Ways To Reduce Elevated Triglycerides
Why Is Cholesterol Important
The human body needs a small amount of cholesterol because it helps to build the structure of cells throughout the body. It also helps your metabolism work efficiently, makes hormones such as estrogen and testosterone, and produces bile acids that help the body digest fats.
Good cholesterol is called HDL and bad cholesterol is LDL.
When your good cholesterol is too low, your body wont be functioning at an optimal level and you may start to feel fatigued, foggy-headed, or even sick to your stomach. When your bad cholesterol is too high, thats when your heart can suffer irreparable damage.
Be Careful With Pancake Toppings
Table sugar is not the only kind of sugar you need to be wary of when you have high triglycerides. Honey and maple syrup can increase your triglyceride levels, too. One tablespoon of honey has 64 calories and approximately 17 grams of sugar. One tablespoon of maple syrup contains 50 calories and approximately 13 grams of sugar. If you want to indulge in these sweeteners, use less of them or look for low-calorie or sugar-free maple syrup. Sugar comes in many forms. Read the labels and watch for brown sugar, corn syrup, corn sweetener, fruit juice concentrate, fructose sweetener, glucose, invert sugar, high-fructose corn syrup, maltose, lactose, malt syrup, molasses, sucrose, turbinado sugar, and trehalose. They are also bad for your blood sugar.
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Spaghetti With Mackerel And Nuts
Heres a healthy twist to one of your favorite spaghetti recipes. This dish substitutes meat with mackerel, pine nuts, and golden raisins. These nutritious additions help lower bad cholesterol levels in your body, while providing you with healthy cholesterol too!
To make this recipe, you have to pan-fry the mackerel, incorporate water into the raisins and stir them in with the rest of the ingredients. And the best part about this recipe is that it whips up in a snap too!
Recipe for Inspiration: Spaghetti with Mackerel and Pine Nuts
Dark Chocolate Avocado Mousse
Craving for something soft and chocolatey? Enjoy a healthy version of the classic French dessert, mousse, with this recipe. It uses both heart-healthy foods, cocoa and avocado, to give you an irresistible after-meal treat.
For the cocoa, unsweetened cocoa powder and baking chocolate with 70 percent cocoa is used. These are some of the healthiest forms of chocolate you can ever eat since theres more cocoa than milk or sugar in it.
In addition, this recipe also uses ripe avocado fruits. Its not only good for those looking after their heart health but also adds a creamy texture to the irresistible mousse dessert.
Recipe for Inspiration: Dark Chocolate Avocado Mousse
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How To Reduce Triglycerides: Exercise Exercise Exercise
If youre carrying around a little extra weight, get moving! To get in shape and lower your triglycerides at the same time, start a regular workout routine.
The goal should be 30 minutes of exercise, five days a week. When you exercise, be sure to break a sweat and get your heart pumping. With this routine you can cut your triglycerides by 20% to 30%.
New to exercise? Wondering where to start?
- Sign up for a dance class.
Barley And Oat Pancakes
While some of the recipes above help curb your hunger and savory cravings, this one is a filling and healthy breakfast! Instead of the usual flour, youll substitute it with barley flour thats definitely a healthier option. Not only does this pancake make a filling breakfast but it is also low in cholesterol. In our opinion, barley flour is a good addition to have in your pantry.
Barley contains fiber thats found in fruits, vegetables, and oats. And as it turns out, this recipe contains oats too. Hand in hand, theyll help lower your cholesterol.
Recipe for Inspiration: Barley Oat Pancakes
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Lowering Triglycerides Dessert Options
5. Low Sugar Dessert: Considering the importance that sugars play in spiking triglyceride levels, dessert can seem like a thing of the past for those with elevated levels of the blood fats. In fact, many people with high triglycerides stick to a hypoglycemic diet, where carbohydrates are measured and very limited. However, there are some great dessert options that wont throw a low glycemic diet out of whack and still allow people with elevated three molecule lipid levels to enjoy a sweet treat following a good meal. Low triglycerides recipes for dessert options may be limited, but their taste potential certainly isnt.
