Children and Cholesterol - National Cholesterol Month!

Compelling evidence shows that the atherosclerotic process (buildup of fatty plaque in arteries) begins in childhood and progresses slowly into adulthood. Then it often leads to coronary heart disease, the leading cause of death in the United States.

Despite substantial success in reducing deaths from coronary heart disease in the past two decades, this disease is still responsible for over 450,000 deaths a year in the United States. Over 43 percent of the people discharged from hospitals for coronary heart disease are under age 65. Many of these adults have children who may have coronary heart disease risk factors that need attention.

Evidence shows that:

• Atherosclerosis or its precursors begin in young people.


• Elevated cholesterol levels early in life may play a role in the development of adult atherosclerosis.


• Eating patterns and genetics affect blood cholesterol levels and coronary heart disease risk.


• Lowering levels in children and adolescents may be beneficial.


• Cigarette smoking should be discouraged.


• Regular aerobic exercise should be encouraged.


• High blood pressure should be identified and treated.
  

Overweight should be avoided or reduced.
Diabetes mellitus should be diagnosed and treated.
Cholesterol levels in children and adolescents 2–19 years oldTotal cholesterol (mg/dL)Acceptable — less than 170Borderline — 170–199High — 200 or greater
LDL cholesterol (mg/dL)Acceptable — less than 110Borderline — 110–129High — 130 or greater
The American Heart Association endorses these guidelines of the National Cholesterol Education Program’s Expert Panel on Blood Cholesterol in Children and Adolescents. Adopted from http://www.americanheart.org/

Get To Know People In Indy & Greenwood! - Meetup.com

Meetup is the world's largest network of local groups. Meetup makes it easy for anyone to organize a local group or find one of the thousands already meeting up face-to-face. More than 2,000 groups get together in local communities each day, each one with the goal of improving themselves or their communities.

Meetup's mission is to revitalize the local community and help people around the world self-organize. Meetup believes that people can change their personal world, or the whole world, by organizing themselves into groups that are powerful enough to make a difference. Go To: http://www.meetup.com/cities/us/in/greenwood/groups/

How to Improve Your Outlook on Life!

Becoming cynical and jaded is common in a world where murder and death is on every television and news cast every day. It is possible to improve your outlook on life by taking stock of the good things, and learning to take care of what you have.

Instructions:

Step 1 - Eat a balanced diet. Eating healthy, and not weighed down with high fat, greasy foods, can help you improve your outlook on life. A healthy body feels better, and does not get tired and run-down as quickly.

Step 2 - Exercise regularly. The endorphins alone help to boost mood and give a feeling of euphoria. Your outlook on life is improved when you get your blood flowing and your heart pumping on a regular basis.

Step 3 - Keep your emotions under control. When you are feeling down, or exhausted by life and stress, give yourself a boost of hope to improve your outlook on life. Instead of having a self-pity party, list the things that give you hope to snap yourself out of your low mood.

Step 4 - Try new things. Stagnation can make you bored and sluggish in life. Try something new every day to help keep life interesting and give yourself a different perspective on the world around you.

Step 5 - Share your loving feelings with the people you hold close to you. Become conscious, on a daily basis, of the amount of love and companionship you have in your life, and thank those you love for being there for you.

Step 6 - Give yourself a better outlook on life by taking time out to do the things you truly enjoy doing. Don't get bogged down with work and responsibility constantly. Take time to read a book, go for a walk or talk to your family.

Step 7 - Manage your stress like a pro. Those who manage their daily stress with a smile are usually friendly and fun to be around. Don't turn to substances to unwind. Instead get involved with a sports or social group to unwind and let go of stress. Adopted from http://www.ehow.com/how_2253223_improve-outlook-life.html

Recipe Of The Month - Texas Chili

Here is a little different way to fix chili that you might like to try for a change!

Ingredients:

— 2 pounds beef, round or chuck, cut into ½" cubes, all white removed
— 1 small onion, chopped fine
— 1-2 cloves garlic, minced
— Salt and black pepper to taste
— Water
— 2-3 tablespoons blended chili powder, (Adams preferred)
— 1 tablespoon ground cumin
— 1 8-oz. can tomato sauce
— 2 tablespoons flour
— ½ cup water
— Rice, cheese & soft shell tacos

Directions:

In a heavy skillet, sauté the meat in a small amount of oil or shortening until it is done. Transfer the meat to a stew pot and discard the juices.

