Find out the latest news and topics of interest from Dr. James G. Hood, D.D.S., M.A.!
Archive for the ‘Health’ Category
Order your farm fresh produce now!
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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The History and Health Benefits of Dark Chocolate form Mountain Valley Farm
Friday, July 15, 2011
Historical and Archaeological records show that the cacao bean used in making modern chocolate has been used for thousands of years. Mesoamericans, pre-Columbian Paleo-Indians dated to circa 3500 BCE, drank the cacao been ground with other ingredients to make a bitter beverage. These ancient people whose remains are found in southern north America were originally hunter-gatherers who established agricultural settlements due in part to the cacao tree. The Classic Maya Period (circa 250-900 CE) the ancestors to the Mesoamericans took the trees from the ancient rainforest settlements and replanted it into their fields to harvest, ferment, roast and grind the cacao seeds into a paste.
In the 1400’s, the Aztecs began trading for cacao or were given “tribute” in cacao seeds from those whose territories were conquered. The Aztecs mixed the cacao with peppers and other native spices to create a beverage, much like their ancestors. Most of these bitter drinks were consumed by rulers and royalty, and by priests while performing sacred ceremonies. These seeds were also given to their gods as offerings. It was during the conquests of the conquistadors in 1521 that the Spanish saw the benefits of cacao and imported it back home. This would be the beginning of modern consumption of Cacao. Within 100 years, cacao spread across Europe, and with the addition of sugar, a product unknown to the Americas, chocolate was born and quickly became loved by nearly all who consumed it.
Today, there are many forms of chocolate, mainly dark, milk and white. Dark chocolate, has the purest cacao bean; milk chocolate, the most popular form of chocolate, includes milk and sugar which dilutes the cacao. White chocolate is a chocolate that contains no cacao at all. And with so many marketed products, there are nearly as many urban legends about chocolate. We hear that chocolate causes acne, causes cavities and headaches, gives consumers the jitters, and is an aphrodisiac. Because of these claims, many studies have been done to find out what the properties of chocolate really achieve. Below are the findings of various universities’ studies:
- The Pennsylvania School of Medicine and US Naval Acadamy sought to find out the truth behind the claim that chocolate causes acne. The result? Cacao DOES NOT affect our skin; the many other added ingredients, however, can.
- Chocolate has often been the blame of cavities; but, according to the Osaka University in Japan, “cacao contains antibacterial agents that actually fight tooth decay.”[1] It is the sugar from the mass production of the candy that can cause cavities.
- At the University of Pittsburgh, studies were done to find out if chocolate should really be blamed for headaches. An average headache IS NOT related to the consumption of chocolate. As a matter of fact, the small amounts of stimulants found in processes cacao are also found in some headache medicines and, in fact, can stop headaches. Their studies do suggest that chocolate can trigger migraines.
- The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center found that the polyphenols (the antioxidants inhibiting oxidation of LDL or bad cholesterol) in red wine and green tea are comparable to the polyphenols in cacao.
- Cocoa butter found naturally in dark chocolate, according to NUMEROUS studies, does not raise blood cholesterol levels; rather, it acts more like the monounsaturated fat found in olive oil.
In short, the benefits of dark chocolate are exemplary. Much like medicines given to us for high blood pressure, headaches, coronary artery disease and so on, the consumption of dark chocolate is a natural way to keep out bodies in good health, without the concerns of side-affects from the synthetic alternative.
To learn about available Dark Chocolate Goodies:
Mountain Valley View Farm, Inc.
Organic Dark Chocolate Cookies & Fudge for Sale
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
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.
Please visit all our farm sites:
Blog Sites:
www.mountainvalleyviewfarmblog.com
Drupal Sites:
Flash Sites:
www.getawaystudiobedandbreakfast.com
www.getawaystudiodiningroom.com
OS Commerce Sites:
www.mountainvalleyviewfarm.com
www.mountainvalleyviewfarmstore.com
We ask that you bookmark these sites and share them with your friends.
