The Blackfoot Valley's News Source Since 1980
The Blackfoot Valley's News Source Since 1980
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As parents send their children into the new school year and teachers welcome them into the classroom, safety is on everyone's mind. When it comes to student safety, the Office of Public Instruction and Montana schools take a comprehensive approach. Student safety is not just school security, it is also promoting mental health, multi-tiered systems of student support, and building infrastructure. Student safety is a top priority at the OPI. That is why we have taken the lead...
Price controls are a primary hallmark of a socialist economy. When the government takes over in any market, bad things happen. Whether it is bread lines in the former USSR or the dire lack of medicines in today's Venezuela, price controls lead quickly to shortages, rationing, and worse. These are not consequences we want for our health care. Can you imagine telling a breast cancer patient there are no oncology appointments available until next year? Or what about a young...
In Montana, community health centers such as PureView Health Center specialize in whole-person care. Beginning with well-child visits, CHCs provide healthcare across the lifespan for many Montanans. Our model of healthcare begins with access. In addition to an open-door policy, CHCs are innovators: 100 percent of Montana CHCs use an electronic health record and 57 percent use telehealth, allowing us to reach as many patients as possible – 110,241 Montanans in 2018. Access t...
Note: This is excerpted from "The Missoula City Band: Stories in Time." By the mid-1890s, the City Band had emerged as the default 'go-to' organization in town for civic events. By 1894, it played at virtually every public function. On Oct. 17, 1894, Republicans opened their campaign at the new Bennett Opera House (across the street from the now razed historic Missoula Mercantile) with "the blaze of bonfires, the boom of anvils, and the melodious and stirring melodies by The...
As post-war baby boomers, most of us had parents who had suffered through the Great Depression, and then WWII. They faced the poverty of the 1930s and then the scarcity caused by rationing during the war. Both doing without and making do were part of our childhood culture. The 1950s were relatively affluent times, but the habits of constant economizing were so inculcated in the new parents of the day that we kids thought starvation was imminent. This philosophy elicited a lot...
Many of us know someone who has struggled with an addiction. Perhaps they have tried to quit smoking or are addicted to drugs like heroin or methamphetamine. The American Psychiatric Association defines addiction as a complex condition, a brain disease that is manifested by compulsive substance use despite harmful consequence. (1). Does substance addiction include food? Although food addiction is not included in the DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental...
The leaves fall early this autumn, in wind. The paired butterflies are already yellow with August. Over the grass in the West garden; They hurt me. I grow older. - Ezra Pound The River Merchant's Wife; A Lette (After Rihaku) I've been asked hundreds of times what attracted me to Brazil. I wonder myself. The easy going culture was important, certainly, but the main factor was the climate, which I think contributes to the relaxed ambiance of the entire nation. Those of us who...
The history of the Missoula City Band in many ways mirrors the history of Missoula, Montana. Since Missoula's virtual beginning – the time Montana was only a territory and not yet a state – the Missoula City Band played. Through two world wars and the Great Depression, through a surge of pioneers moving west and into contemporary times, its horns blew, reeds vibrated, drummers drummed and cymbals crashed. And our community has enjoyed many great performances. "The Mis...
Dear Dietitian, My teenage daughter was recently diagnosed with iron-deficiency anemia. She follows a vegan diet and has been taking a vegan supplement. Are these as good as regular iron pills? Mom Dear Mom, It is not uncommon for women of childbearing age to become iron deficient, especially if they have heavy menstrual periods. According to the US Department of Health and Human Services, iron deficiency is the most common nutritional deficiency and the leading cause of...
I spent a large part of my youth fishing: the Blackfoot River, Nevada Creek, Brown's Lake, the small creeks near Helmville, plus the pond behind our house. We fished for a large variety: natives, browns, rainbows, brooks, and bull trout, depending on which water we were on. A small creek about three miles from us produced buckets of small natives, so hungry even the smaller kids could catch them. The fish that we hooked lightly were put in water and hauled to our pond to be...
Biblically speaking the idea of “self-assurance” is one area of thinking that can lead to many problems. If we think that we are the source of all our blessings (material and immaterial) we do God a great injustice. The Israelites were warned about this in Deuteronomy 8: 11-18: “Beware that you do not forget the Lord your God by not keeping His commandments and His ordinances and His statutes which I am commanding you today; otherwise, when you have eaten and are satisfied, an...
As United States Senators representing the Big Sky state and Hawkeye country, older Montanans and Iowans keep a watchful eye on spending. Like millions of Americans across the country, they are mindful that they need to stretch their savings in order to pay the bills and uphold their quality of life in retirement. Whenever we hear from folks in Iowa or Montana, we hear widespread concern about the rising costs of prescription drugs. It’s particularly upsetting to find out some patients ration or skip doses of daily m...
