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High Blood Triglycerides

by Dr. Thomas K. Lo

Lowering your triglyceride level can improve your health. Triglycerides are a type of fat, also called a lipid, that occurs in the blood. Any calorie your body does not convert to energy right away is turned into triglycerides. Those lipid triglycerides then get stored in fat cells and are used as energy later. Like most fats, if you eat more calories than you burn, it could lead to high triglyceride levels. Triglycerides contain double the amount of energy as compared to both carbohydrates and proteins, which also supply energy to the body.

Triglycerides, HDL & LDL

Triglycerides and cholesterol are different types of lipids found in your blood. While cholesterol builds cells and supports certain hormones, triglycerides give your body energy by storing excess calories. High triglyceride levels can increase your risk of stroke or heart attack by thickening artery walls and hardening arteries. Triglycerides can even cause pancreatitis. Many times, high triglycerides go hand in hand with other medical conditions such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, hypothyroidism, and metabolic syndrome.

Being physically inactive, eating foods high in certain fats and sugars, and drinking too much alcohol may increase blood triglycerides. Some medicines used to treat breast cancer, high blood pressure, HIV, and other conditions may increase triglyceride levels in the blood.

Lipid panels measure total cholesterol, which include HDL “good” (high-density lipoprotein) cholesterol, which works to remove LDL “bad” (low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol, which can build up in the arteries and cause blockage in blood vessels and triglyceride levels in your blood.

Factors That Can Raise Triglycerides and What May Help Lower Triglycerides

Factors that can raise your triglyceride level include eating more calories than you burn off, especially if you eat a lot of sugar; being overweight or obese; cigarette smoking; excessive alcohol use; certain medicines; some genetic disorders; thyroid disease; poorly controlled type 2 diabetes; metabolic disease; and liver or kidney disease.

Triglyceride levels are measured in milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL). The guidelines for triglyceride levels are normal if less than 150mg/dL, borderline high is between 151 to 199 mg/dL, high levels are 200 to 499 mg/dL, and considered very high if above 500 mg/dL.

Case-control studies have shown that high triglycerides are an independent cardiovascular disease risk factor. Also, a recent study concluded that in younger persons, the highest levels of triglycerides corresponded with a four times greater risk of heart disease and stroke risk compared to similar patients in the study who had the lowest levels of triglycerides. (Tirosh et al, Ann Intern Med 2007).

The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends changes in lifestyle habits as the main therapy for high triglycerides. You should focus on fiber-rich complex carbohydrates, such as vegetables and whole grains, low sugar fruits, and unsweetened dairy instead of simple sugars. 

All people, whether or not they have high triglycerides, should limit their intake of added sugars. If a person has high triglycerides, it is especially important to limit daily calories from added sugar to no more than 5 percent to 10 percent (no more than 100 calories for most women and no more than 150 calories per day for most men). Sugar has no nutritional value other than to provide calories. Added sugars are sugars and syrups that are added to foods or beverages during processing or preparation. They do not include naturally occurring sugars such as those found in milk (lactose) and fruits (fructose). For those people above 150 mg/dL triglycerides, limit fructose and emphasize more vegetables and fruits that are lower in fructose. People who consume large amounts of beverages with added sugars tend to consume more calories overall and tend to gain weight. Currently, it is estimated that soft drink consumption alone accounts for one third of added sugars intake in the U.S. diet. Those with triglycerides outside the normal range should limit fructose consumption to 50 to 100 grams per day, because fructose raises triglycerides.

The type of carbohydrates that you eat makes a difference. Foods that contain high amounts of simple sugars, especially fructose, raise triglyceride levels. Trans fats raise triglycerides, while omega-3 fats found in fatty fish and avocados lower triglyceride levels.

Alcohol in high amounts increases triglyceride levels in some people. In individuals with very high triglycerides, abstinence from alcohol is best.

If you are overweight and lose weight, it will result in a 20 percent decrease in triglycerides—the magnitude of decrease in triglycerides are directly related to the amount of weight lost.

Physical activity plays an important role in lowering triglycerides. The effects that physical activity has on triglyceride levels vary depending upon baseline triglyceride level, level of intensity, caloric expenditure, and duration of activity. Try to get at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity on five or more days, for a total of at least 150 minutes per week.  

