Archive for the ‘Health’ Category

Autoimmune Diseases and Oral Disease

posted by Dr. James G. Hood
Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Autoimmune diseases are the result of the body responding in an inappropriate manner to normal tissues and/or substances present in the body, causing prolonged inflammation followed by tissue destruction.  The body is fooled and can’t recognize the difference between healthy tissue and disease.  The body, therefore, mounts an immune response (directs antibodies against its own tissues) against itself, as if allergic to itself.  The cause of this dysfunctional behavior is unknown, it may be caused by a drug or toxin or bacterial or viral infection or environmental exposure to foreign substances.  The result of the body’s inability to recognize the difference between normal tissue and disease results in destruction.  As we age, this alone causes our immune system to decline in effectiveness.  Autoimmune diseases affect over 24 million Americans and are one of our society’s leading causes of death and disability.  Autoimmune diseases are ranked as the number one cause of heart disease, cancer, and all diseases.

A couple of the most common autoimmune diseases are diabetes (Type 1), rheumatoid arthritis, and allergies.  Many autoimmune diseases also may have a genetic or traumatic component.

Here is a short additional list of autoimmune diseases and more are being discovered all the time.  All of these diseases should have the autoimmune prefix:

Achalasia Pancreatitis
Addison’s disease Parkinson’s disease
Behcet’s disease Pemphigus/pemphigoid
Celiac disease Pernicious anemia
Crohn’s disease Polymyositis
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Reactive arthritis
Dermatomyositis Rheumatic fever
Eosinophilic esophagitis Sarcoidosis
Fibromyalgia Scleroderma
Graves disease Sjögren’s syndrome
Guillain–Barre syndrome Systemic lupus erythematosis
Hashimoto’s thyroiditis Ulcerative colitis
Hepatitis Uveitis
IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) Vitiligo
Menier’s disease Wegener’s granulomatosis
Multiple Sclerosis Wilson’s disease
Myasthenia gravis

 

Autoimmune Disease Causes:  The immune system is also thought to be suppressed by multiple factors, including abuse of:

  • alcohol
  • caffeine
  • tobacco
  • sugar (this cannot be over-emphasized)
  • drugs
  • food (poor diet or contaminated with herbicides, hormones, etc.)
  • sleep (lack of)

As well as exposure to environmental pollution, including:

  • automobile exhaust
  • chemical fertilizers
  • cigarette smoke
  • heavy metal
  • herbicides
  • industrial waste
  • pesticides
  • stress

So, what has autoimmune diseases and oral disease (periodontal disease and tooth decay) have in common?  Well, much more than one might think:  Plaque and calculus left on teeth cause inflammation, initially gingivitis, followed often by periodontal disease (which we used to refer to as periodontitis).  Any time you see –itis on the end of a word, it is screaming inflammation.  Remember:  it is always means it is inflammation.  Chronic inflammation causes destruction of tissue.  Periodontal disease causes destruction of all periodontal tissues, gum, bone, and periodontal ligament, causing loss of teeth.  Tooth decay causes loss of tooth structure.  Since periodontal tissues are all tissues supporting teeth in the mouth, without them – no teeth.How periodontal disease (inflammation of all periodontal tissues) leads to loss at of oral tissues, including teeth, is a simple model demonstration for what happens to a body with autoimmune diseases.Anything that a patient can do to minimize or eliminate inflammation will lessen the effects of the disease.  A few of the things a patient can do to lessen the effects of many of these diseases are to avoid abuse of/or exposure to the above mentioned factors.  Also, as always, eat lots of antioxidants found in fresh fruit and vegetables.  Include vitamin C, vitamin E, green tea extract, beta-carotene, grape seed-skin extract, coenzyme Q-10 (coQ10) and selenium in your diet.Also, talk to your dental and medical professionals on current treatments.  Find support groups, ask others with your particular autoimmune disease how they cope.Good luck…keep brushing and flossing,Dr. James G. Hood* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *Dental Care Associates of Spokane Valley, P.S.
Family and Cosmetic Dentistry Welcomes Patients
from Age 2 to 102!
James G. Hood, D.D.S., M.A.
507 North Sullivan Road, Suite A-1
Spokane Valley, WA 99037-8576  USA
Phone: (509) 928-9100  |  Fax: (509) 928-0414
Email: drhood@drhood.comWebsites: www.drhood.com
www.dentalcareassociatesofspokanevalley.com

