Triglycerides are the most abundant form of fat in your blood. However, having elevated triglycerides puts you at risk for stroke, fatty liver and heart attacks. People who have high total and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol tend to also have high triglycerides, the American Heart Association reports. Fortunately, lifestyle changes can help lower your triglycerides.
Lose Weight
Cardiologist Vera Bittner of the University of Alabama at Birmingham states on Medscape that being obese -- defined as a BMI greater or equal to 30 -- puts you at heightened risk of elevated triglycerides. Bittner adds that having a large waist is strongly associated with high triglyceride levels. Obesity also increases your risk for Type 2 diabetes and elevated cholesterol. If you're overweight or obese, discuss weight-loss treatment options with your doctor.
Eat Often
Eating more frequently during a weight loss diet can lower triglycerides more than if you ate three meals per day. In research presented at the September 2006 American Dietetic Association Food & Nutrition Conference & Expo, obese volunteers who divided their calories into six small meals lowered their triglycerides and cholesterol more than those in a group who ate three times per day.
Eat Fish
Many people know that consuming oily fish, like herring and flatfish, lowers your risk of heart disease. Eating fish or consuming fish oil supplements can effectively reduce triglycerides, the University of Maryland Medical Center states. Aim for 3 g per day of fish oil in the form of food or supplements. Fish oil also combats inflammation, a process that contributes to artery plaque formation. Because fish oil can interfere with medications, talk to your doctor before starting on fish oil.
Use the Glycemic Index
The glycemic index is a measurement of how quickly your body absorbs the carbohydrates in a given food. Foods with a high glycemic index are digested rapidly. Diets rich in high glycemic index foods are associated with elevated triglyceride levels, the March 2008 issue of "Metabolism" states. In the study, volunteers who followed a low glycemic index diet had 13 mg/dL lower triglyceride levels than those who ate a high glycemic index diet. Healthy low glycemic index foods include legumes, whole grains, fruits and fresh vegetables.
References
- American Heart Association: Women, Heart Disease and Stroke
- "ADA FNCE Food & Nutrition Conference & Expo"; Smaller, More Frequent Meals are Associated with Greater Reduction in Total Cholesterol and Triglycerides in Obese Adults After Three Months on Isocaloric Weight Loss Regimens; M.A. Palmer, et al.; September 2006
- Medscape; Obesity and Elevated Triglycerides; Vera Bittner; March 2008
- University of Maryland Medical Center; Omega-3 Fatty Acids; June 2009
- "Metabolism"; Dietary Glycemic Index, Dietary Glycemic Load, Blood Lipids, and C-reactive Protein; E. Levitan, et al.; March 2008
