High Cholesterol

Minority Women's Health > Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders and Native Hawaiians > Health Topics > High Cholesterol

Cholesterol is a waxy substance found in all parts of the body. It comes from two sources: your body and the food you eat. Your liver makes all the cholesterol your body needs. Eating too much cholesterol in animal foods like meats, whole milk dairy products, and egg yolks can make your cholesterol go up. Cholesterol blocks blood from flowing easily through your body. The higher your cholesterol, the more likely you are to get heart disease. High cholesterol is a health problem for all women.

Over 25 percent of American women have blood cholesterol levels high enough to put them at risk for heart disease. Among Asian American/Pacific Islander women, high cholesterol rates are highest in Japanese women. However, all Asian American/Pacific Islander women have low cholesterol screening rates.

Have your cholesterol checked by a doctor. Ask her or him how often you should have your cholesterol checked.

There are some things you can do to help lower your cholesterol:

• Don't smoke. If you smoke, try to quit. For help along the way, check out our Quitting Smoking section.
• Keep a healthy weight.
• Eat right. Eat lots of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Eat chicken, turkey and lean meats. Avoid organ meats, egg yolks, whole milk dairy products, fats like butter or lard, and packaged or processed foods.
• Get moving. Aim for 30 minutes of exercise a day, most days of the week. Try taking the stairs instead of the elevator. Or, walk during breaks at work.

Publications

1.   For Your Heart - This portion of the womenshealth.gov web site will escort you through a short, confidential survey of questions about your health and lifestyle. Based on your answers, it will provide you with a series of articles detailing the latest information on exercise, nutrition, smoking, diabetes, cholesterol, high blood pressure, and other factors that affect you and your risk for heart disease - all tailored to your needs.

   http://www.womenshealth.gov/ForYourHeart/

2.     Filipinos Aspire for Healthy Hearts: Serve Up a Healthy Life - Give the Gift of Good Nutrition - This easy-to-read, bilingual Tagalog and English booklet talks about the heart health benefits of proper nutrition. In this color brochure, Filipino readers may learn about heart healthy cooking and eating tips.

   http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/other/filipino_facts/filipino-nutrit...

3.   High Blood Cholesterol - What You Need to Know - This publication for patients and the general public is based on new clinical guidelines for cholesterol testing and management. Find out what your cholesterol numbers mean and what treatment your doctor may prescribe to help lower your cholesterol level. It includes a tool to estimate the risk for having a heart attack, and outlines ways to reduce risk.

   http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/chol/wyntk.htm

4.   How You Can Lower Your Cholesterol Level: Virtual Fitness Room - This publication provides information to people who are at risk of heart disease about the types of light to moderate physical activity in which they can participate. Research indicates that there are great benefits to physical activity in helping to lower an individual's cholesterol level.

   http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/chd/Tipsheets/vfitness.htm

5.   Live Healthier, Live Longer: Cholesterol Counts for Everyone - Visit this interactive page to find information about preventing heart disease and reducing the risk of having a heart attack for those with heart disease. It contains recipes, a "how to" guide for lowering cholesterol, and many engaging activities.

   http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/chd/

6.   Take Care of Your Heart - For Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders - The NDEP's "Take Care of Your Heart" campaign encourages Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders with diabetes, and their families, to take steps now to reduce their risk of heart attacks or strokes, the leading killers of people with diabetes. This web site links you to the different Asian-language versions of this campaign.

   http://www.ndep.nih.gov/campaigns/TCH/TCH_materials_AsianAm.htm

7.     Vietnamese Aspire for Healthy Hearts: Serve Up a Healthy Life - Give the Gift of Good Nutrition - This easy-to-read, bilingual Vietnamese and English booklet talks about the heart health benefits of proper nutrition.

   http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/other/viet_facts/viet-nutrition.pdf

8.   Asian/Pacific Islanders and Cardiovascular Diseases (Copyright © AHA) - This fact sheet provides statistical information about cardiovascular disease mong people identified as Asian American/Pacific Islanders.

   http://www.americanheart.org/downloadable/heart/1199397765814FS03AS08.pdf

Organizations

1.   CDC's WISEWOMAN™ - Well Integrated Screening and Evaluation for Women Across the Nation
2.   Heart Truth: A National Awareness Campaign for Women about Heart Disease, The
3.   National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, NIH, HHS
4.   Office of Minority and Women's Health, CDC, HHS
5.   Office of Minority Health Resource Center (OMHRC), OMH, OPHS, OS, HHS
6.   Office of Minority Health, OPHS, OS, HHS
7.   Office on Women's Health, HHS
8. American Heart Association
9. National Asian Women's Health Organization
10. WomenHeart - National Coalition for Women with Heart Disease

= Indicates Federal Resources

Current as of December 2007