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.
Limit Your Sugar Intake
Added sugar is a big part of many peoples diets.
While the American Heart Association recommends consuming no more than 100150 calories of added sugar per day, one study found that the average American eats about 308 calories of added sugar daily .
Added sugar is commonly found in sweets, soft drinks, and fruit juice.
Extra sugar in your diet may be turned into triglycerides, which can lead to an increase in blood triglyceride levels, along with other heart disease risk factors.
A 2020 review that included data on 6,730 people found that those who consumed sugar-sweetened beverages regularly were over 50% more likely to have high triglycerides, compared with those who did not drink them regularly .
Another study found that consuming high amounts of added sugar is also associated with higher blood triglyceride levels in children .
Fortunately, several studies have shown that low carb diets can lead to a decrease in blood triglyceride levels .
Even a simple change such as replacing sugar-sweetened beverages with water could decrease triglycerides in some people .
Summary
Minimizing added sugar in your diet from sugary beverages and sweets can reduce your blood triglyceride levels.
What Can Raise Your Triglycerides
Triglycerides can be raised due to what doctors refer to as ‘primary’ and ‘secondary’ causes, explained below. Some people have a combination of both.
It is very important that your doctors investigates all these potential causes so that you can start treatment.
Primary causes of raised triglycerides
‘Primary’ refers to inherited conditions which cause raised triglyceride levels.
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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.
Tips To Cut Your Cholesterol Fast
If you have high cholesterol, youâre also at higher risk for heart disease. But the good news is, itâs a risk you can control. You can lower your âbadâ LDL cholesterol and raise your âgoodâ HDL cholesterol. You just have to make some simple changes.
âI tell patients that you have to start somewhere and just keep going,â says Suzanne Steinbaum, DO, an attending cardiologist at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. âAs you adopt lifestyle changes, everything starts shifting, and the improvements you see at 6 weeks often increase by 3 months.â
Lifestyle isnt everything your genes matter, too. You still may need to take medicine to get your cholesterol back on track. But your daily habits do help. if you make just a few simple changes, you might be able to lower your medication dose and chance of side effects.
Follow these tips to cut your cholesterol and improve your health.
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Healthy Fats Can Help Lower Cholesterol
Replace unhealthy fats, such as saturated and trans fats, with monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats rich in omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. To eat more omega-3 fats, include fatty fish, flaxseed or ground flax, and walnuts in your eating plan. The oils that contain omega-3 fats are olive and canola oils. The ADA recommends eating two servings of omega-3-rich fish per week as part of a heart-healthy diet. The oils high in omega-6 fats are corn, soybean, and sunflower oils.
Eat less of these unhealthful fats:
— Saturated fat: The biggest food contributor to elevated LDL cholesterol is saturated fat. To remedy the cause-and-effect relationship between saturated fat and LDL, the ADA recommends limiting saturated-fat intake to less than 7 percent of your daily calories. So if you’re trying to eat no more than 2,000 calories a day, that would mean eating no more than 140 calories from saturated fat daily, or 15 grams of saturated fat.
— Trans fat: The ADA also recommends avoiding foods that contain trans fat. Although many restaurants and manufacturers advertise products as having zero trans fat, if the ingredients include shortening, partially hydrogenated vegetable oil, or hydrogenated vegetable oil, the food likely contains trans fat. Labels are not required to list trans fat if the total is less than 0.5 grams per serving. Eating multiple servings of such foods means trans-fat intake can add up.
Lunches To Reduce Your Risk Of Heart Attack
Here are some flavorful lunches you can pack, and a few you may even be able to buy.
Soup & Salad
1 cup vegetable, black bean, or lentil soup
5 whole-wheat crackers
2 cups salad made with dark greens, like spinach, mixed greens, or radicchio
1 cup of any combo of colorful, chopped veggies: broccoli, carrots, red bell peppers, sugar snap peas, snow peas, tomatoes
1 cup fruits: apples, grapes, kumquats, pears
1 Tbsp salad dressing made with olive oil or canola oil
Sandwich With Double Crunch
2 slices whole-wheat bread or 1 hamburger bun
2 oz tuna
Dill pickle relish or sugar-free sweet pickle relish
Top with thin slices of apple or pear for crunch
Add this crunchy side:
Finger Salad
1 cup veggies like baby carrots, grape tomatoes, and red pepper strips mixed with fruit such as apple, grapes, or pear
Chinese Delight
1 cup veggie stir-fry with 2 oz shrimp, chicken, or tofu
1/2 cup whole-wheat pasta or rice
1 cup pineapple chunks
2 oz grilled chicken breast on whole-grain sandwich
1 cup side salad
1 piece of fresh fruit
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Cholesterol Lowering Foods Chart
In research1 on men and women who had reduced their cholesterol on average 20% via statins, adding the Pritikin Program of diet and exercise to their lives knocked down cholesterol an additional 19%, and in just three weeks.