Check back often, as we will be adding more products and information.
We look forward to hearing from you!
[1] A Sweet Life. “The Health Benefits of Dark Chocolate.” Accessed at: <http://asweetlife.org/a-sweet-life-staff/featured/the-health-benefits-of-dark-chocolate/14405> ©2011
The History and Benefits of Sheep Milk from Mountain Valley View Farm
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
The history of milking sheep can be dated all the way back to the times of Herodotus of Halicarnassus, the famous Greek historian living in the fifth century BCE. He spoke of two kinds of sheep in Arabia (only described as having long and broad tails), both used in the production of not only animal sacrifice, but also of the milking industry. Jason and the Argonauts, Greek mythology composed in roughly the third century BCE, also discusses not only the story of the Golden Fleece, but the consumption of sheep milk as well. In the image below, sheep can be seen in the relief found in Pompeii, the Roman city destroyed by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius. Basically, sheep milk has been consumed for its amazing rejuvenating properties for thousands of years. But what are those “magical properties” found in sheep milk?
- Relief found on the walls of Pompeii
Sheep milk is richer in vitamins A, B, and E, calcium, phosphorus, potassium, and magnesium than cows milk and goats milk combined. Although most of us know these vitamins are good for us, we may not know exactly why. Vitamin A, in basic terms, functions as a metabolite used in the retina allowing us the ability to see color. Vitamin B increases our metabolism, keeps our skin healthy, enhances our immune and nervous systems, promotes cell growth, and can also reduce the risk of pancreatic cancer. As a fat-soluble antioxidant, Vitamin E reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer. Calcium is not only good for bone health, but also helps reduce the risk of osteoporosis and even helps pregnant moms stay healthy. Phosphorus also helps our bones as well as assisting in our digestion, protein formation, energy, cell repair, and hormone balance. Potassium helps our heart, kidneys, muscles, nerves and digestive system function properly and magnesium helps the transmission of nerve impulses, detoxification, body temperature regulation, and energy production. It also helps the formation of our bones and teeth.
There are however even more benefits to the consumption of sheep milk. It has higher short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) and medium-chain fatty acids (MCFA). Unlike long-chain fatty acids (LCFA) better known as saturated fat, SCFA and MCFA are absorbed in the GI tract more efficiently and contribute to metabolism boosting and hold potential as weight loss agents.[1] Sheep milk also has more conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) than the milk from cows, pigs, goats, horses, or even humans. CLA is a relatively newly discovered good fat that some say is a cancer fighter. In some recent studies, CLA has slowed the growth of tumors in the skin, colon, prostate, and breasts of lab animals (Human studies are now underway). As a matter of fact, women with CLA in their diet can reduce the risk of breast cancer by 60 percent. And although there is a synthetic version of CLA used mostly for diet and muscle building, there are potentially serious side effects. Synthetic CLA can cause a raise in glucose levels and a reduction in HDL, otherwise known as “good” cholesterol. Natural CLA, however, has no known negative side effects. Thus, grass-fed sheep produce over two and a half times the CLA found in cattle raised in feedlots.[2]
In short, sheep milk is an amazing, all natural way to nourish our bodies, both inside and out, as well as reduce our risk of cardiovascular disease and various types of cancer. It boosts our metabolism, helping to reduce weight gain and even makes us look and feel rejuvenated by giving us energy and a healthy glow. It is the attainable fountain of youth, a bottled immune system, and all you have to do is ingest it either by drinking milk or eating sheep milk cheeses like humans have been doing for thousands of years.
To purchase your own attainable fountain of youth, otherwise known as sheep milk, see flier below for prices and directions to our farm and/or delivery options!!
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
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
Karen’s Pet, Animal, and Farm Store is also open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week online for our customer’s convenience.
Feel free to order online at your convenience.
