How to Lower Triglycerides Without Medication

It’s an unfortunate fact that heart disease is one of the biggest killers in the United States, and yet despite billions of dollars being spent annually upon research into new treatments and means of diagnosis, there is a great deal that a person can do themselves to lower the risk. Recent focus has been placed upon monitoring triglyceride levels in the blood and suggests that keeping these levels low may prevent or at least significantly slow the onset of full-blown heart disease. The good news is that lowering triglycerides can be done naturally and holistically, without recourse to taking diet supplements and medicines – and the methods used to do this are also great for overall general health.

Weight loss and weight management

Weight loss is the most significant and obvious means of reducing these levels and runs concurrent to the established understanding that being overweight – especially around the lower torso – seriously increases the long-term risk of heart disease and a whole scope of other unpleasant illnesses. While it is easy for people to gain a middle age paunch, as the years go by it can feel ever more daunting and challenging to shift the excess fat by exercise and diet.

Dietary changes

Achieving a healthy weight should be addressed as a long-term shift in lifestyle that not only reduces fat consumption, but also the sugars that the body absorbs through carbohydrates. Addressing sugar intake is the key to improving triglycerides in the blood, and also an essential consideration is attempting to lower overall body weight. All packaged foods are labelled with their calorific, fat and sugar content so it can be very straightforward to lower these – simple tips would include choosing diet or light sodas, avoiding fruit juices and considering alcoholic beverages as an occasional treat rather than a regular pleasure.

Also, when considering changes in diet to lower triglycerides, you should be reducing saturated fat and salt intake from meats (especially those that have been processed), and instead look towards ‘oily’ fish such as salmon and mackerel that are rich in the super healthy Omega 3 oil. Vegetarians can find the same benefit in certain nuts and use soybean or flaxseed oil to dress salads. It has been shown that these oils are not just great for lowering these levels, but are also found in foods that are naturally lean and should be a part of any weight loss schedule.

Exercising

Perhaps most important of all, and as many studies have shown, the best way of maintaining a good circulation that will provide better resistance to heart disease is to exercise. Dieting alone can be counterproductive in the long terms as the body will look to replenish and even increase it’s fat reserves once normal eating is resumed. Take the time to consult with a doctor who will have plenty of experience and knowledge on how to introduce exercise into a weekly plan, as even just a little a couple of times per week can be massively important in assisting weight loss through raising the metabolism. This will also provide psychological encouragement that the issue is being addressed, as it is only through weight loss that triglycerides can be naturally reduced and managed in the long term.