HealthTip: Triglycerides

Often times when we get our cholesterol tested, we focus on the results of LDL ('bad'), HDL ('good'), and total cholesterol, and skip over our triglycerides levels. Triglycerides are a type of fat found widely throughout the body. When we eat, our bodies convert extra unused calories into triglycerides. Triglycerides are stored in fat cells and can be used for energy between meals. However, if you regularly eat more calories than you burn, for example from high calorie carbohydrates and fat (e.g. soda and fast food), you may have high triglycerides (hypertriglyceridemia).
According to the American Heart Association, high triglycerides are linked to an increased risk of heart disease and other health complications.
If your triglycerides levels are high, simple ways to help control levels would include:

• Limiting foods and beverages with added sugar (e.g. soda, pastries, highly processed foods) because many extra calories can come from these food options
• Choosing fruits for a sweet snack (e.g. blueberries, strawberries, bananas, apples, oranges..etc)
• Getting at least 2.5 hours of moderate exercise each week (this works out to approximately 30 minutes a day; even brisk walking can help lower triglyceride levels)
• If your physician or dietitian have confirmed that you're overweight, losing a few pounds (5-10% of your weight) has shown to drastically help lower triglycerides. Decreases of 20% in levels have been seen!

So if you've had your cholesterol tested, don't forget to ask about triglycerides too! If you have high triglycerides, talk to your physician or dietitian about the simple steps you can take to get back in control!

Information Sources:
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/triglycerides/CL00015
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/videos/news/triglyceride_threat_042711.html