70% of your maximum heart rate) can help lower triglyceride levels. Take time to jog in the morning, join the pool or gym to reduce triglyceride levels.
   • The basic method for calculating your maximum heart rate is to subtract your age from 220. Then multiply that number by 0.7. For example, if you are 20 years old, your optimal heart rate would be 140.
   • Regular physical activity helps to kill two birds with one stone - increase "good" cholesterol, while lowering "bad" and lower triglyceride levels.
   • If you don't have time for a 30-minute workout, try exercising for a few minutes throughout the day. Take a short walk around the area, climb the stairs at work, or try yoga or exercise while watching TV in the evening.

Method 3 of 3: Consult your doctor

1. 1 Consult your doctor. If you try to figure out this information on your own, it will most likely be very difficult to do so, as the large number of scientific terms such as triglycerides, LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol and the like can be very confusing. Therefore, it is better to consult your doctor to get accurate and clear information about your health condition and possible risks.
   • Doctors differ when it comes to how triglycerides affect the cardiovascular system. Of course, high triglyceride levels increase the risk of developing cardiovascular disease. However, the relationship between lower triglyceride levels and lower risk of heart disease is less clear. Talk to your doctor to get the information you need that will apply to your particular case.
2. 2 Find out the norms. The optimal triglyceride level is less than 100 mg / dL (1.1 mmol / L). Below you will find a scale of triglyceride levels:
   • Normal - less than 150 milligrams per deciliter (mg / dl) or less than 1.7 millimoles per liter (mmol / l)
   • Maximum allowable - from 150 to 199 mg / dl (from 1.8 to 2.2 mmol / l)
   • High - from 200 to 499 mg / dl (from 2.3 to 5.6 mmol / l)
   • Very tall - from 500 mg / dl and above (5.7 mmol / l and above)
3. 3 Ask your doctor about the need for medication. For some people with high triglyceride levels, medication may be the only way to deal with the problem. However, doctors usually try to avoid treating this condition with drugs, as various complications can arise, given the patient's comorbid conditions. The doctor will do a biochemical analysis to objectify violations in the body's fat metabolism (lipid profile) before prescribing medications. Before this test, you will need to fast for 9-12 hours (to lower your blood sugar) for more accurate triglyceride measurements. This is the only way to determine if you need medication. The drugs that normalize the level of triglycerides in the blood include:
   • Fibrates such as lopid, fenofibrate, and tricor
   • A nicotinic acid
   • Formulations high in omega-3 fatty acids

Tips

• By lowering triglyceride levels, your overall health will improve significantly. In addition, the level of cholesterol in the blood will decrease and the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases will be reduced.