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

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