Happily Divorced And After

2.7 Million Total Viewers Watch Lifetime’s ‘The Clark Sisters: First Ladies of Gospel’ Email from Vaughn Alvarez: 2.7 Million Total Viewers Watch Lifetime’s ‘The Clark Sisters: First Ladies of Gospel’

LOS ANGELES, CA—- Hallelujah! The Lifetime Original Movie  The Clark Sisters: First Ladies of Gospel  hit a high note on Saturday night, delivering 2.7 million Total Viewers in L+SD, according to Nielsen Media Research, making it Lifetime’s highest-rated movie since 2016 and the strongest original movie on all of television for 2020 across key demos, including both broadcast and cable. Additionally, The Clark Sisters was the best ad-supported cable original movie since 2018 in key demos, with 1.1 million Adults 25-54, 905,000 Adults 18-49 and 813,000 Women 25-54. With the success of The Clark Sisters, Lifetime now claims the top three original movies on ad-supported cable in 2020 in key demos, along with Stolen By My Mother: The Kamiyah Mobley Story and Chris Watts: Confessions of a Killer.

On social media, #TheClarkSisters ranked #1 across all TV on April 11 with over 700,000 interactions, according to Nielsen Social. #TheClarkSisters was the top social Lifetime movie over the last year.

Hailing from executive producers Queen Latifah , Mary J. Blige and Missy Elliott , The Clark Sisters: First Ladies of Gospel recounts the story of the legendary pioneers of contemporary gospel music and their trailblazing mother, Mattie Moss Clark ( Aunjanue Ellis ). Credited with bringing Gospel music to the mainstream, the five Clark sisters (Christina Bell as “Twinkie,” Kierra Sheard as “Karen,” Raven Goodwin as “Denise,” Sheléa Frazier as “Dorinda,” Angela Birchett as “Jacky”) overcame humble beginnings in Detroit, enduring abuse, loss, rejection, betrayal, and sibling rivalries to achieve international fame as icons of the Gospel music industry. Grammy-winner, songwriter and gospel record producer and artist Donald Lawrence produced all the re-recorded Clark Sister hits for the movie. Christine Swanson (Chicago P.D.) directed, based on a script written by Sylvia L. Jones and Camille Tucker . In addition to Latifah, Blige, and Elliott, executive producers also include Holly Carter who also executive produces for Relevé Entertainment and Shakim Compere executive produces for Flavor Unit. Loretha Jonesalso executive produced. 

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Will the 2020 Census change the course of history for the Black community?

By David Tucker

Every 10 years, the United States Census Bureau works to conduct an accurate count of the nation’s population, as provided for under the U.S. Constitution. This decennial count – which is currently underway – is one of our nation’s most inclusive civic activities, including every person living in the country, regardless of age, race, ethnicity, religion or citizenship.

An accurate count is essential to our democracy and our community’s growth because the data helps determine how much federal funding and political representation each state and community receives. Census results are used to determine political seats and draw district lines for all levels of government and to allocate hundreds of billions of dollars in federal spending nationwide for critical community resources like parks, infrastructure, health care, and support programs in education, housing grants and nutrition.

Black Americans have been systematically undercounted from the very first census, disadvantaging Black communities and neighborhoods, and silencing our voices. An inaccurate census count can negatively impact community programming for schools, housing, health care services, business investment and much more.

The first census count in 1790 deliberately listed only the names of the heads of free Black households, while all other free persons were listed by age. By the 1860 census, at the start of the Civil War, the Black population increased to 4.4 million, about 14 percent of the overall population of the country. Yet, the explicit undercount of the Black population continued until the first post-Civil War census in 1870, following granting citizenship and equal civil and legal rights to African Americans and slaves under the Fourteenth Amendment. 

Over the following century, explicit discrimination was outlawed – but systemic discrimination persisted. Even today, the Census continues to disproportionately and systematically undercount the Black population. Black men have been undercounted in greater numbers than men of any other racial or ethnic group. In 2010, Black children were undercounted at twice the rate as a young non-Black child, affecting the funding for programs designed to serve children and families, like Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Programs and the National School Lunch Program. Even as the 2010 census overcounted the population as a whole, it undercounted the Black population by more than 800,000 people.

Certainly, there are social and economic problems that make the Black community hard-to-count, including increased rates of housing instability, industrialized incarceration, homelessness, and even lack of internet access. And a deep distrust of government and concerns about privacy only make things worse.

