Tips to Control Triglyceride Levels

Tips to Control Triglyceride Levels

Time is a healer, they say. Lack of time is a killer, isn't it? These days, we don't get enough time to cook a healthy meal. We are constantly on the run. At the end of the day, when we are too tired, we end up taking whatever we see in front of us. Little do we realize that the "bite we have grabbed" is loaded with cheese, refined flour, or maybe deep fried in some trans-fat. But who has the time to think? Later, much earlier than you expect, you have all the "prestigious" lifestyle-related illnesses; hypertension, diabetes, hypertriglyceridemia.... and you cry out, "where did I go wrong?"

What are Triglycerides?

Triglycerides are fatty substances that is found in the blood and stored in the fat cells of your body. It is composed of three molecules of fatty acids combined with glycerol. The excess calories in the body that is not used up immediately is stored in the fatty tissues as triglycerides. When the body requires energy in between meals, hormones release triglycerides from the fat tissues to meet the requirements.

Benefits of Triglycerides

While excess of triglycerides is bad, within the normal limits, it has certain important functions to perform in the body. It provides energy to perform our daily chores. Triglycerides form a cushion around vital organs to protect and insulate them. It also acts as a medium of absorption for fat-soluble vitamins in the body.

Harm Caused by Excess Triglyceride Levels

• Hardening of Arteries: Triglycerides are thought to be responsible for hardening of the arteries, thus causing the condition atherosclerosis. This leads to heart disease and stroke.
• Risk of Developing Diabetes: When the level of triglycerides increases in the fat cells, this stimulates the release of certain inflammatory cells called cytokines into the blood stream. These, in turn, compromise the body's ability to control the sugar level in the blood, and increase your risk of developing diabetes.
• Metabolic Syndromes: High triglyceride levels can be linked to a condition called metabolic syndrome which is a combination of heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and high blood pressure.
• Fatty Liver Disease: High triglycerides lead to more fat cells in the body. When there are excess fat cells in the body, it gets deposited in the liver leading to a condition called fatty liver disease, which could lead to liver complications.
• Xanthoma: Excess triglycerides spark the eruption of itchy, pimple-like xanthomas on the hands, feet, arms, legs, and buttocks.

Triglyceride Levels Classified

Below is a table that shows how triglycerides are classified

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Classification	Triglyceride level (mg/dL)
Normal	Less than 150
Borderline High	150-199
High	200-499
Very High	500 or higher

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Factors Contributing to High Triglyceride Levels

There are many factors that could contribute to the buildup of excess triglycerides.

• Food Habits: Eating fatty meals and refined products like pasta, white bread, and maida (refined flour) products.
• Medical Problems: Diabetes, hypothyroidism, and kidney disease.
• Medications: Certain medications contribute to high triglyceride build up. Examples are high-dose thiazide diuretics, beta blockers, estrogen, tamoxifen, steroids, isotretinoin, and some anti-HIV drugs.
• Hormonal Imbalance: Over production of cortisol and aldosterone.
• Smoking/Alcohol: Both smoking and excess alcohol intake leads to excess triglycerides.
• Sedentary Lifestyle: Leading a sedentary life style without any physical activity.
• Obesity: As mentioned before, excess calories leads to it being stored as fat, forming triglycerides.
• Hereditary: Familial hypertriglyceridemia, familial hypercholesterolemia.

Tips to Control Triglycerides

There are several ways in which you can control the formation of excess triglycerides in your body.

