The Blackfoot Valley's News Source Since 1980
The Blackfoot Valley's News Source Since 1980
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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...
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 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,...
Until the late 1950s and early 60s, milk cows were an essential part of the operation of most ranches. The large numbers of children in the families of those days demanded a lot of milk, as well as cream, butter, cottage cheese, buttermilk, and other dairy staples. The milking process was detested by everyone. It was a chore that had to be done twice a day, 365 days a year, in forty below zero or a hundred above temperature, and it was so tedious that many ranchers didn't...
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...
Dear Readers, Chances are many of you who are reading this are taking some type of herbal supplement. Be it ginseng for better energy, saw palmetto for prostate health, or echinacea to improve immunity, many are turning to natural remedies for their health. It is important to know that herbal supplements are not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). As with any medication, herbal remedies may have side effects. To be safe, talk to your doctor before starting an...
Some friends stopped by the house last Sunday. They had been in Hawaii for a couple weeks and shared their impressions with me. I was in Hawaii once, but my experience was far different from theirs. The military sent us to Okinawa for war games. I was a radio operator on one of the teams. There were sixty of us, I think. We left Okinawa after the exercise and made a stop on Wake Island for a day so the pilots could rest. We took off that evening and flew all night in an old...
Two particular flowering plants are the toast of late spring and summer in Montana. In the mountain forests and openings of northwestern Montana, beargrass – the official flower of Glacier National Park – struts its stuff along roads and highways, as well as throughout the wilderness areas in northwest Montana. Meanwhile, the sturdy yucca stands guard over the rolling land and river breaks east of the mountains. Both plants, so similar yet so different, are symbolic of the...
The past month has been fantastic. I did not win the lottery. I did see the results of many months of preparation as we had our annual five-day Bible camp. It is a great but stressful time. Stressful because there is a lot of preparation. I should not stress about camp because God always blesses my feeble efforts and camp always turns out to be a great time. I did not stress out too much this year. Maybe after 19 years of being involved with camp I finally “get it”! There are...
Dear Readers, Most of you have probably heard of antioxidants and that they are good for you, but what are they exactly? Antioxidant is a chemistry term that simply means prevention of oxidation, which is the transfer of tiny, electrically charged particles known as electrons. Antioxidants protect us from free radicals, which damage our cells and lead to diseases such as cancer, heart disease, and Alzheimer's. Free radicals result from food digestion, everyday cellular...