Equally important, studies2 have shown that a healthy Pritikin lifestyle can help clean up virtually all the lifestyle-related problems that damage your arteries, not only cholesterol but also high blood glucose3, high triglycerides4, high levels of inflammation5, and high blood pressure6, and once again, in just two to three weeks.
Thats right, for clean arteries through and through, a plan like Pritikin is the way to go.
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Follow A Lower Carb Diet
Much like added sugar, extra calories from carbs in your diet are converted into triglycerides and stored in fat cells.
Not surprisingly, low carb diets have been linked to lower blood triglyceride levels .
A review of 12 randomized controlled trials found that people following reduced carb diets typically saw a reduction in triglyceride levels at 6, 12, and 24 months. Across these studies, triglyceride levels decreased the most 6 months after starting a reduced calorie diet .
A 2020 review compared low fat and low carb diets. Researchers found that 612 months after starting their relative diets, those on the low carb diet had greater decreases in triglyceride levels than those on a low fat diet .
Summary
Following a low carb diet can lead to a significant reduction in blood triglyceride levels, at least in the short term, when compared with a low fat diet.
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Choose Healthy Fats Over Saturated Fats
Another way to lower triglycerides and cholesterol naturally is by eating healthy fats. Omega-3 fatty acids lower triglycerides and bad cholesterol by increasing fat metabolism, according to the AHA. Omega-3 fatty acids are found in oily fish, such as salmon and herring, olive oil, and dietary supplements. For people with high triglycerides, the AHA recommends prescription-strength omega-3 fatty acid supplements at a dose of 4 grams per day, although its still best to get it from foods. Saturated fats, which come mainly from meat sources, should be limited to no more than 5 to 6 percent of your total daily calories, and your daily intake of cholesterol should be no more than 300 mg, according to the AHA.
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.
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Let The Healthy Eating Begin
So now I am more confident when it comes to following a cholesterol and triglyceride lowering diet, I can concentrate on introducing other positive changes into my life such as exercise. I will always have to watch what I eat, reducing cholesterol and then maintaining it is not something you do once and that is it.
But, so far I am enjoying learning how to eat healthier and, hopefully, prolong my good health too.
Sample Meal Plan For High Cholesterol
- Breakfast: 2 slices whole-wheat toast topped with 1/2 a mashed avocado, sprinkled with salt and pepper
- Lunch: Tuna salad wrap: 3 oz. tuna, 1 tablespoon mayonnaise, 1/2 cup chopped apples, and 1 tablespoon pecan pieces in a whole wheat tortilla 1 small package baked chips green salad: 2 cups fresh spinach, 1/4 cup grated carrots, 1 tablespoon olive oil-based dressing
- Snack: 2 graham crackers with 1 tablespoon peanut butter
- Dinner: Grain bowl: 1.5 cups cooked quinoa, 1/2 cup chickpeas, 1.5 cups roasted broccoli, carrots, and red onion blend, olive oil and lemon juice to taste
- Dessert: Yogurt parfait: 1 cup 2% Greek yogurt, 1/2 cup fresh or frozen berries, 2 tablespoon granola, and a drizzle of honey
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Know The Dangers Of Trans Fats
Trans fats are dangerous for your heart, because they raise low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and triglyceride levels. The chief culprit youll see on product labels is partially hydrogenated oil. Trans fats are the result of adding hydrogen to liquid vegetable oils to increase shelf life. This may make some baked and fried foods taste better, but trans fats are very unhealthy, particularly for people with high triglycerides. In fact, trans fats should make up less than 1 percent of your total calories, according to the World Health Organization. Check your food labels: If a food contains trans fats or hydrogenated oils, leave it on the shelf.
Feeding Your Heart: Foods To Help Lower Cholesterol
Fruits like avocados and apples, and citrus fruits like oranges and bananas can help lower cholesterol.
Cholesterol is a material produced in the liver that your body needs to make hormones, vitamin D and other substances. Two types are in the body: Good and bad.
Bad cholesterol is called LDL cholesterol and too much of it in the body can increase risk of heart disease, says Paula McIntyre, a Marshfield Clinic registered dietitian.
Higher levels of LDL cholesterol can be deposited in the arteries, which narrows them and increases heart disease risk, she said.
Cholesterol also can come from foods we eat, so feeding your heart the right foods is an important way to lower bad cholesterol levels.
