5 Ways to Reduce Your Cholesterol and Triglyceride Levels

• Part 1: How To Reduce High Cholesterol and Triglyceride Levels

Maintaining low cholesterol and triglyceride levels is essential for good health. High triglyceride levels can lead to obesity, diabetes and even kidney failure. Furthermore, High blood cholesterol is a leading cause of heart disease. If you are an individual with high cholesterol and high triglycerides your chances of developing heart disease are even worse. Follow these steps to reduce your cholesterol and triglycerides and lead a healthier life.

1.Reduce Your Sugar Intake

Triglycerides are affected by the food you eat. Anything with a high glucose level, like simple sugars, will spike your triglycerides. Increase in simple carbohydrate consumption converts glucose to fat. To lower your triglycerides make sure to avoid sodas, fruit juice and other sugary candies and treats. To satisfy your sweet tooth try substituting sugar free candies or snack on whole fruit rather than juices. Not only will this lower your triglyceride levels but limiting your sugar and lower your chances for obesity which correlates with your cholesterol.

2.Limit Alcohol

Alcohol is also a significant factor in elevating your triglyceride levels. Try to keep your consumption to 1 or 2 drinks a day. While 1 glass of red wine can lower your cholesterol and provide other health benefits, make sure not drink in excess. Alcohol prevents your body from burning fat and increases your liver’s production of triglycerides. Therefore limiting your alcohol intake can improve your cholesterol and triglyceride levels.

3.Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Just as Omega-3 fatty acids found in fish such as salmon and tuna help raise your HDL (good cholesterol) and lower your LDL (bad cholesterol), Omega-3s can also lower your triglycerides. By lowering both your cholesterol and triglycerides, Omega-3 fatty acids are one of the best ways to prevent heart disease.

4.Exercise

There is a reason that exercise is recommended for almost every health ailment. It is because it works. Twenty to thirty minutes of exercise a day a few days a week can improve your overall health dramatically. Exercise increases your HDL and promotes weight loss. Furthermore, it improves your overall blood circulation by clearing your blood vessels and making your heart stronger. Exercise also lowers your triglyceride levels, especially when done first thing in the morning. Research shows that physical activity lowers lipid levels in your blood. So get up and get moving!

5.Lose Weight

While exercise and avoiding alcohol and simple sugars is a start, better eating habits in general will improve both your cholesterol and triglycerides. Avoid fried foods, trans fats and limit your daily cholesterol intake to 200mg daily. Eat small meals more frequently throughout the day to keep your metabolism up and avoid late-night snacking when your body will not be active to burn those excess calories. Making these changes in your lifestyle with have huge benefits.

As always, make sure you see a doctor at least once or twice a year to have your blood work done so you can track your cholesterol and triglyceride levels. For more information on cholesterol and triglycerides click here.

The information supplied in this article is not to be considered as medical advice and is for educational purposes only.