• Choose the Right Fat: Avoid red meat, butter, ghee, margarine. Avoid trans-fats that are present in fried fast foods like fries and wedges.
• Choose the Right Carbs: Choose complex carbohydrates like whole wheat flour, brown bread, broken wheat, oats, and brown rice. Avoid refined flours and its products like white breads, pasta, noodles, etc.; that have simple carbs. Avoid carbonated beverages, colas, and sugary foods.
• Choose the Right Proteins: Foods rich in Omega-3 fatty acid are beneficial in controlling excess triglyceride formation. Examples are salmon, tuna, sardines, and other fatty fish. Having fish twice a week will serve the purpose. Vegetarians can have walnuts, soaked almonds, or flaxseed.
• Fruits and Veggies: Having plenty of fruits and veggies can never go wrong. These provide fibers, both soluble and insoluble, that helps with controlling weight, thereby bringing down triglyceride levels.
• Limit Alcohol Intake: There is enough research to suggest that red wine is good for the heart, but there is a limit to how much it can be consumed. When it comes to alcohol, the tendency to move from red wine to beer, then to whiskey, etc., is high. Regular alcohol intake is linked to increased triglyceride levels, so go slow on alcohol!
• Watch Your Weight: Obesity is an important factor that leads to elevated triglyceride levels. Try to keep yourself in the normal weight range. If you are overweight, try to lose some weight; this will bring down your triglyceride levels.
• Exercise: Exercise is beneficial for the body in more ways than one. Exercise helps you both physically and mentally and streamlines the bodily functions in a positive manner. Also, regular exercise brings down the fat level in your body, thereby reducing triglyceride levels too.

Even though our body mechanism is so complex, body has its own way of troubleshooting minor hiccups and, if needed, give clear signals of what is going on.  However, many a times, we are so busy to understand those signals or we totally ignore it. That is when real trouble starts. 
So, slow down, listen to your body signals, and find a balance in life. After all, we have only one body and one life to live!

Source: PB/LMT, dtd Jul11

---Issued in Public Interest by

   Amateur Society for Human Aid
  (a Non-profit Philanthropic Organisation)

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You might also like to read: 

 Diet for High Blood Pressure

 Foods to Lower Cholesterol

 Nutrition Supplements to Lower Your Cholesterol 

 Eleven Great Ways to Reduce Stress 

Health Benefits of Garlic

Top Health Benefits of Garlic

The humble garlic is a treasure trove of health benefits.

1 ounce of Garlic (28.35 grams) provides about 42 calories, contains about 9 grams of carbohydrates, 1.8 grams of protein and 0.60 grams of fiber.

Garlic is rich in mineral manganese and contains calcium, copper, phosphorus, selenium, vitamin B1, vitamin B6 and vitamin C. Garlic contains Ajoene and Allicin, which has anti-oxidant properties.

Nutrients in garlic are anti-bacterial and anti-viral

• Garlic reduces inflammation
• Sulphur compounds in garlic protects from cancer
• Garlic protects against asbestos induced toxicity

Vitamin C and Allicin in garlic are powerful anti-bacterial and anti-viral agents
Allicin is effective for infections like colds, flu, stomach viruses, candida yeast, tuberculosis and botulism.
Garlic prevents peptic ulcers caused by infectious bacteria Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori).

Onion and garlic protective against many cancers
If onions and garlic are in your daily diet you lower risk of several common cancers (pharynx, esophageal, colorectal, laryngeal, breast, ovarian, prostate and renal cell).

Sulphur compounds in garlic protects from cancer

• Eating garlic reduces your risk of many common cancers (cancer of the oral cavity and pharynx, esophageal cancer, colorectal cancer, laryngeal cancer, breast cancer, ovarian cancer, prostate cancer, renal cell cancer)
• Ajoene an organo-sulfur compound in garlic is used topically in treatment of skin cancer
• Allicin found in garlic protects colon cells from cancer causing chemicals and stops the growth of cancer cells once they develop
• Vitamin C and selenium in fresh garlic helps prevent colon cancer
• Allium in garlic helps reduce risk of prostate cancer

Garlic is heart healthy

• Garlic contains many heart healthy nutrients like sulfur compounds, vitamin C, vitamin B6, selenium and manganese
• Eating garlic inhibits platelet aggregation, lowers triglyceride levels, and lowers cholesterol levels. Eating garlic stimulates the production of nitric oxide that helps relax blood vessel walls and reduces high blood pressure.
• Garlic is known to inhibit coronary artery calcification. Coronary artery calcification is a marker for plaque formation as the body lays down calcium in areas that have been damaged.
• Atherosclerotic plaques develop when cholesterol circulating in the bloodstream is damaged or oxidised by free radicals. Garlic also helps reduce the amount of free radicals in the blood stream.
• A 'nanoplaque' is formed when calcium binds to proteoheparan sulfate and then to LDL cholesterol. Garlic inhibits plaque generation as it prevents the binding of calcium to proteoheparan sulphate.
• Garlic greatly reduces and reverses plaque deposition and size of atherosclerotic plaque. Garlic acts like HDL (good) Cholesterol in preventing the build-up of nanoplaques.