Fruit Kabobs are one dessert option for people with high triglycerides. Not all fruit is ideal for people on this type of diet, so low fructose options are best. Choices like cantaloupe and strawberries are great options and work well on a stick to provide a treat as pleasing to look at as it is to eat. Consider low fat yogurt for dipping or a low fat whipped cream.
Parfaits can provide a more decadent treat with creative substitutions serving in place of triglycerides enemies like pound cake and whipped cream. Greek yogurt spiked with honey and cinnamon can be used in place of the creamy filling and handfuls of homemade oatmeal granola can be incorporated for delicious crunch. Layering the parfait with berries and topping with yogurt can finish off the sweet treat.
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Health Conditions Related To Triglycerides And Cholesterol
High blood lipid levels may increase your risk for plaques to develop in your arteries or thicken the walls of your arteries .
Other health conditions related to high triglycerides or cholesterol include:
- High blood sugar levels or diabetes
- Metabolic syndromea cluster of conditions that increase your risk for heart disease
- Genetic conditions
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Getting Started With The Low Cholesterol Diet Plan
When talking about cholesterol, you may have heard of LDL and HDL. In laymans terms, LDL is bad cholesterol and HDL is the good cholesterol. We also need to watch out for our triglycerides, because high triglycerides along with high LDL levels will increase our risk for heart disease.
I know you dont want to hear about what foods to avoid cos it gets depressing. So, Id like to share with you foods that actually help lower your bad cholesterol.
Putting Together Your Own Meals
Fit in with your favorite meals by following these basics to lower your triglycerides.
- Plan for a âmoderateâ amount of whole-grain carbohydrates. Use portion sizes on packages as a guide. Another way to estimate a healthy amount is to visually divide your plate into 4 equal parts. Fill half of it with fruits and vegetables, and fill a quarter of it with a whole grain. Fill the last quarter with a low-fat protein.
- Limit âwhiteâ carbs and sugars. Keep foods made with white flour, desserts, candy, juices, and fruit drinks to a minimum.
- Serve healthy fats because they can help lower your triglyceride levels. They are the unsaturated fats, especially omega-3s found in fatty fish, flaxseed, canola oil, and walnuts.
- Donât keep around tempting, unhealthy fats — saturated fats found in red meat and baked goods and trans fats found in some packaged foods. If a food label says hydrogenated oil, donât even open the bag.
- Choose low-fat proteins, including chicken, fish, seafood, lean meats, and tofu.
- Pour low or nonfat milk and choose low or nonfat dairy — yogurt, cottage cheese, and cheese.
- Limit how much alcohol you have each day. Thatâs 1 drink if youâre female and 2 if you are male. But even a small amount of alcohol may raise triglycerides in some people, so ask your doctor whatâs right for you.
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Foods To Lower Triglycerides
Why Low Cholesterol Diet
Why a low cholesterol diet? What does my diet have to do with my LDL cholesterol levels anyway? Some may not know it, but high cholesterol and heart disease are actually linked.
Cholesterol in itself isnt bad. In fact, there are certain foods that naturally contain it, from egg yolk to cheese and even sardines. However, there are different kinds of cholesterol that are actually bad for your health. Some foods contain this bad cholesterol, and so eating this specific kind of high cholesterol diet can negatively affect ones health.
But first, what is cholesterol anyway? And how does ones diet affect its levels in your body?
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Based On The Above Points A Good Fish Oil/algal Oil Should Meet The Following Conditions:
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Citrusy Green Apple Smoothie
Apples can be good for your heart and for lowering cholesterol. They contain compounds that help breakdown LDL, the bad cholesterol. Add greens to get a rush of potassium as well. This cholesterol-reducing smoothie is not only good news for your heart but for your overall health too.
What Youll Need
- ½ lemon or 1 lime
- 1 handful of your favorite greens
How To Prepare
Take all the ingredients and blend them together. Greens and lemon zest are best when served fresh, so drink this one right away.
