Important numbers (Part 2): Triglycerides
Blood levels of Triglycerides are tested as part of a standard Lipid panel that includes Cholesterol levels. Unfortunately, triglyceride levels are not given enough attention as they indicate actual and potential health problems.
Triglycerides are the dominant fat in your body. They come from food, but most importantly are formed from excess energy from food. If your body cannot use or store glucose, this is then converted into triglycerides which then circulates through your blood stream to be deposited as fat.
The real problem is excess carbohydrates. Carbohydrates rapidly convert to blood sugar (blood glucose). Blood glucose levels rise quickly after a high carbohydrate/sugar meal. Your pancreas then starts producing the hormone insulin to take the glucose into cells to be used as energy. The body has significant ability to store unused glucose stored as glycogen in your muscles and liver to be released later.
Continued high carbohydrates will soon exceed the ability to store glucose as glycogen. The rest will be converted to triglycerides and stored as fat. The problem is exacerbated if someone has Type 2 Diabetes or is borderline. This is called ‘metabolic syndrome’.
This will be evidenced as high HbA1C (see last month’s newsletter. Email me if you want a copy). This is a measure of long-term blood sugar levels. Either insulin resistance or low insulin production will cause hyperglycemia (high blood sugar) which will result in more blood glucose being converted to triglycerides.
In summary, high triglycerides are a snapshot of your blood sugar metabolism.
In some cases, high triglycerides (like high cholesterol) are genetic. This just means you must be extremely diligent with diet. You should try and keep triglycerides at around 1(mmol/l). A level over 2 mmol/l is a sign of a potential metabolic issue; over 3 and there is a real problem. Usually, high triglycerides are matched by high blood sugar (HbA1C) as there are both indications of poor blood sugar metabolism. This is why people with diabetes have high triglycerides and HbA1C.
The solution: If you have high Triglycerides, you need to be very conscious of sugars and carbohydrates in your diet. You need to starve your body of sugar and carbohydrates. Target all baked foods: bread, biscuits, crackers. Replace carbohydrate foods with high fat/protein foods.
I recommend a full Keto diet for those with Genetically high, or very high triglycerides. However, I think you can add modest amounts of pulses (lentils, chickpeas, beans).
Meals to lower Triglycerides and blood sugar.
Breakfast: Eggs/omelet without bread.
Snack: A handful of raw almonds.
Lunch: A mixed salad with avocado and tinned fish/fetta. Add lots of virgin olive oil. You could also add in tinned chickpeas/beans though these are excluded in very strict Keto diets.
Dinner: A large mixed vegetable stir fry plus protein. No rice/potatoes etc.
Comment: The main goal of reducing cholesterol and triglycerides is to lower the risk of heart disease. Please email me if you would like a copy of my Cholesterol programme.
As always, feel free to contact me with questions or for personalised advice.
John Arts (B.Soc.Sci, Dip Tch, Adv.Dip.Nut.Med) is a nutritional medicine practitioner and founder of Abundant Health Ltd. For questions or advice contact John on 0800 423559 or email john@abundant.co.nz. Join his all new newsletter at www.abundant.co.nz.