Ask Your Doctor About Natural Supplements
Several natural supplements could have the potential to lower blood triglycerides. Always speak with your doctor before starting any supplements, as they can interact with other medications.
Note especially that the Food and Drug Administration does not regulate supplements in the same way as it regulates pharmaceuticals, and supplement quality can vary widely.
Below are a few of the main supplements that have been studied:
- Fish oil. Well known for its potent effects on heart health, fish oil is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which have been shown to decrease triglycerides and several other risk factors for heart disease (
Summary
Several supplements have been studied for their ability to lower triglyceride levels, including fish oil, fenugreek, garlic extract, guggul, and curcumin.
Eat Less To Lose Weight
High triglycerides come from regularly eating more calories than your body burns, so eating less overall is one of the best ways to start reining them in.
How much less, exactly? You may want to cut back by 500 to 1,000 calories a day, depending on how many calories youre consuming. Thats enough to help you lose weight, which is key.
Dropping 5 to 10 percent of your body weight is enough to reduce your triglycerides significantly. But definitely get the OK from your doctor before making any major changes to your diet.
Ways To Lower Triglycerides
Candy, cookies, pies, pastries, ice cream, frozen yogurt, puddings, fat free desserts , fruit juice, other sweet beverages, such as soda, sweetened iced tea, iced coffee beverages, lemonade, fruit punch, sports drinks, energy drinks. Also limit added sugar of any kind, syrup, and honey.
White bread, bagels, pita, etc, white rice, white pasta, white flour in any product, pretzels, rice cakes, ready-to-eat cereals made with white flour.
- INSTEAD: use whole grain breads, cereals, and pasta, and increase fiber intake.
- Old fashioned or steel cut oats are great choices, as are brown rice, quinoa, wheat berries, amaranth, and other whole grains.
- Choose legumes often chickpeas, lentils, pinto beans, kidney beans, black beans, etc.
- Note: eating too much of any high-carbohydrate food will contribute to high triglycerides
Choose foods rich in omega 3 fatty acids, and monounsaturated fats :
- Fatty fish: salmon, mackerel, sardines, tuna, trout, bluefish, herring, swordfish. Eat at least 2 servings per week limit albacore tuna and swordfish.
- Flaxseed oil and ground flaxseed , walnuts, soy products such as tofu and soy milk, dark leafy greens
- Other nuts and seeds are also good almonds, pecans, pistachios, cashews, sunflower seeds, etc.
Maintain a healthy weight, or lose weight if needed.
- You may be surprised that even a modest weight loss can greatly reduce your TGs, cholesterol, and heart disease risk.
Avoid trans-fatty acids in processed foods
Limit saturated fats
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Get Rid Of The Trans Fatty Foods
- Trans fatty foods are as harmful as poison. Artificial trans fat additives are injected into the foods to enhance their shelf-life. The most common examples of trans fatty foods include baked and fried foods that contain partially hydrogenated oils.
- Trans fats are inflammatory. The consumption of such foods triggers health problems like an increase in the levels of unhealthy LDL cholesterol, triglycerides, and blood pressure.
- So, it is recommended to cut down on the intake of fried, baked, and processed foods to decrease the level of triglycerides in the blood.
Walnuts Help Keep Arteries Clear
Most nuts contain a high concentration of healthy fat. Walnuts are composed of 47 percent polyunsaturated fatty acids, thought of as “good fats.” But while most nuts contain polyunsaturated fatty acids, walnuts are the only ones with a significant amount of a certain type called alpha-linoleic acid. Alpha-linoleic acid acts as an anti-inflammatory agent and has actually been shown to help reduce plaque buildup in coronary arteries. Eating walnuts has been shown to improve cholesterol levels and the function of the small arteries and vessels within our bodies. Recently, a study looking people who consumed 43 gm of walnuts every day found the nuts reduced total and LDL cholesterol levels. However this study showed something even more important, in my view. Consumption of walnuts reduced the level of apolipoprotein B, which is a strong genetic risk factor for coronary artery disease.
If you are at high risk for coronary artery disease or already have it, consider adding walnuts to your diet.
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What Foods Can Help Lower Triglycerides
Now that you know which foods to avoid, what foods can you add into your diet that can help support healthy triglyceride levels? “Foods to emphasize are high fiber vegetables with lower sugar content, such as cruciferous vegetables,” Archibald says. “Including legumes, canned or cooked from their dried versions, will add both fiber and satiety to the plate.”
Adding healthy omega-3 fats can be helpful as well. “Among fats, seek out foods rich in omega-3 fats, which not only act as natural anti-inflammatories in the body but can also prevent the production of triglycerides and cholesterol in the liver,” says Archibald.
Here are 20 foods that can lower triglycerides.
What To Look For In A Supplement
Dietary supplements arent regulated in the U.S., so its impossible to know just what youre getting when you pluck a bottle off the shelfunless it has USP Dietary Supplement Verification, which means the product has been tested to verify it contains what the label says it does. Just look for the USP seal on the label.
