June 23, 2009

Causes, Symptoms & Diet for High Triglycerides

Posted in Category : Common Ailments

In the most basic of terms, triglycerides are nothing but the fat contained within the body. With most of the population in today’s world taking an extensive and in depth look at the way we eat, triglycerides are a very highly debated topic. The debates of today’s diet range primarily around what we term “junk food” and the calories it brings with it. Triglycerides are nothing but the fat consumed through any type of food and since junk food is very high in calories, it rarely escapes the limelight. However, triglycerides will also be part made of the fats produced by the body itself.

Triglycerides, in a more advanced view, are the primary storage of these consumed fats in the human body. They also help in the mobilization of these fats from one part of the body to another.

Triglycerides and Diet

A healthier view on the triglyceride topic is “you are what you eat”. To elaborate, if one wants to know how to control the triglyceride or fat levels in the body, they must make a conscious effort to control what they eat. Although, a number of people would think that leaving fats totally out of their food intake goes a long way into reducing the fat count in the body, most are oblivious to the fact that fat is an important asset to the human body, if taken in moderation.

Cholesterol is an important asset to the body as it helps in the creation of other cells membranes and assists in other bodily functions as well. High cholesterol levels are usually linked to high triglyceride levels and effectively attempting to lower one will go a long way into lowering the other. This is the same when attempting to boost the levels of either.

High triglyceride levels can cause a number of health concerns within the human body, such as blockage of arteries which will lead to possible heart attacks.

Triglyceride levels can be affected due to a number of reasons. The primary cause, of course, being the consumption of high calorie foods which lead to weight gain, consumption of alcohol is a frequently overlooked but the sugar content in alcohol can greatly take your triglyceride levels over a healthy level.

In order to reduce the high levels of triglycerides in a person’s body, conscious efforts must be made to reduce the saturated fat content in the diet, moderately extensive exercise is of prime importance as well, fruits and low fat dairy products are also highly recommended.