Dr. James G. Hood's Blog

Taco Saturday

Dr. James G. Hood — Wed, 02 May 2012 16:07:21 +0000

Saturday May 5^th is Cinco de Mayo. Mexican Independence Day from Spain (1821) is September 16^th, NOT Cinco de Mayo (May 5^th). Cinco de Mayo is the commemoration of the victory of the Mexican Militia over the French army in 1862. Cinco de Mayo is celebrated heartily in parts of the United States and particularly in the state of Pueblo, in Mexico, the site of the Mexican victory.

In Spokane, Washington, the first weekend in May will be a busy time. Saturday is Cinco de Mayo and Sunday is Bloomsday. Saturday will be a day of celebration with Margaritas, tequila, tacos, burritos, enchiladas, and plenty of tortillas. There may even be a piñata or two broken. The typical carb-loading which takes place before the big Bloomsday 12k race is pasta, but this year that tradition may be replaced with tortillas.

Mexican restaurants may replace their usual Taco Tuesday with a Taco Saturday. Margaritas, salsa, refried beans and tortilla chips should surely flow abundantly this weekend.

The red, white, and green of the Mexican flag may fly boldly on this Mexican holiday. The red, white, and blue of course trump all others in this democracy. I don’t adhere to the melting pot notion of a nation, I prefer the tossed salad analogy.

With the United States acceptance of foreign immigrants into our nation it is not surprising that we celebrate a holiday with our bordering neighbors. Mexican restaurants are plentiful in almost every city in our great nation. I never thought about it eh, but I’ve never seen a Canadian restaurant, Canadian bacon yes, but Canadian ethnic food, no.

Needless to say there are plenty of ways to celebrate this Mexican holiday in America. Observance might even include a continuation of last week’s Arbor Day with a tree planting. Northern Quest Casino will draw people with their quarter of a million dollar prize. Yard work may be the necessary outlet for those needing to effectively accomplish something with their weekend. Relaxation for Bloomsday Sunday may be in the agenda for over 50,000 individuals in Spokane. No matter what your ritual to celebrate Cinco de Mayo, arriba!

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.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

Arbor Day Gone?

Dr. James G. Hood — Tue, 01 May 2012 17:15:50 +0000

Last Friday was Arbor Day, April 27^th, 2012. But the trees are one of those special things in life that we can enjoy and celebrate every day. In Spokane we’ve seen more trees in blossom in the last two weeks than we’ll probably get to appreciate all year. Arbor Day is a tree-planting holiday. The tradition was started in Nebraska and on April 10, 1872. On the first Arbor Day over one million trees were planted in Nebraska alone. Today Arbor Day is celebrated nationally and internationally.

In my family, I am the one who brings attention to trees as a regular routine. As we drive together as a family I will question family members to identify different trees. While blooming, as is the case for many right now, they are especially easy to identify. The flowering pear and cherries, and the flowering thundercloud plum have been particularly spectacular this spring.

Most of my children have favorite trees or a handful which they can easily identify. One of my older daughters says “Sycamore” for every tree when questioned. Her thought apparently being eventually she’ll be right. I tell her that’s like a broken watch which is at least right twice a day.

Trees are often very unique. Sunburst locust, Douglas fir, hackberry, white pine, service berry, Russian-olive, dogwood and Catalpa all have characteristics which make them easily identifiable. Everyone should be able to identify Ponderosa Pine if they live here in the Inland Northwest. Go out into your yard or your neighbor’s and identify all the trees you encounter. Most people know maple even if they don’t know the difference between sugar maple, Norway maple, or silver maple. Make an effort to learn 8-10 trees by sight this summer. Have you ever seen a ginko tree? The leaves are said to give you good luck.

Celebrate Arbor Day all summer. Learn the name of trees in your area. Plant a tree and enjoy it for life.

