TLC
TLC is a set of things you can do to help lower
your LDL cholesterol. The main parts of TLC are...
The TLC Diet
This is a low-saturated-fat, lowcholesterol eating
plan that calls for less than 7% of calories from
saturated fat and less than 200 mg of dietary cholesterol
per day. The TLC diet recommends only enough calories
to maintain a desirable weight and avoid weight
gain. If your LDL is not lowered enough by reducing
saturated fat and cholesterol intakes, the amount
of soluble fiber in your diet can be increased.
Certain food products that contain plant stanols
or plant sterols (for example, cholesterol lowering
margarines and salad dressings) can also be added
to the TLC diet to boost its LDL-lowering power.
Weight Management
Losing weight if you are over-weight can help
lower LDL and is especially important for those
with a cluster of risk factors that includes high
triglyceride and/or low HDL levels and being overweight
with a large waist measurement (more than 40 inches
for men and more than 35 inches for women).
Physical Activity
Regular physical activity (30 minutes on most,
if not all, days) is recommended for everyone.
It can help raise HDL and lower LDL and is especially
important for those with high triglyceride and/or
low HDL levels who are overweight with a large
waist measurement.
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Drug Treatment
Even if you begin drug treatment to lower your
cholesterol, you will need to continue your treatment
with lifestyle changes. This will keep the dose of
medicine as low as possible, and lower your risk in
other ways as well. There are several types of drugs
available for cholesterol lowering including statins,
bile acid sequestrants, nicotinic acid, and fibric
acids.
Your doctor can help decide which type of drug is
best for you. The statin drugs are very effective in
lowering LDL levels and are safe for most people.
Bile acid sequestrants also lower LDL and can
be used alone or in combination with statin drugs.
Nicotinic acid lowers LDL and triglycerides and raises
HDL. Fibric acids lower LDL somewhat but are used
mainly to treat high triglyceride and low HDL levels.
Once your LDL goal has been reached, your doctor may
prescribe treatment for high triglycerides and/or a
low
HDL level, if present. The treatment includes losing
weight if needed, increasing physical activity, quitting
smoking, and possibly taking a drug. |
Low Fat
Foods low in saturated fat include fat
free or 1% dairy products, lean meats, fish,
skinless poultry, whole grain foods, and fruits
and vegetables.
Look for soft margarines (liquid or tub varieties)
that are low in saturated fat and contain little
or no trans fat (another type of dietary fat
that can raise your cholesterol level).
Low Cholesterol
Limit foods
high in cholesterol such as liver and other
organ meats, egg yolks, and full-fat dairy products.
Dietary Fiber
Good sources of soluble fiber include oats,
certain fruits (such as oranges and pears)
and vegetables (such as Brussels sprouts and carrots),
and dried peas and beans. |
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The
University of Rochester Medical Center’s