Blogs: www.drjamesghoodblog.com
www.dentalhealthandnutritionblog.com
www.dentalcareassociatesofspokanevalleyblog.com
www.jamesandkarenhoodfoundationblog.org
www.sjogrensblog.org

Online Store: www.dentalhealthandnutritionstore.com

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Paneer Cheese and Its Health Benefits!

posted by Karen Jean Matkso Hood
Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Paneer, also called Indian cheese, can be produced from the milk of sheep, goats, cows, and other mammals. It is prepared by heating raw whole milk and then adding food acid (usually lemon juice, vinegar, or citric acid) to it to separate the curds from the whey. When the milk coagulates, the curds are drained and the excess liquid is pressed out. It is similar to Ricotta cheese except that it is in block form. The resulting paneer is dipped in chilled water for 2–3 hours to give it a good texture and appearance.

From this point, the preparation of paneer in India diverges based on its use and regional variation. In most cuisines, the curds are wrapped in cloth and placed under a heavy weight, such as a stone slab, for 2 to 3 hours and then cut into cubes for use in curries. Pressing for a shorter time (approximately 20 minutes) results in a softer, fluffier cheese.

In Eastern Indian and Bangladeshi cuisines, the curds are beaten or kneaded by hand into a dough-like consistency. In these regions, it is distinguished from ponir, a salty semi-hard cheese with a sharper flavor and high salt content. Hard ponir is typically eaten in slices at teatime with biscuits or various types of bread, or deep-fried in a light batter. In the area surrounding the Gujarati city of Surat, surti paneer is made by draining the curds and ripening them in whey for 12 to 36 hours.

Health Benefits

Paneer, prepared by the most simple method, has many health benefits and it is good to know about them.  Indian cheese is a treasure of good nutritional elements.  It is easy to digest and can be used in a number of preparations.  It is used in most Indian homes.  Paneer can be used in sweets, savories, and in gravies of dishes too.

Indian cheese is a rich source of calcium.  This helps in building strong teeth and bones. Paneer has the health benefit of helping to prevent osteoporosis, which is a curse of old age. Women who have attained menopause and men above the age of 65 should make it a rule to include such foods in their diet to get 25% of calcium through food.

Paneer eaten in moderation could help reduce weight.  It is good to note that many people who wish to lose weight include Indian cheese in their daily diet.

Paneer also gives the health benefits of reducing the development of Insulin Resistance Syndrome.  Hence, it is all about tackling the problem of insulin-dependent diabetes.
Including paneer in one’s daily diet helps to give the health benefit of providing the protein required by the body for growth and renewal.

It is, however, also interesting to note that Indian culture believes that paneer cheese provides protection against cancer.  Equally interesting is Indian culture states that this cheese helps prevent stomach disorders in people as they grow older.  One thing that health practitioners can agree on is that paneer is a storehouse of calcium, which has the benefit of making bones stronger and helping prevent brittle bones as we age.  Since it promotes strong bones, paneer also helps to prevent and reduce back and joint problems.

To conclude, anyone who has realized the health benefits of paneer should make it a rule to include this delightful cheese in their diet.  The ways in which Indian cheese can be used are many and varied and most people would enjoy the taste and flavor also.  We definitely enjoy cooking with paneer here at Mountain Valley View Farm, Inc. and the Getaway Studio.

Please note that Mountain Valley View Farm, Inc. is working very hard to become a licensed WSDA Grade A Dairy!  We are currently following all their guidelines to produce safe goat milk and goat milk products.  We are following the law here at Mountain Valley View Farm, Inc. and we will not sell any goat milk until our WSDA license is finalized and approved.  In the meantime, we are making and testing various cheese recipes for our family.  When our license is finalized we will know exactly which is the best recipe to sell to our customers.

Please pre-order Paneer Cheese from Mountain Valley View Farm, Inc.

We will not sell any cheese until we officially receive our WSDA Grade A Dairy license.  Until then, we are keeping a waiting list of all future customers so we can also evaluate the volume of cheese we will need to plan for once we have our license.

