The webinar last night went great! Thanks so much to all who participated! If you missed it, I hope you can make next month’s webinar, which I will announce soon.
Since we are still celebrating American Heart Month, I wanted to discuss a topic that think confuses a lot of people: triglycerides
Triglycerides are a particular form of fat that is transported through your blood to the tissue. The majority of your body's fat tissue is made up of triglycerides. However, high level of triglyceride in the blood can be a risk for heart disease. Triglycerides are usually measured when you have your cholesterol checked. The optimal triglyceride level is 150mg/dL or less.
Triglycerides in the bloodstream are derived from fats eaten in foods or made in the body from other energy sources like carbohydrates. Calories ingested in a meal and not used immediately by tissues are converted to triglycerides and transported to fat cells to be stored. Hormones regulate the release of triglycerides from fat tissue so they meet the body's needs for energy between meals. An excess triglyceride level in the bloodstream is known as hypertriglyceridemia. This excessive level of triglyceride has been linked to an increased risk of coronary artery disease.
So, if your triglycerides are high, what should you do?
Reduce the Intake of Sweets: The sugar in sweets quickly spikes triglycerides levels. Avoid fruit juices, soda, pastries, pies, candy, cookies and sweet desserts.
Decrease or Eliminate Alcohol: Excessive alcohol contributes to high triglyceride levels. Some people are sensitive to even small amount of alcohol. To reduce triglycerides, alcohol intake should be limited. Although red wine has shown to help increase HDL cholesterol (“good” cholesterol) in some individuals, this should be consumed within reason. Generally, a reasonable limit to alcohol consumption would be no more than 2 glasses of wine per day (1 serving is 4 ounces of wine) for men, and 1 or less glasses of wine for women.
Reduce Refined Carbohydrate Intake: White bread, pasta, white rice and white flour are considered refined carbohydrates due to their very low fiber content. These foods are digested rapidly in our bodies and spike triglyceride levels. Instead, consume only whole grain carbohydrate sources (sources with at least 2 or more grams of fiber per serving) such as whole-wheat pasta, brown rice, barley, and oats.
Maintain a Healthy Body Weight: Obesity is shown as a major cause of high triglycerides. If you are overweight, lose weight with regular exercise and by reducing total calorie intake. A small weight loss of just 5% of one’s total body weight can significantly lower triglyceride levels.
Exercise: Exercise not only helps to lower overall body weight, but 30 minutes a day of cardiovascular exercise can significantly reduce triglyceride levels as well as raise HDL cholesterol levels (“good” cholesterol) and reduce your risk of heart disease.
Celebrate American Heart Month by finding out what your triglyceride level is and start working to lower it. Your heart will thank you!
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