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 greater your risk for heart disease. Over 25 percent of American women have blood cholesterol levels high enough to put them at risk for heart disease. Among Asian Americans/Pacific Islander women, high cholesterol rates are highest in Japanese women. Asian American/Pacific Islander women also have low cholesterol screening rates. Control your cholesterol by exercising, eating foods low in saturated fat and cholesterol, and keeping a healthy weight. Ask your health care provider about how often you should get your cholesterol checked.

Publications

1. For Your Heart - This portion of the NWHIC 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.

2. Addressing Cardiovascular Health in Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders - This Landmark report introduced a new level of awareness and concern for policymakers at the national level and marked the beginning of programs and initiatives to alleviate the disparities in health and well-being of minority populations.

3. Asian/Pacific Islanders and Cardiovascular Diseases (Copyright © AHA) - This fact sheet provides statistical information about cardiovascular disease among people identified as Asian Americans/Pacific Islander.

4. Frequently Asked Questions - High Blood Cholesterol - This fact sheet provides information on high blood cholesterol and the health risks that it can pose. It provides answers to common questions such as the difference between "good" and "bad" cholesterols, how often levels should be checked, how to interpret the numbers, and how and when diet, exercise and medications are used to manage cholesterol levels in patients.

5. Health Handouts for Nutrition - Chinese Language Materials - Developed by The Nutrition Education for New Americans Project, these educational health handouts for nutrition contain the following materials: Food Pyramid; Better Health for You; Better Nutrition for Mature Adults; Better Health for Mother and Baby; and Good Food for Kids.

6. High Blood Cholesterol - What You Need to Know - This brochure provides information about how to lower a cholesterol level that is too high. Lowering a cholesterol level that is too high helps to reduce the risk for heart disease. Find out what your cholesterol numbers mean and what treatment your doctor may prescribe to help lower your cholesterol level. Includes a tool to estimate the risk for having a heart attack, and outlines ways to reduce risk. Also contains a list of resources for further information.

7. Live Healthier, Live Longer: Cholesterol Counts for Everyone - Visit this interactive page to find information both for those who want to prevent heart disease and for those with heart disease who want to reduce their risk of having a heart attack. It contains a "how to" guide to lowering cholesterol, recipes, engaging activities such as Create-a-Diet, a resource library, tip sheets on heart healthy life habits, quizzes how to read food labels, frequently asked questions, and much more!

8. Stay Young at Heart - Cooking the Heart Healthy Way - Carrot-raisin bread? Barbecue chicken? Baked pork chops? Heart-healthy pumpkin pie? Sound too good to be true? The 12 recipes in this packet will convince you that healthy dishes can also be delicious. Each recipe also lists total fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, sodium, and calories per serving.

Organizations

1. American Heart Association

2. CDC's WISEWOMAN™ - Well Integrated Screening and Evaluation for Women Across the Nation

3. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

4. Heart Truth: A National Awareness Campaign for Women about Heart Disease, The

5. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, NIH, HHS

6. National Institutes of Health, OPHS, HHS

7. Office of Minority and Women's Health, BPHC, HRSA, HHS

8. Office of Minority Health, OPHS, OS, HHS

9. Office on Women's Health, HHS

10. WomenHeart - National Coalition for Women with Heart Disease