Keep brushing,

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

Porcelain Veneers / Lumineers

Dr. James G. Hood — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 20:01:22 +0000

Dentistry has many amazing options to restore and replace teeth, and to improve function, and esthetics. Chewing well and beautiful smiles are both very valuable assets for physically and emotionally healthy individuals.
Porcelain veneers are one way to improve esthetics which are popular due to recent publicity. Lumineers is one brand of porcelain veneer which has patented the particular porcelain which it uses. Lumineers is also the name for a 3 person band which plays “timeless melodies and soul-stirring lyrics”. But I digress, dental veneers are a great oral treatment, in the right situation. Veneers, however, are not the answer to all dental problems. Veneers, in many cases, can restore chipped, discolored, even some crooked teeth. They may also be used to close gaps between teeth. Veneers are ideal in some situations but may not be used in all situations. They can be placed over existing crowns but other options may be better with people who are heavy grinders. A thorough diagnostic exam needs to precede any treatment with veneers or any restorative dental work.
Most dentists are able to place porcelain veneers/lumineers. Take the time to talk to your dentist. Most treatments have pros and cons. Make informed decisions on treatment with your dental professional.
Be sure you understand your diagnosed problems and the treatment options you have for restoring your teeth and smile, both the assets and drawbacks. If you feel a second opinion is needed, don’t hesitate.
Your teeth and smile are very significant assets to your health and self esteem. Help insure your health and happiness by taking good care of your teeth and smile.

Keep brushing,
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

Moments Unfading

Dr. James G. Hood — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 04:48:35 +0000

A few years ago my mother passed away. Today is her birthday. Events in my life still trigger that inborn reaction to give her a call. It is amazing to me how that instinct to share life’s moments persists even now long after a family member is gone.

Today, my daughter returns home after being a foreign exchange student for a semester. This is an exciting moment for our family. In fact, the calendar of events in our family is viewed differently than many groups and organizations. It is not merely January, February, March through, which the passage of time is measured. In our family, it is birthdays, holidays, vacations, trips, anniversaries, which are used to ‘calculate’ time. “After Caleb’s birthday, but before the 4^th of July” would be an easily understood time period to our family.

You might wonder why I’m at all concerned about the yardstick used to gauge time. Well, time is one of those non-refundable resources that is often “wasted”, “spent”, or “killed”. Moments of time, special periods are what stick in our memories and, since time cannot be retrieved except in memories, special moments need to occur often and with intention. I have no more time with my mother, but I will always have the memories of time which I spent with her.

Think back in your own life of things you vividly remember. Usually, these are comical times or moments spent with family or friends that were maybe not spectacular, but comfortably memorable. Each of us is capable of creating special moments in the lives of those around us. We should be intentional in making these moments. It may be the moment of the day, or moment of the week, month, or year, or it may be the moment to which all other moments are compared to. A simple Thank You recognition or moment which makes one smile on recalling something from 20 years in the past may be memorable and special. Create a special moment with a person(s) today.

…and always keep smiling,

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

Showers, Blossoms, Babies, and Bleach

Dr. James G. Hood — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 02:01:53 +0000

Greetings from the dental office! Spring has made its presence quite obvious outside lately. First crocus and now daffodils, forsythia, and magnolias are blooming here in the Spokane Valley. The rhubarb is up and trees all around us are budding out and ripe for a foliage explosion.

At our house, we have had 3 baby lambs and 4 baby goats born in the last 3 weeks, one new doeling last night. In the next two weeks, what will spring bring? I expect to see hummingbirds and serviceberry blossoms. Who will be the first to spot these landmarks of spring.

And, what are dental patients looking for? Well, as people do their spring cleaning inside the house and outside in the yard, to make the house and property look great, likewise, people want to have their smile look great also. Whiter teeth is a frequent request all year, but more so in the spring. Many people may be looking forward to graduation, reunions, weddings, and whiter teeth may be on their mind. But, whatever drives the desire, we can whiten teeth.

Just a couple caveats to consider before bleaching teeth:

Whitening toothpastes are really a con – don’t buy into it. What is done during and after bleaching is a big determiner of success vs. failure.
Teeth are covered with enamel rods. Despite the fact that enamel is the hardest substance in the human body, under an electron microscope enamel is quite porous. It looks like PVC pipe stacked in a pile, from the end you see all the tubes. When teeth are bleached, all the coffee, tobacco, tea, blueberry, etc. stains are cleaned out of those tubes. Following bleaching, the teeth reflect light better and look both whiter and brighter.
Once teeth are bleached, those now clean tubules need to avoid all staining colored liquids, not forever, but for at least 2 weeks. This gives these newly bleached enamel rods a chance to fill in with clear fluid. This interim period must be gone through without cola, tea, coffee, huckleberry sauce, apple juice, etc. If you can’t give up coffee, tobacco, etc. for two weeks, don’t consider bleaching teeth. Anything with color can and will re-stain those freshly bleached tubules.

Ask your dentist about bleaching your teeth for a fresh spring smile.

