4 The Hampton Roads Messenger Editorial


Good health gives us more of the things we love


embrace to remain or regain good health is exercise. Twenty to thirty minutes of exercise per day is all that is needed to be of benefit to one’s health. Of course, anyone thinking of beginning an exercise routine should consult their physician to make sure they are fit enough to get started. Exercise does not have to be a chore. It can involve doing something fun like taking a walk on the beach or jumping on a trampoline with one’s children or grandchildren. It is important to just get moving.


Another beneficial form of BY ANGELA JONES Maintaining good health is the


key to enjoying all the good things life has to offer. We love our families, we love our homes and we love our favorite foods. Are we willing to make the sacrifices necessary to prolong our lives to securing more time to enjoy what we love? When we strive to have good health, we can enjoy all of the things we love – longer.


Speaking of our favorite foods,


what we eat often determines the degree of good health one will achieve. It is often stated “Well, you have to die from something.” Would it not be one’s preference to die from old age rather than waste away slowly and painfully? It should be preferable to die with the dignity of knowing that every effort was made to not be a burden to someone else because of one’s unhealthy indulgences.


We all know the obvious bad diet


habits – like eating deep fried foods and sugar-filled snacks. It is easier to avoid those unhealthy pitfalls if we eat more of the things that are good for us like salads and other raw fruits and vegetables. The more we load up on these nutrient-rich foods, the less likely we are to binge on cookies, ice cream and potato chips.


Public enemy number one to


people who wish to have a healthy lifestyle is sugar. When sugar is not burned as fuel by the body immediately, it turns into fat. Fruit sugar is better for us. We can put frozen fruit in a blender or a Magic Bullet along with almond, coconut or rice milk and it will taste very similar to ice cream but will have far fewer calories and fat.


Another healthy lifestyle one must


exercising is strength training. This does not necessarily have to be done at an expensive gym or with heavy weights. One can use their body weight for strength training by performing pushups at home or getting in and remaining in a plank position for several seconds. Even lifting cans of vegetables with arms outstretched will give strength training benefits if repeated enough times.


While some people may prefer to


exercise at a gym, there are a plethora of exercise videos on the internet that can be viewed in the privacy and comfort of one’s home. These videos include a variety of forms of exercise from ordinary aerobics to Zumba or from Pilates to Yoga. Some people simply enjoy turning on some tunes and dancing for thirty minutes in their living rooms to remain or gain a fit physique.


One must remember to increase


water intake when they exercise. It is important to always remain hydrated. Six to eight glasses of water is the recommended amount of H2O; however, when exercising, it may be necessary to drink more. Coconut water is a delicious way to rehydrate one’s self after a workout. Not all brands are created equal. Choose a brand that contains only coconut water. If the first one you choose does not taste as good as expected, try another brand. Some brands of coconut water taste sweet and some taste a little salty. All of them; however, should provide the needed electrolytes to recover from a workout. Sports drinks with added sugar and chemicals are not necessary.


Sunshine is also important to


maintain optimal health. Many of our ancestors were from areas that had


Volume 11 Number 4


abundant amounts of sun. This time of year, in the US, spending time in the sun may be a challenge. During those times, we can get the benefits of “sunshine in a bottle” labeled Vitamin D. It was recently revealed that many people are deficient in vitamin D. It is important to get a complete blood count test to see if we are indeed deficient in any vitamins or minerals. A multivitamin is often a great addition to one’s diet to help maintain proper levels of vitamins and minerals.


Civil Rights FROM PAGE 1


of victims' family members and strengthen collaboration between the Justice Department, the FBI, State and local law enforcement, and advocates to pursue these cold cases. There is a collective goal to seek the truth about this long-standing tragedies and hold the perpetrators and orchestrators of these atrocities accountable. This re- authorization also seeks to respond to the concerns of advocates regarding the implementation of the original legislation.