Please visit all our farm sites:
Blog Sites:
www.mountainvalleyviewfarmblog.com
Drupal Sites:
Flash Sites:
www.getawaystudiobedandbreakfast.com
www.getawaystudiodiningroom.com
OS Commerce Sites:
www.mountainvalleyviewfarm.com
www.mountainvalleyviewfarmstore.com
We ask that you bookmark these sites and share them with your friends.
Check back often, as we will be adding more products and information.
We look forward to hearing from you!
[1] U.S. National Library of Medicine. “Medium chain fatty acid metabolism and energy expenditure: obesity treatment implications”. © 1998. Accessed from <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9570335>.
[2] “A literature review of the value-added nutrients found in grass-fed products.” Nutrition Journal, June 2006 (In Press). Accessed from < http://www.eatwild.com/cla.html>
Sjögren’s Syndrome – What Next?
Sunday, June 19, 2011
Sjögren’s disease not only affects exocrine glands, but can affect all organs of the human body. Some of the most common organs affected are: lungs, liver, kidneys, pancreas, gastrointestinal system, blood vessels, and the central nervous system.
One organ, the pancreas, which functions both as an endocrine and exocrine gland, was affected by my Sjögren’s disease. I was eating 3 meals a day, at least, taking multiple vitamins, fish oil, and vitamin supplements (especially vitamin D). One day, about 1½ years after my Sjögren’s diagnosis, I began developing a rash across my shoulders, on my back. I went to the dermatologist who said it might be psoriasis. I pressured him to biopsy the lesion, which was getting larger quite rapidly. To make a long story short, after the biopsy he said it definitely wasn’t psoriasis but it appeared that I had malnutrition.
I was then sent to an internal medicine physician, who ordered a fecal fat test, and I was found to not be digesting fat. The exocrine portion of my pancreas was not producing enough enzymes, and I was found to have Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency (EPI) and, therefore, was unable to properly digest food. Food was fast-tracking right through me. The internal medicine physician prescribed Creon, which replaces the enzymes from the pancreas. I take 4 capsules with meals and 2 to 3 with snacks. This replacement seems to work well for me. Other Sjögren’s patients, if you begin to drop weight, have a huge diet or diarrhea or get an unusual rash, your pancreas (exocrine portion) may be shutting down. Talk to your physician. Online you might find that EPI is more common in German Shepherds than people, but Sjögren’s can affect any organ in the body.
Be vigilant, Sjögren’s can also affect joints, and other autoimmune disease can exist in the same person, particularly rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, polymyositis, or schleroderma. As long as we are examining the negatives, lymphoma occurs more frequently in patients with Sjögren’s Syndrome.
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.com
Websites: 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
How to Keep Dad Around Longer
Friday, June 17, 2011
Women are much more likely than men to seek out dental services and maintain good oral health. With that said, encourage your dad, if he doesn’t already, to have regular dental exams to maintain his oral health.
We, as dental professionals, can restore and rehabilitate your mouth but, ultimately, it is your responsibility to take ownership of your overall health. And I want to attempt to imprint on as many people as possible the significance of dental health, as it affects overall health.
According to the American Dental Association, approximately 70% of the United States population has some form of periodontal disease. Two major effects of periodontal disease are inflammation and infection. Left untreated in the human body, infection and the bacterial by-products of inflammation can be the major factors in the development of many systemic diseases.
A few diseases, which science has proven can develop from untreated infection and inflammation, are diabetes, heart disease, stroke, rheumatoid arthritis, chronic kidney disease, even toxic shock syndrome, and more and more serious diseases are added to this list literally yearly.
Likewise, when diabetic patients had their periodontal disease treated, they experienced a “marked improvement” in blood sugar levels.
What I am trying to make perfectly clear to all of you out there who are still with me: Your Oral Health Affects Your Overall Health. Take care of yourself and take care of your dad.
And don’t forget, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure!
Happy Smiles,
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.com
Websites: 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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