While the meat is still hot, mix in the onion and garlic, salt and black pepper to taste. Cover and let set for 30 minutes.

Add enough water to cover the meat. Put in the spices and bring to a simmer. Cook until the meat is tender. You may have to add more water if the mix becomes too dry. Add the tomato sauce and simmer another 20 minutes.

If the chili is not spicy enough for your taste, add a small amount of cayenne.
Mix 2 tablespoons flour with one half cup of water. Raise the heat under the chili until you get a good boil. Stir in the flour/water mixture and continue stirring until mixture thickens. Reduce heat and simmer about 15 more minutes. Serve with rice & cheese on a soft shell taco. Adopted From http://www.texascooking.com

Reel Parnter Of The Month! - Stone By Design

Back to School Tips for Your Dog

When the kids go back to school everything changes for your dog, too. The stress on mom, dad, and the kids, can be enormous. But rarely do we consider how the change in routine affects our canine companions. Many think "our dog is as much a part of the family as we are – he can handle it." The facts prove differently. Dogs are creatures of habit and when the routine changes they can be seriously affected.

Below are the main areas of concern and tips that might help:

Separation Anxiety: A major issue that surfaces is that the family dog no longer has the kids to play with during the day. And, maybe he is left alone if mom and dad both work. The stress that accompanies being left alone can often result in destructive behaviors and endless barking. Complaints from neighbors increase significantly during this time of the year. Follow these tips to help reduce the stress of separation for your dog.

When you leave: As you and the family leave your home don't pamper the dog and nurture him by saying in a sweet voice something like, "Don't worry – we'll be home soon. Be a good boy". Dogs are pack animals and as such they expect their leader to be firm when they leave the pack. It is best to totally ignore your dog for about 10 minutes before you leave, and as you leave the house simply make a low "growl" with your voice. While this might sound peculiar, your dog will actually be relaxed by your voice. In the wild, the pack leader growls when she leaves the pack to indicate she will return soon and not to misbehave.

Boredom: Dogs sleep a great deal during the day. But, when they awake they want something to do. It doesn't take much to entertain a dog – even if you're not at home.

Follow these tips:

Scatter feed: Dogs are natural foragers. They love to look for food on the ground and will literally spend hours doing so. Before you and the kids leave the house, distribute dry food over a wide area of your back yard, (or other treats your dog likes). You might even try hiding some treats so your dog spends time looking for them. Also consider scattering vegetables, such as baby carrots. Also, be sure to provide lots of fresh clean water to keep you dog well hydrated.

Sandbox: Build a digging pit. Dogs love to dig, so rather than trying to eliminate that natural instinct, control where they dig by building them their own special place. Build a sandbox much as you would for a child and teach your dog that it belongs to him. Bury his favorite chew toy in the digging pit and when he digs it up praise him lavishly. Bury some treats, or pieces of cheese. When he finds them, pet him and tells him he's a "good boy". Very quickly he will learn where to dig – and, more importantly, where not to dig.

Toys: Dogs love toys. But, they quickly get bored with them, or they are destroyed. First, buy quality toys that your dog will always love. For example, the Buster Cube when filled with treats is a toy he will always love – and, it is virtually non-destructible. Second, rotate the toys. Use two toy boxes for his toys and rotate them every few days. This way he looks forward to his "new toys" when you leave.

Shelter: Dogs need to have their own "home". Just as we humans feel more at ease in our home, so do dogs. If your dog doesn't have a place of his own create one for him. Adopted From http://www.happycleanandsmart.com/

Make Your Workout Fun And Purposeful

Just as the fabled turtle outran the hare, consistent people reap the health benefits of regular physical fitness efforts, said Indiana University Bloomington fitness expert Carol Kennedy. How should a newly converted fitness enthusiast begin? How about 10,000 steps a day? Not necessary, Kennedy said. Twenty or 30 minutes of continuous, rigorous exercise? Take a break -- or two or three, she said.

Exercising with a buddy helps people stick with their plans.

The bottom line with any exercise program is that it needs to be fun, have a reasonable timetable and produce an enhanced quality of life. These are things that help make it a lifestyle habit, not just a New Year's resolution, she said. "If you begin a rigorous fitness program and you crash and burn, it's like yo-yo dieting. It doesn't work," said Kennedy, a lecturer in IUB's Department of Kinesiology in the School of Health, Physical Education and Recreation. "It's about making a behavioral change in your life. It doesn't happen overnight. It starts with making it fun and purposeful." Home videos, swimming, walking, cardio machines -- Kennedy said it doesn't matter what fitness enthusiasts choose, as long as it's something they enjoy and will continue doing.