Keep smiling,

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

Greetings to all and a good Monday morning!

Dr. James G. Hood — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 00:07:40 +0000

Today is the last day of winter, ending tonight at 10:14 pm. I hope everyone had a Happy St. Patrick’s Day, on Saturday, 3/17/12. It’s hard to get enough corned beef and cabbage…in my book.

And a bit of tooth trivia on this National Poultry Day, from the Spokane Regional Health District: Every March 19^th, the swallows return to California’s Mission San Capistrano, after spending the winter in Argentina. Swallows, like all modern birds, have no teeth. They “chew” their food by swallowing tiny bits of gravel. The gravel chews the food internally. The last time that a bird-like creature could actually bite was about 90 million years ago.

My wife, son, and I went to visit Carroll College in Helena, Montana this past weekend. As a graduating senior, he is in search of the perfect fit for his college education. We were extremely impressed with the curriculum, professors, and campus. Located at the foot of the Rocky Mountains, the setting was more beautifully pristine than any campus I had ever seen. The weather was clear and crisp and the students and faculty were warm and welcoming.

We toured the campus and visited all buildings. My son is considering pre-med as his initial direction and Carroll has an unmatched record for placement in Medical schools for graduating seniors from Northwest US colleges. The small size (1,500 students) and personalized student-to-faculty ratio (13:1) make it an excellent institution for higher education. The Carroll College fighting Saints have won the national title in football for their division 6 of the last 10 years. And, the ecumenical atmosphere in this diocesan college makes it appear that mental, physical, and spiritual growth is part and parcel of the learning process.

The six things that Carroll College and its faculty and staff aim to instill in its graduates are for them to:

Continue learn and search for truth
Develop and exercise thinking skills
Become and practice effective communication
Always see the connectedness in the world around us
Always keep a focus on physical, emotional, and spiritual strength building
Graduate with a sense of vocation and a willingness and desire to give back to the community.

I would encourage anyone seeking an excellent undergraduate education to consider Carroll College in Helena, Montana.

While in Helena, Montana’s capitol, we went to the Cathedral of St. Helena, the Capitol Building, and Montana Historical Museum. Of course we saw Indian artifacts, gold mining maps, Charlie Russell paintings, and bronzes, dinosaur bones, and a white buffalo. We also saw a giant mastodon tooth. Elephants have teeth like mastodons but have only four, which re-grow six times during their life.

Happy Spring!

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.com

Mountain Valley View Farm mini-shops

Mistylynn — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 02:10:31 +0000

Mountain Valley View Farm is pleased to announce the opening of their mini-shops.

Welcome to Mountain Valley View Farm and its unique collection of mini-shops within our farm. Our assortment within our farm includes:

TABLE OF MINI-SHOPS CONTENTS

FOOD & BEVERAGE ITEMS

Local Family Farm of Veggies, Fruit, and Berries
Organic Egg Farm
Future WSDA Grade A Goat, Sheep, and Yak Dairy
Artisan Cheese Shop
Ice Cream, Gelato, and Frozen Treat Shoppe
Artisan Bakery & Pastry Shop
Comfort Food Kitchen
Homemade Soup Shop
Deli & Panini Shop
Pizza & Flatbread Shop
Jams & Jelly Shop
Huckleberry Shop
Honey Shop
Take & Bake Shop
International Food Shop
Nut & Spice Shop
Vegetarian & Vegan Shop
Juice & Beverage Shop
Tea & Tasting Room
Coffee & Coffee Bean Shop
Wine & Micro Brew Shop
Catering Service
Farm Food Delivery Service

NON-FOOD & BEVERAGE ITEMS

Gift Basket and Floral Shop – Custom Made & Shipped Worldwide
Plant Nursery and Greenhouse
Arts & Crafts Studio.
Soap & Cosmetic Shop – Handcrafted
Candle Shop – Handcrafted
Jewelry Shop – Handcrafted
Potpourri & Fragrance Shop
Personalized Poem & Greeting Card Shop
Books & Cookbooks by Karen Jean Matsko Hood – Local Author & Poet & Children’s Author
CookingwithKaren.com Cooking Lessons
Visiting Artist Gallery and Custom Frame Shop
Getaway Studio Classroom
Getaway Studio Bed & Breakfast
Pet & Farm Animal Food Shop
Petting Farm and Nature Learning School
Gift & floral Shipping and Delivery Service

Mountain Valley View Farm is a small eco-friendly, self-sustaining, organic, family farm located in Greenacres of the Spokane Valley near the Idaho border of Washington State. We invite you to shop from our collection of farm mini-shops listed below:

OUR LOCAL FAMILY FARM of VEGGIES, FRUITS, and BERRIES
Our farm raises vegetables, fruit, berries, grapes, herbs, cut flowers, and wildflowers using organic and eco-friendly farming methods. We are also working to and organic hydroponics to our farm growing system.

