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Healthy Heart Reports
Treatment Of High Triglycerides
Having high blood levels of triglycerides increases your chances for a heart attack (1,2,3) and diabetes (4).
Taking in more food than you need converts extra calories to triglycerides, regardless whether they come from carbohydrates, fats or proteins. Those with high blood levels of triglycerides usually store most of their fat in their bellies rather than their hips and have low blood levels of the good HDL cholesterol that prevents heart attacks. You raise blood levels of triglycerides most by eating sugary foods and refined carbohydrates such as bakery products because they lack omega-3 fatty acids.
Doctors have known for years that omega-3 fatty acids in fish oils lower triglycerides, but whole grains, beans and seeds are also rich sources of omega-3 fatty acids. Bakery products and pastas made from flour have no omega-3 fatty acids because they are removed in the germ of a whole grain before grinding it into flour. You lower high triglycerides by restricting bakery products, pastas and sugary foods and eating lots of whole grains, vegetables, seeds and deep-water fish.
1) J Jeppesen, HO Hein, P Suadicani, F Gyntelberg. Triglyceride concentration and ischemic heart disease: An eight-year follow-up in the Copenhagen Male Study.Circulation 97: 11 (MAR 24 1998):1029-1036.
2) M Miller.The epidemiology of triglyceride as a coronary artery disease risk factor.Clinical Cardiology, 1999, Vol 22, Iss 6, Suppl. 2, pp II1-II6.
3) SH Gianturco, WA Bradley.Pathophysiology of triglyceride-rich lipoproteins in atherothrombosis: Cellular aspects.Clinical Cardiology, 1999, Vol 22, Iss 6, Suppl. 2, pp II7-II14.
4)A Georgopoulos.Postprandial triglyceride metabolism in diabetes mellitus.Clinical Cardiology, 1999, Vol 22, Iss 6, Suppl. 2, pp II28-II33.
5)WS Harris.Nonpharmacologic treatment of hypertriglyceridemia: Focus on fish oils.Clinical Cardiology, 1999, Vol 22, Iss 6, Suppl. 2, pp II40-II43.
9/21/99
Copyright 1999 www.DrMirkin.com
Dr. Mirkin's opinions and the references cited are for information only, and are not intended to diagnose or prescribe. For your specific diagnosis and treatment, consult your doctor or health care provider.
For more recipes, refer to the The Healthy Heart Miracle book.
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