You hear a lot about your cholesterol these days – especially what foods can lower it.
Eat more oatmeal and less red meat, more nuts, and less sugar, etc., but, when you’re told your cholesterol number, how do you know what it means?
Let’s start with the basics.
Cholesterol is found in all the cells in your body and your body produces all the cholesterol you need, but you can also get cholesterol from the food you eat.
There are 2 types of cholesterol: HDL and LDL.
What’s Good?
HDL cholesterol is your “good” cholesterol. You should strive to have your HDL cholesterol above 60.
> 60 Good
< 40 Bad
That makes sense, right? You want a higher level of good cholesterol than you do bad cholesterol.
What’s Bad??LDL cholesterol is considered your bad cholesterol and you should strive to have this number below 100.
< 100 Optimal
100 – 129 Above Optimal
130 – 159 Borderline High
160 – 189 High
> 190 Very high
Now I know what the numbers mean, but what do I do about it?
If your cholesterol numbers fall within the optimal range, then keep up the good work! Those numbers show you are living a healthy lifestyle.
If your cholesterol numbers are outside of the normal range, however, you are at an elevated risk for heart problems and should see a doctor to help manage it. Here are a few tips to lower it:
• Schedule an appointment with a primary care provider. High cholesterol requires medical diagnosis and can be treated by medication. If you are diagnosed with high cholesterol and need additional medical attention, your primary care provider will connect you with a cardiologist. They will work together to provide you with a comprehensive treatment plan.
• Exercise. It’s recommended to exercise 30 minutes a day for 5 days a week.
• Lose weight. If you are overweight or obese, lose at least 5 percent of body fat.
• Change what you eat. Avoid foods that raise cholesterol like fatty, fried, greasy food. Add foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains and beans to lower cholesterol.
High cholesterol does not have any symptoms, so don’t wait to find out what your numbers are. Visit iwantsentaramedicalgroup.com to find a primary care provider.
Competitive Edge Athletic Performance Center has named 15-year-old Courtenay Houston as the March Athlete of the Month. He has been training at Competitive Edge since May in 2017.
Houston is a sophomore and student-athlete at C.D. Hylton Senior High School. For college, he aspires to attend Duke University.
Houston is in the starting line up for the boy’s varsity basketball team. He was named the second team for All-Cardinal District and specializes in making three-point shots.
“I’ve worked with Courtenay for more than five years, but this summer, I watched him set a goal to be a better player,” Coach Monte Evans said.
Q: What makes Competitive Edge unique?
A: Competitive Edge is different from any other facility I have ever been with. I enjoy both the trainers and the training. I have found that my performance has improved since I started training.
Q: What is your favorite type of workout and why?
A: I like weight training because it increases my strength for basketball.
Q: What has been your greatest athletic success?
A: My biggest success so far is being a part of the second team All-District basketball team (PWC), one of two sophomores accepted.
Q: What has been the most difficult part of your journey to fitness?
A: Last summer, I experienced a sort of “defeat” within myself when it came to my constant training schedule; although, I continued to push forward to excel!
Q: How did you initially react when you learned that you were an Athlete of the Month?
A: I was excited!
Q: What does being the Competitive Edge Athlete of the Month mean to you?
A: It’s a big honor. It makes me feels I’ve achieved something great.
Q: What motivates you to get out of bed and workout each day?
A: My parents [chuckles].
Q: What is the most beneficial part of being an athlete?
A: I’ve found that I am much healthier as an athlete which is important as I get older.
Q: How will you continue to maintain your fitness in college?
A: I will play basketball, and I will use the gym facilities daily.
Q: What are your goals in the next ten years?
A: I want to own a business, specifically real estate, and continue my basketball career.
WARRENTON – (Press Release) More than 60,000 public school students and their families from across Virginia will read the same book on the same schedule starting Friday, March 1.
It’s all part of Virginia Reads One Book — a new reading program from Richmond-based Read to Them. The Fauquier Bank is a proud sponsor of this program at Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary, where more than 400 students and staff will participate.