This means many in the Black community are “missing” in their own communities, hiding in plain sight – even to this day.

These are unprecedented times. So, we must come together to ensure that Black communities are seen, heard and counted.

That starts by ensuring people know what to do to participate: You can go to my2020census.gov right now to fill out the form. It’s a simple, confidential nine-question survey that asks for basic information like your name, address, sex, race, and age. For those who prefer to fill out the form over the phone, you can dial 844-330-2020 to participate.

And don’t forget, your responses to the Census are protected by law and cannot be shared with, or used by, any other government agencies. Answers cannot be used for law enforcement purposes or to determine eligibility for government benefits or immigration enforcement. 

Black Californians deserve a fair and accurate census count in 2020. Our democracy relies on accurate data to make sound decisions that reflect our country’s needs. An accurate representation of our communities in the census will allow Black Americans to have a greater influence over resources and representation and the ability to hold lawmakers accountable. The Black community has an opportunity to change the history of the census in 2020 and participate in record numbers – let’s seize this moment. 

Specimen collection for COVID-19 testing to be held in Montclair

County Public Health will conduct a community drive-through sample collection event for novel coronavirus (COVID-19) testing in Montclair on Tuesday, April 14.

LOCATION: Montclair Place

ADDRESS: 5060 E. Montclair Plaza Lane, Montclair

TIME: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

This event is open to San Bernardino County residents by appointment only. Residents can request an appointment at http://wp.sbcounty.gov/dph/coronavirus/ at 2 p.m. on Monday, April 13. Residents that cannot access the form online can call the COVID-19 hotline at (909) 387-3911 and staff can assist in completing the request form.

This event is free of charge and does not require health insurance. All persons will be pre-screened upon completing the appointment request form to ensure that all persons meet testing criteria.

Additional community drive-through events are scheduled through this month in Yucaipa, Big Bear Lake, Joshua Tree, and Rancho Cucamonga. Additional events are being planned for Twentynine Palms, San Bernardino, and Victorville. Visit http://wp.sbcounty.gov/dph/coronavirus/ to see the upcoming events under the newly added Community Drive-Through Events drop-down menu.

COVID-19 testing events for San Bernardino County residents have already been held at the National Orange Show Events Center in San Bernardino, the San Bernardino County Fairgrounds in Victorville, and Arrowhead Regional Medical Center in Colton. More than 6,000 people have been tested for COVID-19 in San Bernardino County. As of today, there are 729 positive cases of COVID-19 in the county and 24 deaths have been attributed to the disease.

The County is actively pursuing testing resources for COVID-19 both domestically and internationally in order to increase capacity for community testing. The process has required research and evaluation that has resulted in several pending orders for thousands of serology (antibody) and extraction test kits for use throughout the county.  Meanwhile the County continues to receive testing supplies from commercial laboratories to support drive thru test sites.  New test kit products are evaluated on a daily basis and the County is confident that even more testing solutions will be available in the near future.

For information about the coronavirus crisis, visit the County’s coronavirus website at sbcovid19.com. New information and resources are updated daily. The public can also contact the COVID-19 hotline from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday at (909) 387-3911, or email the County at coronavirus@dph.sbcounty.gov.

Born in the murder capital of the country, Vada Manager rises to become Wall Street dealmaker

By Curtis Bunn ,Urban News Service, A Division of Zenger News 

Vada O. Manager found his purpose in his East St. Louis childhood. Amid the trappings of inner-city life, where crime and poverty dominated, he was inspired to achieve.

The president and CEO of Manager Global Consulting Group—who has traveled the world as an executive for Nike and Levi’s—sees that journey as more than about his own success. 

Manager, now 58, resisted the pull of crime that permeated his city and lured and devastated many of his classmates.

“Despite what challenges were all around me, [I] still had to find a way, either through education, spirituality or like-minded friends/family to persevere and succeed,” he said. “My story, like many others, demonstrates that it isn’t how you start in life, it is how you finish. I had great family support—albeit a single mother and grandparents who helped raise me.”

The teachings of his mother and grandparents helped him reject a life of trouble. He participated in school organizations, often alongside award-winning film producer Reginald Hudlin, who directed Eddie Murphy in “Boomerang” and worked on “Django Unchained.”

“I could not have imagined all that when we represented SWAPO back in our Model UN days,” Hudlin said, referring to the Namibian political party South West African People’s Organization. “But I’m not surprised either.”

