What The Results Mean To Your Health

A Cholesterol level over 200 or a Triglyceride level over 160 is an indicator that a change in diet is necessary. It is true there are medications to reduce cholesterol, but the best way to reduce total elevated blood lipids is by diet. On occasion even with a strict diet medication may be needed, but the dietary changes must continue.

A well balanced diet to reduce cholesterol and triglycerides should contain less of cholesterol daily.

The body produces 3/5 to 4/5 of the cholesterol in our bodies. We need a certain amount for normal body functions. Fats are used by the brain, nerves, hormones and vitamin absorption. SERM When our dietary intake of cholesterol and saturated fats are in excess, the blood levels will rise. Elevated blood lipids can occur by a physical cause, such as hypothyroidism, liver disease, kidney failure, and familial hypercholestermia.

If a physical cause is ruled out by your physician, it is time to implement dietary changes. Elevated cholesterol has been linked to heart and vessel diseases.

Helping ideas to lower your cholesterol and triglycerides

  1. Talk openly with your physician about your problem, he or she can arrange a consultation with a nutritionist or distil
  2. Lose weight if you are overweight, obesity can lower H.D.L.
  3. Increase exercise to help with Weight loss and raise H.D.L.
  4. Decrease sugar intake — sugar can raise triglycerides.
  5. Decrease alcohol intake — alcohol can raise triglycerides.

6, Stop Smoking — smoking can lower H.D.1

  1. Increase your use of polyunsaturated fats to lower levels of cholesterol and triglycerides.
  2. Do not try to change everything at once, take one step at a time. Elevated cholesterol and triglycerides did not happen overnight. Give yourself short term and long term goals. Goals are easier to work with, than trying to change everything at once.
  3. Plan your meals. Make healthy choices. Use your support group family and friends!
  4. Use meatless dishes several times a week.
  5. Cookbooks and pamphlets are available at the American Heart Association offices.

When our dietary intake of cholesterol and saturated fats are in excess, the blood levels will rise. Elevated blood lipids can occur by a physical cause, such as hypoth) roidism, liver disease, kidney failure, and familial hypercholestermia.

Article extracted from this publication >>  March 17, 1989