The Blackfoot Valley's News Source Since 1980
The Blackfoot Valley's News Source Since 1980
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God never send'th mouth but he sendeth meat. John Heywood c.1497 - c.1580 Via cell video calling I visited with some friends in Brazil this week. They were at a churrasco (shur-has'-ko), the ubiquitous weekend pastime of American picnics with roasted meat and drinks. They often include rice and beans with the meal, and it's not rare to see boiled mandioca. But it's just the meat, roasted on a spit over an open hardwood fire, that is the mandatory fare. And cold beer - there...
Dear Readers, Soon we will be celebrating one of America's favorite holidays, a day our ancestors set aside to give thanks for a plentiful harvest. It's a time to reconnect with friends and family we haven't seen in a while, with lots of food, fun, and football. Many of us will settle in for a big meal with turkey and dressing, and pumpkin pie. We may eat more than usual, become a bit drowsy, take a nap, wake up and eat some more! There has been an age-old tale that it's the...
Bless me father for I have sinned. My last elk hunt was several years ago. In Montana, elk hunting is akin to religion. You don't have to be a true believer, but a day spent chasing elk, following tracks in the snow, or even sitting in the woods and watching the natural world unfold can be as beautiful as time spent in a cathedral. Why, then, would someone renounce that? Good question. This is not to belittle anyone's beliefs in an afterlife, a Creator or sacred writings. Rath...
A man said to the Universe: "Sir, I exist!" "However," replied the Universe, "the fact has not created in me a sense of obligation." (Steven Crane, WAR IS KIND) COW A digestive tract, pierced at both ends. Rarely gives birth or milk. BULL 1,800 pounds of dubious genetic potential. $6,000 of sterility and lameness. CALF 80 pounds of hope when born; 500 pounds of disappointment when sold. DOG, (yours) An intelligent and loyal marvel, worth more than three people when working...
Dear Dietitian, I was recently hospitalized overnight for irritable bowel syndrome. The abdominal pain was treated, then I was released the next morning. I was not given any information on what diet I should follow. Can you help? Julie Dear Julie, A flare-up of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) can be very painful, but the good news is it can be well-managed with diet and lifestyle changes. IBS is a common intestinal disorder that affects 25-45 million Americans. It requires a...
The best of men That e'er wore earth about him, was a sufferer, A soft, meek, patient, humble, tranquil spirit, The first true gentleman that ever breathed. Thomas Dekker Growing up in a hunting household gave me a scale to judge how I was doing on my chronological path to adulthood. The scale was composed of regional animals, and the older I got, the bigger the animals I could hunt. I started with magpies when they were pests, then the next year I could hunt gophers on my...
As summer fades to fall many people start worrying about winter. I guess that is a natural thing for us to do. Each season brings about change, new responsibilities, and finding a new rhythm for life. For many people winter and the cold exacerbate physical problems like arthritis, or breathing issues due to the cold air. For some it is weight gain as depression hits and the junk food calls. You may have to get some over-due vehicle maintenance done to ensure there are no probl...
Dear Dietitian, I recently had surgery to correct a small bowel obstruction. I have been following a low fiber diet, but now I've been instructed to transition to a high fiber diet. My question is how much fiber do I need and should I increase it all at once? Betty Dear Betty, For readers who are not familiar, a small bowel obstruction (SBO) is just as it sounds; it's a blockage in the small intestine, and digested food cannot pass into the colon (large intestine). The...
Dear Readers, It is estimated that the common cold is responsible for 150 million missed workdays each year in the United States (1). With cold and flu season fast-approaching, many of us will be headed to the nutrition supplement aisle in an attempt to ward off these nasty viruses. But do these supplements really work? We investigated four of them, and this is what we found: Elderberry- In one small study, elderberry syrup given four times daily was found to improve symptoms...
"Blessed is the man who expects nothing, for he shall never be disappointed" - Alexander Pope. It was during the mid 1960's. I was 17 or 18, and Dan, my hunting partner, was a couple years younger. There weren't many elk in those days. I had killed one or two, but Dan had never gotten lucky. He was getting desperate. The way we hunted when elk were scarce was to pick up a fresh track in the snow, then follow it out until we caught up with the elk. Sometimes we killed the elk,...
I must say that I have really enjoyed the World Series so far this year. Of course, I am rooting for the Houston Astros and by now they may well be the champions. If not, they and the Washington Nationals are playing tonight in game 7. Either way it will be some fantastic baseball, many will be ecstatic, and many will be disappointed. Of course, we are sitting here with low temperatures and lots of snow starting to pile up; not exactly baseball weather is it? Again, many will...
Dear Readers: Have you ever endured the unpleasant experience of someone criticizing or ridiculing your food choices? One day at lunch, the dietitians were enjoying a party and dining on cheesy foods and rich desserts. A coworker passed by and commented, "Maybe you all should take your name tags off so no one knows that you all are dietitians." She thought it was funny; I didn't. It was actually a reader who brought this idea for a column to my attention. After much thought,...