* ~ * ~ * ~ *

Mountain Valley View Farm, Inc.
Your Source for Northwest Farm Fresh Foods Shipped Worldwide
4301 South Chapman Road
Greenacres, Washington 99016-8732 USA
Phone (509) 928-1800 | Fax (509) 922-9949
Email: sales@mountainvalleyviewfarm.com

Website: www.mountainvalleyviewfarm.com
Online Store: www.mountainvalleyviewfarmstore.com
Blog with us at www.mountainvalleyviewfarmblog.com

Mountain Valley View Farm Hours:

Monday – Saturday
8:00 a.m. – Noon; 1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. (Pacific Time)
Closed Noon – 1:00 p.m.

Other farm hours by advance appointment only.
Please call (509) 928-1800 to schedule an appointment.

Getaway Studio Dining Room
& Bed and Breakfast
Phone (509) 928-8900

Directions to Mountain Valley View Farm, Inc.
From I-90 East or West
Take the Sullivan Exit (291B) – South for about 3 miles
Turn left on Saltese (east), and continue straight for .5 mile
Turn right on South Chapman Road (south), and proceed .9 mile
The farm will be on the left-hand side of the road – 4301 South Chapman Road

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Goat Milk Is Good for You and Here’s Why!

posted by Karen Jean Matkso Hood
Thursday, September 29, 2011
 

Mountain Valley View Farm, Inc.

Located in the Spokane Valley of Beautiful Washington State

Your Source for Northwest Farm-Fresh Foods Shipped Worldwide!

Goat Milk Is Good for You and Here’s Why!

At Mountain Valley View Farm Dairy, located in the Spokane Valley of Washington State, we have chosen Nubian goats to build the foundation herd for our Spokane dairy.  We love the easygoing temperament and friendly personality of the Nubian.  Also the Nubian goat milk makes delicious cheese, and we love making small batches of Artisan goat cheese for our Spokane and regional customers.

Goat milk is a natural choice for anyone looking for ease of digestion, maximum nutrition, and excellent health from dairy products.  It has more easily digestible short and middle chain fats and protein solids than cow milk and may be enjoyed by many people with lactose sensitivities since it does not contain the alpha S1 casein protein (the #1 allergen in dairy products).  The increased digestibility of protein is important for infants and children.  In addition, goat milk is 13% higher in calcium with 25% more vitamin B6 and 47% more vitamin A.  It is also higher in minerals than cow milk with fewer calories – and the natural buffering qualities of goat milk make it beneficial for people with ulcers and other stomach problems.

Goat milk is considered to be “naturally homogenized” and from a health standpoint, this is deemed much easier to digest than mechanically homogenized milk.  At Mountain Valley View Farm Dairy, we will eventually be licensed to sell both raw and pasteurized goat milk but there will be no need to homogenize.

All goat milk products at Mountain Valley View Farm Dairy are free of any recombinant growth hormones – these types of hormones have never been developed for dairy goats.  Unlike cows, a bovine animal, growth hormones do not increase goat milk production.  We do not use any type of hormones in our feed at Mountain Valley View Farm, Inc. here in Spokane Valley, Washington.

Leading U.S. goat milk products from Mountain Valley View Farm Dairy, located in Spokane Valley, Washington, are free of antibiotics.  Seventy-two percent of the milk used throughout the world is from goats.  Maybe they are onto something that the United States is missing.

Goats are Good for the Planet

We love our Nubian goats and they are better for our planet.  Contrary to popular belief, goats are picky eaters.  Goats are browsers not grazers.  They eat the dry brush that causes fires and they eradicate poison oak.  Goats do not like to eat food off the ground and will not eat soiled feed.  In addition goats only drink fresh water.

Because they are light on their feet and because they are smaller, goats leave a smaller carbon “hoof print” and are the perfect addition to any biodynamic farm.

Goats actually help to aerate the soil where they browse and make it more supple for the natural habitat to grow.  At Mountain Valley View Farm, Inc., we appreciate their fertilizer help in our garden, and they are great at mowing the fresh spring grass.  We just need to keep them from away from our flowers.

Goat milk is as close to perfect food as possible in nature.  Its chemical structure is amazingly similar to mother’s milk.  It is a complete protein containing all the essential amino acids without the heavy fat content and catarrh (mucus) producing materials of cow milk.