Choose an over-the-counter omega-3 supplement thats purified and contains EPA and DHA, says Robert Greenfield, M.D., a cardiologist at Memorial Care Heart and Vascular Institute at Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley, CA.
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Can You Eat Too Many Nuts
The answer is yes, absolutely. The best approach to eating nuts is moderation.
Nuts are very good sources of energy, and if you eat too much you can gain weight and offset the heart benefits. I like to recommend adding nuts to an already heart-healthy diet or as an alternative healthy snack. If you change your snacks alone to unsalted nuts you will be surprised how effective that choice is in helping with weight loss and cholesterol management.
One thing to keep in mind is that some people can experience dangerous allergic reactions to nuts. If you have a potential allergy or a family history of nut allergies, dont consider using nuts until you talk with your doctor.
Finally, there are data regarding contamination of some nuts with mycotoxins. Consider reading about these toxins as I dont have enough room to cover them here. The one that has the most data behind it is cases of contamination of peanuts with aflatoxin.
How Nuts Can Reduce Your Levels Of Cholesterol
With heart disease being the number one killer in the United States, researchers at Loma Linda University Health advise us to go nuts with our health. Patricia Kelikani
Patricia Kelikani, Health Journalist : When it comes to your health, its okay to go a little nuts. Especially since heart disease is so prevalent in our country.
Dr. Mark Reeves Surgical Oncologist : In fact, one-third of Americans have high LDL cholesterolthe bad kind of cholesterol. Those with high total cholesterol have twice the risk of heart disease compared to people whose cholesterol levels are under 200.
KELIKANI: With heart disease being the number one killer in the United States, researchers at Loma Linda University Health advise us to go nuts with our health.
DR. REEVES: Back in 1993, Loma Linda University Health made a landmark discovery that reversed the health advice from the American Heart Association. Up until then, the organization advised the public against eating nuts because of the high fat content.
KELIKANI: However, Dr. Joan Sabaté discovered that adding one to two servings of nuts to our daily diets could actually cut our risk of having a heart attack in half. During the initial study, the researchers put subjects on a two-month diet known as the American Heart Association step-one diet to lower cholesterol.
DR. REEVES: Half of those subjects were fed the same diet with 20 percent of the calories coming from walnuts. The following month, the groups switched.
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Healthy Eating Tips To Lower Cholesterol
As well as sticking to a varied and healthy diet, try these tips to help you manage your cholesterol:
- The Heart Foundation recommends that people follow a heart-healthy eating pattern, which is built on eating mostly plant-based foods. Eating more plant-based foods like vegetables, legumes, fruit, wholegrains, nuts and seeds is good for heart health.
- Include legumes , beans in at least two meals a week. Check food labels and choose the lowest sodium products.
- Beans make a great alternative to meat in tacos, or snack on hummus with vegetable sticks. You can also add legumes to soups, pasta sauces, curries and stews.
- Use tofu or lentils instead of meat in stir fries or curries.
Snacks To Help Battle High Cholesterol
When youre struggling with high cholesterol, you start to think more about everything you eat. Whether its a hamburger or a bowl of grapes, you wonder how the choice will impact your numbers. Its usually tempting to skip snacks altogether, but a healthy snack can help to maintain your blood sugar, metabolism, and even cholesterol levels throughout the day. Here are some healthy snack ideas to get you started.
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Establish A Sleep Schedule
Earlier I mentioned how high triglycerides are associated with a sluggish thyroid . This is because a lack of thyroid hormone causes lipids to hang out in the blood for longer periods of time.
One way to improve thyroid function, triglycerides levels, and energy levels at the same time is by prioritizing sleep. Make sure you are sleeping at around the same time every night and getting enough sleep .
If you have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep, turn off all lights and electronics at-least 30 minutes before bed time and meditate. By doing this, you will increase melatonin and decrease stress levels, making it easier to fall asleep and stay asleep throughout the night. Follow the same meditation and sleep schedule every week to wake up feeling more refreshed and healthier each morning.
How Is Cholesterol Measured
Most people with high cholesterol feel perfectly well and often have no symptoms.
Visit your GP to find out your cholesterol level and to find out what you need to do if your levels of bad cholesterol are high.
For people aged 45 years and over, you can have your cholesterol checked as part of a Heart Health Check with your GP.
If you identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander, you should have your cholesterol checked from age 18 years.
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Are High Triglycerides A Common Problem
Experts recommend you keep your triglycerides below 150 milligrams per deciliter. About one-quarter of the people in the United States have high triglycerides. These numbers have declined since 2001, probably because more people take statin drugs and fewer people smoke cigarettes.
The U.S. FDA’s ban on trans fats in food could be another reason triglyceride levels have dropped among Americans. Trans fats increase the levels of not only LDL cholesterol also called the “bad” cholesterol but also triglycerides.