Dear Dietitian, I have acid reflux and gastroparesis, both are under good control with medication. I drink water and sugar-free sports drinks, and I'm getting tired of them. Are there other drinks you would recommend? I do not have diabetes. Sharon Dear Sharon, It is not uncommon for those who have gastroparesis to also have gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). For those who are not familiar with gastroparesis, it is a condition where the actions of the stomach are slowed...
Dear Readers, You may have heard about an innovative approach to dietary intervention known as precision nutrition (PN). This approach includes individualized meal planning based on your DNA. It is more than what you eat, as it includes physical activity, sleep habits, family medical history, and your microbiome. Your microbiome is the collection of microorganisms (bacteria, fungi, viruses, and parasites) living in certain areas of your body, mostly in your intestines. The pur...
I have an old Peace Corps friend visiting for a few days. In 1972 we met in New Orleans, along with a group of 160 other new volunteers. The orientation took five days, then they put us on a chartered plane for Brazil. I don't remember how we picked each other out of the bunch of bright-eyed, naive, innocent others, but it didn't take long. Bruce and I were older than the horde of recent Purdue graduates, and the only ones who had military service in their background. The mili...
I knew my father was dead when the helicopter flew low over my house. The ambulance had gone past with lights and siren a few minutes before. I didn't look to see where it went, but I had a feeling. I stepped out my back door and watched the aircraft. When it settled at my father's house, I got my hat and my dog and drove the mile to the house where I was raised. There was no distress or panic. He was 92, and we knew he had a faulty valve in his heart. That morning, an MD...
Looking at some of the people in my life I realize that we are often our biggest barrier to a satisfying life. Most problems in my life have their beginning with the decisions Dave has made. Sure, some things come along that others bring into my life, and that means that person has created a problem that affects them, and me. The ripple-effect of sin courses through each of us. However, just because there are serious problems in life, doesn’t mean a person who has Jesus as the...
Dear Editor: I have been trapping Coyotes off and on for more than 50 years. I can put out a nummy bait. A coyote wit think about it a long time and may pass on a free meal. However, that little critter with the stripes down his back will never pass up a free meal. Now, which one is Democrat? Mike Dey Missoula...
Meatless Mondays for your school lunch program? Meat grown in a petri dish from a foreign lab? These are questions we need to ask Governor Bullock. By his executive order, Montana is now obligated to advance the goals of the Paris Climate Agreement. In order to meet the Paris objectives everything having a carbon footprint is on the table, including our beef industry. At present, U.S. meat consumption is about 222 pounds per person per year. Nationally the goal is to reduce...
Dear Readers, Do you get enough fruits, vegetables, and whole grains in your diet? Most of us don't. These foods are rich in vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber. Furthermore, research points to plant foods in the prevention of some diseases, such as heart disease and type 2 diabetes. If there is one thing nutrition experts agree on, it's that we need to eat more plant foods. Consider these helpful tips to create a healthier version of yourself: Rule #1 - Choose foods...
It was in Summer School where we Catholic kids learned catechism in preparation for our first communions and confirmations. Two nuns would come to Helmville each summer and teach for two weeks after regular school had been dismissed. One afternoon the nun read us the parable of Abraham and Isaac. According to the story, a voice from a burning bush told Abraham to sacrifice Isaac. As the nun read the story, I anticipated an ending in which Abraham would refuse to kill his...
Dear Dietitian, I enjoy a small glass of juice every morning at breakfast and was shocked to read that sugary drinks, even fruit juices, can increase the risk for cancer! Is this true? Jane Dear Jane, You are wise to question just about anything referring to nutrition in the media. Many headlines are attention-getting and even shocking, so let's take a look at the science. The NutriNet-Santé study, was a prospective, cohort study, which included over 100,000 participants,...
This subject may take several “Musings” to cover it, so if this interests you, you may want to keep this one so you can read them together. It seems to me that just about everyone of us is dealing with serious problems. Personal problems that fester, and grow in to physical, mental and spiritual cancers that poisons our minds and relationships. Life is about managing problems. The key is how we solve those problems, how do we come to resolution and understanding. First the...
There are many benefits available to Seniors. Programs disregard a small amount of money-if you are close to qualifying, consider applying. Rocky Mountain Development Council is coming to the Lincoln Senior Center Aug. 7, 2019 at 11 a.m. to tell you about the following programs and help you apply. Medicare Savings Program Part B Premium assistance Medicare Savings Program covers monthly Medicare premiums. There are three levels of assistance. QMB covers Medicare Part A & B premiums, deductibles and coinsurance. QMB acts as a...
Dear Readers, Eggs have made headlines again with a study recently published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA). Is it the incredible, edible egg or a food you should limit in your diet? As with many nutrition studies, the results go back and forth, which can be confusing and even frustrating for consumers. This study set out to find if egg consumption or dietary cholesterol increased the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and death. Nearly 30,000...