Try a Little TLC* to Lower Cholesterol - Diet Tips

*Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes

What is cholesterol and why is it important?

Cholesterol is a fat-like substance. It can build up on the walls of blood vessels and block the flow of blood. This can lead to a heart attack or a stroke. You can take steps to lower your cholesterol and help your heart.

A diet high in saturated fat, trans fat and cholesterol can raise your blood cholesterol to unhealthy levels. Choosing a diet lower in saturated fat and trans fat can help. If you eat plenty of whole grains, vegetables and fruits at your meals, you will not need to fill up on the unhealthy, fatty foods.

Saturated fat is found in fatty meats and full-fat dairy products. This fat is usually solid at room temperature. It is also found in coconut and palm oils.

Trans fat can be found in store-bought baked goods and snacks. Oils that have been hardened through partial hydrogenation are high in trans fat. They are often found in cookies, crackers, muffins and donuts.

Cholesterol in the food you eat also raises cholesterol levels in your body - but not as much as saturated fat. Since cholesterol and saturated fats are often found in the same foods, limiting both can benefit your cholesterol numbers. Cholesterol is found only in foods that come from animals, like eggs, liver, meats and whole milk products. You should also limit shrimp and squid due to their high cholesterol content.

Other diet options:

Fiber comes from plants. Foods high in fiber can help reduce your risk of heart disease. Fiber is also good for your digestive tract. Foods rich in fiber can help you feel full on fewer calories - which make high-fiber foods a good choice when you are trying to lose weight.

There are two kinds of fiber; both have health benefits. They are soluble fiber and insoluble fiber. Soluble fiber [also known as viscous fiber] is the fiber that helps reduce the risk of heart disease by lowering LDL cholesterol. Soluble fiber does this by blocking cholesterol and fats from being absorbed into the blood stream. TLC recommends that you get in at least 5-10 grams of soluble fiber a day - more is better. Soluble fiber can be found in some grains [such as oats], beans [such as kidney beans], many fruits and vegetables.

Note: Insoluble fiber is the fiber that helps with elimination; bran is an example of this type of fiber.

Certain food products that contain plant sterols and stanols [for example, cholesterol-lowering margarines] can also be added to the TLC diet to boost its LDL-lowering power. Examples of supplements containing this ingredient are Centrum Specialist Heart vitamin and Nature Made CholestOff.

Fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids [salmon, tuna, mackerel, bluefish, trout and sardines] are recommended two times each week because these fats may decrease your risk of heart disease. Some people with elevated Triglycerides can benefit from a fish oil supplement. Talk to your Health Care Provider to discuss if this would be of benefit to you.

WHAT YOU CAN DO

• Avoid whole and 2% milk, butter, high-fat cuts of meat, high-fat sauces and gravies. Avoid duck or goose. Avoid most hot dogs including chicken and turkey dogs. Cut out meats like bacon and sausage. Avoid solid white shortening and limit items that contain "partially hydrogenated oils." Avoid coconut oil and palm kernel oil.
  • Instead - Use 1% or skim milk, low-fat or non-fat yogurt, lean cuts of meat, skinless chicken and turkey. Trim meat of visible fat before cooking. Use liquid oil in cooking, such as olive oil and canola oil. Use tub or liquid margarines. Substitute ham, Canadian bacon and low-fat chicken sausages. Bake, grill or broil meats, chicken and fish rather than frying.
• Avoid egg yolks. Avoid liver [liverwurst] and other organ meats.
  • Instead - Enjoy egg whites and egg substitutes. Try beans or soy foods instead of meats.
• Do not eat snack foods or appetizers that have been fried [like chicken wings, fries, chips].
  • Instead - Try chicken teriyaki as an appetizer; snack on fresh fruit. Try baked chips and pretzels. Eat more whole grains. Try raw veggies with hummus or salsa for a snack. Try snacking on nuts - especially almonds.
• Avoid whole milk cheeses such as cheddar, American and ricotta.
  • Instead - Look for cheeses with 0-5 grams of fat per ounce [the lower the better].
• Avoid fried fish.
  • Instead - Eat more fresh, unprocessed, frozen or water-packed fish. Enjoy fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids [tuna, salmon, mackerel, trout, bluefish and sardines] twice a week.
• Avoid premium ice cream, candy made with chocolate, regular puddings and commercial cakes, pies, muffins and cookies
  • Instead - Look for low-fat products such as angel food cake, sorbet, sherbet, nonfat frozen yogurt, popsicles, pudding made with skim milk, and gelatin. *

* For some people who have very high Triglyceride levels, desserts may need to be modified. Try "sugar-free" versions of gelatin, pudding and popsicles. Avoid sherbet, sorbet and ices.

Some people try diet and lifestyle changes but still cannot lower their blood cholesterol. In those cases, a drug that lowers cholesterol may be prescribed by your doctor. It is still important to eat heart-healthy foods, get some activity and stay at a healthy weight when taking these drugs. This can help reduce the amount of medicine needed.