Here are some tips to try and fallacies to avoid on the journey to fitness:

The health benefits of exercise can be experienced with 20-60 minutes of continuous or non-continuous exercise, according to the American College of Sports Medicine. This debunks the notion that these benefits, such as a reduced risk of heart disease or lower levels of sugar in the blood, only come with continuous exercise. Exercise can occur in chunks throughout the workout or throughout the day, Kennedy said.

"Why don't we look at the gym like it's a playground?" she said. "Who spends the whole time on the slide? Why not spend 10 minutes on the elliptical cardio machine, go get a drink of water, talk to a friend and then return for another 10 minutes. Make it an enjoyable experience. Think of your fitness experience as you once thought of a playground as a kid."

Goals are important and can help define a workout. Weight goals, however, are not always productive. Exercising, Kennedy said, does not guarantee weight loss. She said goals should relate to quality of life. Fitness goals for some people might involve being able to play on the floor with their grandchildren without experiencing back pain, for example.

For other people, their goal could be climbing the steps to their office or apartment without huffing and puffing. These kinds of goals can bring about great self-esteem once accomplished, in addition to improving one's health. They can propel people to set further goals and to see their exercise program as important to their lives, Kennedy said.

The U.S. Surgeon General recommends 30 minutes of exercise on most days, Kennedy said. Some people accomplish this simply with an active lifestyle. They park a little farther from their office, walk to work instead of driving, or walk to lunch instead of ordering out.

Kennedy is a big fan of pedometers, but she said walkers receive substantial health benefits from 6,000 steps a day, rather than 10,000 steps a day, as commonly discussed. She said the amount of decline in the mortality rate is significantly less between 6,000 steps and 10,000 steps. Exercising with a buddy helps people stick with their plans. Adopted From http://newsinfo.iu.edu

45 Life Lessons And 5 To Grow On

To celebrate growing older, I once wrote the 45 lessons life taught me.
It is the most-requested column I've ever written. My odometer rolls over to 50 this week, so here's an update (Adopted From http://www.cleveland.com/brett):

1. Life isn’t fair, but it’s still good.
2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.
3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
4. Don’t take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
5. Pay off your credit cards every month.
6. You don’t have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
7. Cry with someone. It’s more healing than crying alone.
8. It’s OK to get angry with God. He can take it.
9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.
10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.
11. Make peace with your past so it won’t screw up the present.
12. It’s OK to let your children see you cry.
13. Don’t compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
14 If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn’t be in it.
15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don’t worry; God never blinks.
16. Life is too short for long pity parties. Get busy living , or get busy dying.
17. You can get through anything if you stay put in today.
18. A writer writes. If you want to be a writer, write.
19. It’s never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.
20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don’t take no for an answer.
21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don’t save it for a special occasion. Today is special.
22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.
23. Be eccentric now. Don’t wait for old age to wear purple.
24. The most important sex organ is the brain.
25. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.
26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words: “In five years, will this matter?”
27. Always choose life.
28. Forgive everyone everything.
29. What other people think of you is none of your business.
30. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.
31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
32. Your job won’t take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.
33. Believe in miracles.
34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn’t do.
35. Whatever doesn’t kill you really does make you stronger.
36. Growing old beats the alternative - dying young.
37. Your children get only one childhood. Make it memorable.
38. Read the Psalms. They cover every human emotion.
39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.
40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else’s, we’d grab ours back.
41. Don’t audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.
42. Get rid of anything that isn’t useful, beautiful or joyful.
43. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.
44. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
45. The best is yet to come.
46. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
47. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.
48. If you don’t ask, you don’t get.
49. Yield.
50. Life isn’t tied with a bow, but it’s still a gift.

Ask Mike Your Mortgages Questions: Have you been turned down for a Mortgage recently (CREDIT)?