Garlic reduces inflammation

• Garlic is a potent remedy against common cold or infection.
• Allergenic foods, a cold, any infection, physical trauma, excessive exercise, will cause an inflammatory response.
• Excessive consumption of foods containing high levels of omega 6 fatty acids such as meat, corn or safflower oil will also cause an inflammatory response. 
• The inflammatory response may promote inflammation that creates an ideal condition for viruses to replicate. Garlic significantly reduces the risk of infection and severity of inflammatory symptoms.
• Garlic reduces the activity of NF kappa-B a chemical mediator of inflammation thus reducing risk of infection and reducing severity of symptoms.

---Issued in Public Interest by

   Amateur Society for Human Aid
  (a Non-profit Philanthropic Organisation)

Source: G2E 

1 in 3 of the world's malnourished children lives in India

1 in 3 of the world's malnourished children lives in India

Malnutrition is more common in India than in Sub-Saharan Africa. One in every three malnourished children in the world lives in India.

Malnutrition limits development and the capacity to learn. It also costs lives: about 50 per cent of all childhood deaths are attributed to malnutrition.

In India, around 46 per cent of all children below the age of three are too small for their age, 47 per cent are underweight and at least 16 per cent are wasted. Many of these children are severely malnourished.

The prevalence of malnutrition varies across states, with Madhya Pradesh recording the highest rate (55 per cent) and Kerala among the lowest (27 per  cent).

Malnutrition in children is not affected by food intake alone; it is also influenced by access to health services, quality of care for the child and pregnant mother as well as good hygiene practices. Girls are more at risk of malnutrition than boys because of their lower social status.

Malnutrition in early childhood has serious, long-term consequences because it impedes motor, sensory, cognitive, social and emotional development. Malnourished children are less likely to perform well in school and more likely  to grow into malnourished adults, at greater risk of disease and early death. 

Around one-third of all adult women are underweight. Inadequate care of women and girls, especially during pregnancy, results in low- birthweight babies. Nearly 30 per cent of all newborns have a low birthweight, making them vulnerable to further malnutrition and disease.

Vitamin and mineral deficiencies also affect children’s survival and development. Anaemia affects 74 per cent of children under the age of three, more than 90 per cent of adolescent girls and 50 per cent of women. Iodine deficiency, which reduces learning capacity by up to 13 per cent, is widespread because fewer than half of all households use iodised salt. Vitamin A deficiency, which causes blindness and increases morbidity and mortality among pre-schoolers, also remains a public-health problem.

---Issued in Public Interest by NGO ASHA

   (Amateur Society for Human Aid)

[Source: UNICEF-India]

Nutrition Supplements to Lower Your Cholesterol

Nutrition Supplements to Lower Your Cholesterol

Today 'Cholesterol' seems to be the buzzword for dieticians all across the globe. High cholesterol levels are associated with an increased risk for cardiovascular disease, heart attack and stroke. Given, today's unhealthy diet patterns, its no wonder that majority of the population is suffering from high cholesterol levels. The best way to get rid of extra cholesterol from your body is to exercise. However, people are so busy tackling their jobs and social life that they do not have the time to exercise. But there are a few natural supplements that will help you reduce your cholesterol levels.

Maintaining a proper and healthy cholesterol level is very important. By having a healthy cholesterol level, you can avoid so many health problems. Here are a few cholesterol lowering supplements that will help you get rid of excess cholesterol.

Fish Oil: Fish is well known to contain the essential fatty acids - Omega 3 which is a natural triglyceride-reducer and an effective aide in heart maintenance. Research has proven that including omega-3 fish oil supplements in your diet helps lower "bad" LDL cholesterol.

