Home
My Blog
Mother's Day 2008
Womens Health
Cervical Cancer
Menopause
Mental Health
Nutrition
Weight Loss
Fitness
At Work
General Surgery
What is Diabetes
Dental Health
About Me
Contact Me
Site Map
Privacy Policy

XML RSS
What is this?
Add to My Yahoo!
Add to My MSN
Add to Google

Nutrition Facts--What You Should Know About Triglycerides

Hello Ladies,

Nutrition facts are terribly important these days. Sometimes I wonder if the fast food folks are trying to kill us; the same goes for the corner mini-marts/gas station. I’ve learned that if you are traveling, you’d better pack some healthy snacks and drinks to take with you.

Anyway, I found some vital nutrition facts about triglycerides (TG’s), yet another fat in our bodies we should be concerned about. Elevated TG's could eventually place you on the "business end" of defibrillator paddles to save your life.

Nutrition Facts: Triglycerides (TG's) are the most common type of fat in the body. They are also a great source of energy. TGs come from certain foods, and they are also produced naturally in the body by the liver. When you eat, calories that are not used as energy are converted into TG's and stored as fat.

Although TG's are important for your body’s healthy functioning, they may be dangerous in high amounts, increasing your risk for cardiovascular (heart) disease and pancreatitis (inflammation, or swelling, of the pancreas).

If you cannot lower your TG's with lifestyle changes, what can your doctor do?

Nutrition Fact: If your TG's are still high after you have made appropriate lifestyle changes, your doctor may recommend medications:

  • Omega-3 fatty acids: Omacor® can help to lower very high levels of TGs (more than 500 mg/dL) when used as an adjunct to diet.
  • Fibrates: Lopid®, Tricor®, and others can lower TG and raise HDL-C.
  • Nicotinic acid (also known as niacin): Niaspan®, Nicomide, and others can lower TG and LDL-C, and raise HDL-C.
  • Statins: Lipitor®, Zocor®, Crestor®, Pravachol®, Lescol®, and Mevacor® are effective in lowering TGs and LDL-C, and raising HDL-C.

    • Who is at risk for high TG's?

    Nutrition Facts: Many factors can cause high TG's, including genetics (for example, a family history of high TG's), lifestyle habits, and medical history. Examples of poor lifestyle habits include not getting enough exercise, being overweight, smoking, eating too much sugar, eating large meals at one time, and heavy intake of saturated and trans fats.

    Some medical conditions that put you at risk for high TG's are poorly controlled diabetes, obesity, and kidney disease. Other risk factors may include certain medicines, drinking a lot of alcohol, and age.

    How are TG's measured?

    Your doctor will give you a blood test to measure the amount of lipids (fats) and cholesterol (low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol [LDL-C] ”the bad” cholesterol and high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol [HDL-C]”the good” cholesterol) in your blood. These levels are expressed in milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL) of blood.

    Nutrition Fact:

    Elevated TG levels may be risk factors for heart disease, even if your cholesterol levels are normal!

    TG LEVELS* Normal: Less than 150 mg/dL* Borderline high: 150 to 199 mg/dL* High: 200 to 499 mg/dL* Very high: More than 500 mg/dL

    What can I do to lower my TGs if they’re higher than normal?

    Nutrition Facts: The good news is that high TGs can be reduced with some changes to your diet and lifestyle. Here are some things you can try:

  • Exercise regularly: Aim for 30 to 60 minutes of physical activity per day.
  • Limit sugar and starchy foods (like white bread and rice): Choose unsweetened foods and drinks, and try to eat more whole grains (like whole-wheat bread and brown rice).
  • Avoid alcohol: It can affect the liver, which increases TG production.

    • If you drink red wine for heart health, limit the amount to 5 ounces per day or eliminate it all together.

    Nutrition Facts: Try eliminating unhealthy fats from the diet. These are called saturated fats (found in meats, whole milk, and coconut oils) and trans fats (found in cookies, french fries, doughnuts, and fast foods). Instead, eat foods with healthier fats like monounsaturated (found in olive, canola, and peanut oils) or polyunsaturated (found in sesame, corn, sunflower, and fish oils).

    Eat more fiber: Fresh fruits and vegetables, and oatmeal are great sources of fiber.

    Eat more fish: Certain fish like tuna and salmon are high in omega-3 fatty-acids, which have been shown to reduce TG's.

    FOR MORE INFORMATION:TALK TO YOUR PHYSICIAN OR VISIT WWW. CCMDWEB. ORG

    Back to top of Nutrition Facts--What You Should Know About Triglycerides


    footer for nutrition fact page