Manager would serve as former Washington, D.C. Mayor Sharon Pratt Kelly’s press secretary, and advise the late South African President Nelson Mandela and U.S. President Barack Obama. he sees his story as a barometer for black and brown young people who feel limited by their circumstances.

Vada Manager, left, helped advise South African President Nelson Mandela, center. Manager also was the press secretary for Washington, D.C. Mayor Sharon Pratt Kelly, right. (photo courtesy Vada Manager)

“I keep a sense of history in mind,” Manager said. “Having the privilege of serving President Mandela, even in a small capacity, was a historic moment as both his release from prison and the eradication of apartheid were the most pressing global priorities at the time.”

That’s a long way from where Hudlin and Manager met in high school.

“We quickly bonded over shared values: a drive to succeed, a deep interest in politics, and a healthy sense of humor,” Hudlin told Zenger News. “All three qualities have served us well over time. Vada has an amazing life, working in government and the private sector, serving on boards, advising high profile clients, and raising a beautiful family with his wonderful wife. He’s a success story in every sense of the word.”

(Photo courtesy of Vada Manager)

Manager attended Arizona State University, and is now the school’s first African American trustee. The companies that make up his business invest in hotel and hospitality companies, along with strategic consulting, real estate and parking services.

“With President Obama, while I never served in his administration, I was an early donor when he came to Arizona and we had lunch with a small group to make a compelling case for governing,” he said. “I consider my contribution [to his presidential exploratory committee] after that lunch one of best investments in our civil society that I have ever made.”

He participated in mergers and acquisitions work at Nike when it bought Converse, Starter and Umbro. He joined the board of Ashland Inc., thanks to a recommendation from former Honeywell executive Mannie Jackson, who helped the Harlem Globetrotters emerge from bankruptcy.

Manager is turning his sights toward Hollywood, advising a project that debuted in January at the Sundance Film Festival.

Manager hopes his story encourages black youths to resist difficult circumstances. East St. Louis, which is 95 percent black, had America’s highest murder rate last year and has a low high school graduation rate. When Manager, who has great pride in his hometown, was growing up, the city’s residents faced crime and poverty but not to the same degree. 

He said he carried a burden in corporate America that many African Americans would recognize.

“The duality of successful African American men and women in America is that you have to be twice as competent, uphold the race and still be able to authentically be yourself and relate to your people,” Manager said. 

“It is a heavy mandate, which each person has to interpret for themselves.”

Business Survival Tips for COVID-19 “Peak Week”

By Liz Elting

Keep a cool head. 

“We’ve been warned to expect a huge surge in mortality in the very near future, and it cannot be overstated how hard it will be to cope with. It’s critical you keep your composure, especially right now, because emotional decision-making is often bad decision-making. Focus on the data, not the news; you can’t control the mortality numbers, but you can control your own internal processes and strategies. Now is not the time to panic; rather, it’s time to hunker down and hold fast.”

Protect your employees. “Joblessness is spiking in a way we’ve never seen since unemployment insurance record-keeping began in the 1960s, and that’s got to have your team’s anxiety spiking too. People need assurances that their jobs are safe, even in the midst of this, as much as is realistically possible. Luckily, the CARES Act has created a system for paycheck protection loans designed to alleviate layoffs. If you’re in a position where you may have to begin letting people go at this worst possible time, it’s worth looking into whether or not your business qualifies.”

Maintain normal operations as much as possible. “There is always work to do. Emails need answering, clients need servicing, files need maintenance, even birthdays need celebrating. You and your people alike need normalcy, and the best way to maintain that is to keep chugging along. We’re all stuck at home in the midst of an onslaught of bad news, and we need to stay occupied. Thankfully, there’s no shortage of things that need doing. Work especially hard to keep your team focused this week, and the machinery working. This isn’t going to last forever.”

Show up for your clients. “There remains in the middle of this mess very real business opportunities, and I’m not talking about price-gouging or profiteering. Your clients are still out there, and they’re as scared and uncertain as you are. Times of great stress and difficulty can foster even stronger partnerships. Be there for your clients. Start looking for ways you can provide them with a solution to their problems; how has the pandemic affected their lives and their businesses in ways you are uniquely suited to relieve? Building client loyalty has never been more important because everyone is cutting costs. If you’re able to anticipate and meet the unique needs of your clients during these times, you’re far less vulnerable to lost business.”

