Minority Women's Health

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High Cholesterol

Minority Women's Health > African Americans > 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.

Among African American women over 20, almost half have borderline-high risk total cholesterol levels. Close to one in five African American women in the U.S. has a high risk total cholesterol level. Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) or "bad" cholesterol levels of 130 mg/dL or higher are linked to a higher risk of heart disease.

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.   Heart-Healthy Home Cooking African American Style — Prepare your favorite African American dishes in ways that protect you and your family from heart disease and stroke. These 20 tested recipes will show you how to cut back on saturated fat, cholesterol, and salt and still have great-tasting food. Delicious foods from spicy southern barbecued chicken to sweet potato pie are included.

   http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/other/chdblack/cooking.htm

2.   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

3.   How You Can Lower Your Cholesterol Level: Virtual Fitness Room — People with heart disease can and should exercise. Light to moderate exercise can help people with heart disease improve blood pressure, cholesterol levels and overall health. The activity suggestions in this resource can help you and your doctor design an exercise program that works for you.

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

4.   Live Healthier, Live Longer: Cholesterol Counts for Everyone — Visit this interactive page to find a "how-to" guide for lowering cholesterol and other ways to prevent heart disease. This page also gives people with heart disease information on reducing the risk of heart attack.

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

5.     The Heart Truth for African American Women: An Action Plan — This fact sheet provides heart disease facts and figures specific to African American women. Statistics are provided on heart related issues, as well as a checklist of questions to ask your doctor to begin your action plan for a healthy heart.

   http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/hearttruth/material/factsheet_aa.pdf

6.   Heart Disease, Stroke and African Americans (Copyright © AHA) — This resource provides information about heart-related conditions. It discusses risk factors that increase your chances of heart disease and stroke and gives you tips on what you can do decrease them.

   http://www.americanheart.org/downloadable/heart/1157061665970SYH_HDStrk_Repros.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. American Heart Association
5. WomenHeart: The National Coalition for Women With Heart Disease

= Indicates Federal Resources

Current as of December 2007