Ask the doctor: Do I need to worry about high triglycerides if I have normal cholesterol?
Fortunately, triglyceride levels respond to intensive lifestyle changes, including a program of weight loss, diet, and exercise. Losing 5% to 10% of your body weight, exercising at moderate intensity on most days, and eating healthy unsaturated fats instead of saturated ones can lower your triglyceride levels by 20% to 50%. Also limit fructose, the sugar found in fruit, to less than 100 grams per day. Avoid white bread and sugar-sweetened soft drinks. Include plenty of vegetables, high-fiber whole grains, and unsaturated fats—especially omega-3 fatty acids from fish such as salmon, herring, and sardines—in your diet.
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