Photo by Rob Qld via Flickr

Darla felt good about her health when she went to her annual checkup. She had monitored her cholesterol and blood pressure for over a year and both were in desirable ranges.  So, she was surprised when her doctor told her that her triglyceride levels were high and had to be monitored also.

When Darla thought that cholesterol and blood pressure were the only things she needed to keep an eye on to manage her heart attack risk, she was wrong.  Heart health is about more than merely maintaining good cholesterol and blood pressure levels.  Having high triglyceride levels also increases your risk of a heart attack, stroke and heart disease.

What are triglycerides?
Triglycerides are a type of lipid that circulates in your blood, unable to dissolve.  Instead, they circulate through the body with the help of lipoproteins, possibly contributing to the hardening of the arteries.  They do serve a purpose, though.  Triglycerides play an important role in metabolism as energy sources and transporters of dietary fat.

How are they made?
Triglycerides are derived from the fat in the foods we eat or from other energy sources, like carbohydrates, which are converted later in in the body.  If you eat more calories than you need right away, the extra calories are converted into triglycerides and stored in fat cells.  When your body needs energy between meals, hormones release triglycerides for energy use.  So, if you eat more calories than you burn, you are more likely to have high levels of triglycerides.

What can I do to lower triglycerides?
Changes in lifestyle are the key to fighting high triglycerides.  Luckily, the lifestyle changes needed are very similar to those used to lower cholesterol.

1. If overweight, lose weight: Cut down on excess calories and work on reaching your ideal body weight.  After all, excess calories are converted to triglycerides and stored as fat.
2. Eat a heart healthy diet: Reduce the saturated fat and cholesterol content of your diet and eliminate trans fats.  You need fat in your diet, but substitute monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats for saturated fats. Also, avoid sugary and refined products and eat more fruits, vegetables, whole grains and low fat dairy products.  Those have less calories and therefore should contribute fewer triglycerides.  And substitute fish high in omega-3 fatty acids like salmon, mackerel, herring and sardines for meats high in saturated fats.  Omega-3 fatty acids reduce triglyceride levels.
3. Limit or avoid alcoholic beverages: Alcohol has a potent effect on triglycerides.  Even small amounts of alcohol can significantly raise triglyceride levels.  So, watch how much you drink.
4. Exercise on a regular basis: Not only does regular physical activity increase the good cholesterol while lowering the bad cholesterol, it also decreases triglyceride levels.  So, move at least 30 minutes a day at a moderate intensity, 5-7 days a week.

Of course, if you have high triglycerides, talk to your doctor about what the best course of action is for your specific situation.

The bottom line:
Cholesterol is not the only thing that needs to be monitored these days.  Keeping triglycerides at a desirable level is also key for heart health.  By leading a healthy lifestyle and keeping your weight at a desirable level, you can do a lot towards controlling both your cholesterol and triglyceride levels.  So, be proactive and lead a healthy lifestyle.  It can make all the difference!

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Photo by thebittenword via Flickr

Alan’s annual work physical went pretty well.  He passed all the tests with flying colors, except for his blood cholesterol levels.  His LDL (bad cholesterol) was slightly high and his HDL (good cholesterol) was lower than normal.  Not wanting to go the medication route right away, Alan’s doctor recommended that he improve his diet and incorporate regular exercise to see if that would improve his cholesterol levels.  Since Alan had a gym membership anyway, he decided to put it to use.  It seemed like a much better choice than taking meds for the rest of his life, after all.

How can I improve my cholesterol?
Positive lifestyle changes can play a direct role in reducing cholesterol levels. Often they are enough to avoid the need for cholesterol medications.  So, if your doctor thinks it is possible, here are 9 tips to help you on your way.*

1. Eat foods high in dietary fiber: Fiber can help lower cholesterol.  So, increase your intake of whole grains, legumes, fruits and vegetables.
2. Limit saturated fats: No more than 10% of your calories should come from saturated fat because a diet high in saturated fats can raise blood cholesterol levels.  So limit items high in saturated fat, such as beef, butter, whole milk dairy products, dark meat poultry, poultry skin and tropical oils (coconut, palm and palm kernel oils).  Instead, substitute polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats, such as olive oil, canola oil, almonds, walnuts and flaxseeds.  Unsaturated fats have been found to help lower blood cholesterol levels.
3. Avoid trans fats: Trans fats are very bad for your cholesterol levels because they both raise LDL (bad cholesterol) levels and lower HDL (good cholesterol) levels.  They can be found in margarine and many other processed products, especially baked items.  If a food contains partially hydrogenated oils in the ingredients list, that means it has trans fats and you should avoid it.
4. Decrease your intake of dietary cholesterol: Limit your cholesterol intake to no more then 300 mg of cholesterol a day and, if you have heart disease, aim for less than 200mg.  Only animal products contain cholesterol.  Eggs, whole milk products and organ meats are the richest sources.
5. Eat fatty fish: Consume fish that are rich in omega-3′s, such as salmon, sardines, mackerel, lake trout and herring.  Omega-3′s help to lower cholesterol and promote heart health.  Plus, fish is lower in saturated fat and cholesterol than beef or poultry.
6. If overweight, lose weight: Excess body fat can contribute to high cholesterol levels.  Plus, being overweight is also a risk factor for heart disease.  Losing a little weight, even just a few pounds, can go a long way towards improving your cholesterol levels.
7. Drink in moderation: Some studies show that a drink or two of alcohol may increase HDL (good cholesterol) levels.  However, heavy drinking outweighs the potential health benefits.  So, drink only in moderation. That’s no more than 1 drink a day for women and 1-2 drinks a day for men.
8. Don’t smoke: Smoking increases total cholesterol levels, decreases HDL levels and is a risk factor for heart disease.  So, smokers should consider quitting.
9. Exercise regularly: There is strong evidence that regular physical activity can increase HDL (good cholesterol) levels and lower the risk of heart disease.  So, go for a brisk walk, a bicycle ride or swim laps regularly and you should notice an improvement in your cholesterol levels.

The bottom line:
If your cholesterol is high, there are steps you can take to try to improve it.  Diet, exercise and other lifestyle changes have a direct influence on blood cholesterol levels.  So, eat a high fiber, low fat diet and implement a regular exercise program.  And the next time you have your cholesterol checked, you may be surprised to find that it is lower!

*Disclaimer: This post is not intended to substitute for medical advice provided by a physician. It is merely provided for educational purposes. For advice for your situation, please speak with your medical professional.

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The holidays are upon us and the food and sweets are coming at a fast and furious pace.  A lot of us during this time of year indulge ourselves in foods that are rich in saturated fats and cholesterol, like eggnog, cold-cuts, ham, turkey, pies and sugar cookies to name a few.

For someone who has elevated cholesterol levels, this might be a difficult time of year.  Now, more than ever, it is important to watch what we eat, especially if we are worried about our blood cholesterol levels.  In this show, I discuss what cholesterol is, where it comes from and ways to control or lower your cholesterol levels.

Some references I used while researching this show are The New Wellness Encyclopedia, Mayo Clinic, ehealthmd.com and WebMD.

If you like the show, please head on over to iTunes and give me a nice review.  It’s a great way to give me some good exposure and can help me get more listeners.  Thanks for listening, everyone!

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