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How Quickly Can I Lower My Cholesterol
Your cholesterol levels may lower as quickly as a few weeks to a few months, depending on your treatment plan.
If your levels are very high, your healthcare provider may recommend taking medications at the start of your treatment plan. This may help lower your cholesterol levels more quickly. The sooner you can lower your bad cholesterol levels, the sooner you can lower your risk for plaques to form.
You can also lower your cholesterol through lifestyle and diet changes alone, but it may take three to six months to see results. Talk with your healthcare provider to figure out the best treatment plan for you.
Diet Plan For Lowering Cholesterol And Triglycerides
Diet plan for lowering cholesterol and triglycerides is a healthy diet that is made up of foods that are lower in saturated fats, trans fats, and cholesterol. Your diet plays a critical role in lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels. But it is hard to find out which diet is good for reducing cholesterol and triglycerides. In this article, you will find a complete diet plan for lowering cholesterol and triglycerides.
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What Foods Should You Avoid For Lowering Cholesterol
Even if you add all the above, your cholesterol may suffer if you dont cut down on these things:
- COMPLETELY ELIMINATE hydrogenated oil and trans fats This is the most important thing you can do for your cholesterol. Read the labels of everything you purchase at the store. Even if the nutrition label says 0 g trans fat, read the ingredient list. If hydrogenated oil is on the list, put it back on the shelf. Even a tiny amount of hydrogenated oil can seriously mess up your cholesterol levels, even if youre on a statin drug.
- Fried foods yeah, we all know fried foods are bad for you, but theyre really bad for your heart, especially if theyre fried in oil containing trans fats. Skip the fatty fried stuff when you go out and opt to bake instead of frying at home. When you do fry, choose a heart healthy oil like avocado oil, which has a high smoke point.
- Full-fat dairy products opt for low-fat milk and cheeses or choose cheeses from grass fed cows that are rich in Omega-3s and vitamin K2 .
- Fatty meats look for leaner cuts of meat and trim off any visible fat.
- White bread, white rice and sweets these high carb temptations are typically stripped of nutrients and fiber and high in calories, so try to limit them and stick to whole grains and high fiber options.
How To Lower Cholesterol And Triglycerides
Triglycerides are a type of lipid, or fat, your body produces to store extra calories and provide energy. Cholesterol is another lipid that circulates in your blood. Your body uses cholesterol to build cells and produce hormones.
Both triglycerides and cholesterol are essential for your health but having levels that are too high puts your health at risk. Living a healthy lifestyle helps to keep your cholesterol and triglyceride levels within a normal range.
This article covers how triglycerides and cholesterol affect your health and how you can lower them naturally.
Luis Alvarez / Getty Images
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Vegetarian Or Vegan Diet
These plant-based diets could do a lot for your cholesterol, if you choose your foods wisely.
Vegetarians dont eat any meat. Vegans dont eat any animal products, including meat, eggs, dairy, or even honey.
Studies suggest vegetarians are less likely to get heart disease and high blood pressure. Thats because a diet with low or no animal products tends to be lower in total fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol.
But if youre going vegetarian or vegan, youll still need to check food labels and keep sweets and fatty foods to a minimum.
You may also want to check with a dietitian that youre getting enough protein and essential nutrients like iron, vitamin B12, vitamin D, calcium, and zinc.
Carry On Carrots Smoothie
Carrots are rich in antioxidants, which may help prevent cardiovascular diseases. Since this cholesterol-fighting smoothie is sprinkled with some other essential elements as well, it can be a must-have for all those who wish to keep their cholesterol at bay. We added in orange and papayas alongside carrots to give it a potential cholesterol-lowering and heart protection combination.
What Youll Need
- ½ cup unsweetened almond milk
How To Prepare
Start by grating the ginger, cubing the pineapple, and coring the pear. Soak the chia seeds before you make the smoothie. Once done, put all the ingredients in the blender and blitz away. Blend until the liquid is creamy and smooth. Top off with pineapple cubes, if you want a rich by-the-beach drinking experience.
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