Dear Dr. Fritz,

I just had my annual checkup and found that my triglycerides are high. Please help me lower it by other means aside from taking medicines.

Thanks.

Koala K.

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Dear Koala K.,

I am glad that you wanted to lower your triglycerides because high triglycerides can give you clogged arteries and possibly a heart attack or stroke.

Well, there are a number of ways for you.

1. Avoid sugary food and food that are high in saturated fat, like cheese, whole milk, and red meat.

2. Spot hidden sugar on food labels. Look for brown sugar, corn syrup, and words ending in “ose” (dextrose, fructose, glucose, lactose, maltose, sucrose), fruit juice concentrates, cane syrup, cane sugar, honey, malt sugar, molasses, and raw sugar.

3. Fiber only, please. So for breakfast, go for oats. At lunch, get veggies salad. And be sure to choose brown rice instead of potatoes or pasta for dinner.

4. Go for the right fat. This means food that naturally has mono- and polyunsaturated fats: avocados, walnuts, chicken without the skin, canola oil, and olive oil. Also say NO to trans fats, which can be found in many processed foods such as French fries, crackers, cakes, chips, and stick margarine. Avoid saturated fat, which is found in red meat, ice cream, cheese, and buttery baked goods.

5. Go for good sources of omega-3s. Choose fish over red meat. Eat fish at least twice a week. Salmon, mackerel, herring, lake trout, albacore tuna, and sardines are all abundant in omega-3 fatty acids. Be sure to eat nuts and greens, walnuts, salad greens, and beans.

Well, there’s more. But, we’re out of space for now. Until next time.

Dr. Fritz

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(Dr. Fritz Legarde Espedilla is an aesthetic dermatologist and surgeon and clinical sexologist. She is also trained in hypnotherapy and Medical Acupuncture. She is the co-host of the digital page of Superbalita. For your questions, you may send them to Dear Dr. Fritz, c/oSunstar-Davao Publishing Inc., Ebro-Pelayo Building 1, Juan Luna Street., Davao City, or you e-mail them to dokfritz@yahoo.com. If you don’t wish your letter to be published, we regret that we cannot answer them. Thank you for your understanding.)