The centerpiece of the newly revised government guidelines for preventing and managing high cholesterol is a new "Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes" (TLC) treatment plan. It is a more intense and effective eating plan than the one previously used and reflects changes in our eating habits.

For example, the new recommended diet includes daily intakes of less than 7% of calories from saturated fat but up to 35% of daily calories from total fat, provided that most is from unsaturated fat.

The new treatment plan also encourages use of certain foods that contain plant stanols and sterols or are rich in soluble fiber, to boost the diet's ability to lower LDL, the "bad" cholesterol. Plant stanols and sterols are phytochemicals found in some fruits and vegetables that are thought to help lower blood cholesterol levels; there are now products available that provide these compounds, such as Benecol margarine from McNeil Consumer Products. Each serving of Benecol provides 1.7 g of stanol. Foods high in soluble fiber include cereal grains, beans, peas, legumes, and many fruits and vegetables.

Features of New Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes program: Saturated fat < 7% of calories (that's about 140 calories) Total fat up to 35% of calories, mostly from unsaturated fat (that's about 700 calories) Cholesterol < 200 mg/day Increase soluble fiber such as oat bran - 10-25 g/day Increase plant stanols/sterols - 2 g/day (Benecol spread provides 1.7 g/serving) Weight management Increased physical activity

The new guidelines also stress the need for weight control and physical activity, both of which improve various heart disease risk factors.

We will discuss the new recommendations in greater detail in the coming weeks and will be updating our information on the Lifeclinic site to reflect the new guidelines.

Related information About it: Guidelines for heart-healthy living | Eat heart healthy