Are your triglycerides high? Let's control this condition with exercise!

Did your recent blood test or lipid profile report show that your triglycerides are high? It's normal to feel a little scared and worried when you see this. Many people think only about cholesterol, but triglycerides also have a huge impact on our heart health. But don't worry. There is one very effective and simple thing you can do to control this condition. That is exercise . Today, we will talk about how to reduce triglyceride levels through exercise.

First, let's see, what are triglycerides?

Simply put, triglycerides are a type of fat found in our blood. After we eat, the body converts the extra calories that our body doesn't need at that time into triglycerides and stores them in fat cells. Later, when energy is needed, hormones release these stored triglycerides.

Although this process is normal, the problem arises when we continue to consume more calories (especially foods high in sugar and carbohydrates) than we need. Then the triglyceride levels in the blood start to be consistently high. This is called hypertriglyceridemia. This condition increases the risk of serious diseases such as heart disease, stroke, and pancreatitis.

How does exercise lower triglycerides?

Think about it, when you exercise, your muscles need energy, right? To get this energy, the body first uses the sugar and triglycerides in the blood. So when you exercise daily, these extra triglycerides in the blood are burned and converted into energy. After a while, your blood triglyceride levels will gradually start to decrease.

What are the best exercises to lower triglycerides?

The best results are achieved by aerobic exercise, which increases the heart rate. We also call this "cardio". It is very good if you engage in this type of exercise for 20-30 minutes a day, 5 days a week . The most important thing is to choose something that you like and that you can enjoy doing. Then you can continue without getting bored.

Remember, if you have never exercised before, it is very important to talk to your doctor before starting a new exercise routine.

Here are some good exercises you can choose from:

Add strength training

While there is no clear evidence that strength training, such as weight lifting, directly lowers triglycerides, it does have a significant indirect benefit . How does that work? When you lift weights, your muscles become stronger. Stronger muscles burn more calories throughout the day, even when you're not exercising. When you burn calories this way, it's easier to lose weight. Losing weight is another reason why triglyceride levels can be lowered.

However, if you're new to lifting weights, seek help from a professional trainer to learn the correct form . Lifting weights incorrectly can increase the risk of injury.

Simple ways to add exercise to your busy life

"Oh, I don't have time to set aside 30 minutes a day," you may think. Don't let that discourage you from exercising. As Dr. Robert Bono, a past president of the American Heart Association, says, "You don't have to put on your running shoes and sweat all day. You can just be as active as you can throughout the day."

Start small. If you can't do 30 minutes at a time, try doing 10 minutes three times a day . That's a big deal. Here are some simple ideas to add some exercise to your busy day:

• Walk around while talking on the phone .
• When watching TV, get up during commercials and walk around the house for a bit.
• Use a pedometer or smartphone app to count your steps. Set a goal of completing 10,000 steps per day .
• Take the stairs instead of using the elevator.
• Download an app with 10-minute workout plans to your smartphone.

If you make this an exercise routine, coupled with a healthy diet , you can achieve very good results. It will greatly improve your physical health as well as your mental health.

Triglycerides, exercise, heart health, cholesterol, physical fitness, aerobic exercise, cardio, weight loss