OUR ORGANIC EGG FARM
Our licensed WSDA egg farm provides organic farm-fresh cage-free organic chicken, duck, goose, guinea, quail, pheasant, peafowl, and turkey eggs raised on our farm. We can also special order emu, ostrich, and rhea eggs with advance notice.

OUR FUTURE WSDA LICENSED GRADE A GOAT, SHEEP, & YAK DAIRY
Our farm dairy will soon provide fresh and pasteurized goat, sheep, yak, and cow milk, cream, butter, along with small hand crafted batch artisan cheese, yogurt, ice cream, gelato, and other delicious dairy products. We will not sell any of our own dairy products until our WSDA Grade A Dairy License is complete.

OUR ARTISAN CHEESE SHOP
Our cheese shop provides artisan and gourmet cheeses from our own farm, and local area farms, plus, we provide artisan cheese from worldwide sources. We also offer wonderful products made with cheeses, yogurts, tofu, and vegan cheese found in our local cheese shop.

OUR ICE CREAM, GELATO, & FROZEN TREAT SHOPPE
Our ice cream shop provides delicious homemade Ice Cream, Gelato, Soft-Serve, Ice Milk, Sherbet, Sorbet, Frozen Yogurt, Vegan Frozen Treats, Shaved Ice, Fruit Pops, Fudgesicles, Milk Shakes, Malts, Granitas, Ice Cream Floats, Sodas, Slushies, and Smoothies and other frozen treats and desserts.

OUR ARTISAN BAKERY & PASTRY SHOP
Our small bakery produces artisan breads, rolls, sourdough breads, pretzels, muffins, bagels, pies, cakes, cupcakes, cheesecakes, pastries, cream puffs, puff pastries, sour cream twists, donuts, cupcakes, cobblers, huckleberry desserts, cookies, desserts, sticky buns, caramel rolls, poteca, poppy seed rolls, international breads such as teff and naan, and other delicious international baked goods, as well as gluten free baked goods.

OUR COMFORT FOOD KITCHEN
Our WSDA licensed kitchen makes homemade casseroles, soups, sauces, dips, pesto, hummus, dehydrated foods, beverages, syrups, honey, and candies. We also make delicious homemade jarred foods such as pickles, vinegars, sauerkraut, and salad dressings, and sauces.

OUR HOMEMADE SOUP SHOP
Our soup shop sells delicious homemade artisan and nutritional soups, chowders, bisques, and chili of all kinds that are quickly frozen to take home and enjoy when you want to have some healthy comfort meal.

OUR DELI & PANINI SHOP
Our deli provides fresh salads, pastas, crepes, wraps, cheeses, mustards, pesto, humus, tapenade, dips, spreads, tapas, fresh sandwiches, panini, gyros, sausages, salami. You can order your requested special deli order in advance to pick up for your office, picnic, or special event and arrange in advance for pick up. We also have limited delivery service available, for 55 cents per mile, with a minimum 24 hour advance notice, on a limited basis.

OUR PIZZA & FLATBREAD SHOP
We sell artisan pizza and flatbread on a rotational basis. We are constantly trying new ingredient combinations for our artisan pizza and flatbread, for your enjoyment.

OUR JAMS & JELLY SHOP
Our jams and jelly shop makes delicious homemade jarred foods such as jams, jellies, preserves, butters, marmalades, compotes, and curds. We make all our jams and jellies the old fashioned way, in small batches and never add any artificial chemicals, color, or preservatives.

OUR HUCKLEBERRY SHOP
Our huckleberry shop provides handmade huckleberry products like jams, jellies, preserves, marmalades, syrups, ice cream toppings, sauces, salad dressing, pie filling, candies, fudge, and everything huckleberry. We also provide huckleberry breads, muffins, cakes, pies, cheesecakes, and desserts, on a rotation basis.

OUR HONEY SHOP
Our honey shop sells local honey from local farms, as well as our own honey from Mountain Valley view Farm honeybees. We love to cook and bake with honey and its delicious health benefits.