“At kick-off events in each school, students will receive their own copies of Cleo Edison Oliver: Playground Millionaire to take home and read with their families,” says Read to Them Program Director Cathy Plageman. “Students will follow along as a mystery reader from the Washington Redskins, through a partnership with the Washington Redskins Charitable Foundation, reads the first chapter aloud on an exclusive video cast. For the next three weeks, students and their families read a chapter each night at home, coordinating with classroom and school-wide activities.”
“Cleo Edison Oliver is a chapter book featuring a sassy, confident, independent, enterprising girl who is ready to take on the world. Cleo is an African-American elementary school girl who is focused on business, whether it’s selling avocados, homemade dogfood or concocting a money-making scheme to pull loose teeth. Her story takes place on the playground — and along the way she discovers basic financial principles. We expect the students will have a lot of fun reading about Cleo,” says Plageman. “In fact, we hope it may even inspire some students to become budding entrepreneurs themselves!”
“We are proud to again be a statewide sponsor of Virginia Reads One Book. The program not only boosts students’ reading abilities, but it shows them reading is fun in an atmosphere that strengthens family and community interactions,” says Bruce Whitehurst, president and CEO of the Virginia Bankers Association. “With the support of The Fauquier Bank, the school receives a book for every student and complimentary staff copies, both family literacy and financial literacy activities, school assembly suggestions, teacher resources, and both family and community engagement tools. These resources turn a book into a community experience so everyone can enjoy and share the story.”
Abbie Ford, VP Director of Retail Banking at The Fauquier Bank, stated, “We are thrilled to be able to sponsor Virginia Reads One Book this year, which builds on other financial literacy efforts that we have going in our community, including Teach Children to Save. We were drawn to this program by not only the financial literacy focus of the book, but also the idea of bringing families together.”
Other program sponsors include: Virginia Bankers Association Education Foundation, Washington Redskins Charitable Foundation, Virginia Council on Economic Education and Tackle Reading.
For the current list of participating schools in your area, please email [email protected].
By Eliut Morales
MANASSAS PARK – As adults, maintaining our health consists of healthy eating and exercising often. Many people have routines to follow on a daily basis to help them stay in shape. However, children tend to develop their parents’ habits, so it’s important to make sure the example you set for your children is the right one.
The DHH (Department of Health and Human Services) states that only one in three children in the United States are physically active every day. The DHH also states that children spend around seven hours in front of a TV, video game, or computer screen.
A number of reasons for children not getting exercise include spending too much time on electronics, busy school-related activities, or the lack of opportunities for outdoor activities. Fortunately, keeping your children active can be just as fun for you as it will for them.
Visit your nearest local park. Perhaps the simplest way to help your child get exercise is to take them to the park and play ball or hike at your nearest park. Sometimes children will show more interest in an outdoor activity if it involves the entire family. You can also have your child invite their friends and make it an event!
Enroll your child in a sport or league. Sometimes it’s difficult to set time aside before or after work to spend time outdoors. Luckily, schools and recreation centers are able to help your children stay in shape. School sports and recreation leagues are a perfect way for your child to stay active while meeting new friends.
Limit time with electronics and set time for outside play. If you give your children schedules and times to play video games, watch tv, or spend time online, it can help them develop routines to follow throughout their childhood and into their teen and adult years. In doing so, they may find time themselves to play outside with friends or seek out a sport.
Parents play a crucial role in helping their children develop healthy habits, and it all starts with taking the initiative. At the Manassas Park Community Center, we understand the importance of developing healthy lifestyles. We have created a wide variety of classes, events, and leagues to help you and your family achieve your goals. For more information, take a look at our new Spring MOSAIC, filled with many recreation opportunities for everyone! With your help, the journey to a healthier youth starts now.
The Manassas Park Community Center is located at 99 Adams Street in Manassas Park, VA. Managed by the City of Manassas Park Department of Parks and Recreation, the facility is home to basketball courts, a swimming pool, wellness areas, special events, and recreational classes. For more information visit us at ManassasParkCommunityCenter.com or call at 703-335-8872.
