Like cholesterol, triglycerides are a form of lipids found in the bloodstream. Any unused calories left from food you eat are converted into this fatty substance and stored for later use. If you tend to eat more calories than your body burns, the level of triglycerides in the blood can escalate to an unhealthy level, contributing to atherosclerosis. This condition is marked by a hardening and thickening of the arteries, which inhibits blood flow and increases the risk of heart disease, heart attack and stroke. Although dietary changes are often recommended to improve triglyceride levels, you can also use exercise to lower your numbers.
Exercise
According to the American Heart Association, you should get at least 30 minutes of moderately intense physical activity five or more days a week to lower triglycerides. This level of exercise is loosely defined as any activity that gets you breathing faster, developing a light sweat and feeling some muscle strain. Plenty of athletic pursuits fall within this category, so choose from biking, walking, jogging, hiking, kayaking, cross-country skiing or taking part in a competitive sport, such as racquetball, tennis, soccer or basketball.
Physical Activity
You needn't, however, isolate the increase in physical activity to just exercise. You can also help improve your triglyceride levels by incorporating more activity in your day-to-day life. Take the stairs instead of an elevator. Use your bike rather than hopping in your car to get to work. Start raking, shoveling, mopping or vacuuming as a way to get your heart pumping. Even hit the mall for a little shopping, but keep your pace brisk to really get the most out of your trip.
Effects
By increasing your level of physical activity, be it through exercise or everyday tasks, you're actually benefiting your health in a number of different ways. Not only can you experience a decrease in triglyceride levels, but you also boost high-density lipoproteins, or HDL cholesterol. This good form of cholesterol removes bad cholesterol, or low-density lipoproteins, from the blood. Like triglycerides, low-density lipoproteins, or LDL cholesterol, contribute to a hardening and narrowing of the arteries.
Diet
Exercise isn't always enough to improve triglyceride levels, and you'll likely need to make some dietary changes to lower your numbers. Cutting calories from your diet is one of the more beneficial ways, but you can also see an improvement by limiting your intake of simple carbohydrates, like sugar and refined grains, as well as saturated fat, trans fat and dietary cholesterol.