Goat Milk and Digestibility

Goat milk offers superior digestibility to cow milk, due to the following factors:

  1. Size of fat globules: The fat globules of goat milk are finer than those of cow milk, allowing for a greater surface-to-volume ratio for enzymatic attack.  This enables the fat of goat milk to be broken down and digested more easily.
  2. Medium Chain Triglycerides (MCT): Goat milk has more MCTs than cow milk.  Lipases attack the ester linkages of the shorter-chain fatty acids more readily, enabling more rapid digestion.  MCTs are metabolically unique in that they can be absorbed by a simpler mechanism than other fatty acids.  MCTs, which are higher in goat milk than cow milk, have a unique ability to provide energy to the human metabolism, as well as an ability to lower, inhibit, and dissolve cholesterol deposits.
  3. Curd strength:  Goat milk casein forms a less tough and more friable curd than the casein of cow milk.  This means the digestive enzymes can break it down more rapidly. Alpha-S1 casein is the main casein in cow milk and this contributes to the firmer curd; goat milk contains low levels of alpha-S1 casein.

Goat Milk and Lactose Intolerance

Great news for those who are lactose intolerant!  The lactase enzyme provides for the digestion of lactose, or milk sugar. Persons who do not possess this enzyme are lactose-intolerant.  Goat milk contains less lactose than cow milk, and people can generally tolerate goat milk better than cow milk.  Goat milk also makes great ice cream.  We have many Spokane people request our goat milk for their lactose intolerant child/children or family member.

Goat Milk and Allergies

Great news for those who suffer from milk allergies!  Whether goat milk can be tolerated better than cow milk will depend on the specific protein involved in the allergy.  Most people with a cow milk protein allergy are allergic to b-lactoglobulin.  This protein is also present in goat milk and does not offer these people an alternative.  It is worth, however, trying goat milk as an alternative to cow milk, in consultation with your doctor.

Goat Milk and Respiratory Complaints

Drinking goat milk results in the production of less mucus than when drinking cow milk.  This can provide relief to people suffering from respiratory complaints.

Flavor

Fresh goat milk from Mountain Valley View Farm Dairy has a delicious, mildly tangy flavor.  This flavor is due to the presence of short-chain fatty acids: capric, caprylic, and dcaproic acid.  Fresh, correctly treated goat milk usually has a very neutral flavor and is delicious served fresh and ice cold for a refreshing drink.  Support your local Spokane Valley, Washington, dairy serving Inland Northwest customers with locally produced milk.

Composition

The composition of goat milk does not differ greatly from that of cow milk.  Both kinds contain about 13% dry solids.  Milk sugar, also known as lactose, is the main constituent of goat milk.  The other main ingredients of goat milk are milk fat, protein, and minerals.  One hundred milliliters of goat or cow milk has a calorific value of about 280kJ (67 kcal).  The composition of the milk depends largely on the breed of goat and the season.  In the summer at Mountain Valley View Farm Dairy, the milk yield is high and the fat and protein contents are low.  Conversely, in the winter the milk yield is low and the fat and protein contents are higher.

Lactose

Lactose is a form of sugar found in milk.  Lactose is the most prevalent carbohydrate present in milk.  The lactose content of goat milk is about 10% lower than that of cow milk.  This fact is good news for those want to lower their sugar and carbohydrate intake to improve their overall health.

Milk Protein

Milk protein is comprised of about 80% caseins and 20% whey proteins.  This is applicable to both cow milk and goat milk.  The caseins are present in the form of micelles: these are large aggregates of protein and calcium phosphate.  The number of small micelles is much greater in goat milk than cow milk.

Milk Fat

All fats are not the same.  The fatty-acid composition of goat milk exhibits substantial differences from that of cow milk.  Goat milk fat contains a considerable amount of short-chain and medium-chain fatty acids.  The seasonal variation in the fatty-acid composition is lower than that of cow milk.  This is due to the relatively consistent diet fed to goats.  Goat milk contains a far larger number of small fat globules than cow milk.  This type of milk fat is easier to digest.

Cholesterol

Goat milk has a cholesterol content of between 10 and 15 mg/100 g milk (depending on the fat content), comparable to the levels in cow milk.  Goat milk has a lower amount of cholesterol than cow’s milk for those wanting to lower their cholesterol levels.

