If you’ve just gotten word from the doctor that your triglyceride levels are too high, this is not information to be ignored! Reducing triglyceride levels is imperative. Often, high cholesterol and high triglyceride levels go hand in hand. This means that you are at considerable risk for various forms of heart disease, including thickening of the blood, promoting the formation of clots and a higher incidence of stroke and heart attacks.
An acceptable reading of triglycerides is 199mg/dL, while 100mg/dL is indicative of optimal health.
So how did your triglyceride levels get so high? Here we present an overview of the production of triglycerides, followed by some natural ways aimed at reducing triglyceride levels and bad cholesterol as well.
Triglycerides are essentially fats, formed in a three step process in your liver. When you consume carbs, they are converted to glucose, transmitting energy to your cells. When your cells have all they need, the excess is sent to the liver, which then converts the glucose to glycogen, which is then made available to your muscles. However, when you consume more carbs than your body requires, the excess glycogen again returns to your liver and is converted to triglycerides, stored as fat. When your liver says ‘Enough for me!’, these fats remain circulating in your blood. This is what precipitates a dangerous condition, as mentioned above, the potential for clots, coronary blockage, stroke or a heart attack. You can see why reducing triglyceride levels is a must!
Now that you have a basic understanding of the process and problems, let’s get to some of the natural methods for reducing triglyceride levels, as well as addressing some of the high cholesterol issues.
1. Reduce your intake of carbohydrates. Too many carbs results in excess trigylcerides circulating in your blood.
2. Reduce the amount of sugar you consume. Remember, the first step down the path to high triglyceride levels begins with the conversion to glucose. Read product labels carefully, there’s a lot of hidden carbs and sugars out there!
3. You may be surprised to learn that all fats are not bad fats. For example, butter and eggs contain natural animal fats which are required for certain functions. The fats you want to avoid are the trans fats and hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils, contained in processed foods such as frozen commercially prepared meals and margarine. Again, read your labels!
4. To keep cholesterol in check, while reducing triglyceride levels indirectly, pump up your menus with lean meats and dark green, leafy veggies, low in cholesterol and high in fiber. Choosing low or non fat dairy products is also smart.
5. Don’t rely on aspirin as a long-term blood thinner, as this regimen takes its toll on your stomach and has a limited and decreasing effectiveness as a blood thinner.
6. Discuss using the following supplements with your doctor, proven to help in reducing triglyceride levels and cholesterol: Fish oil supplements, with high levels of DHA and EPA are fatty acids which are most easily absorbed by the body. Ginger root extract also reduces cholesterol, while promoting healthy blood flow. Turmeric, a spice commonly used in Indian cooking, helps in reducing triglyceride levels, as well as cholesterol. It’s also an anti-inflammatory and powerful antioxidant. Green tea is not only helpful in reducing triglyceride levels, but also reduces the LDL (bad) cholesterol, while increasing the HDL (good) cholesterol.
So there you have a 6-point plan to help you in reducing triglyceride levels, naturally, as well as getting your cholesterol in line!
