There are some factors that you cannot change that contribute to the amount of LDL cholesterol in your body such as heredity, age, and sex (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2005). However, there are dietary sources of LDL which include: saturated fat, which is normally found in food with animals and increases blood cholesterol more than anything else, trans fat, which is normally found in food made with hydrogenated oils and fats, and cholesterol, which comes only from animal products and is often found in the same food as saturated fats (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2005). Cutting down on these dietary sources can greatly improve health which is precisely the goal of the diet. The TLC diet officially calls for an eating plan that has less than 7 percent of your daily calories from saturated fat, less than 200 mg a day of cholesterol, 25-35 percent of daily calories from total fat, a suggested 10-25 grams of fiber per day, and only enough calories to reach or maintain a healthy weight. The diet generally calls for about 6 servings of breads, cereals, or grains a day, 3-5 servings of vegetables a day, 2-3 servings of dairy products a day, less than 5 ounces of meat, poultry, or fish a day, and some diet options to lower LDL more such as 2 grams of stanols or sterols per day or 10-25 grams of soluble fiber per day (U.S. Department of …show more content…
It is already known that the TLC diet aims to decrease LDL levels and bad cholesterol, which are bad for one’s health. However, the TLC diet is shown do even more than that. The TLC diet, in a study performed along with the Mediterranean diet, another diet known for its positive effects on health, on a population of patients who had prior coronary events, promoted significant decreases in weight, BMI, waist circumference, and skin-fold thickness. Moreover, blood pressure and the aforementioned LDL cholesterol level also decreased (Thomazella, 2011). These observations are enough proof to show that the TLC diet is one that is healthy. This diet also plays a big role in my own health. As someone who did not really care about what I ate, I succumbed to consuming some very harmful things at a very high rate and occurrence. And before long, in the last year, I was notified to have high cholesterol levels, which is something that also runs in my family. And now, cardiovascular risks are very real in my life. To me, the TLC diet is something that provides an answer to me. I was never one that was familiar with how to cut back and watch what I eat but this diet lays out very clearly what I should be eating and is one that I am going to start following. And I’m just one of general cases of people that aren’t necessarily in imminent danger. Hypercholesterolemia, a condition of excess levels of cholesterol in the blood, is a risk factor for