TLC Cholesterol Diet

The therapeutic lifestyle changes (TLC) diet is a heart-healthy eating approach developed by the American Heart Association and the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute's National Cholesterol Education Program. It is a set of guidelines updated in 2001 from the previous step 2 cholesterol diet and is designed specifically for at-risk people with high cholesterol.

TLC Diet Goals and Potential Beneficiaries

• According to the American Heart Association, the main goal of the TLC diet is to assist people whose levels of LDL ("bad") cholesterol are high for their particular category of heart disease risk. You will also likely benefit from the TLC approach if you have any other lipid (fat) disorder such as high triglycerides, or if you suffer from diabetes, metabolic syndrome, insulin resistance, coronary heart disease or any other form of cardiovascular disease.

Basic Guidelines

• If your doctor recommends that you follow TLC guidelines, you will need to meet certain goals for lowered levels of cholesterol and fat consumption, and overall calorie intake. To begin with, you will need to limit your intake of saturated fat to less than 7 percent of your total daily calories. Your overall daily intake of all forms of fat should be no more than 25 to 35 percent of your total calories. You will also need to limit your daily cholesterol intake to less than 200 milligrams, and limit your daily sodium intake to 2,400 milligrams. Your actual number of allowable daily calories will vary according to your weight, height, gender and level of daily physical activity, and will be determined by your doctor or a professional nutritionist (dietitian).

  To assist you in meeting your target goals, your nutritionist can familiarize you with the details of the TLC approach and suggest certain meal plans that meet TLC recommendations while allowing you as much freedom of choice as possible. Potential options here include the consumption of lean red meats and low-fat and low-cholesterol fish, poultry and shellfish. You may also include meat substitutes such as beans, peas, tofu, egg whites and egg substitutes. As long as you stay within your overall goals for fat consumption, you may substitute the saturated fats of meat, butter and lard with unsaturated alternatives such as olive, peanut, corn, safflower, canola, sesame and sunflower oils. If you use margarine, choose a product that contains unsaturated oils.

  To follow TLC guidelines, you will also need to eat a substantial amount of fruits, vegetables, fiber and whole grains daily. If you are having difficulty meeting your goals, your doctor may recommend an increase in your daily intake of soluble fiber. He may also recommend use of a salad dressing or margarine that contains the cholesterol-lowering substances called plant sterol esters and plant stanol esters. In some cases, your doctor may choose to supplement your dietary efforts with medication specifically designed to lower your blood cholesterol.

  Consult your doctor or a nutritionist for a full explanation of TLC guidelines.