The TLC, or therapeutic lifestyle changes, diet plan was created by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute about 10 years ago to reduce the risk of heart disease by reducing the levels of cholesterol and triglycerides in the blood. The diet focuses on reducing saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium, but does not limit simple carbohydrates, which are also known to increase triglycerides.
Cholesterol
The normal recommendations for cholesterol for a healthy adult are no more than 300 mg per day. The TLC diet plan reduces these recommendations to no more than 200 mg per day. Cholesterol plays important roles in the body, but it is not necessary to consume it in the diet because your liver makes most of the cholesterol you need. When following the TLC diet plan, you will avoid eating foods that are high in cholesterol, such as meat and egg yolks.
Fat
Fat is an important part of a healthy diet, but the wrong types of fat can contribute to increased cholesterol levels and increase your risk of developing heart disease. When following the TLC diet plan, your total fat intake should comprise 25 to 35 percent of your daily calories. Fat contributes 9 calories per gram, so a person on a 2,000 calorie diet should consume between 56 and 78 g of fat per day. Most of the fat you consume, however, should come from unsaturated fats that can be found in nuts, seeds, vegetable oils, avocados and fatty fish, like salmon. Your saturated fat intake should not exceed 7 percent of your daily calories, or approximately 16 g for someone on a 2,000 calorie per day diet. Saturated fat can be found in full-fat dairy products, fatty cuts of meat, butter, processed foods and fried foods.
Calories
When you consume calories, your body uses the amount that it needs for energy and then stores the rest as triglycerides. Since triglycerides cannot dissolve in the blood, regularly consuming excess calories can lead to significantly increased triglyceride levels. Alcohol and sugars like fructose have a large impact on triglycerides. In order to avoid this, it is important to determine your daily calorie needs and stay close to this number. Consuming only the number of calories you need can also help you lose or maintain your weight.
Sodium
Excess sodium signals your body to retain water, which can increase your blood volume. When your blood volume increases, so does your blood pressure. This puts excess stress on your heart and further increases your risk for heart disease. While following the TLC diet plan, you should consume no more than 2,400 mg of sodium daily. It is best to avoid canned foods, frozen foods and processed foods, as these types of food often contain significant amounts of sodium.
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