Metabolic syndrome is a combination of risk factors such as high triglycerides, elevated waist circumference, high blood sugars, high cholesterol and high blood pressure. If you have metabolic syndrome, it’s important to work with your healthcare provider to make aggressive nutritional changes to reduce waist circumference, improve your cholesterol profile or blood pressure and prevent the onset of diabetes.

Studies have shown that high levels of cortisol from long-term stress can increase blood cholesterol and triglycerides. Finding healthy ways to cope with stress can benefit both your physical and mental health.

Aerobic exercise can increase the amount of HDL (good) cholesterol in your blood, which can help lower triglyceride levels. Aerobic exercise is especially effective at decreasing triglycerides when paired with weight loss.

Causes of high triglycerides include obesity, kidney disease, hypothyroidism, poorly-controlled diabetes and certain medications.

Although it has a negative connotation, fat is essential in our diet - it is one of the three macronutrients that make up the main components of our food. Saturates mainly come from animal products whereas unsaturated fats are plant-based.