If your doctor has told you that you have an elevated level of triglycerides in your system it is something to be concerned about. While most people are aware of the risks associated with high cholesterol and damage to the heart, the same risks can be connected to your high level of triglycerides. In fact, triglycerides can cause just as much risk. If your numbers are high, it may be necessary for you to consider starting an elevated triglycerides diet to get your numbers down to a more acceptable range.
Understand the Numbers:
Ideally, you will want to see your triglyceride numbers fall below 150 mg/dL The higher the number goes beyond that point, the higher the risk. A borderline number would be somewhere between 150 and 199 mg/dL, and those over 200 are considered to be too high. In some cases, the number can be over 500 mg/dL, which is considered to be extremely high. If you find that your numbers are higher than the normal range, you'll want to start on an elevated triglycerides diet to get them back under control.
Choose Low Triglyceride Foods:
High triglycerides are directly associated with taking in more calories than your body can use. This is why people who are obese, have diabetes, kidney or thyroid disease often have high levels. Your first order of business will be to address those problems by making lifestyle choices to keep those numbers in check.
This means choosing foods that are low in triglycerides and limiting your caloric intake overall. When you consume too many calories than you can burn off in a day, your body then takes those excess calories and coverts them into triglycerides, which are stored in your fat cells. Here are a few dietary suggestions that can help you to reduce your intake.
Fats:
Cut back on consumption of saturated fats and trans fats. These are those fats found in animal products, fast foods, packaged foods, and commercially baked goods. Instead, use the healthier fats found in mono- and polyunsaturated fats like olive or canola oil.
Fruits and Vegetables:
Try to get most of your caloric consumption from your fruits and vegetables and avoid consuming too many dairy products. You also want to limit your consumption of alcoholic beverages, which are especially bad for those with high triglycerides.
Finally, try to consume at least one serving of cold-water fish like salmon a week. These are high in omega-3 fatty acids, which are known to help reduce the number of triglycerides you have in your system.
If you're able to maintain an elevated triglycerides diet by lowering your sugar intake, reducing the amount of fat you consume, and limiting the amount of alcohol you drink you should be able to bring your numbers down to an acceptable level. However, there are some cases where your doctor may prescribe medication to go along with the diet program to help you speed up the process. Before you embark upon any type of diet program, always consult with your physician to make sure that you're not choosing a plan that can cause you more harm than good.