Visceral fat is strongly associated with insulin resistance (an inability of the body to use insulin to convert food into energy) and high levels of triglycerides. Visceral fat lies deep inside the abdomen, near the waistline surrounding the abdominal organs. The best way to lose this fat is to lose excess weight by eating a healthy diet, along with getting regular physical activity. Physical activity helps reduce abdominal fat and preserve muscle during weight loss. Also, lowering your stress level helps with losing visceral fat.

Substituting carbohydrates for fats may raise triglyceride levels and may decrease HDL “good” cholesterol in some people. So keep healthy dietary fat to 25-35 percent of total diet. A statement released by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, panel on detection, evaluation, and treatment of high blood cholesterol in adults, suggests that very high intakes of carbohydrates (greater than 60 percent of total calories) are accompanied by a rise in triglycerides. Lower intakes (e.g., 50 percent of calories) should be considered for persons with metabolic syndrome who have elevated triglycerides or low HDL “good” cholesterol.

So, what is metabolic syndrome? It is a cluster of easily measured metabolic factors, which occur together. It occurs when a person has three or more of the following five factors: elevated waist circumference, elevated triglycerides, reduced HDL cholesterol, elevated blood pressure, elevated fasting glucose. Metabolic syndrome develops in the setting of excess calories and a sedentary lifestyle with underlying causes being obesity and insulin resistance. Most studies show that the metabolic syndrome is associated with an approximate doubling of heart disease and stroke risk and a five times greater risk for developing type 2 diabetes. Lifestyle modifications are important to reducing risk from the metabolic syndrome, since they improve all of the components of the metabolic syndrome.

   If you are struggling with health issues, call the Advanced Chiropractic & Nutritional Healing Center at 240-651-1650 for a free consultation. Dr. Lo uses Nutritional Response Testing® to analyze the body to determine the underlying causes of ill or non-optimum health. The office is located at 7310 Grove Road #107, Frederick, MD. Check out the website at www.doctorlo.com.

Ask Dr. Lo –

Is High Cholesterol Having An Effect On Your Health?

by Dr. Thomas K. Lo, Advanced Chiropractic & Nutritional Healing Center

Blood cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance made by your liver. It is essential for good health. Your body needs cholesterol to perform important jobs, such as making hormones and digesting fatty foods. Unfortunately, cholesterol (plaque) can build up in arteries, and as it builds up in the arteries, they begin to narrow, which lessens or blocks the flow of blood.

Your body makes all the blood cholesterol it needs, but there is also dietary cholesterol found in animal foods, including meat, seafood, poultry, eggs, and dairy products. For a food item to have dietary cholesterol, it would need to come from an animal or contain a product from an animal. However, vegetables also contain fat, such as polyunsaturated fat and monounsaturated fat, both of which can affect your cholesterol levels. Though these two fats are considered healthier than saturated fat, you still need to pay attention to your consumption. High amounts could eventually affect your cholesterol levels, causing them to rise and increasing your risk of high cholesterol, high blood pressure, atherosclerosis (narrowing of the arteries), heart disease, heart attack, and stroke.

Cholesterol is produced by the liver and also made by most cells in the body, including the brain. It is carried around in the blood by little “couriers” called lipoproteins. We need a small amount of blood cholesterol because the body uses it to build the structure of cell membranes; make hormones, like estrogen, testosterone and adrenal hormones; help your metabolism work efficiently; and produce bile acids, which help the body digest fat and absorb important nutrients. These are important functions; however, too much of a good thing is not good at all.

Healthy blood cholesterol levels will differ by age and sex. Your doctor will order routine lipid panel blood tests to screen for high blood cholesterol. They use these tests to check whether you have healthy levels of cholesterol in your blood. The test measures the total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, and non-high-density lipoprotein (non-HDL) cholesterol levels in your blood. Non-HDL cholesterol includes low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and is calculated by subtracting your HDL cholesterol levels from your total cholesterol levels. You may also see a measurement for triglycerides on your lipid panel.