Vitamins

Goat milk contains more vitamin A and D than cow milk.  The folic acid and vitamin B12 content is lower than that of cow milk.  Current research has put more value on increasing vitamin A and D in our daily diet, and Mountain Valley View Farm Dairy goat milk is an excellent source for these vitamins.

Minerals

The composition of minerals in goat milk and cow milk are different in a few ways.  The potassium, copper, and manganese content of goat milk are a little higher than those in cow milk.  Goat milk contains a little less zinc than cow milk.

Goat Cheese Health Benefits

When compared to cow milk products, goat cheese is lower in fat, calories, and cholesterol.  It also provides more calcium and fewer carbohydrates than comparable cow milk cheeses.  Even though goat cheese has fewer calories, it has a full, rich, and creamy flavor.  Our goat cheeses are all-natural and contain no hormones, additives or preservatives.  Try the many wonderful cheeses at Mountain Valley View Farm Dairy.  We are proud of our healthy goat milk products.

Please ask to be placed on our waiting list for our small batch Artisan cheese, which can be made as soon as we receive our WSDA Grade A license from Washington state.  We cannot make or sell cheese to the public until we receive our license.  The good news is that we can test recipes on our family so by the time we have our license we will have perfected the best recipe and technique.

Why Is a Lactose Intolerant Person Able to Have Goat Milk Products?

Most people who are allergic to cow milk or who are lactose intolerant can safely use goat dairy products.  The superior digestibility of goat milk products is primarily due to shorter fatty acid chains and smaller fat molecules than those that occur in cow milk.  Forty-seven percent of the worldwide human population is allergic to cow milk in one way or another, while only 3% have any allergic reaction to goat milk.  Therefore, most people with cow milk allergies or lactose intolerance can usually tolerate goat milk.  In addition, most goat cheeses are made with a culture that converts the lactose to lactic acid, which is much more easily digested.

One of the more significant differences from cow milk is found in the composition and structure of fat in goat milk.  The average size of goat milk fat globules is about 2 micrometers, as compared to 2½ – 3½ micrometers for cow milk fat.  These smaller sized fat globules provide a better dispersion and a more homogeneous mixture of fat in the milk.  Research indicates that there is more involved to the creaming ability of milk than merely physical size of the fat globules.  It appears that their clustering is favored by the presence of an agglutinin in milk, which is lacking in goat milk, therefore creating a poor creaming ability, especially at lower temperatures.

The natural homogenization of goat milk is, from a human health standpoint, much better than the mechanically homogenized cow milk product.  When fat globules are forcibly broken up by mechanical means, it allows an enzyme associated with milk fat, known as xanthine oxidase, to become free and penetrate the intestinal wall.  Once xanthine oxidase gets through the intestinal wall and into the bloodstream, it is capable of creating scar damage to the heart and arteries, which in turn may stimulate the body to release cholesterol into the blood in an attempt to lay a protective fatty material on the scarred areas.  This can lead to arteriosclerosis.  It should be noted that this effect is not a problem with natural (unhomogenized) cow milk.  In unhomogenized milk, this enzyme is normally excreted from the body without much absorption.

Please note that Mountain Valley View Farm, Inc. is working very hard to become a licensed WSDA Grade A Dairy!  We are currently following all their guidelines to produce safe goat milk and goat milk products.  We are following the law here at Mountain Valley View Farm, Inc., and we will not sell any goat milk until our WSDA license is finalized and approved.  In the meantime, we are making and testing various cheese recipes for our family.  When our license is finalized we will know exactly which is the best recipe to sell to our customers.

Please pre-order Goat Milk from Mountain Valley View Farm Dairy

We will not sell any goat milk, raw or pasteurized, until we officially receive our WSDA Grade A Dairy license.  Until then, we are keeping a waiting list of all future customers so we can evaluate the volume of milk and goat cheese we will need to produce for our waiting customers once we have our license.

 

Mountain Valley View Farm, Inc.
Located in the Spokane Valley of beautiful Washington State
Your source for Northwest Farm-Fresh Foods Shipped Worldwide!

4301 South Chapman Road
Greenacres, Washington 99016-8732 USA
Phone (509) 928-1800 | Fax (509) 922-9949
www.mountainvalleyviewfarm.com
www.mountainvalleyviewfarmstore.com
Email: sales@mountainvalleyviewfarm.com
Blog with us at www.mountainvalleyviewfarmblog.com
Mountain Valley View Farm Hours:
Monday – Saturday (Pacific Time) 8:00 a.m. – Noon
Closed Noon – 1:00 p.m. Daily
1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. (Pacific Time)

Other farm hours by advance appointment only.
Please call (509) 928-1800 to schedule an appointment.

