Many people are familiar with the top six heart disease risk factors (obesity, hypertension, high cholesterol, diabetes, cigarette smoking and a sedentary lifestyle), but most tend to overlook another risk factor: high triglycerides. Triglycerides are closely related to managing high cholesterol. Generally speaking, if you take steps to eat a heart-healthy diet, get more exercise and take medications prescribed to you by your physician, your triglycerides should also come down.
Assess Your Current Health
If it's been awhile since your last complete physical examination, make an appointment with your doctor for a physical and have him draw a blood sample for a complete lipid profile. Lipid profiles measure the amount of total cholesterol, low density lipoproteins (LDL), high density lipoproteins (HDL) and triglycerides. When you go over the results, he'll tell you if you have values that are higher than normal and whether they should be addressed.
High Cholesterol and Triglycerides
According to the American Heart Association, there are approximately 100 million Americans with high cholesterol. High cholesterol is defined as having total cholesterol values higher than 200mg/dl. Often, people with high cholesterol also have high triglycerides. A triglyceride is a form of energy that circulates through the blood. If it isn't used for immediate energy needs (such as exercise), it's stored in your fat cells. The best way to deal with high triglycerides is not to have high values by managing your weight and getting plenty of exercise. Your diet can also help. Normal values for triglycerides are less than 150mg/dl.
Reducing High Cholesterol and Triglycerides
You can manage high cholesterol and triglyceride levels together. An easy way is to add bran to your diet. Bran (like that contained in oatmeal) is loaded with soluble fiber that grabs onto LDL cholesterol and excretes it from the body before it has a chance to deposit on the inside of the arterial walls. Good sources are kidney beans, barley, prunes, apples and pears.
Adding Nuts to Your Diet
Nuts eaten in moderation can also help lower cholesterol and triglycerides. Favorites include walnuts, almonds, peanuts, pecans and pistachio nuts. But they're also loaded in fat. The Food and Drug Administration recommends eating no more than 1 1/2 oz. per day.
Fish and Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Eating fish twice a week is one of the best ways to get a valuable heart-saving supplement called omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids are thought to increase HDL levels and lower the bad type of cholesterol. It also significantly reduces your chances for getting blood clots that can lead to sudden death. The best sources of omega-3 fatty acids are certain cold-water fish such as mackerel, trout, salmon, sardines and albacore tuna. If you don't care for fish, you can get the same benefit by taking omega-3 supplements. You can find them at a grocery or health food store. Start by taking 1000mg to 2000mg per day.
