TLC is a common abbreviation for tender loving care. The definition of tender loving care is to pay extra attention to make someone or something look or feel better. So it makes sense that there is also a heart healthy eating plan that can help lower cholesterol also called the TLC or Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes diet.
Too much cholesterol in the blood can stick to the artery walls and block blood from flowing to the heart. This leads to heart disease. The TLC diet recommends that you:
• Choose healthier fats. Lean meats, nuts and unsaturated oils like canola, olive and safflower oils.
• Limit foods high in cholesterol. Liver, organ meats, egg yolks, shrimp and whole milk dairy products.
• Eat soluble fiber. Soluble fiber helps prevent your digestive system from absorbing cholesterol.
- Whole-grain cereals like oatmeal or oat bran.
- Fruits like apples, bananas, oranges, pears and prunes.
- Legumes including kidney beans, lentils, chick peas, black eyed peas and lima beans.
• Fruits and vegetables have compounds called plant stanols that work like soluble fiber.
• Fish high in omega-3 fatty acids. These help raise your HDL or good cholesterol and are found in salmon, tuna and mackerel.
• Limit salt. Limiting sodium won’t lower your cholesterol, but it can reduce risk of heart disease by lowering your blood pressure.
• Limit alcohol. Adds extra calories leading to weight gain.