HDL cholesterol can be thought of as the “good” cholesterol. (So, in the case of HDL cholesterol, higher levels are actually better). Experts believe that HDL acts as a scavenger, carrying LDL (bad) cholesterol away from the arteries and back to the liver, where the LDL is broken down and passed from the body. However, HDL cholesterol does not completely eliminate LDL cholesterol. It carries only one-third to one-fourth of blood cholesterol back to the liver. Experts agree that a healthy HDL cholesterol level may protect against heart attack and stroke. Studies show that low levels of HDL cholesterol increase the risk of heart disease. With less HDL, your risk of atherosclerotic plaque and blockages increases.

If you have a high LDL level, this means that you have too much LDL cholesterol in your blood. This extra LDL, along with other substances, forms plaque. It contributes to fatty buildups in arteries (atherosclerosis). This condition narrows the arteries and increases the risk for heart attack, stroke, and peripheral artery disease, and since your blood carries oxygen to your heart, this means that your heart may not be able to get enough oxygen. This can cause angina (chest pain), or if the blood flow is completely blocked, a heart attack.

Like cholesterol, triglycerides are a type of blood fat. Triglycerides form when you eat more calories than you need. They store excess energy from your diet and they can supply energy to your muscles. When triglyceride levels are too high, they can put you at risk of a heart attack or stroke. They are the most common type of fat in the body. A high triglyceride level combined with high LDL (bad) cholesterol or low HDL (good) cholesterol is linked with fatty buildups within the artery walls, which increases the risk of heart attack and stroke.

If your blood cholesterol levels are not within the healthy range for your age and sex, your doctor may recommend heart-healthy lifestyle changes to help you lower or control your high blood cholesterol.

Often, changing behaviors will go a long way toward bringing your numbers into line. Some changes are eating healthy, being physically active, aiming for a healthy weight and quitting smoking

Eating a heart-healthy diet is the first step in lowering cholesterol. That would include reducing saturated fat and trans fat. The American Heart Association recommends limiting saturated fat to 5 to 6 percent of daily calories and minimizing the amount of trans fat you eat. Decreasing your consumption of saturated fats can reduce your LDL cholesterol, as well as eliminating trans fats, sometimes listed on food labels as “partially hydrogenated vegetable oil,” often used in margarines and store-bought cookies, crackers, and cakes. Trans fats raise overall cholesterol levels. The Food and Drug Administration has banned the use of partially hydrogenated vegetable oils by January 1, 2021.

Eat foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids do not affect LDL cholesterol and have other heart-healthy benefits, including reducing blood pressure. Foods with omega-3 fatty acids include salmon, mackerel, herring, walnuts, and flaxseeds.

Increase soluble fiber. Soluble fiber can reduce the absorption of cholesterol into your bloodstream. Soluble fiber is found in such foods as oatmeal, kidney beans, fruits, and vegetables. A diet high in fiber can help lower cholesterol levels by as much as 10 percent.

A heart-healthy diet also emphasizes curbing sugary foods and beverages. To be smarter about what you eat, you may need to pay more attention to food labels.

Exercise can also improve cholesterol. It can help raise HDL cholesterol, the “good” cholesterol. With your doctor’s OK, work up to at least 30 minutes of exercise five times a week or vigorous aerobic activity for 20 minutes three times a week. Adding physical activity, even in short intervals several times a day can help you begin to lose weight, which can also lower cholesterol.  Consider taking a brisk daily walk during your lunch hour, riding your bike to work, or playing a favorite sport. Try incorporating more activity into your daily routine by using the stairs instead of taking the elevator or parking farther from your office.

Quitting smoking improves your HDL cholesterol level. The benefits occur quickly: Within 20 minutes of quitting, your blood pressure and heart rate recover from the cigarette-induced spike. Within three months of quitting, your blood circulation and lung function begin to improve.    Within a year of quitting, your risk of heart disease is half that of a smoker.

If you are struggling to control your cholesterol and would like a free screening, call the Advanced Chiropractic & Nutritional Healing Center at 240-651-1650 for a free screening. Dr. Lo uses Nutritional Response Testing® to analyze the body to determine the underlying causes of ill or non-optimum health. He also offers free seminars, held at the office on rotating Tuesdays and Thursdays. The office is located at 7310 Grove Road #107, Frederick, MD. Check out the website at www.doctorlo.com.