What Are Triglycerides And How Do They Affect Me?Most people are confused when it comes to exactly what triglycerides are, this is generally because they tend to be lumped together into various other areas as well. This means that most people are also prone to label triglycerides as well as diabetes as a similar medical condition. At the same time, someone may assume that obesity and triglycerides go together as well. While this may be the convenient method, it simply is not correct. To answer the question of what are triglycerides it is important to understand that the body needs food for energy or fuel in order to function and operate as we do on a normal daily basis. Using the food it is converted to triglycerides in our body. In a normal healthy person, there should be a specific level of triglycerides that are constant, this level is generally 150 gm/dL, however occasionally there will be a problem and the body will store additional triglycerides than it needs to function. This can cause an increase in weight, as well as increase problems for diabetics, and also create an increased risk for heart disease and stroke. Other problems are that these extra triglycerides that are stored are essentially fat cells in the body. When additional stores are retained, it tends to cause weight gain as well. As you can see, this one simple fat particle can be a huge cause of concern for someone who is unsure about what to do in regards to treatment. If you suspect that you have a high level of triglycerides then it is very important that you talk to your doctor and take the appropriate tests. Upon receiving a high reading, you should begin working to improve the amount of exercise you are involved in as well as changing your dietary lifestyle to accommodate more healthy foods, which can help to lower the levels as well. If you have received a positive test, you simply cannot take a single form of medication to resolve the problems. It is very important that you work quite quickly to create a better diet for yourself that will help you combat the increased levels and keep them within acceptable ranges. If you are uncertain, about which foods are acceptable and which are questionable you can speak to your doctor. They will help you to make the most appropriate choices possible for your lifestyle. As a general rule of thumb if you are having problems with triglycerides it is recommended that you strictly limit your alcohol consumption since alcohol is prone to encouraging fat retention. Used in addition to a high triglyceride level it can encourage the body to retain even more triglycerides, which will, do nothing more than increase the severity of the problem. Learning the difference between triglycerides and diabetes will allow you to thoroughly answer the question of what are triglycerides if anyone ever asks you. Knowing what they are in advance will help put you ahead of your own health future and allow you to carefully screen your lifestyle to make the most appropriate decisions possible for your needs. |