BI-PARTISAN and


BI-CAMERAL STATEMENTS OF SUPPORT


"As we work to address current


questions about racial violence and civil rights, we should be mindful of our history and why so many in the African-American community raise the issue of whether black lives matter. Passage of the original Emmett Till Act represented a commitment to resolving the unanswered questions from one of the darkest periods in modern American history. This bipartisan reauthorization represents further investment in our history and will allow the Department of Justice to resolve remaining issues." Rep. John Conyers, Jr. - MI


"When this bill was signed into


law, family members, academics, historians, lawyers, advocates began working to develop a full accounting for these long-standing, gross human and civil rights atrocities. The re- authorization passed by Congress is a response to their appeals to make the law a better tool in their quest for justice. We also worked across the aisle and across the Dome to develop a bill that fulfills our promise to remain committed to the pursuit of truth on behalf of victims and their families. I am very pleased that Congress has passed this legislation and I look forward to the signature of President Barack Obama." Rep. John Lewis - GA


“I am pleased that this bill is now


Established 2006 Angela Jones, Publisher Chris Parks, Editor


Rae Willis, Graphic Designer Ida Davis, Contributing Writer


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finally heading to the President’s desk. Investigators can now work to discover the truth and to seek justice under our legal system for the families of these victims. Every American is worthy of the protection of our laws. I want to thank the Till family, Alvin Sykes, Congressman John Lewis, and all of the civil rights activists who helped make this law a reality. Today’s victory is theirs.” Sen. Richard Burr - NC


“Too many families suffer from


the unsolved murders of their loved ones during the civil rights era without receiving justice. The way to best serve these families is to provide our Federal government with the tools it needs to investigate these unsolved


January 2017 In fact, getting a physical and


blood tests to determine our level of health should be the first place we start when we decide that we want to be in our healthiest state possible. Obtaining and maintaining good health will allow us the necessary quality time we need to enjoy the people, places and things we love. If we do not believe we should strive to be as physically healthy as possible, perhaps a mental health checkup is where we should begin.


crimes, and to hopefully, bring some sense of closure for these families. I thank Congressman Lewis for his tireless work on behalf of the families of these victims of unsolved murders from the civil rights era and I am proud to stand with him on this effort.”


Sen. Patrick Leahy - VT “This legislation brings justice


and closure to the families and communities affected by the heinous acts of violence and hatred that are a stain on our nation’s history. The bill will help us continue the critical work of better investigating and solving these crimes, no matter how long ago they occurred, and I’m thrilled we’ve finally been able to carry it across the finish line.” Sen. Claire McCaskill - MO


“The Emmett Till Unsolved


Civil Rights Crimes Reauthorization Act sets out to investigate racially- motivated murders. Sadly, there is still more work to be done and it’s important that we reauthorize this bill so that the FBI and DOJ can continue investigating unsolved crimes.”


Sen.


Roy Blunt - MO “As an original cosponsor of the


Emmett Till Reauthorization Act, I’m pleased to see my colleagues came together and supported this important bill. This bipartisan legislation will provide for a sustained, well-co- ordinated effort to investigate and prosecute unsolved civil rights-era crimes. There are hundreds of cold cases from the civil rights era that have never been solved and it is my hope that we are able to bring justice to the victims’ families.” Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner - WI


MAJOR PROVISIONS OF THE LEGISLATION


• This bill requires the Department of Justice and FBI to consult with civil rights organizations, universities, and other entities that have also been gathering evidence in these cold cases;


• Provides clearer direction and improved coordination between federal, state, and local law enforcement and the activists, advocates, and academics working on these issues;


• Strengthens the Department of Justice’s reporting requirements;


• Expands the time span of cases to be considered by ten years, to include all cases that occurred not later than December 31, 1979;


• Eliminates the sunset provision in the original bill;


• Encourages the Department of Justice to review specific closed cases that warrant further investigation;


• ·Maintains the • Clarifies the law’s intent. previous


investigation structure and funding levels; and


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