You can break down LDL cholesterol eating healthy fats and soluble fiber.
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Increase Your Intake Of Unsaturated Fats
Studies show that monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats can reduce blood triglyceride levels, especially when theyre replacing carbs in your diet .
Monounsaturated fats are found in foods like olive oil, nuts, and avocados. Polyunsaturated fats are present in vegetable oils and fatty fish, as well as nuts and seeds such as walnuts, flaxseeds, and chia seeds.
A 2019 review of 27 studies reported that while olive oil consumption does decrease triglycerides levels, it does so significantly less than other types of plant oil .
One older study analyzed the diets of 452 adults in a specific population of Indigenous people in Alaska over the previous 24 hours.
It found that saturated fat intake was associated with increased blood triglycerides, while polyunsaturated fat intake was associated with lower triglyceride levels .
To maximize the triglyceride-lowering benefits of unsaturated fats, pick a heart-healthy fat like olive oil and use it to replace other types of fat in your diet, such as trans fats or highly processed vegetable oils .
Summary
Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats can decrease blood triglyceride levels, especially when theyre consumed in place of other fats.
Why Do Triglycerides Matter
High triglycerides harden the arteries or thicken the artery walls. The condition is called arteriosclerosis. Arteriosclerosis increases the risk of stroke, heart attack and other heart diseases. Additionally, high triglycerides may cause acute inflammation of the pancreas .
High triglycerides can also be a sign of the following:
- Type 2 diabetes or prediabetes
- Metabolic syndrome: A combination of high blood pressure, obesity and high blood sugar. These conditions occur together, thus increasing your risk of heart disease.
- Reduced production of thyroid hormones
- Certain rare genetic conditions affect how your body while converting fat to energy.
Sometimes high triglycerides also result from side effects of taking certain medications. Medications like:
- Some HIV medications
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How Do Triglycerides Get Into The Blood
When we eat foods containing triglycerides, such as meat, dairy products, cooking oils and fats, they are absorbed by our intestines and packaged into parcels of fats and protein called chylomicrons . These carry the triglycerides in the blood stream to our tissues to be used for energy straight away, or stored for later.
The body also makes its own supply of triglycerides in the liver. This form is carried in a different type of lipoprotein known as VLDL cholesterol.
What Are The Worst Foods For High Cholesterol
If you have high cholesterol, you must be extremely cautious about what you eat. Dealing with high cholesterol may be difficult, so avoiding foods that might raise your cholesterol levels is a wise idea. Saturated fats from dairy, particularly Ghee and meat are two of the biggest culprits.
Besides that, excess sugar, oilâs or harmful fats like trans fats, or hydrogenated fat, are the worst foods for high cholesterol. Foods that you would want to avoid are as follows.
Roshni Sanghvi
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Diets Proven To Help Lower Cholesterol
The following diets are not diets in the sense of restricting your food intake or being hungry all the time, but eating plans that emphasize certain healthy food groups over less-healthy options. Scientific research has also proven that theyre helpful when it comes to lowering cholesterol.
If youre looking to manage high cholesterol, consider following one of these eating plans.
What Not To Eat: Foods That Raise Cholesterol
Whether you have high cholesterol that needs to be lowered or you simply want to maintain an already-healthy cholesterol level, avoiding certain foods can help.
Any food that contains saturated fat is a no-no for a cholesterol-lowering diet. Trans fats are equally as bad, if not worse. Trans fats are a double whammy they raise LDL cholesterol and lower HDL cholesterol, Featherstun says.
Here are some specific types of food to avoid:
Anything fried Youd be hard-pressed to walk into a restaurant in the United States and not find a deep fryer. But if youre on a cholesterol-lowering diet, take a pass on the greasy stuff. Not only does deep frying cause foods to lose water and suck up fat, making them more calorie dense, but the oils that foods are fried in are often high in trans fats, the worst offenders.
If you cant bear the thought of never eating another crunchy onion ring, consider using olive or sunflower oil when frying. In a study published in January 2012 in The BMJ, researchers in Spain, where olive and sunflower oils are used for frying, found that eating fried foods was not associated with increased rates of heart disease like it is in countries where saturated fats, like lard and butter, are used. Just be sure not to heat these oils past their smoke point the temperature at which an oil starts to burn.
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Limit Your Alcohol Intake
Alcohol can increase your levels of triglycerides. Along with LDL cholesterol, high levels of triglycerides raise your risk of heart disease.
Excess alcohol consumption also increases blood pressure and can lead to obesity both additional risk factors for heart disease.
To reduce the risk of heart disease and other risks from alcohol, limit your intake to no more than 10 standard drinks per week and no more than 4 drinks per day.