Matū ngako teitei High triglycerides
Triglycerides are a type of fat (also called a lipid). Triglycerides store energy in your body, mainly in your fat cells. Everyone also has triglycerides in their blood (called lipoproteins), but some people have too many.
Causes of high triglycerides
High triglyceride levels in your blood (above 1.7mmol/L) can be caused by not eating well.
Oil and butter and most other fats in your food are triglycerides. Your body absorbs them after you eat. Your body also turns extra calories into triglycerides — especially those from refined carbohydrates such as white bread, pastries and sugar and alcohol. Your body stores the triglycerides in fat cells.
We need some triglycerides in our body but having too many can raise your risk of stroke, heart attack and heart disease.
Other risks for high triglycerides are having prediabetes, diabetes and an underactive thyroid gland.
Some people have very high triglyceride levels (above 5mmol/L) due to genetic factors (passed on from their parents).
Complications of high triglycerides
If you have extremely high triglycerides (above 10mmol/L) you have a high risk of developing pancreatitis (a serious condition of the pancreas).
In this situation, you would need to get your triglyceride levels down urgently.
You may also need special blood tests to find out what is causing the high triglyceride levels and take medication to lower them. It is also important to make changes to your diet and lifestyle.
Diagnosing high triglycerides
You will need a blood test to check your triglycerides. Your triglyceride level varies and is higher after eating. If your test shows a raised level, you may need to have another blood test after not eating for at least 8 hours. This is called a fasting blood test.
Lowering your triglyceride levels
If you have high or very high triglyceride levels, changing what you eat and drink, and making some other lifestyle changes will help you get it back to healthy levels.
The changes you make need to be permanent. You need to continue them even when your triglycerides are back to a healthy level, if you want them to stay there.
If your triglyceride levels remain high even after you have made lifestyle and dietary changes, you may need to take medications to reduce your risk of heart disease or pancreatitis.
- You may need to drink less alcohol.
- For women, normal guidelines for lower-risk drinking are no more than 2 standard drinks a day (and no more than 10 standard drinks a week).
- For men, normal guidelines for lower-risk drinking are no more than 3 standard drinks a day (and no more than 15 standard drinks a week).
- Avoid added sugar, honey and syrups, such as maple, golden and agave syrups in food and drinks.
- Drink water (tap water, soda or mineral water) instead of fruit juice, soft drinks and cordials.
- When you buy food, check the nutrition information label — choose foods with less than 10 grams of sugar per 100 grams.
- Eat fresh fruit or fruit canned in juice, instead of fruit canned in syrup.
- Have plain unsweetened yoghurt instead of regular yoghurt. Add chopped fresh fruit or fruit canned in juice.
- Keep cakes, biscuits, sweet pastries, chocolate, lollies, ice cream and puddings for occasional treats — even then, only have them if your triglycerides are in your healthy range.
- Use healthy fats such as liquid plant oils (extra virgin olive, canola, sunflower and rapeseed) instead of unhealthy fats (butter, lard, ghee, coconut oil and palm oil).
- Use little or no oil for cooking.
- Use alternative spreads to margarine or butter, such as cottage cheese, avocado, hummus or tahini (sesame seed paste).
- Use low-fat milk (green or yellow top) and milk products, such as low-fat yoghurt and cottage cheese.
- Keep cream, sour cream, cream cheese, crème fraiche (and their lite versions) for occasional treats only.
- Keep daily servings of lean red meat, chicken and fish to the size and thickness of the palm of your hand. Try adding extra vegetables or cooked legumes (for example, kidney beans, chickpeas or lentils).
- Aim to have at least 2 to 3 servings of fish each week. Oily fish such as kahawai, mackerel, salmon and sardines are particularly good.
- Remove the visible white fat from meat and the skin from chicken before cooking.
- Use low-fat cooking methods — bake, grill, microwave, boil or steam, instead of frying or roasting.
- Avoid deep-fried foods and processed products, such as sausages, salami, meat pies, pizza and canned corned beef.
- Avoid high-fat snacks such as potato chips, high-fat crackers and creamy dips, pastries, biscuits and cakes.
- Have takeaways no more than once a month.
- Choose healthy snacks, including fresh fruit, low-fat milk, plain unsweetened yoghurt, wholegrain crackers with cottage cheese or avocado and tomato, or a small handful (30 grams) of unsalted raw nuts.
Every day have at least 5 servings of veges and 2 servings of fruits. A serving is about a handful. Choose a variety of different coloured veges and fruits.
Have at least one meal a day based around a wholegrain, such as:
- wholegrain bread
- rolled oats
- brown rice
- wholemeal pasta
- barley
- quinoa.
Regularly include nuts, seeds and legumes such as kidney beans, black beans, lentils or chickpeas in your meals.
- Be active in as many ways as possible — move more and sit less.
- Aim for least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity most days.
- If you are not active, ask your healthcare provider about support for getting active. There are initiatives to help adults get physically active. Some are free or subsidised but you may have to pay for others.
If you are an unhealthy weight, losing weight will help to lower your triglyceride levels.
- Cut back on foods high in sugar, fat or both.
- Drink less alcohol.
- Get plenty of sleep.
- Manage your stress levels.
- Keep physically active.