Green Tea Extract: Green tea extracts is also helpful in controlling cholesterol levels. The antioxidants present in green tea prevent further oxidization of LDL thus helping you fight the cardiovascular diseases (CVDs).

Barley: The soluble fiber, beta glucan, present in barley plays a role in binding cholesterol to bile acid (necessary for fat digestion) and then facilitating its excretion through the fecal route. When the bile acids are excreted, the liver uses up more cholesterol to form new bile acid, thereby further reducing the total cholesterol level in the circulation.

Soybeans: Substituting meat sources of protein by soy protein has been shown to prevent coronary heart disease by lowering LDL cholesterol and triglycerides. In addition, soybeans also contain very good amounts of fiber. When eaten, the fiber in soybeans binds to fats and cholesterol in food, so less is absorbed.

Oatmeal: Oatmeal also contains a soluble fiber, beta-glucan, that helps reduce LDL. Just 5 to 10 grams of soluble fiber every day will decrease your LDL cholesterol by 5 percent. A study confirms that having a bowl of oatmeal everyday reduces the CVD risk by 10 percent.

Garlic Extract: Garlic is a natural remedy for all cholesterol related problems. It has sulfur-based compounds known as allyl sulfides and other phytochemicals that help lower cholesterol naturally. Two to three cloves of garlic should be consumed in the morning on empty stomach.

Fenugreek: Fenugreek (methi) contains a significant amount of dietary fiber that has cholesterol-lowering effect.

Red Yeast Rice: Red yeast rice is a fungus that grows on rice which contains small amounts of a naturally occurring lovastatin - form of statin. Various red yeast rice preparations have been shown to lower LDL by around 20 to 30 percent.

Flaxseed Oil: Another source of omega 3 fatty acid, adding flaxseed oil to your diet helps lower triglycerides and buildup of fats in the liver.

Guggul: Guggul contains a mixture of lipid steroids called guggulipid, which have a cholesterol-lowering effect and helps in maintaining normal ranges of cholesterol levels.

Pumpkin Seed Oil: It contains essential fatty acids which help to reduce the amount of cholesterol produced by the liver.

As you can see, if you are searching for a way to supplement your lifestyle with a cholesterol reducing supplement, there are a number of options available. Pick the one that gives you maximum result and combine it with daily exercise for a holistic benefit.

---Issued in Public Interest by NGO ASHA

[Source: LMT, dtd Nov11]

Foods to Lower Cholesterol

The cholesterol in blood comes from two main sources: the foods we eat and what we manufacture (liver makes the cholesterol that our body needs). Cholesterol is a type of fat called a lipid. The body uses it for many things, such as making new cells.

Cholesterol travels through the blood attached to a protein. This package of cholesterol (a lipid) and protein is called a lipoprotein. Lipoproteins are either high-density (HDL) or low-density (LDL), based on how much protein and fat they have. LDL or "bad" cholesterol is mostly fat with only a small amount of protein and can clog your arteries around the heart which can put you at a risk for heart disease. HDL or "good" cholesterol is more protein than fat and helps clear the bad cholesterol from your blood so it does not clog your arteries. A high level of HDL can protect you from a heart attack.

One of the best ways to lower cholesterol naturally is to make certain dietary changes. Here is a list of the top natural foods to help maintain a healthy cholesterol level in the body:

• Oatmeal and oat bran: Oatmeal and oat bran are rich in soluble fiber, a type of fiber which lowers the bad cholesterol (LDL) levels. Soluble fiber appears to reduce the absorption of cholesterol in your intestines. 10 grams or more of soluble fiber a day decreases your total and LDL cholesterol. Eating 1 cup of cooked oatmeal provides around 4 grams of fiber. Other foods rich in soluble fiber that you can include in your diet are apples, kidney beans, pears, prunes and barley.

