5 Ways to Lower Triglycerides :

If you have been working on losing weight , those extra lumps and bumps are really nothing more than a stored form of energy known to most of us as fat. What we affectionately call fat is really just a friendly term for what scientists call triglycerides. Besides being stored as body fat, triglycerides can also be found floating freely in our blood stream. As you might expect, triglycerides can wreak havoc on our health if blood levels become too high.

Controlling triglycerides is an important part of protecting yourself from heart or other circulatory diseases. For people with diabetes, high triglycerides are even more risky since cardiovascular disease is two to four times more likely to occur when diabetes is present. The American Diabetes Association recommends that triglyceride levels should be below 150 mg/dl.

Although prescription medications are available, the first line of treatment for high triglycerides should be lifestyle change. Often, changes in diet and exercise can lower triglyceride levels significantly and therefore reduce one’s risk of cardiovascular disease.Cut calories
One of the easiest ways to make an impact on your triglycerides is to reduce your calorie intake. By following a reduced calorie diet you not only reduce your body fat, but also your blood fats.

Need to watch what you eat? We can help. With 24 personalized programs to choose from, you’ll always be able to make the right choices and get your eating habits on track. To fill out a free diet profile and to check out what eDiets has to offer, Click here .

Exercise
Fat is a source of fuel which is burned during exercise. Regular exercise will not only help your weight-loss efforts , but lower triglyceride levels. Even those who are not overweight can see the tremendous benefits exercise can have on lowering blood triglycerides.

Moderate amounts of the right kind of carbs
Although it may seem ironic, lowering fat intake is not the most effective way to lower triglycerides. Dietary carbohydrates have a much stronger impact on triglyceride levels. High carbohydrate diets have been shown to worsen triglyceride levels, especially when the carbohydrates consumed are sugary or refined. Moderate amounts of slower-digesting carbohydrates such as oatmeal, beans, vegetables, yogurt and most fruits have been shown to lower triglycerides when compared to equal amounts of rapidly digested carbohydrates from regular soda, sugary cereal, or other highly processed starches. With regards to triglycerides, attention should be placed on choosing good quality carbohydrates in moderate portions.

Continue reading »