People with insulin insensitivity have a risk of elevated triglyceride levels in addition to high blood sugar levels. You see, insulin helps the body use glucose and triglyceride fats. So, when the cells become resistant or the body doesn’t produce enough insulin, these two energy sources can build up in the blood.
This is bad as high triglyceride levels increase your risk of developing atherosclerosis and acute pancreatitis. But, don’t worry. It is possible to get those levels down and improve your body’s use of the existing fats in your blood.
#1 Drop 5 to 10 Pounds
If you lose just a few pounds of body fat, it can help reduce your overall triglyceride levels. Losing weight helps improve insulin sensitivity in the body, so your cells can take in more of these freely available fats.
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#2 Exercise 30 Minutes a Day
Make an effort to work out for half an hour total each day. This lowers triglyceride levels and helps boost your levels of ‘good’ or High-Density Lipoproteins (HDL).
#3 Cut Back on the Carbs
When you eat a large meal containing mostly carbohydrates, the body is forced to convert some of that unneeded energy into triglycerides for later use. Keep this from happening as much by avoiding refined flours, sugars, and other simple carbs.
#4 Don’t Drink Alcohol
Alcohol contains a lot of calories and sugars, so the body will quickly convert it into triglycerides. Don’t think you can have just a little. Even a small amount of alcohol can raise your levels.
#5 Choose Unsaturated Fats
Saturated fats, like butter, may affect your triglycerides and also increase bad cholesterol or low-Density Lipoprotein (LDL) levels. Keep your heart healthy and your circulatory system functioning well with unsaturated fats like olive oil, peanut oil, and canola oil.
It’s also a good idea to visit your doctor for a lipid blood panel to determine your HDL, LDL, and triglyceride levels. If they are elevated, there may be medications you can take to help keep them under control.
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[expand title=”References“]
How Triglycerides Affect Your Risk of Diabetes. URL Link. Accessed August 14th, 2017.
Triglycerides: Why Do They Matter? URL Link. Accessed August 14th, 2017.
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