• Fish: Omega-3 fatty acids in fish greatly reduces the bad cholesterol and increase the good one. Omega-3 fatty acids also help the heart in other ways such as reducing blood pressure and the risk of blood clots. However, to maintain the heart-healthy benefits of fish, grill or bake it. Among the omega-3 rich fishes that you must include in your diet (at least two servings per week) are sardines, salmons, herring and mackerel. If you don't like fish, you can also get omega-3 fatty acids from foods like ground flaxseed or canola oil.

• Nuts: Nuts are rich in fiber, phytonutrients and antioxidants such as Vitamin E and selenium. They are also high in plant sterols and fat (monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats), which have all been shown to lower the bad (LDL) cholesterol. Plant sterols or stanols are powerful substances naturally found in plant to have the ability to block cholesterol absorption. As nuts are high in calories, limit your intake to about 1.5 ounce or 42.5 grams a day. Eat nuts as a replacement of foods that are high in saturated fats such as meat products or cheese. For example, instead of using cheese or meat in your salad, add a handful of walnuts or almonds.

• Yogurt with live active cultures (probiotics): Several studies have shown that the probiotics Lactobacillus Acidophilus and Lactobacillus Reuteri actually help lower cholesterol. They work by preventing the reabsorption of cholesterol back in to the blood stream.

• Olive oil: Olive oil contains a mix of antioxidants that can lower your bad (LDL) cholesterol without affecting your good (HDL) cholesterol level. The Food and Drug Administration recommends using about 2 tablespoons (about 23 grams) of olive oil a day to get its heart-healthy benefits. Some research suggests that the cholesterol-lowering effects of olive oil are even greater if you choose extra-virgin olive oil, meaning the oil is less processed and contains more heart-healthy antioxidants. To add olive oil to your diet, you can saute vegetables in it or mix it with vinegar as a salad dressing.

• Soya: Also known as replacement for meat, soy are rich in fiber, polyunsaturated fat, protein and various vitamins and minerals. It has been proven that soy products can trim down and lower bad cholesterol level and boost up good cholesterol. Among the soy products that you can try are soy milk, soy nuts, tofu, tempeh, miso and soy cheese.

• Beans: Beans are high in soluble fiber which help lower the bad cholesterol. Other foods high in soluble fiber include lentils, peas, and ground flaxseeds.

• Alcohol: Research has shown that moderate consumption (no more than one drink per day for women and two drinks per day for men) of alcohol can raise good (HDL) cholesterol. But consumption of as few as 3 to 5 alcoholic drinks per day is associated with adverse health effects, and heavy alcohol consumption may raise blood pressure, increase blood triglycerides, damage the liver and increase the risk of developing certain forms of cancer. A much safer bet for lowering cholesterol is increasing the fiber in your diet.

• Avocados: The monounsaturated fats in avocados have been found to lower bad (LDL) and raise good (HDL), especially in people with mildly elevated cholesterol. Slice avocadoes into sandwiches and salads or mash with garlic, lemon juice.

• Blueberries: Blueberries contain a powerful antioxidant called pterostilbene that may help lower bad (LDL) cholesterol.

• Flaxseed oil: Flaxseed oil can lower blood pressure in men with high cholesterol. In a three-month study of 59 middle-aged men, those who took daily flaxseed oil supplements (with eight grams of the omega-3 fats, alpha-linoleic acid) experienced significantly lower systolic and diastolic blood pressure.

Although several earlier studies have shown that garlic can be effective in reducing "bad" cholesterol (LDL), the overall body of evidence is inconclusive. A recent 2007 study appears to cast doubt on its effect in lowering cholesterol. The researchers tested raw garlic and two different garlic supplements on nearly 200 adults with moderately high levels of LDL cholesterol. After six months, the patients showed no improvements in their average cholesterol or other blood fats (lipids), no matter what kind of garlic they had consumed. However, the study's results do not demonstrate that garlic has no usefulness in the prevention of heart diseases.

The bottom line then is to increase intake of vegetables and fruits and thus increase the amount of fiber consumed, go easy on saturated fats, avoid junk food, use fresh herbs, eat fresh salads and drink fresh juices. Cholesterol levels will automatically reduce.

---Issued in Public Interest by NGO ASHA

[Source: LHSPL, dtd Sep09]