Lead with hope and positivity. “These are uncertain times, but they will not last forever. The worst will pass, the clouds will part, and we’ll all return to our lives. It’s up to you to keep that candle lit in this darkness, for yourself and your team, so that you all remember that there is a tomorrow, a light at the end of this tunnel, and we’re going to make it there together.”

Sources inside California Institution for Women report a COVID-19 infection; prison locks down in response

Courts fail to compel Governor Newsom to release elderly and medically vulnerable people from prison as coronavirus cases rapidly increase 

People incarcerated in the California Institution for Women (CIW) report that as of April 7th, the entire prison has been locked down as a response to a new COVID-19 infection. This comes 48 hours after sources within CIW reported that staff from the men’s prison (California Institution for Men)––where 16 positive cases of COVID-19 have already been confirmed––had been moving back and forth between both prisons without taking appropriate safety precautions. 53 California prison officials have now tested positive for the coronavirus.

“Staff are not taking it as seriously here,” said a woman incarcerated at CIW prison, who wished to remain anonymous. “They cough without covering their mouths, most wear no face coverings at all and they cluster on the yard in groups of five or six, high fiving and hugging each other.”  

On April 4th, a federal court panel denied a motion to compel prison officials to release elderly and medically vulnerable people at-risk from the coronavirus, even as confirmed cases reported by CDCR continue to rise. While ruling that releasing prisoners to protect them from COVID-19 was beyond their authority to decide, the judges admonished lawyers for the state. “The current circumstances appear to expose, in stark terms, the potential need to revisit the current population cap,” said U.S. District Judge Kimberly Mueller.

Another federal judge asked that lawyers for the state provide information on the 3,500 people Governor Newsom said he plans to release who are within 60 days of their parole date, and to show if that number could be potentially tripled to include incarcerated people who are within 6 months of their release date. “I don’t see any difference between 180 days and 60 days, in terms of public safety,” said U.S. District Judge Jon Tigar, as reported by the L.A. Times. “I see proximate release dates as low-hanging fruit.” 

Community advocates balked at the expanded numbers, maintaining they are insufficient to meaningfully address the COVID-19 crisis. “Releasing 10,000 people is not enough,” said Amber-Rose Howard, Executive Director of Californians United for a Responsible Budget (CURB). “37% of the total prison population have at least one health factor that the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says put them at risk for COVID-19. That’s at least 46,000 people. Governor Newsom calls himself a progressive, yet he’s using fear-based, ‘tough on crime’ rhetoric right out of the Republican playbook. People in prison are someone’s father, mother, sister or brother. Keeping them there without inadequate protection from the coronavirus is potentially a death sentence. Governor Newsom placed a moratorium on the death penalty in California because he recognized that it’s fundamentally unjust. We need him to show that kind of leadership now.”

ONTARIO IMPOSES TEMPORARY MORATORIUM ON EVICTIONS DURING CORONAVIRUS CRISIS

The Ontario City Council on Tuesday approved a temporary moratorium on evictions for nonpayment of rent by residential or commercial tenants adversely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The moratorium, which also applies to storage unit patrons, protects tenants who cannot make their rental payments for any of the following reasons:

  • The tenant is unable to work while sick with a suspected or confirmed case of COVID-19 or must care for a household or family member with a suspected or confirmed case of the virus.
    • The tenant experiences a layoff, loss of hours or other income reduction resulting from COVID-19, the City’s local emergency declaration, or related government response.
    • The tenant must miss work to care for a child whose school was closed in response to COVID-19.

The eviction moratorium builds on the protocol established by the state of California to prohibit the removal of residents at the very time they’re being instructed to stay in their homes. It

does not forgive rental payments, but provides breathing room for tenants who fall under one of the covered reasons while the City is under its state of local emergency. All missed rental payments are due to the landlord within six months of the emergency being lifted.

The moratorium provides tenants with a tool they can use in an unlawful detainer proceeding. It does not apply to eviction proceeding begun before the local emergency was declared. Tenants would need to provide verifiable documentation that they meet one of the qualifying standards. On March 14, Ontario was among the first cities in San Bernardino County to declare a local state of emergency and implemented a comprehensive COVID-19 emergency response plan to minimize the risk of exposure, anticipate potential vulnerabilities and act quickly and responsibly to any new developments.