Even though trans fats may be banned by the FDA, you should choose unsaturated fats over saturated ones.
Can Eating Nuts Lower Your Triglycerides
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Adding certain foods to your diet can help you lower your risk of heart disease. For example, adding nuts to your diet can lower your level of triglycerides, which are a type of fat in the blood. Although the effects of nuts on your triglyceride levels increase the more you eat, it is important to not overdo it, as nuts are high in calories.
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List Of Healthy Foods To Lower Triglycerides Levels In Your Body
Triglycerides are known as a form of fat that are found in foods and in our body. The triglycerides levels affect on your cholesterol level directly, especially bad cholesterol because they are used by your liver to produce cholesterol. That is the reason you should keep your triglycerides levels low. Your triglycerides level is considered to be the normal level if they are below 150 mg/dL, and high level if they are over 200 mg/dL. The high triglycerides level can be the risk of many diseases such as diabetes, stroke, and heart problems. There are many ways to lower high triglycerides level including your healthy lifestyle and your diet.
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Foods That Could Help Lower Triglycerides
Chances are, you’ve heard that having healthy triglyceride levels in your blood is important. But what exactly are triglycerides, and how do they work in your body? And when you have high levels, is it possible to manage them with lifestyle, and can food make a difference? The good news is, according to food and health pros, what you eat can help. We’ve rounded up some of the foods that can lower triglycerides, and there are plenty of whole foods on the list.
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What Are Triglycerides And Why Are They Important
“Triglycerides are a type of blood lipid and they’re made up of free fatty acids. They’re stored in your body fat, but you’ll also find them in your blood,” says nutritionist Jessica Ash, CNC, HHC, FDN-P and founder of Jessica Ash Wellness. “And because your liver makes them, they’re also found in your liver and then your tissues. Our body gets triglycerides either from the food that you eat or from the body it manufactures triglycerides in the liver.”
“It’s important to know that triglycerides, like cholesterol, are normally protective . But triglycerides are used for energy, whereas cholesterol is used for steroid hormone production,” Ash explains. “And our muscles are specifically what like to uptake fatty acids or triglycerides. So they’re fatty acids that the body usually uses for energy.”
Your body needs energy from food to function. But excess energy, especially from sources like simple carbohydrates, can be stored as triglycerides, which can create issues if your triglyceride levels are elevated above the normal range. According to the Mayo Clinic, if your triglycerides are over 150 mg/dL, then you’re at a greater risk for developing heart disease.
Cholesterol And Healthy Eating
What we eat has an impact on our cholesterol levels and can help reduce our risk of disease. The Heart Foundation recommends following a heart-healthy eating pattern, which means eating a wide variety of fresh and unprocessed foods and limiting highly processed foods including take away, baked goods, chocolate, chips, lollies and sugary drinks. Not only does this help to maintain a healthy and interesting diet, but it provides essential nutrients to the body.
A heart-healthy eating pattern includes:
- plenty of vegetables, fruit and wholegrains
- a variety of healthy protein-rich foods , legumes , nuts and seeds. Smaller amounts of eggs and lean poultry can also be included in a heart-healthy eating pattern. If choosing red meat, make sure it is lean and limit to one to three times a week
- unflavoured milk, yoghurt and cheese. People with high cholesterol should choose reduced fat varieties
- healthy fats and oils. Choose nuts, seeds, avocados, olives and their oils for cooking
- herbs and spices to flavour foods, instead of adding salt.
This way of eating is also naturally high in fibre, which is good news, because a high intake of dietary fibre can also reduce levels of bad cholesterol in the blood.
Also, be mindful of how much you are eating. Portion sizes have increased over time and many of us are eating more than we need which can increase our cholesterol and risk of heart disease.
Serving size can vary depending on age, gender and specific nutrition needs.
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How To Reduce Triglyceride Level Naturally
Its important to note that, triglycerides are basically fat present in the blood , and can be reduced by burning the body calorie level through exercise and a well-planned diet. Some of the natural ways of reducing triglycerides include:
Exercise: Engaging in more physical activities will greatly reduce the number of calories in the bloodstream, and as such lower the level of triglyceride in the body naturally, without the use of supplements.
Obesity is another factor that contributes to high triglyceride level in the body. If you happen to be overweight, working on losing few pounds will go a long way in lowering the level of triglyceride in the bloodstream.
Eating Healthy: Choosing your diet carefully can help reduce the amount of triglyceride in the bloodstream. Reducing the amount of processed food and sugar would help lower the level of blood triglyceride.
Diet high in carbohydrate can greatly increase the level of blood sugar and therefore influence the level of triglyceride in the body. Avoid loading up excessively on carbohydrate high food.
Food rich in omega-3-fatty acid, vegetables, and whole grain is good diet for lowering the triglyceride level.
Reduce Alcohol:Alcohol has been linked to increased level of triglyceride in most people. Reducing the intake of alcohol is another effective natural means of lowering triglyceride.
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