Getaway Studio and Tasting Room
Phone (509) 928-8900

Directions to Mountain Valley View Farm, Inc.
From I-90 East or West

Take the Sullivan Exit (291B) – South for about 3 miles
Turn left on Saltese (east)
Continue straight for .5 miles (east)
Turn right at South Chapman Road (south)
Keep going south (.9 miles)
The farm will be on the left hand side of the road – 4301 Chapman Road

Please visit all our farm sites:

Blog Sites:

www.cookingwithkarenblog.com
www.getawaystudioblog.com
www.mountainvalleyviewfarmblog.com

Drupal Sites:

www.freshveggiesfrommvvf.com

Flash Sites:

www.cookingwithkaren.com
www.getawaystudiobedandbreakfast.com
www.getawaystudiodiningroom.com

OS Commerce Sites:

www.cookingwithkarenstore.com
www.getawaystudiostore.com
www.mountainvalleyviewfarm.com
www.mountainvalleyviewfarmstore.com

We ask that you bookmark these sites and share with your friends.  Also check back often, as we will be adding more products and information.

We look forward to hearing from you.

We also invite you to make a reservation at Getaway Studio Dining Room and Supper Club
& Bed and Breakfast located on the Farm

4301 South Chapman Road, Greenacres, WA 99016–8732  USA
Phone: (509) 928-1800 | Fax: (509) 922-9949
Email: sales@mountainvalleyviewfarm.com |  Blog: www.mountainvalleyviewfarmblog.com
Websites: www.mountainvalleyviewfarm.com |  Store: www.mountainvalleyviewfarmstore.com

 

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12 Scary Products: Which to Eliminate, Cut Back On or Quit Worrying About

posted by Sibella
Wednesday, September 14, 2011

by Devon Jarvis, SELF
Source: Yahoo

Learn which of these common, everyday items you should stay away from!

Eliminate It: Antimicrobial Chemicals

Triclosan, the chemical used in hundreds of germ-fighting products, may damage the liver and disrupt thyroid hormones. These products contribute to drug resistance, and people using antimicrobial soap get sick as often as regular suds users, a review in the American Journal of Public Health finds. Toss triclosan. Gotta sanitize? Opt for alcohol-based gels.

Eliminate It: Cigarettes

Tobacco smoke contains ammonia, benzene, formaldehyde and 50 chemicals known to cause cancer. “Plus, smoking damages your lungs, kidneys and liver, the body’s detoxifiers, which protect you from other chemical exposures,” notes consumer advocate Debra Lynn Dadd, author of Toxic Free.

Eliminate It: Oil-Based Paints

“Fresh” paint smell signals volatile organic compounds, solvents that can trigger breathing issues, headaches and dizziness, and that research links to reproductive problems and birth defects, says Gina Solomon, M.D., senior scientist at the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) in San Francisco. Low- or no-VOC paints from brands such as Benjamin Moore have a similar texture but less toxicity.

Eliminate It: Room Fresheners

“Essentially, they’re air pollution,” Dadd argues. Up to 20 percent of all people (and 34 percent of asthmatics) say they’ve had headaches, trouble breathing or other problems after inhaling room sprays, says researcher Anne Steinemann, Ph.D., professor of civil and environmental engineering at the University of Washington in Seattle. To get smells out of soft materials like sofas, Dadd advises, spritz on straight vodka from an atomizer.

Regulate It: Canned Food

BPA, the synthetic estrogen linked to cancer and abnormal brain development, is in the lining of most food and beverage cans, and it can leach out. Whether the food is organic doesn’t matter, USDA tests show. When possible, buy fresh or frozen items; there’s no BPA in plastic freezer bags, says Sarah Janssen, M.D., senior scientist at the NRDC.

Regulate It: Household Cleaners

Using chlorine bleach, cleaning sprays and disinfectants more than once a week is linked to asthma, says the author of a 2010 Spanish review of studies. Dr. Solomon adds, “There is a role for strong cleaning agents if used with care.” Save them for serious mold and mildew, and never mix chlorine bleach with ammonia, because the combo produces toxic fumes. Wear gloves, open the windows, and dilute every cup of bleach you use in 10 cups of water.

