How To Reduce Triglycerides Without Medication

How To Reduce Triglyceride Levels Without Medication

Triglycerides can cause heart diseases. Maintaining a healthy range of Triglycerides is important for a healthy heart. This article explains various approaches to reducing Triglycerides in the body without medication.

What are Triglycerides?Excess calories in the food gets converted to Triglycerides during digestion and gets stored in the body as Fat. They are the most common form of fat in the body. They are produced from the excess carbohydrates you eat also sometimes produced within the body. Body produces energy from them and so they are essential for your life. However, excess Triglycerides can lead to many coronary diseases.The best option to reduce Triglycerides is to make healthy food choices like fish, lean meat, lot of vegetables and fruits etc. Exercise will help you maintain overall health, improve HDL and reduce LDL. Most researches suggest exercises help control Triglycerides. However, in my personal experience, it has low impact on improving my Triglycerides level. But this does not mean I quit exercise. It helps me a lot in improving HDL and reducing LDL.

Consider Cutting Back On Carbs

You dont have to go full keto. But some research suggests that lower carb diets are tied to healthier triglyceride levels.

How low should you go? In a 2006 study, people who consumed about a quarter of their calories from carbs lowered their triglycerides more than those who got more than half their calories from carbs.

Seven Tips To Fix Your Cholesterol Without Medication

THE SINGULAR FOCUS on treating cholesterol as a means to prevent heart attacks is leading to the deaths of millions of people because the real underlying cause of the majority of heart disease is not being diagnosed or treated by most physicians.

For example, I recently saw a patient named Jim who had normal cholesterol levels yet was taking the most powerful statin on the market, Crestor. Despite this aggressive pharmaceutical treatment, this man was headed for a serious heart attack.

Jims doctors had missed his real disease risks by focusing on and treating his cholesterol levels. All the while they were ignoring the most important condition that put him at dramatically higher risk of heart attacks, diabetes, cancer, and dementia. In a moment I will explain what this condition is and what you can do about it.

This craze for treating cholesterol has lead to an onslaught of pharmaceuticals designed to lower cholesterol. Statins are now the number one selling class of drugs in the nation and new cholesterol medications are produced every day.

The latest in a new class of super cholesterol drugs, CETP inhibitors, now in the drug approval pipeline from Merck burst into the news recently with exclamations from typically restrained scientists. Data on this new drug was recently published in the New England Journal of Medicine and presented at the American Heart Association conference in Chicago.

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How To Lower Cholesterol And Triglycerides Without Drugs

Cholesterol is a natural byproduct of the liver and a necessary component of good health. Normal cholesterol levels are necessary for the life and development of cells. It plays an important role in improving memory and learning, is a precursor to the production of vitamin D and synthesizes hormones and natural steroids which control blood sugar, water balance and blood pressure. Cholesterol helps convert fat in the liver and is a powerful antioxidant. Cholesterol does not dissolve in the blood and must be transported into the body by lipoproteins. It is divided into two types: LDL-cholesterol and HDL-cholesterol.

LDL-cholesterol stands for low-density lipoprotein and is known as bad cholesterol. Lipoproteins contain high doses of cholesterol, but have a very thin protein shell. Thus, cholesterol easily enters the bloodstream and can be deposited on the walls of blood vessels. These deposits lead to narrowing of the vessels. That is why we should try to reduce the level of bad cholesterol in the long term by changing our eating habits.

HDL-cholesterol refers to high-density lipoprotein and is considered good cholesterol. This lipoprotein collects accumulated cholesterol from the walls of blood vessels and transports it to the liver.

There are many alternative treatments proposed for lowering cholesterol and triglyceride levels .

What Kind Of Medications Treat High Triglycerides

If your triglyceride levels are very high, you may need medication.

Niacin supplements also known as vitamin B3 can help reduce blood triglyceride levels. You can get niacin naturally from meats, avocados, and peanuts among many other foods. Supplements work well, too, if youre worried you may not be getting enough through your diet alone.

For those who dont like to eat fish, packaged omega-3 fatty acids, and even cod liver oil, can come in a capsule and help you get some of the same benefits. Vascepa is an FDA-approved prescription-strength omega-3 fatty acid that you can take if you are 45 or older and have diabetes or cardiovascular disease. It has been shown to reduce triglyceride levels and the risk of heart attack or stroke when exercise, diet, and other medications arent enough.

One of the main types of medication prescribed to treat high triglycerides are called fibrates, including fenofibrate. These medications slow down production of triglycerides and help remove triglycerides from the bloodstream.

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What Are Normal Triglyceride Levels

Triglycerides below 150 milligrams per deciliter of blood are considered normal. Anything above 150 mg/dL is considered elevated. To assess triglyceride levels, doctors typically do a standard cholesterol blood test, which includes your triglycerides, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol.