For updates on the City’s COVID-19 response efforts, including the eviction moratorium, please visit: www.ontarioca.gov/coronavirus

Hydration Awareness: 10 Ways to Be ‘Water Wise’ (Even While Sheltering in Place)

Water 101: Guidance from the CDC, USDA, Mayo Clinic, Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and other top-tier experts and physicians on proper hydration, dehydration avoidance

Water. We all need it—and know we need it—for optimum health and wellness, but a shocking few live daily lives in a properly hydrated state and certainly not with appropriate consistency. One doctor-driven report revealed that fully 75 percent, a staggering three-fourths majority, of Americans may suffer from chronic dehydration. It went on to underscore that, “Over time, failure to drink enough water can contribute to a wide array of medical complications, from fatigue, joint pain and weight gain to headaches, ulcers, high blood pressure and kidney disease.” Apparently, this is the tip of the proverbial dehydration-induced illness iceberg.

“During a normal day, we lose about two liters of water just through breathing, sweat and other bodily functions,” notes board certified internist Dr. Blanca Lizaola-Mayo. “Even while asleep, we can lose over one kilogram (2.2 pounds) of water-weight not just through sweating, but respiration as well. Even air conditioning has drying effects on our body. The health implications of dehydration are vast and can range from mild to severe, including problems with the heart, blood pressure and breathing, headaches and cognitive issues like concentration … just to name a few. Those who’ve felt that ‘afternoon slump’ should know that dehydration is the number one cause of daytime fatigue. And, it’s important to understand that when we first start to sense thirst, we are already close to two percent dehydrated.”

For all of its importance, proper hydration is a delicate balance to uphold. An Institute of Medicine report cited the fragility of keeping the body duly hydrated, noting, “Over the course of a few hours, body water deficits can occur due to reduced intake or increased water losses from physical activity and environmental (e.g., heat) exposure.” So, a perfectly hydrated body can tip the scales into a dehydrated state in a fairly short amount of time, whether actively (as with exercising), or passively (as with breathing). 

Understanding there are commonplace facets of our collective lifestyles that put us at a higher risk of developing mild to severe dehydration, here are some insights and tips from preeminent health experts help you stay happily hydrated:

How Much Water Do You Need? 
According to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, “Many factors impact how much water you need, including your age, gender, activity level and overall health. For women, the amount of total water is about 11.5 cups per day and for men about 15.5 cups. These estimates, however, include fluids consumed from both foods and beverages, including water. You typically get about 20 percent of the water you need from the food you eat. Taking that into account, women need about nine cups of fluid per day and men about 12.5 cups in order to help replenish the amount of water that is lost.”

What Are Common Causes of Dehydration?
According to the Mayo Clinic, “Sometimes dehydration occurs for simple reasons: You don’t drink enough because you’re sick or busy, or because you lack access to safe drinking water when you’re traveling, hiking or camping.” While certainly not all-inclusive, known causes for dehydration can encompass sweating from exercise and playing a sport; air travel; traversing in overly hot, humid, cold or windy weather conditions; drinking too much coffee and other diuretic beverages; recovering from a hangover; and a litany of other relatively commonplace daily activities.

Do All Fluids Hydrate the Body?
No. The Cleveland Clinic is very clear with its advisory that “Some beverages are better than others at preventing dehydration,” and that “alcoholic and caffeinated beverages, such as coffee, teas and colas, are not recommended for optimal hydration. These fluids tend to pull water from the body and promote dehydration. Fruit juice and fruit drinks may have too many carbohydrates, too little sodium, and may upset the stomach. Adequate hydration will keep your summer activities safer and much more enjoyable.”

What Are Some Benefits of Proper Hydration?
While the benefits of a properly hydrated body are copious, the CDC points to a few top-line health advantages, including keeping your temperature normal; lubricating and cushioning joints, protecting your spinal cord and other sensitive tissues; and getting rid of wastes through urination, perspiration and bowel movements. Healthline also offers a number of evidence-based health benefits of drinking plenty of water, which include maximizing physical performance; optimized energy levels and mood; and aiding digestion and elimination. Be mindful of water intake, however, as Dr. Lizaola-Mayo warns, “Drinking too much water or fluid can lead to hyponatremia, which causes sodium in the cells to become diluted and too low and can be dangerous—and even life threatening—if untreated.”

