Q: Getting to know individuals from many different backgrounds and walks of life within your community may give you a new perspective on the problems facing your community. Some ways to get to know the people and places in your community might include: Introducing yourself to people. Make a habit of introducing yourself to the people you meet in daily life. Show genuine interest in them, and ask them questions about their lives, jobs, and families. Connecting with neighbors. Ask neighbors you know to come and visit you, or visit them yourself. Ask about their lives, work, health and family, and get their perspective on local problems. Visiting new places. Visit businesses and public areas that you don't typically visit. Take note of changes in your community as well, such as new neighbors, local construction projects, or newly opened or closed businesses. Walking around your neighborhood. If it is safe to do so, walk or take public transit instead of driving a car. This will allow you to see, hear and experience your community and its members more intimately. If you want to raise awareness about problems facing your community and encourage peace in your community, then organizing a peaceful event is a good option. Try banding together with some local community members to put together an event, such as a community picnic, a food drive for a local food bank, a peaceful protest, or a walk through your community to raise awareness about a problem your community is facing. If you don't feel ready to plan an event, then you could also organize a small meeting. Try planning a meeting and inviting some other community members who are interested in making your community a more peaceful place. Use the meeting to share your concerns and discuss possible solutions. Volunteering is great way to help your community and it may also be a good way to promote peace. Local anti-violence organizations may have a need for volunteers in outreach or other programs. However, don't limit your considerations just to organizations focusing on violence. Any opportunity to better the community, from volunteering to pick up trash to participating in after-school programs for children, will allow you to meet new people in your community, and promote a sense of togetherness and cooperation. Look into volunteering at a local soup kitchen, homeless shelter, or animal shelter. Try visiting local organizations' websites or calling to see if they are looking for volunteers. Encourage everyone in your neighborhood to do the same, and be sure to provide your own contact information to your neighbors. This will allow you to quickly get in touch with your neighbors when a problem arises. It will also make it easier to check on people in your community and maintain your relationships with them. Here are some suggestions for information to gather: Home or cell phone numbers Workplace addresses and phone numbers E-mail addresses, or social media accounts Contact info for neighbors' immediate family, in case of emergency Community events give community members the opportunity to get to know one another in a safe, positive environment, creating a sense of community spirit and cooperation. Make it a habit to seek out opportunities to gather with your fellow community members, such as at a neighborhood barbeque, school event, church function, festival, or charity drive. If you can, consider offering to help set up, run, or clean up after the event. Most towns, and most communities within larger cities, have some form of local government or citizen council that holds meetings that are open to the public. At these meetings, community members have an opportunity to voice concerns and learn about changes in local laws and policies. Attending these meetings is a great way to learn about what's happening in your community and to voice your concerns. Depending on what community you live in, there may be many meetings that you have a right to attend, including city council meetings, meetings of other government committees, and meetings of public organizations such as parent teacher associations. Online resources, such as https://www.usa.gov/local-governments, are available to help you locate public offices, services and meetings. You can also contact your local city council, chamber of commerce, or other local government organization for help.
A: Become more familiar with your community. Plan a peaceful event. Explore volunteer opportunities. Make sure you have current contact information for your neighbors. Attend and participate in community events. Go to local government meetings.

Q: When possible, it's a good idea to check your CRP sometime in your early to mid 30s, especially if you have an elevated risk for heart disease. Your doctor can check your CRP with a blood test. Your numbers might be healthy while you're young, but by checking them early in your life, you'll get a baseline number that you and your doctor can use to help predict your future risk. For most adults, CRP levels lower than 1.0 mg/L indicate a low risk of heart disease. CRP between 1.0 and 3.0 mg/L indicate an average risk, and levels above 3.0 mg/L indicate a high risk. If you have an intermediate risk of heart disease, you should consult your doctor about regular CRP testing as you get older. Depending on your health and circumstances, it might be wise to test every five years or so. Note that there are two CRP blood tests. One shows non-specific CRP levels that occur with general internal inflammation, while the other shows highly sensitive CRP (hs-CRP) levels. The latter measures inflammation within your blood vessels, so this is the test you'll need if you want to determine your risk for heart disease. If you have arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, or other autoimmune conditions, your doctor may need to give you an altered form of the CRP test since these conditions can raise your levels beyond the range used to assess cardiac health. When diet and lifestyle changes aren't enough to help drop your CRP levels, your doctor may recommend statin drugs. This is especially common for patients who also have elevated LDL cholesterol. Statin drugs have pros and cons, so you should carefully consider your options before opting for this form of medication. Some possible side effects include muscle pain, muscle damage, liver damage, digestive problems, rashes, increased blood sugar, and neurological effects.
A:
Check your numbers early. Keep checking your numbers. Talk to your doctor about statin drugs.