oops – heart health woes

I went to dr. christensen for a yearly physical.
I check my thyroid yearly (was smack in the middle of normal this time @ 2.88).
Needed glucose #s checked to ensure gestational diabetes was safe. (slightly elevated but fine)
Blood Pressure was fine (but I’m still on medication for that)
Had a nasty mole removed on the bottom of my foot (benign).

Didn’t anticipate my cholesterol being so bad.
If you see the normal ranges … and then my numbers, you’ll see that my triglycerides are out of control (361 … uh, yah, right!). Whoa girlfriend!

Time for change of life style. Plus with bad cholesterol being high … and good cholesterol being low … and overall cholesterol too high, I need to up my healthy foods and hop on that treadmill.

A bit of info on Triglycerides according to the MayoClinic. These sections are actually quite realistic in my body. Boo.

Simply put, triglycerides are fat in the blood and are used to provide energy to the body. If you have extra triglycerides, they are stored in different places in case they are needed later.

High triglycerides are often a sign of other conditions that increase the risk of heart disease and stroke as well, including obesity and metabolic syndrome — a cluster of conditions that includes too much fat around the waist, high blood pressure, high triglycerides, high blood sugar and abnormal cholesterol levels.

Sometimes high triglycerides are a sign of poorly controlled type 2 diabetes, low levels of thyroid hormones (hypothyroidism), liver or kidney disease, or rare genetic conditions that affect how your body converts fat to energy.

So – the Brand New Me Plan is thus:
1 lower carbs
2 increase veggies & fruits
3 lower carbs
4 increase exercise – (when will i do this? i don’t know, people.)
5 lower carbs
6 drink water (because i hardly drink any right now. and yes, my entire body feels sloggy and sludgy)
7 lower carbs
8 increase omega 3s (supposed to help triglycerides)
9 lower carbs
10 eat 2 Tbsp of coconut oil & cinnamon every day (janey gave me this tip. can’t hurt)

Could I even pretend to do whole30? I don’t know.
I do want to try zucchini noodles.
I do love lots of veggies.
I do love fruit.
Don’t love protein.
Don’t love random veggies & spices.
Do love carbs (oops!)

p.s. fyi

How to Lower Your Triglycerides Naturally {http://blog.healthychoicenaturals.com/}
Though high triglycerides can lead to serious health problems, the good news is that the lifestyle changes listed below can go a long way toward getting your levels back to normal.

1. If you’re overweight, cut back on calories to reach your ideal weight.
2. Avoid unhealthy fats like trans fats, but do eat healthy fats like those from olive oil, nuts and avocados.
3. Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables.
4. Reduce your intake of alcohol, as even small amounts can raise triglyceride levels.
5. Get plenty of omega-3 fats, either from wild-caught, low-mercury fish or from a high-quality fish oil supplement.
6. Cut back on sugary foods and drinks, as sugar increases insulin production, which in turn increases triglycerides.
7. Exercise at a moderate intensity for at least 30 minutes five or more days a week.
8. Use stress-management tools to help you relax. Studies show that stress causes triglycerides to stay in your blood longer, so the less stress you face, the better.