The Crestor Diet

Crestor is a medication used to lower high blood cholesterol. The diet advocated by Crestor's manufacturers, AstraZeneca, is sometimes called the Crestor diet; however, it is more accurately called the Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes, or TLC, diet. Developed by the National Institute of Health's National Heart, Lung and Blood Association, the TLC diet contains specific diet and lifestyle recommendations designed for people who have, or are at high risk for developing, cardiovascular disease. If you take a cholesterol-lowering drug like Crestor, health professionals note that following the TLC diet can lower your levels more effectively than by using the drug alone.

Crestor

Crestor is the brand name for rosuvastatin calcium, a statin medication that lowers LDL, or low-density lipoproteins, known as "bad" cholesterol, by inhibiting its production in the liver. According to Crestor's manufacturers, the drug can lower LDL levels by as much as 52 percent while also increasing HDL, or high-density lipoprotein, known as "good" cholesterol, up to 14 percent. The manufacturers point out that when combined with the regular physical activity and diet recommendations specified in the TLC diet, Crestor can decrease the risk of atherosclerosis. This claim is supported by research published in the "Journal of Lipid Research" in February 2002, which indicates that the TLC diet significantly decreases cholesterol.

TLC Diet Guidelines

The TLC diet has guidelines for both diet and physical activity. The diet recommendations focus largely on controlling your consumption of total fat, saturated fat and cholesterol. While on the diet, no more than 25 to 35 percent of your daily calories should come from fat, with less than 7 percent coming from saturated fat. The diet guidelines also specify that you should consume less than 200 mg of cholesterol and 2,400 mg of sodium daily and strive to include foods that provide 10 to 25 g of soluble fiber and 2 g of plant-based sterols or stanol compounds per day. The TLC diet guidelines specify that you should perform moderately intense exercise for 30 minutes at least 5 to 6 days weekly.

Recommended Foods

The TLC diet guidelines recommend controlling your intake of total fat, saturated fat, cholesterol and overall calories by focusing on plant-based foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes, as well as consuming only animal-based foods that provide lower than a 5 percent daily value for saturated fat, cholesterol and total fat. Additionally, you should consume a variety of food items that provide at least 20 percent of the daily recommended intake of dietary fiber. Consume a minimum of two servings of omega-3 rich fish like salmon, tuna and halibut and mackerel weekly, and use unsaturated fats like olive oil and safflower oil. Your daily meal plan while on the TLC diet should include 6 or more servings of whole grains, 3 to 5 servings of beans, peas and vegetables with no added fat, 2 to 4 servings of fruit with no added sugar, 2 to 3 servings of a low-fat or non-fat dairy product, and 5 oz. or less of lean meat like skinless poultry, steak or fish. You are also allowed two eggs weekly, including eggs used as ingredients in other foods.

Exercise

The TLC diet recommends regular moderate-intensity exercise such as a brisk walk, bicycling, swimming and even bowling or housecleaning. While the guidelines specify 30 minutes of exercise most days of the week, you don't have to do that exercise at once; you can break it up into 10-minute segments if you prefer. If you haven't been exercising regularly, start with light activity like a slow walk and work up gradually over a period of days or weeks to moderate exercise. As you continue on the TLC diet, you can transition to high-intensity activities like jogging, basketball, soccer or climbing; however, consult with your doctor before making any major changes in your amount of physical activity.