I had been in Barra do Bugres, Mato Grosso for six months when they had to kill Pedrão. He was one of the four professional assassins, or pistoleiros I got to know during my six years in Brazil. I was never formally introduced to Pedrão, but saw him often in our small town. Over the years, I got to know three other shooters. They were all soft-spoken gentlemen, but Pedrão was different. He drank and could be a bully. He was always armed, as were a lot of people during th...
Dear Dietitian, I have a friend who drinks raw, unpasteurized milk. She claims it has many health benefits, and that pasteurization of milk is unnecessary. What do you think? Jim Dear Jim, The consumption of raw milk has gained popularity in recent years, and many people believe it is a healthier alternative to pasteurized milk. Let's take a look at what science says. Most of us are familiar with the term pasteurization, which is the process of heating food products like...
In September 1887, the railroad arrived at Fort Benton, signaling the end of the era of river trade, and it seemed the town would die. But a Canadian trade boom opened, resulting in the establishment of the 240-mile-long Whoop Up Trail pointing north to Fort Macleod, Alberta. Although plenty of legitimate commerce was carried out, the trail became known for the illegal whiskey transported on this dangerous and adventure-filled route. Fort Benton is one of the most fascinating...
I watch a lot of baseball during the season, which runs from April to the end of November. I enjoy the other televised sports, but with the disinterest of a cat looking out a window; they're just figures moving around behind a pane of glass. But I take baseball seriously. As chess is to board games and bridge is to cards, baseball is the most sophisticated version of field sports. The other major sports are quite simplistic and unsophisticated, and in almost all of the other s...
Dear Dietitian, Please settle an argument between my wife and me. Our eleven-year-old son is about twenty pounds overweight. My wife, who has been thin all her life, wants to put him on a diet to get him on the right track. I am against the idea of a diet. What do you think? Concerned Dad Dear Dad, While your son may be overweight, it is wise to approach this problem with a lasting solution instead of a weight loss diet. For the main reason, a diet is likely to begin a yo-yo...
Brazil is burning the Amazon again. Their new president has declared an open season on both the environment and indigenous people. I liked his rhetoric as a candidate, but that was just a politically moderate costume he used in order to win the voters. He's bad. But all the deforestation is blamed on the poor old cow. She's a horribly inefficient food source, so bad, in fact, that she hardly produces enough for the people who take care of her, much less a meat hungry public....
I have been guilty of placing myself at the center of the universe. My needs are most important, I have the solution, and everyone else must accept that. I would bet that everyone reading this has been guilty of that. It is our nature to place our comfort and well-being above others. Do I mean that this is always the case, no! But it is the pattern of mankind. So, what is the answer? It is really quite simple, and at the same time very complex. In Isaiah 55: 8-9 the prophet te...
Fort Benton rests along the mighty Missouri River. Founded in 1846, it's the oldest town in Montana. During its first century, Fort Benton would become a springboard for trade as goods would be offloaded at the navigable end of the Missouri River and transported west by wagon. Flood control and other initiatives in the 1940s rendered Sioux City the new head of navigation on the Missouri, as the Great Northern railroad would become the primary means of transportation to the...
Dear Dietitian, My thirteen-year-old daughter started a new healthy eating program about six months ago. She seems obsessed with healthy eating and sometimes refuses to eat when she stays over at a friend's house. I am concerned about her behavior. Is this something serious or will she grow out of it? Sheila Dear Sheila, The desire to eat right is a healthy, but too much of a good thing is no longer a good thing. New light is being shed on an obsessive pattern of eating known...
Dear Readers, It seems there is always a fad diet out there that, once and for all, will solve our problems. Many of us have been on these diets, myself included. Many years ago, I tried a diet where you followed a strict meal plan for 3 days, then ate whatever you wanted within reason, (whatever that means) for the following 3 days. The problem was I couldn't make it through the first three days! Wikipedia defines a fad diet as one that is popular for a time, similar to fads...
Loyalty to petrified opinion never yet broke a chain or freed a human soul. Mark Twain Inscribed under his bust in The Hall of Fame The U.S. owes the world an apology and a lot of money. Because of our insistence that we're the brightest and the strongest nation that ever existed, our country refuses to change from the archaic method of measuring mass and distance to a more logical way of calculation. Although the U.S. approved the change in 1866, it was never instituted, and...
Note: This is excerpted from "The Missoula City Band: Stories in Time." By the end of the 19th century, the Garden City Band had improved enough to perform evening concerts regularly. They also found themselves accompanying fraternal organizations like the Modern Woodmen of America to conventions, playing in July 4 parades, following ball teams "up the 'Root" [the Bitterroot Valley] and continuing their annual performances at the fair. In April 1904, the band initiated the new...
Dear Dietitian, I've been experiencing a lot of digestive problems like stomach cramping and bloating. My friend who has celiac disease thinks I may have it, too. I have an appointment with my doctor and have been reading up on celiac disease. What is the difference in gluten sensitivity, celiac disease, and wheat allergy? Susan Dear Susan, It can be very disruptive to have a digestive problem, and I'm glad you are taking the right steps to get this resolved. First off,...