What Are Signs of Early or Mild Dehydration?
The Rehydration Project non-profit organization says that “the degree of dehydration is graded according to signs and symptoms that reflect the amount of fluid lost. In the early stages of dehydration, there are no signs or symptoms. Early features are difficult to detect, but include dryness of mouth and thirst. As dehydration increases, signs and symptoms develop.” According to the organization, symptoms of early or mild dehydration include the following: flushed face; extreme thirst; consuming more than normal or the inability to drink; dry, warm skin; the inability to pass urine or reduced amounts (dark, yellow); dizziness made worse when standing; weakness; cramping in the arms and legs; crying with few or no tears; sleepiness or irritableness; sickness; headaches; dry mouth or dry tongue with thick saliva.

What Are Signs of Moderate to Severe Dehydration?
The Rehydration Project also denotes that symptoms of moderate to severe dehydration include low blood pressure; fainting; severe muscle contractions in the arms, legs, stomach, and back; convulsions; a bloated stomach; heart failure; sunken fontanelle—soft spot on a infants head; sunken dry eyes with few or no tears; skin loses its firmness and looks wrinkled; lack of elasticity of the skin (when a bit of skin lifted up stays folded and takes a long time to go back to its normal position); rapid and deep breathing (faster than normal); and a fast, weak pulse. They say that, “In severe dehydration, these effects become more pronounced and the patient may develop evidence of hypovolemic shock, including diminished consciousness; lack of urine output; cool moist extremities; a rapid and feeble pulse (the radial pulse may be undetectable); low or undetectable blood pressure; and peripheral cyanosis. Death follows soon if rehydration is not started quickly.”

Who is At Greatest Risk of Dehydration?
No one is immune to a dehydrated condition, but certain populations are at greater risk. The Mayo Clinic indicates that these vulnerable groups include infants and children, older adults, those with chronic illnesses and people who work or exercise outside. Serious complications can ensue, which they point out can include heat injury (ranging in severity from mild cramps to heat exhaustion or potentially life-threatening heatstroke); urinary tract infections, kidney stones and even kidney failure; seizures due to electrolyte imbalance, sometimes with a loss of consciousness; and low blood volume (hypovolemic) shock.  They say it’s time to call your doctor if you or a loved one “has had diarrhea for 24 hours or more; is irritable or disoriented and much sleepier or less active than usual; can’t keep down fluids; and/or has bloody or black stool.”

How Can You Be a Water-Wise Shopper?
The USDA recommends consumers shop smartly, advising us to “Use the Nutrition Facts label to choose beverages at the grocery store. The food label and ingredients list contain information about added sugars, saturated fat, sodium and calories to help you make better choices.”  There are also highly efficacious and economical dehydration avoidance and treatment innovations that can be integrated into one’s lifestyle and used on a daily basis. The experts at SOS Hydration explain that their medically-formulated drink-mix powder accelerates hydration equivalent to an I.V. drip, rehydrating the body fully three-times faster than by drinking water alone. This unique product’s heightened hydration process leverages the body’s digestive “sodium/glucose co-transport system”—an Oral Rehydration Therapy (ORT) endorsed by the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF.

Can Foods Help You Stay Hydrated?
Yes, the body intakes hydration not only from water and other liquids, but foodstuffs as well—some boasting as much 90 percent water content. According to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, those in the 90-100 percent water content range include fruits like cantaloupe, strawberries and watermelon; as well as vegetables like lettuce, cabbage, celery, spinach and cooked squash. The organization further states that options with a 70 to 89 percent water content include fruits like bananas, grapes, oranges, pears and pineapples; vegetables such as carrots, cooked broccoli and avocados; and dairy products like yogurt, cottage cheese and ricotta cheese. For drinks, the good folks at EatRight.org advise we focus on unsweetened beverages, like water, in order to limit calories from added sugars, and to use strategies to increase water intake—like adding a flavor enhancer. For this, a fruit-flavored rehydration accelerant like the SOS Hydration drink mix can do tasty double duty.

Can Sports Drinks Actually Undermine Hydration?
Yes. Why pay extra money for excess sugar when what you really need are electrolytes?  Dr. Lizaola-Mayo says that, “in truth, only a very small amount of sugar is required to help transport electrolytes and water into the cells as part of the sodium glucose co-transport system. In fact, this system is most effective when it utilizes one molecule of sugar and one molecule of sodium in combination, which helps create the fastest and most effective way to transport water into the cells for hydration. Even water rehydration and other drinks that do actually claim to utilize the sodium glucose co-transport system have been shown to contain excess sugar to enhance taste, apparently discounting the fact that that this added sugar commensurately increases calorie count and actually undermines cellular H2O absorption. If there is excess sugar in a drink, even one engineered as a rehydration solution, then you can trigger reverse osmosis. This process occurs when there is an incorrect balance of sugar to sodium. Sodium always follows sugar and water always follows sodium. In a drink that is correctly balanced (utilizing the sodium glucose co-transport system) then the water and electrolytes optimally flow into the cells.  In high sugar “rehydration” drinks there is too much sugar for the quantity of sodium and, as such, sodium and then water is actually leeched from the cells and passed out of the body as urine.  This can actually cause dehydration—the opposite effect for a rehydration or sports beverage one has spent their hard-earned dollars to purchase.”