Ways to Improve Credit Score Checklist Some tips on how to improve your credit score:

•FICO scores improve naturally as your credit history gets better over time. You don't need to request a review.
•Avoid going delinquent on payments. Never let the balance of a bill go over into the next month, and don't let your loans slide into default.
•Avoid closing a credit account you don't use, unless there are fees associated with it.
•If you do miss a payment, get current on your payments as soon as possible.
•If you're having difficulty making your payments, get in touch with your creditors or a credit counselor to work out payment arrangements.
•Reduce your outstanding debt on revolving lines of credit such as credit cards.
•Don't transfer balances and shuffle debt frequently. This is seen by the credit bureaus as an attempt to fix your credit rating quickly.
•Re-establish your credit history. Have credit cards and/or installment loans and pay them off each payment cycle.
•Open new accounts that you will use and pay them off on time.
•Avoid opening lots of credit accounts simultaneously or credit accounts you aren't going to use. This is also seen as an attempt to increase your credit score fast.
•Don't get impatient.

With some of the guidelines tightening in the mortgage industry most of us know someone directly that may have been turned down for a mortgage. Through your association with the Reel Partners you can now suggest that they call Mike Spiegel with Franklin American Mortgage and he will work with them directly on credit repair. A lot of customers are being turned down just because their scores are not high enough to meet program guidelines and this can be corrected in as little as 30 days. Most people do not know the process of credit repair and pay hundreds of dollars for a service that can be as easy as mailing letters. If you or someone you know has been turned down, my advice is do not be discouraged. Give me a call and we will do a credit analysis (FREE OF CHARGE).

Please call Mike at 317-437-5182 for the details.
If you have a mortgage that is at a 6.00% or higher interest rate it might be time for you to refinance. Please contact Mike for a free analysis. Most customers are saving over $100 per month by reducing their interest rates!

Reel Free Classifieds

Automobiles

• 2006 Suzuki Boulevard Motorcycle—It is in excellent condition, with several up grades, including saddle bags, windshield, light bar and passenger back rest. 5,400 miles. The motorcycle also comes with 2 helmets. Price $5,900. Please call Joe at 765-215-7129.
  

Pets

• 2 FREE 4 Month Lab/Beagle mix dogs to good home with yard. Please contact me Leslie at lem1103@aol.com for more information.


• 7 months old white & blond Lab/Huskey mix. (Mostly Lab.)One blue eye one brown eye, 30 lbs, She is up to date on shots, spaded, great with everything. Text: 317-652-1963 or mhester63@sbcglobal.net


• 2 Free Dogs - wirehair terrier and Jack Russell. Contact us via phone @ 317-989-9770


• Free Tabby Cat - Very sweet and affectionate tabby cat. 6 years old, de-clawed, spayed, up to date on shots and litter box trained. Please call 317-796-0282
  

Non-Profits Events

• CUMNS Kids Fall Festival at Castleton United Methodist Church. A family event including hayrides, pony rides, a petting zoo, face painting, games and prizes, food and a local farmer's market. 2-6 PM. Free event. Call: 317-841-7491. Castleton United Methodist Church, 7101 North Shadeland Ave. Sept. 26, 2009, 2pm


• 5th Annual 'Reach Out and Read' Fundraiser at the Children's Museum. Proceeds used to buy books for low income children. 7:30 to 10 PM. Info: 317-822-7302. Children's Museum, 3000 North Meridian Street, Indianapolis, Fri., 9/25/2009 7:30 PM.


• Walk to Defeat ALS at White River State Park. A fundraising event to raise money in the fight against ALS (often referred to as Lou Gehrig's Disease). Registration at 9:30 AM, walk begins at 11:30 AM. Call: 317-915-9888. White River State Park, 801 West Washington Street, Indianapolis, Marion County. Saturday, Sept. 26, 2009, 9:30 AM.


• 6th Annual Apple Fest A fundraiser for Homelessness Bites, The Salvation Army’s campaign to end homelessness. Lunch items by Applebee's, plus hot apple cobbler and ice cream (apples from Adrian Orchards). 10:30 AM to 1:30 PM. Monument Circle, Indianapolis, (Thurs) Oct. 1, 2009, 10:30 AM. www.homelessnessbites.org/applefest/


• Indiana AIDS Walk and Ride 2009 - A fundraiser for HIV impacted Hoosiers and the agencies that serve them. Registration 11 AM - 10K Bike Ride at 1:45 PM. 5K walk at 2 PM. 317-630-1805. University Park, 300 North Meridian Street, Indianapolis Sat. Oct. 10, 2009www.kintera.org/faf/home/default.asp?ievent=312110
  

Looking For Something

• Just graduated from college and need a good used car to get to my new job. Looking for something in the $3,000 to $6,000 range that gets good mileage. Please call or text Jacob at 317-250-4516.