African American Women, Heart Disease, and High Cholesterol
Death rates from heart disease are higher for African Americans than for Whites and heart disease is the leading cause of death for African American women. By living a healthy lifestyle, you can significantly reduce your likelihood of developing heart disease. Monitoring (and reducing if necessary) your cholesterol is an extremely important part of “living healthy.” A large body of research has shown that elevated blood cholesterol is a major risk factor for the development of heart disease.
Death rates from heart disease are higher for African Americans than for Whites and heart disease is the leading cause of death for African American women. By living a healthy lifestyle, you can significantly reduce your likelihood of developing heart disease. Monitoring (and reducing if necessary) your cholesterol is an extremely important part of “living healthy.” A large body of research has shown that elevated blood cholesterol is a major risk factor for the development of heart disease.
Heart disease refers to the condition in which there is an insufficient amount of blood flow to the heart, resulting in damage to the heart muscle. A common cause of this is a blockage of the coronary (heart) arteries due to the accumulation of cholesterol deposits. These cholesterol deposits narrow the arteries and slow down blood flow. Let’s learn more about cholesterol and see how we can battle against it!
What Is Cholesterol?
Cholesterol is fat like material present in the blood and in most tissues of our body. It is an important component of cell membranes and serves as a building block for some hormones. Our liver produces all of the cholesterol that we need, but we also take in cholesterol by eating meats, dairy foods, egg yolks, poultry, and fish.
Cholesterol is fat like material present in the blood and in most tissues of our body. It is an important component of cell membranes and serves as a building block for some hormones. Our liver produces all of the cholesterol that we need, but we also take in cholesterol by eating meats, dairy foods, egg yolks, poultry, and fish.
Key components in your cholesterol or “lipid” profile include Total Cholesterol (TC), Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL), High Density Lipoprotein (HDL), and Triglycerides. The lipoproteins (LDL and HDL) help to transport cholesterol through the blood stream.
What Are Desirable Cholesterol Levels?
Total Cholesterol: In general, increased cholesterol levels correlate with increased risk of heart disease. The following table will provide basic guidelines to assess the significance of your total cholesterol level.
Total Cholesterol mg/dL Significance
| <200 | Desirable |
| 200-239 | Borderline High. Some increased risk of heart disease. |
| >240 | High Cholesterol. Twice (2x) the risk of heart disease as compared with a person with Total Cholesterol <200. |
LDL: In general, the lower the LDL the better! The most desirable level for any individual must take into account a person’s past medical history. For example, a person with a history of heart attack, who smokes, and has a family history of heart attacks, should have LDL levels even lower than what the following table suggests. You should discuss your individual case with your doctor.
LDL level mg/dL Significance
| <130 | Desirable |
| 130-159 | Borderline High. Some increased risk of heart disease. |
| >160 | High LDL level. Associated with considerably higher risk of heart disease. |
HDL: The higher the HDL level the better. High HDL levels actually have a protective effect against heart disease. A HDL level less than 35 mg/dL increases your risk for heart disease.
Triglycerides: Several, but not all, population studies have shown that increased triglycerides are independently correlated with increased risk of heart disease. Triglyceride levels >400 mg/dL are considered high.
How Often Should Cholesterol Be Checked?
All adults age 20 and over should have their total cholesterol checked at least once every 5 years. The test requires a simple blood sample taken from your arm or finger. Your doctor may or may not check your HDL and LDL levels at the same time. If you have not had your cholesterol checked in the last 5 years, I urge you to talk with your doctor soon!
All adults age 20 and over should have their total cholesterol checked at least once every 5 years. The test requires a simple blood sample taken from your arm or finger. Your doctor may or may not check your HDL and LDL levels at the same time. If you have not had your cholesterol checked in the last 5 years, I urge you to talk with your doctor soon!
What Can I Do To Lower My Cholesterol Levels
The good news is that you can make lifestyle and dietary changes to improve your cholesterol profile! The two most important things that you can do are (1) to monitor your diet and (2) increase your physical activity.
Your diet should be low in total fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol. Foods traditionally used in the African American diet (chitterlings, sausage, bacon, fat back, pigs feet) are high in fat and must be eaten sparingly, if it all. Increase the amount of fiber in your diet by eating more fruits, vegetables, and whole-wheat grains. Please check out the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute web site www.nhlbi.nih.gov and look under their guidelines for heart healthy living.
The good news is that you can make lifestyle and dietary changes to improve your cholesterol profile! The two most important things that you can do are (1) to monitor your diet and (2) increase your physical activity.
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