High levels of triglycerides, one of two major fats in your blood, are a major risk factor in premature heart disease, heart attacks and strokes, according to "What Are Triglycerides," a chapter in "Controlling Cholesterol." You can reduce your high triglycerides by losing weight, eating fewer refined carbohydrates and exercising before consulting a doctor.
High Levels Defined
High levels of triglycerides are those that put you at high risk of heart disease. You're at high risk of heart disease if you're a 20- to 39-year-old man with at least 134 mg per dL of triglycerides in your blood, "Controlling Cholesterol" reports. The other high-risk minimums are 107 for 20- to 39-year-old women, 171 for 40- to 59-year-old men, 141 for 40- to 59-year-old women, 155 for men 60 and older and 147 for women 60 and older.
Dangers
High triglyceride levels are a "far more potent indicator" of who will get heart attacks than high levels of cholesterol, the other major fat in your blood, "Dr. Atkins' New Diet Revolution" reports. A 1998 "Journal of Nutrition" article reported that high triglyceride levels increase your risk of heart disease even if you have normal cholesterol levels. In addition, high triglyceride levels cause a reduction in your good cholesterol, according to "Controlling Cholesterol" and Atkins' book.
Battle Plan
The University of Michigan Health System says you can reduce high triglyceride levels by "losing excess weight through a long-term program of exercise and healthier eating." A National Institutes of Health study confirms this. The 811 people in the study lost 13 pounds on average within six months by exercising 90 minutes weekly and eating fewer calories than they ate previously. The calorie reduction varied. The study was published in the New England Journal of Medicine on Feb. 26, 2009.
Carbohydrates
Refined carbohydrates raise triglyceride levels, and unrefined carbs lower triglycerides, "The New Pritikin Program" reports. Potatoes and apples are unrefined carbohydrates, but they become refined when they are converted to mashed potatoes and apple juice. During the refining process, fiber is removed, and the high ratio of starches and sugars in the final product causes a spike in insulin and triglycerides, the Atkins and Pritikin books report. High-fiber foods reduce triglycerides.
Exercise
You can reduce high triglyceride levels by exercising regardless of whether you lose weight, "Controlling Cholesterol" reports. Author Kenneth Cooper, a renowned heart expert, wrote that "endurance-type exercises" such as bicycling, jogging, swimming and walking reduce triglycerides the most. "The energy-laden triglycerides in your blood get burned up as you participate in these exercises," Cooper wrote.
References
- "Controlling Cholesterol"; Dr. KennethCooper; 1989
- "New Diet Revolution"; Dr. Robert Atkins; 2002
- "The New Pritikin Program"; Robert Pritikin; 1990
- U.S. Department of Agriculture: Food and Nutrition Research Briefs
- National Institutes of Health: Heart-Healthy, Reduced-Calorie Diets Promote Long-term Weight Loss
