Associates Today

Your Good Heath:
National Cholesterol Month

September is National Cholesterol Education Month and a good time to get your blood cholesterol checked and take steps to lower it if it is high. Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance found in your body and many foods. Your body needs cholesterol to function normally and makes all that you need. Too much cholesterol can build up in your arteries. After a while, these deposits narrow the arteries, putting you at risk for heart disease and stroke.

More than 102 million American Adults (20 years or older) have total cholesterol levels at or above 200 mg/dL, which is above healthy levels. More than 35 million of these people with high cholesterol have levels of 240 mg/dL or higher, which puts them at high risk for heart disease. It’s important to check your cholesterol levels. High cholesterol is a major risk factor for heart disease, the leading cause of death in the United States.

High cholesterol usually doesn’t have any symptoms. As a result, many people do not know that their cholesterol levels are too high. However, doctors can do a simple blood test to check your cholesterol. High cholesterol can be controlled through lifestyle changes or if it is not enough, through medications.

The National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) recommends that adults aged 20 years or older have their cholesterol checked every 5 years. Preventive guidelines for cholesterol screening among young adults differ, but experts agree on the need to screen adults who have other risk factors for coronary heart disease: obesity, smoking, high blood pressure, diabetes, and family history.

A simple blood test called a lipoprotein profile can measure your total cholesterol levels, including LDL (low-density lipoprotein, or “bad” cholesterol), HDL (high-density lipoprotein, or “good” cholesterol), and triglycerides.

Desirable Cholesterol Levels
Total cholesterol                                                   Less than 170 mg/dL
Low LDL (“Bad”) cholesterol                              Less than 110 mg/dL
High LDL (“Good”) cholesterol                              35 mg/dL or higher
Triglycerides                                                          Less than 150 mg/dL

If you have high cholesterol, your doctor may prescribe medications to help treat it. In addition, you can lower your cholesterol levels through lifestyle changes:

• Low-fat and high-fiber food (Eat more fresh fruits, fresh vegetables, and whole grains).
• For adults, getting at least 2 hours and 30 minutes of moderate or 1 hour and 15 minutes of vigorous physical activity a week. For those aged 6-17, getting 1 hour or more of physical activity each day.
• Maintain a healthy weight.
• Don’t smoke or quit if you smoke.

TIPS FROM TOGETHER CREDIT UNION

How to Buy a House and Stay on Top of Your Student Loans

Here are a few things you should do, before applying to become pre-approved for a home loan:

Review All of Your Debts
Just because you are paying off student loans does not mean you’re at risk for not being approved for a home loan. Most lenders will look for a debt-to-income ratio of 36% or less. Remember to include debts such as: auto loans, personal loans, credit cards, etc.

Create a Budget
Once you’ve reviewed your debts, it’s time to create a budget with mortgage payments in mind. Completing a budget can give you a better idea of what flexible funds you may have to put towards a down payment and possibly supplement additional homeowner costs, such as property taxes and insurance.

Find a Mortage Loan Officer You Trust
If you’re ready to start house-hunting, it’s time to speak with a mortgage loan officer to ask about the preapproval process.

Make Student Loan Repayment More Affordable

Here are a few repayment options you can consider:

Income-Driven Repayment Plan
Most student loans offer an income-driven repayment plan, which allows you to cap your payments between 10-15% of your current income and the remainder to be forgiven after 20-25 years. *Typically with income-driven repayments, you may be paying on gained interest longer than anticipated.

Deferment or Forbearance
Being in deferment or forbearance means temporarily pausing your student loan payments. This type of plan is best used in an emergency situation and can typically last up to two years. Because this is considered an emergency alternative, it’s important to remember that unsubsidized loans will still accrue interest during this time.

Refinancing
If you have a good, steady income and credit score, but still find it difficult to repay the asked amount on your student loans, you may want to consider refinancing for a lower interest rate and better terms.

If your plan is to purchase your first home soon…
We designed a First Time Home Buyer mortgage, which offers a wide range of benefits
for those searching for their dream home. Because what matters to you, matters to us.

Questions about joining Together Credit Union?  We’ll be with you every step of the way.  To become a member of Together Credit Union, you can start the membership application online or contact Teresa Evans, branch manager at our Columbus location at tevans@togethercu.org or 1-614-888-2299.

IT Support:

• Your IT Department is here for you!!! During business hours support is available by sending an email to Support@HeidelbergDistributing.com, opening a ticket in Service Now or by calling 1-844-HDL-BERG (435-2374). For afterhours critical support, please call 1-844-HDL-BERG (435-2374).

Single Database

• 16 years of planning, normalization, testing, and work, on Saturday August 15^th, we added Oho Valley and Cincinnati databases into the Single Database environment. Now all Ohio databases are houses within Single Database environment allowing for easier reporting, ordering, financials and upgrades. Thank you to all of Team Members that have made the idea of having one database in Ohio a reality.

Driver iPads:

• Supplying the drivers with iPads that contain their routes. This gives the driver the ability to reconcile invoices as they deliver each stop and will be able to print a completed invoice to the account.
• Implemented at Ohio Valley and Cincinnati.

Asset Refresh:

• Utilizing asset lifecycle management to systematically drive efficiency through performance, flexibility and cost management we are currently updating assets in all locations.

Easy Ops / Easy Pick:

• A new browser-based VIP tool to perform daily warehouse tasks with a UPC scan-to-print system.
• Currently being tested in Columbus.

Heidelberg Applications:

• Heidelberg generated applications that are being developed to help the performance of the Supply Chain and Pricing Teams.
• Pricing Application.
• New Item Set up.
• New Supplier Set up.
• Freight Calculator.
• Chain Forecasting.
• Sample Billbacks.
• Chain Authorization.

Monthly Tip & Trick:
Incognito Mode 

In Google Chrome, if you want to open another VIP web session or log onto non-Heidelberg Office account, you can browse the web in Incognito mode.

1. On your computer, open Chrome.
2. At the top right, click More     New Incognito Window.
3. A new window appears. In the top corner, check for the Incognito icon  .

You can also use a keyboard shortcut to open an Incognito window:

• Windows: Press Ctrl + Shift + n.
• Mac: Press ⌘ + Shift + n.

Once you are in Incognito Mode, you can open another session VIP on the web or access non-Heidelberg Office accounts like Molson Coors without signing out of your Heidelberg Account.

You can switch between Incognito windows and regular Chrome windows. You’ll only browse in private when you’re using an Incognito window.