Two months ago, I consulted an internist because I felt like something is not right with my body. I was aware of living an unhealthy lifestyle in the past six months and I woke up one day deciding it has to end. The blood test results confirmed the consequence of my poor eating habits and lack of physical activities.
I was prescribed with a 10 mg dosage of rosuvastatin during bedtime for a month. I watched what I ate (when I'm in the mood) and did a bit of brisk walking Another blood test was done. While the LDL normalized, my triglycerides got worse.
Now, I am also taking 160 mg of fenofibrate in the morning. I have seriously done a few things that will help me get off the medicines. I'll be having my next blood test in two weeks. I'll be updating you of the results.
If you are also having the same health concern like I do, here are some things you can do to help lower your triglycerides.
How to lower your triglycerides
1. Go for a low fat diet
Reduce your intake of food such as butter, cheese, milk, coconut milk, whipped cream, margarine, pork and poultry fat, and red meat. When planning your meal, consume more of fiber rich food like whole grain, vegetables and fruits. Instead of beef and pork, foods rich in omega-3 like salmon, herring, sardines, and tuna are good for the body.
2. Cut the sugar intake
I'm not a desserts person but I consume soda and sweetened beverages a lot. High-fructose corn syrup can lead to high triglycerides. Try to reduce fructose-rich drinks to only three glasses a week and consume more water. There are also fruits that have fructose like dates and dried raisins. Ripe mango, watermelon and pineapple are also high in sugar. Strawberries, grapefruit and bananas are relatively low in fructose.
3. Exercise
My doctor recommended that I take 30 minutes physical activity everyday. The easiest to do is brisk walking or jogging. If you want to workout, there are 15-minute workout videos on YouTube. If you've got stairs at home, what I do is I go up and down 10 times a day. I also squeeze into my schedule a few minutes of dumbbell exercises. I'm planning to go back to attending zumba classes soon.
4. Lose weight
People who lose weight also reduce their triglycerides level. Religiously doing the first three I've mentioned will help you lose weight, lose a few inches, and achieve a normal triglycerides level.
People with high triglycerides level have a higher chance of having heart disease, heart attack, and stroke. The risk is higher if you also have Type 2 diabetes and low levels of good cholesterol.
Are you aware of your triglycerides level? Have yourself checked.
Borderline: 151 to 199 mg/dL
High: 200 to 499 mg/dL
Very High: 500 mg/dL or higher