Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was a leader in the Civil Rights Movement and a champion of racial equality. In the years leading up to his assassination in 1968, he became increasingly vocal in his call for reparations for the Negro People, who later became known as African Americans.  Those people had been subjected to centuries of slavery, discrimination, and abuse.

Dr. King acknowledged the need for reparations for the Negro People. He argued that the United States had a moral obligation to provide financial compensation to the descendants of slaves; who had been denied basic human rights, and who's labor & wealth were stolen from them.

Dr. King believed that reparations were necessary not only to address the historical injustices that had been inflicted upon the Negro People, but also to address the ongoing economic disparities that still existed between whites and blacks. He argued that without reparations, African Americans would continue to be disadvantaged and marginalized in American society.

Dr. King's call for reparations was met with resistance from many quarters, including the federal government and the white community.  Despite this resistance his message resonated with many African Americans, and his call for reparations remained a quiet topic among African Americans in the years following Dr. King's assassination.

Today, the issue of reparations for African Americans is still met with resistance from the United States Government, many in the white community, and recent immigrant groups. Some have argued that reparations is a necessary step towards healing the wounds of the past, and others arguing that it is an unfair burden on present-day Americans who had no involvement in past injustices.  It has to be understood that those who currently oppose reparations are continuing to exercise violence against American Americans by ignoring the legacy of slavery and devaluing the countless lives that were exploited and lost under the despicable systems of Cattle Slavery and Jim Crow in the U.S. 

The United States Government owes a debt to the descendants of U.S. Slavery.  To deny African Americans reparations is a continuation of denying the humanity of the Negro People that built this nation. It was the thief of the Negro People and their wealth that built the vast wealth of the United States. There is only one solution to correct the condition of African Americans; which was created by the United States Government, and that is to return the stolen wealth of the Negro People to their descendants via reparations in the form of cash payments, legislative protections, and enforcement of punishment for anti-black racism.

Cold weather can be harsh on our skin, causing it to become dry, red, and chapped. This is because cold temperatures cause the blood vessels in our skin to constrict, reducing the flow of blood and nutrients to the skin. As a result, our skin loses moisture and becomes dry and brittle.

In addition to causing dryness, cold weather can also lead to other skin problems such as eczema and dermatitis. These conditions cause the skin to become inflamed and itchy, which can be uncomfortable and even painful.
One way to prevent skin damage from cold weather is by using a moisturizer. Moisturizers help to keep the skin hydrated by forming a protective barrier on the surface of the skin. This barrier helps to trap moisture in the skin and prevent it from evaporating, keeping the skin hydrated and healthy.

In addition to using moisturizer, there are other steps you can take to protect your skin from the damaging effects of cold weather. For example, you can avoid taking long, hot showers, which can strip the skin of its natural oils. You can also avoid using harsh soaps and cleansers, which can further dry out the skin. And, of course, you should always wear gloves and a hat when you go outside in cold weather, to protect your skin from the cold air.
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Cold weather can be harmful to our skin, causing it to become dry, red, and chapped. Using moisturizer can help to prevent this damage by keeping the skin hydrated and protected. By taking these steps, you can keep your skin healthy and comfortable during the cold winter months.

When you think about setting health goals, it’s tempting to start with ones that are major and
life-changing. There’s nothing wrong with setting big goals, but the best way to make your goals
achievable is by taking smaller actions, one at a time, to incorporate healthier habits into your
everyday life. Doing this successfully starts with knowing yourself - and how healthy habits can
work for you.

Know Your Health Needs
Putting your health first actually starts with knowing what your personal health needs are. The
best way to do this is by getting regular healthcare, including checkups. Seeing your doctor and
dentist gives you a baseline so you know what your overall health is, and where you can
improve.
Some people have underlying issues like depression or anxiety and don’t even realize how
they’re related to other aspects of their health. For example, dental health is an area that is
connected to your mental health, and it’s common for people who have depression to also have
poor oral hygiene. There are several reasons why this happens, but part of the problem is
lowered executive function, which is basically what controls decision making and reasoning.
Getting a dental checkup can help you address these issues, starting with getting any dental
work done that’s needed and looking at your eating habits.

It’s easier to stay on top of dental care and other medical checkups when you know what your
insurance benefits are. Staying informed about your health insurance is especially important for
seniors because Medicare plans can change annually. The good news is that many Medicare
Advantage plans, such as those offered through UnitedHealthcare, provide complete health
coverage that includes dental and vision care, on top of access to fitness centers around the
country. Because health plans change, it’s important for everyone, including seniors, to learn
about your benefits so you can get the most out of your coverage.

Know What You Like
Knowing yourself is half the battle when it comes to making healthy living choices. This doesn’t

1. mean you shouldn’t try new things - you should! But it means you shouldn’t force something that

isn’t working. So if you set a goal to start jogging, but you dread hitting the pavement every day,
that may not be the best exercise for you. Instead, try some fitness activities that really seem
fun. And remember that exercise isn’t limited to the gym. If you love to dance, take 10 minutes
each day and have your own personal dance party in your living room.
Along the same lines, it’s hard to stick with healthy eating when you look at your diet in terms of
deprivation. Instead of focusing on what you can’t have, focus on eating plenty of what you like
that’s also good for you. Harvard Health Publishing recommends keeping track of how many
fruits and vegetables you eat in a day. Once you do that, find creative ways to add one more
serving each day. Focus on the ones you love, and find new recipes to keep things interesting.
You may discover that you love fruit smoothies in the morning or crunching on carrots and
hummus in the afternoon.
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Know Your Schedule
No matter how much you love a certain recipe, it’s hard to stay on track if you don’t have room
in your schedule to cook. It’s important to be realistic about your schedule and how you can
make healthy habits fit into it. One way to do this is by meal planning. The Kitchn explains how
meal planning doesn’t have to be complicated or take a long time. Once you get the hang of it,
meal planning is the ideal way to work healthy meals into your regular life.
The underlying requirement for all of these habits is that, to make them stick, you have to work
with who you are, not against yourself. You aren’t trying to change who you are! You’re just
changing how you do some things in a way that truly works for you.

Many people never took the time to investigate or never cared to learn about what is in the lip balm of their favorite brands.
​When you take the time to think about it, we all should care about the substance  we put on our lips and give our mouths exposure to.
Because the ingredients used in lip balm is important to us we want to call attention to our ingredients versus the leading lip balm brands.
Ash Kickin Lip Balm uses all natural, non-toxic ingredients that are safe for skin.  Our lip balm use 3 simple ingredients: Beeswax, Lanolin, and Rice Bran Oil.
Chapstick Lip Balm uses an extensive list of ingredients, some of which you can't even pronounce: Arachidyl propionate, camphor, carnauba wax, cattle alcohol, fragrance, isopropyl lanolate, isopropyl myristate, lanolin, light mineral oil, menthol, methylparaben, octyldodecanol, paraffin, phenyl trimethicone, propylparaben, red 6 lake, saccharin, white wax.
Now that we have laid all the cards out on the table, the choice is yours.  Which product would you rather put on your lips?
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