TLC Diet to Lower Cholesterol
Are you familiar with the TLC diet? I was not, so when I saw this treatment plan to lower cholesterol I was interested to see what it was all about. Below I’ve shared a summary of the diet plan and a link where you can access more information.
TLC stands for Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes and consists of a three part program of diet, physical activity, and weight management.
Diet
Diet changes focus on reduces saturated fat, trans fat, and cholesterol in your daily intake. If you are overweight, you would also work to reduce your daily calorie intake.
Here are goal levels for nutrients on the TLC diet:
Walking for Heart Health Benefits
Do you understand the importance of being regularly active to promote heart health? However, you know this and still remain sedentary? Is this because the thought of exercise makes you think of a gym membership, spandex, and everyone watching you try to use equipment you have no idea how to work? Well, here’s an alternative.
Simply taking a daily walk has many benefits without the risk of embarrassment.
Benefits of Walking Daily
- Decreases risk of heart disease or stroke.
- Lowers LDL cholesterol
- Increases HDL cholesterol
- Reduces blood pressure
- Increases daily calories burned (weight management)
- Decreases risk of colon cancer and diabetes (may protect against breast cancer)
- Decreases joint swelling and pain from arthritis
- Improves mood
- Improves stress management
- More energy
- Improves self-esteem
- Improves sleep quality
How Long of a Walk
Niacin–Statin Study Didn't Give Desired Results: Stopped Early
The National Institutes of Health stopped a clinical trial studying a blood lipid treatment 18 months early. The study found that adding high dose, extended release niacin to statin treatment for patients with heart disease did not reduce cardiovascular events, such as heart attacks and strokes.
Study Participants
This study was referred to as AIM-HIGH (Atherothrombosis Intervention in Metabolic Syndrome with Low HDL/High Triglycerides: Impact on Global Health) and the 3414 participants were selected because they were at risk for cardiovascular events despite having a well controlled LDL cholesterol level. They were at increased risk due to a history of heart disease combined with low HDL cholesterol and high triglycerides. Low HDL levels and high triglycerides are both linked to increased risk of cardiovascular events.
Study participants were divided into two groups.
How to Lower Cholesterol with Oatmeal
The whole grain oatmeal is linked to lower cholesterol, lower blood pressure, blood sugar stabilization, intestinal health and satiety.
Beta-Glucans to Lower LDL Cholesterol
1. Sponge.
Oats contain beta-blucan. Beta-glucan is a type of soluble fiber. Beta-glucan acts as a ‘sponge’, soaking up excess LDL cholesterol and removing it from the body. This is just one way beta-glucan works to reduce cholesterol absorption.
2. Decreases intestinal absorption of cholesterol.
Foods that contain beta-glucan tend to be bulky and cause the intestinal water layer to thicken and be more difficult for cholesterol molecules to penetrate and reach the intestinal cell layer for absorption into chylomicrons. Chylomicrons package cholesterol and carry it back to the liver where it is re-packaged and secreted as VLDL cholesterol. By reducing the amount of cholesterol that reaches the chylomicrons for absorption, beta glucan reducing circulating cholesterol levels.
3. High antioxidant content.
Heart Healthy Diet
There is an overwhelming amount of information regarding what you should and should not eat available to you. Many times I see people try new diets or special foods to promote heart health. However, they don’t have the basics in place to promote a healthy heart. Therefore, making one particular change, such as eating more walnuts, won’t have as great an impact.
Here are five foundational pieces you need to have in place to promote heart health.
1. Reduce your intake of unhealthy fats
There are different types of dietary fats – saturated and unsaturated. Trans and saturated fats have been linked to a higher risk of heart disease, such as elevated cholesterol levels, and should be consumed in moderation. You want to replace the majority of the saturated fats in your diet with more heart healthy unsaturated fats.
How do you do this?
How to Use Flaxseed to Lower Cholesterol
Flaxseed is high in dietary fiber and omega 3 fatty acids. Both of which you need to increase in your diet as your work to lower cholesterol levels. Here are 10 ways you can incorporate flaxseed into your diet.
- Sprinkle on your cereal every morning. . .hot or cold.
- Add to pancake or waffle batter.
- Mix in your orange juice.
- Add to muffins.
- Mix in yogurt.
- Sprinkle on fresh salad greens.
- Add to cottage cheese.
- Add to spaghetti sauce, meatloaf, and lasagna.
- Add to cookie dough.
- . . . .get creative! It can be an addition to just about anything.
Grind Your Flaxseed