So whether indoors or out, active or at rest, suffering illness or perfectly healthy, one thing is clear: Keeping your water sources well at hand and ingesting with regularity (and consistency) can have a profoundly beneficial effect on your health and well-being. It’s one easy and highly accessible assist for a multitude of maladies.

~~~

Sources:

https://www.medicaldaily.com/75-americans-may-suffer-chronic-dehydration-according-doctors-247393

https://www.nap.edu/read/10925/chapter/6

https://www.eatright.org/food/nutrition/healthy-eating/how-much-water-do-you-need

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/7-health-benefits-of-water

https://rehydrate.org/dehydration/index.html#symptoms

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/dehydration/symptoms-causes/syc-20354086

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/9013-dehydration

https://www.cdc.gov/healthywater/drinking/nutrition/index.html

https://www.choosemyplate.gov/ten-tips-make-better-beverage-choices

https://www.mashed.com/135553/the-untold-truth-of-gatorade/

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9780323462150000203

April 15 Tax Day Postponed until July 15, 2020

SACRAMENTO, CA—- Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, FTB’s Tax Day’s media availability has been postponed from April 15 until Wednesday, July 15, 2020.

FTB postponed until July 15 the filing and payment deadlines for all individuals and business entities including:

  • 2019 tax returns
  • 2019 tax return payments
  • 2020 1st and 2nd quarter estimate payments
  • 2020 LLC taxes and fees
  • 2020 Non-wage withholding payments

More information regarding media availability for the Tax Day event at FTB will be released as the July 15 Tax Day approaches. We look forward to welcoming the media interviews then.

Click here  for more information about extensions to file and pay and COVID- 19 FAQ’s.

“Say to Them, As I Live, Saith the Lord God…”

By Lou Yeboah

“…I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn ye, turn ye, from your evil ways, for, why will ye die…?” [Ezekiel 33:11]. There is no reason for you to perish; there is no reason for you to die in your sin. Why do you insist on doing things your way? Why do insist on being disobedience? “I will not tolerate this stubborn, hard head stiff-necked spirit any longer.” Repent and live! Don’t be one of the multitudes of people who will lift up their eyes from Hell, crying out as they remember the “random” incidences where the Holy Spirit tried to reach them. I have provided a way of escape for you. Take it! If you don’t you will reap the consequences of your choice.  It will be Hell before going to Hell!”

For years now I have shown such long-suffering towards you, just as I did Sodom, restraining My anger, giving you much time to repent and change your ways, but naw, you insist on doing things your way. You are just like Jehoram, who knew the path to take, but chose not to walk in it. As a consequence of his choice, his end was the most pathetic and dishonorable of any of the other kings of Judah. [2 Chronicles 21:12-15]

Listen, and listen very carefully. If you do not make some radical decisions NOW, and set your face like flint to walk another way. If you go on yielding to the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the boastful pride of life as your way of life, you will get just what sin warrant? Death! Do not be misled – My justice will not be mocked. I will judge you according to your ways, and I will repay you for all your abominations. My eye will not spare you, nor will I have pity… [Ezekiel 7:3-8]. Know ye not that the unrighteous; nor fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortion, shall inherit the kingdom of God…” [1Corinthians 6: 9-10]. Behold, NOW is “THE ACCEPTABLE TIME,” behold, NOW is “THE DAY OF SALVATION” [2 Corinthians 6:2].

“So, this I say therefore, and affirm together with the Lord, that you walk no longer just as the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their mind, being darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God…” [Ephesians 4: 17-21]. Understand, you may never have another day to repent in. Therefore, says the voice of wisdom, “REPENT NOW! Consider your “latter end,” and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal Savior.

“I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live: That thou mayest love the Lord thy God, and that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him: for He is thy life, and the length of thy days…” [Deuteronomy 30:19-20]