triglyceride [trahy-glis-uh-rahyd]

the chemical form in which most fat exists in food as well as in the body. They're also present in blood plasma and, in association with cholesterol, form the plasma lipids

Synonyms include: everything that tastes good and that I love to eat =(

About 3 1/2 weeks ago, we had health screenings at work. A few nurse practitioners come in every year to take our blood pressure and do a non-fasting blood test (a pin-prick on the finger). The results of the blood test are read by an ultra cool, handheld contraption that I've seen in our medical journals; then following it is a private consultation with a nurse practitioner who goes over our results.

My results were...horrid. The main concern was my cholesterol, which was the highest I'd ever seen it! Avoid dairy products and fried foods, the nurse advised. No cheese and no red meat. She said Avoid. A few years ago, my doctors said Cut down, and now I'm being told to AVOID. This is probably my 7th warning about my health, and sadly it wasn't until a few weeks ago did I take it seriously. It's the fear. I've had to SCARE myself into better eating habits.

So for the last few weeks since then, I've been avoiding fried foods and dairy products like crazy. The very sight of a slice of pizza with all that cheesy goodness laying on it didn't make me hungry. It terrified me.

This past weekend, I went to see the doctor for my cough and asked them to take a real blood test. Two tubes they took, and today I spoke with the nurse from my doctor's office. "Is it my cholesterol?" I asked. "No, your cholesterol's fine!" Hmmm, THAT'S new. "So what's wrong?" I asked. And then she said it, "Your triglycerides are way too high," she warned. I told her that I was 3 weeks into all the warnings she just gave me and she asked, practically pleaded, for me to continue.

No fried foods

No dairy products (including cheese, milk, dairy-based salad dressing, etc)

No red meat, but more fish and chicken (grilled, baked or boiled of course)

No alcohol.

Reduce intake of foods high in sugar (cake, cookies, candy, soda, etc)

Reduce intake of starches (rice, breads, pasta, potatoes, etc)

So, here I go. It's not even a question of how long I'm going to last on this diet this time. Now I feel like I absolutely have no choice but to change my way of living if I want to continue to live at all. WISH ME LUCK!!!