• Normal: Lower than 150 mg/ dL, or 1.7 mmol/L
• Borderline high: 150 to 199 mg/dL, or 1.8 to 2.2 mmol/L
• High: 200 to 499 mg/dL, or 2.3 to 5.6 mmol/L
• Very high: Greater than 500 mg/dL or above, or 5.7 mmol/L

How To Lower Triglycerides

Your doctor will determine if you need treatment to lowering triglycerides by talking with you about your current diet and lifestyle, and evaluating your triglyceride level, your LDL cholesterol level, and your potential risk factors for coronary heart disease.

Here are some of the reasons your doctor might discuss medications to lower triglycerides with you:

• You have metabolic syndrome. This condition includes a combination of abdominal obesity, high triglycerides, and high blood pressure. If you have metabolic syndrome and tried diet and lifestyle changes for three months without success, triglyceride-lowering medications may be needed.
• Previous medication lowered your total cholesterol but not your triglycerides. If your cholesterol is well controlled, but your triglyceride level is still too high, at or above 200 mg/dL, triglyceride-lowering medications may help.
• You have very high triglycerides. If your triglyceride level is at or higher than 500 mg/dL, you may need to start medications to lower triglycerides even before reaching lower cholesterol levels.

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/11limit Your Sugar Intake

Most people consume double the daily recommended amount of sugar every day. Not many know this, extra sugar in your diet can turn into triglycerides, increasing your risk of heart diseases.

Studies have found that people who consumed 25 per cent of their daily calories from sugar were twice more likely to die from heart disease as compared to people who consumed only 10 per cent of their calories from sugar.

Replacing your sugary drinks with water can lower the triglyceride levels by 28 mg/dL.

Cut Back On Added Sugar

A sugary diet can cause your liver to make more LDL cholesterol while lowering your HDL levels. Excess sugar can also raise your triglycerides and inhibit an enzyme that breaks them down. To prevent this, replace sugary fare with naturally-sweet alternatives. Instead of a bowl of candy, for example, have unsweetened applesauce or a baked pear. When you do indulge in high-sugar treats, stick to modest portions.

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What Qualifies As High Triglycerides

According to MedlinePlus , blood levels less than 150 mg/dL fall under the triglycerides normal range, while anything higherknown as hypertriglyceridemiacan increase risk for heart disease. Elevated triglycerides can also be a very early sign of diabetes, states Kristin Thomas, MD, a board-certified internist and co-founder of Foxhall Medicine in Washington, DC.

Extremely high triglyceridesblood levels over 500 mg/dLmay be due to a genetic disorder and can increase the risk of pancreatitis, along with heart disease, including atherosclerosis , Dr. Thomas, co-author of You Can Prevent A Stroke, explains. It can be seen alone or in association with many other conditions, as well, such as metabolic syndrome, hypothyroidism, fatty liver disease and kidney disease, Dr. Malaney says.

Eat A Mediterranean Diet

If youre looking for an overall diet plan that will lower triglycerides, the Mediterranean style may be the way to go it is, after all, one of the best diets for heart health. It encompasses all of the TG-lowering foods weve talked about. A diet that promotes eating more fatty fish, healthy plant-based oils, and nuts and seeds like the Mediterranean diet may be beneficial to reducing TG levels and improving heart health, Palinski-Wade says.

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What Is A Healthy Triglycerides Range

Aiming for a healthy triglycerides range can help improve your overall health and reduce your risk of conditions such as heart attack or stroke.

Triglyceride levels are measured in milligram/deciliter . See the table below for information about optimal and high triglycerides levels.

Weight Loss And Triglyceride Levels

Weight loss is an important tool to get to a healthy triglyceride level. Because triglycerides are essentially fat stores, reducing the total amount of fat in the body will result in a lower triglyceride level in blood tests.

Even modest weight loss of 5% to 10% of total body weight helps to lower your triglyceride level. This means that going from a body weight of 300 lb to between 270 lb and 285 lb makes a big difference and lowers your risk of heart disease, stroke, and pancreatitis.

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What Are The Risks Of Having High Triglycerides

High triglyceride levels often go along with high cholesterol and come with the same elevated risk of chronic health problems. In fact, a high triglyceride level is one of the criteria for metabolic syndrome, a combination of health issues that leads to an increased risk of diabetes, heart disease, and stroke.

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Lowering Triglycerides Without Medication

Unless your triglycerides are extremely high, lifestyle changes are the best place to start. These simple steps can significantly lower triglyceride levels.

• Beware of bad fats. Cutting back on saturated fat and trans fats can lower triglycerides.
• Go for good carbs. Easily digested carbohydrates give triglycerides a definite boost. Eating whole grains and cutting back on soda can help control triglycerides.
• Check your alcohol use. In some people, alcohol dramatically boosts triglycerides. The only way to know if this is true for you is to avoid alcohol for a few weeks and have your triglycerides tested again.
• Go fish. Omega-3 fats in salmon, tuna, sardines, and other fatty fish can lower triglycerides. Having fish twice a week is fine.
• Aim for a healthy weight. If you are overweight, losing just 5% to 10% of your weight can help drive down triglycerides.
• Get moving. Exercise lowers triglycerides and boosts heart-healthy HDL cholesterol.
• Stop smoking. It isnt good for triglyceride levels or for anything else.