Regulate It: Plasticware

Memorize the numbers 3, 6 and 7. These recycling codes mean plastic may have BPA, Dr. Landrigan says. Instead, store food in glass or plastic with codes 4, 5 and 12. But no plastic is “microwave safe.” The claim means a container won’t melt, not that chemicals won’t seep into your dinner.

Regulate It: Scented Stuff

“The word fragrance on a label may stand in for hundreds of chemicals,” Dr. Solomon says, including phthalates and musks, endocrine disrupters that have been linked to reproductive dysfunction. The laundry room is a good place to cut back. Seek out unscented detergents and dryer sheets, as coating clothes with chemicals means you’re exposed all day, all over your skin.

Tolerate It: Aspartame

Despite Internet rumors, a National Cancer Institute study of nearly 500,000 people discerned no link between consuming this sweetener and developing leukemia, lymphoma or brain cancers. Nor is it tied to multiple sclerosis or lupus. (But remember, most soda cans do contain BPA.)

Tolerate It: Cotton

Even though conventional cotton farmers use high levels of potentially planet-harming pesticides, there’s no evidence that simply wearing the fabric harms consumers, testing by the Bremen Cotton Exchange in Germany reveals. As for tampons, they expose us to 13,000 to 240,000 times fewer dioxins than our everyday diet does, according to a report in Environmental Health Perspectives. Be confident choosing any brand that works for you, organic or not.

Tolerate It: Fluoride Toothpaste

The debate over water fluoridation shouldn’t have you questioning your Crest. The feds have advised utilities to lower the amount of fluoride allowed in tap water, due to studies linking fluoridation with bone fractures and stiffness; however, both environmentalists and dentists agree that fluoride toothpaste is safe and necessary for everyone older than 2. Check the label for a paste without triclosan—some brands add it, supposedly to prevent germs, plaque or gingivitis.

Tolerate It: Nonstick Pans

The EPA is working to phase out perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), used in making Teflon coating. Nonstick cookware, however, doesn’t expose you to PFOA, even when you subject it to extreme heat, confirms a study in Food Additives & Contaminants. Scratched parts are fine, too, so flip your flapjacks fearlessly.

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Order your farm fresh produce now!

posted by Sibella
Wednesday, August 10, 2011

 

Mountain Valley View Farm, Inc. is proud to be a local, family-run farm dedicated to bringing fresh, nutritious, organic foods to our community. Our philosophy has always been that natural methods of farming and raising animals are the most responsible way to live: these methods are low-impact on the environment, gentle on the Earth and its creatures, sustainable, and healthier for all of us as well.

Our Fantastically Farm Fresh Variety Boxes are a wonderful and economical way to sample the best our farm has to offer. Brimming with healthy goodness, each box contains a variety of delicious, organic food. Choose from all fruit, all veggie, a combination of produce, or handmade baked goods. You can also choose to family size any of our boxes for a greater quantity of farm fresh foods, and family size boxes come with free delivery within 25 miles of Mountain Valley View Farm, Inc. The selection of produce will change seasonally with our harvest and weekly in order to give you the best variety of organic fruit and vegetables possible. Please click on the following image to view and print the order form.

You may also purchase directly at the farm, located at:

4301 S Chapman Rd
Greenacres, WA 99016

Or find us at the following area farmer’s markets:

Spokane Public Market
32 W. 2nd Ave
Spokane, WA 99210
10 a.m. – 6 p.m. Wed – Fri

Spokane Farmers’ Market
5th Ave between Division & Brown
Spokane, WA 99210
8:45 a.m. – 1 p.m. Wed & Sat

Spokane Northside Farmers’ Market
315 E. Francis
Spokane, WA 99205
Wed 3 – 7 p.m. and Sat 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.

South Perry Farmers’ Market
924 South Perry Street
Spokane, WA 99202
3-7pm Thurs

New Ponderosa Outdoor Market
4102 S. Bowdish
Spokane Valley, WA 99206
3-7 pm Tues

Any of our Fantastically Farm Fresh Variety Boxes can be delivered to your home for a small delivery charge. Call 509-928-1800 for more information!

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