Maintain a Healthy Weight
If you’re overweight, you are at a greater risk for high triglycerides, but simple lifestyle changes like following a balanced diet and exercising can help you lose weight and lower your triglyceride levels. Cut down on high–calorie foods and beverages and make it a priority to incorporate more vegetables and fruits into your diet. They’re low in calories to help you achieve your weight loss goals, and packed with nutrients to improve overall heart health.
Reduce Unhealthy Fats
Reduce Unhealthy Fats
Our bodies store and circulate fat in the form of triglycerides. Eating a diet heavy in saturated and trans fats will raise the levels of your blood triglycerides. Fortunately, you can markedly improve your triglyceride levels by cutting down on consumption of these kinds of fats. If you have high triglycerides, it’s especially important to limit foods high in saturated fat, including marbled red meat, poultry skin, butter, whole milk, and other full–fat dairy products. Since trans fats are even more harmful than saturated fats, you’ll want to carefully check nutrition labels on margarines, snack foods, baked goods, and other packaged items to ensure they don’t contain any trans fats.
Get More Omega-3s
Get More Omega–3s
Not all fat is bad fat. While you’re working on reducing the amount of saturated and trans fats in your diet, you should also focus on increasing healthy omega-3 fats. Omega-3s are actually good for your heart and especially effective at lowering triglyceride levels. I recommend eating at least two servings of omega-3-rich fish, such as wild salmon, herring, mackerel (though not king), sardines, rainbow trout, or even oysters, each week. Also, speak with your doctor about incorporating fish oil supplements into your routine.
Limit Refined Carbs
Limit Refined Carbs
Low quality carbs (foods high in sugar or refined grains like white flour) can cause a sudden rise in your body’s insulin, which can lead to a spike in triglycerides. To lower your numbers, you’ll need to dramatically limit your intake of sugary and refined carbs including sugar, honey, and other sweeteners, candy, baked goods, regular pasta, white rice, and anything made with white (refined or enriched) flour, including white bread, rolls, cereals, buns and pastries. You’ll also want to limit dried fruit and fruit juice since they’re dense in simple sugar. Instead aim for high–quality carbs — vegetables, fruits, and whole grain foods like oatmeal, healthy cereals, brown and wild rice, and whole grain pastas and breads.
Drink Less Alcohol
Drink Less Alcohol
If you have high triglycerides, alcohol should be considered a rare treat — if you indulge at all, since even small amounts of alcohol can increase triglyceride levels. In sensitive individuals, just one drink can send triglycerides soaring. When you’re out at social occasions, consider ordering a flavorful spritzer made with seltzer water and a small splash of fruit juice. It’ll be healthier for you — and no one has to know that there isn’t any alcohol in it.
Trying to keep cholesterol levels in check, too? Here are 6 must-eat foods to incorporate into your menu.
Maintain a Healthy Weight
Maintain a Healthy Weight
If you’re overweight, you are at a greater risk for high triglycerides, but simple lifestyle changes like following a balanced diet and exercising can help you lose weight and lower your triglyceride levels. Cut down on high–calorie foods and beverages and make it a priority to incorporate more vegetables and fruits into your diet. They’re low in calories to help you achieve your weight loss goals, and packed with nutrients to improve overall heart health.