About the Author

Gregory Curfman, MD, Assistant Professor of Medicine, Former Editor-in-Chief, Harvard Health Publishing

Mechanism Accounting For The Omega

While not the primary mechanism for the decrease in plasma TGs, studies have shown that omega-3-fatty acids may increase the clearance of TG rich lipoproteins . Post heparin lipoprotein lipase activity is not increased by omega-3-fatty acid administration but the lipolytic activity of non-stimulated plasma is enhanced . Additionally, apolipoprotein C-III levels are decreased with omega-3-fatty acid administration which could also contribute to an increase in the clearance of TG rich lipoproteins .

The increase in LDL-C levels that occurs in patients with marked hypertriglyceridemia treated with omega-3-fatty acids is thought to be due to the enhanced conversion of VLDL to LDL .

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Add More Fiber To Your Diet

Fiber is the part of your food that isnt digested, and its important because it helps you feel full. According to a study published in February 2019 in the journal Current Developments in Nutrition, dietary fiber can reduce the risk of high triglycerides in young to middle-aged adults who are overweight or obese. In general, fiber-rich foods also have carbohydrate content that is more complex and can lead to more gradual absorption by the body, which can also help temper the triglyceride increase that occurs after meals, says Michael Wesley Milks, MD, a cardiologist and assistant professor of clinical medicine at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center in Columbus. Fiber is found in whole grains and nutrient-rich foods such as fruits and vegetables.

The Best Way To Lower High Triglycerides

As a focused on nutritious supplement improving blood lipid levels, our product is prescribed for bringing down High Triglycerides level down to normal, keeping levels of HDL-good cholesterol inside the solid range, encouraging sound blood consistency, have improvement in the blood stream and have proper support to have an appropriate cardiovascular capacity.

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Check Your Triglyceride Levels On A Consistent Basis

A quick blood test done at your doctor’s office can determine what range your triglyceride levels are in, per the Mayo Clinic. Triglycerides are typically included in your lipid panel, which also measures LDL and HDL cholesterol. The ranges are as follows: Normal is below 150 mg/dL , borderline high is 150-199 mg/dL, high falls within 200-499 mg/dL, and very high means 500 mg/dL and above. Be sure to fast on the day of your test, since triglycerides rise immediately following a meal.

How often you should have your triglycerides measured depends on many factors like your sex, gender, and family history, per MedlinePlus. Most people are advised to start testing around age ten and to repeat every five years, until age 45 for females and 55 for males, at which point testing is recommended every two years . However, for people with a family history of high cholesterol, stroke, heart attack, or other heart disease risk factors, testing can start as early as age two. Ask your doctor for specific guidance.

/11make A Workout Routine

Good cholesterol, HDL has an inverse relationship with triglyceride levels, which means adequate levels of HDL can lower the triglyceride levels.

Regular aerobic activity has been linked with lower triglyceride levels. Some common aerobic activities include jogging, walking, bicycling and swimming.

Studies have also found that exercising at a higher intensity for less time is more effective than exercising at a lower intensity for a longer time.

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How To Lower Your Triglycerides Level

Typically, there arenât any symptoms of high triglycerides. Thatâs why doctors do a blood test also called a lipid panel or lipid blood test to check your triglyceride levels, along with your cholesterol. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that adults have this test done every four to six years, and more frequently if you have a family history of heart disease.

• Less than 150 milligrams per deciliter is a normal level of triglycerides
• Between 150 to 199 mg/dL is considered borderline high
• Between 200 to 499 mg/dL is considered high
• Above 500 mg/dL is considered very high

Obesity, type 2 diabetes, and smoking cigarettes are associated with higher triglycerides, according to the US National Library of Medicine.

Unless a person has very high triglycerides or a history of heart problems, lifestyle changes are the first option to lower triglycerides, says Patel. These include exercising, drinking less alcohol, managing your weight, and dietary changes. For instance, losing 5% to 10% of your weight can lead to a 40 mg/dL reduction in triglycerides, according to a July 2011 study in Diabetes Care.

Medications, such as statins, fibrates, and niacin, can also help lower triglycerides by either preventing your body from making more triglycerides or decreasing the absorption of fat from food, Patel says. If your triglycerides are over 500, then medication is typically prescribed, due to the risk of pancreatitis, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

How Long Does It Take To Lower Triglycerides

Depending on whats causing your high triglyceride levels, you may be able to lower them in just a few days. A night out drinking or eating foods high in sugar can cause a spike in your triglyceride levels. Limiting alcohol and sugar intake can bring your levels back to normal within a few days.

If you have consistently high triglycerides, it may take a few months for them to return to a healthy range. How fast they lower depends on the lifestyle changes, diet, and medications youre taking.

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