OUR TAKE AND BAKE SHOP
Our take and bake shop provides tasty frozen homemade comfort food meals, vegetarian, vegan, and international that are homemade and quickly frozen. All you need to do is take home and keep in your freezer until you are ready to use for a great home-style comfort dinner for your family and friends.

OUR INTERNATIONAL FOOD SHOP
Our kitchen makes all the traditional ethnic foods of our family heritage that have been made from our family and grandparents. Try our foods from the old and new countries and regions of Yugoslavia, Czechoslovakia, Ireland, Britain, Germany, Greece, France, Italy, Korea, India, Ethiopia, Africa, Native American, and African American recipes.

OUR NUT & SPICE SHOP
Our nut and spice ship provides our customers with all the fresh and unique spices and nut combinations for their health and enjoyment to take home. Enjoy our homemade treats or take them home to make your own.

OUR VEGETARIAN & VEGAN SHOP
Our vegetation and vegan shop makes fresh vegetarian and vegan soups, sandwiches, Panini, pizzas, casseroles, and main dishes. We have 4 vegetarians in our family and have been cooking and testing vegetarian recipes for many years.

OUR JUICE & BEVERAGE SHOP
Our juice bar serves new fresh ingredients fruits, vegetable, and herbal drinks to add to our menu. We are creating new health and energy drinks, along with traditional blended drinks.

OUR TEA & TASTING ROOM
Our tea shop provides all kinds of delicious and healthful teas and herbal infusions for your drinking pleasure. Try our hot or iced tea or hot green, black, white, yellow tea, and herbal teas to drink. Take your favorites to make at home. Teas are healthful, delicious, and no calorie drinks, served hot or cold and full of intioxidants.

OUR COFFEE & COFFEE BEAN SHOP
Our coffee shop provides delicious fresh roasted coffees for your tasting and enjoyment. We sell fresh roasted coffee, plus you can buy your own favorite Mountain Valley View Farm blend of fresh roasted beans to take home or give as a gift.

OUR FUTURE WINE & MICRO-BREW SHOP
We are in the process of obtaining our Washington State liquor license to sell wine and micro-brews to accompany our menu. In the future, we have dreams of making our own small batches of wine and micro-beers, but we will never sell anything until fully licensed.

OUR CATERING SERVICE
Our Mountain Valley View Farm catering service will arrange to cater our menu foods items for your special occasion, holiday, birthday, wedding, or office event, with advance notice and planning. Please call us if you need us to provide your special event.

OUR FARM FOOD LOCAL DELIVERY SERVICE
We try to please our customers, so we have a limited local delivery service to deliver our farm foods for 55 cents per mile, from one of our locations below, with a minimum of 24 hours advance notice. Call to check on delivery availability.

MOUNTAIN VALLEY VIEW FARM NON FOOD ITEMS:

OUR GIFT BASKET & FLORAL SHOP – CUSTOM MADE & SHIPPED WORLDWIDE:
We will design your custom gift basket to fit your request. We can take any of our items and custom-make a gift basket for you year ’round gift giving. We also offer seasonal live plants, herbs, container gardens, terrariums, cut flowers, and wildflowers on a seasonal basis.

PLANT NURSERY & GREENHOUSE
Our farm plant nursery, greenhouse, and hydroponic gardens sell live house plants, trees, shrubs, vines, air plants, bromeliads, annuals, perennials, seeds, orchids, bulbs, herbs, wildflowers, cut flowers, and gift baskets.

OUR ARTS AND CRAFTS STUDIO
Our small farm arts and crafts studio makes arts, crafts, fiber yarn products spun from our farm animals, ornaments, jewelry, cookbooks, farm books, greeting cards, soaps, candles, clothing, t-shirts, scarves, aprons, and potpourri. All are hand-crafted in small batches, right here, on our local family farm.

OUR SOAP & COSMETIC SHOP (Handcrafted)
Our soap and cosmetic ship makes handcrafted artisan soap from our goat and sheep milk in a variety of soap shapes and forms. We also make other products using only the freshest ingredients available. As always, we never add any artificial chemicals, preservative, or colors.

OUR CANDLE SHOP (Handcrafted)
Our candle shop makes handcrafted artisan candles from wax, beeswax, and soy in a variety of shapes, sizes, colors, and natural fragrances. We can custom-make your special order candles.

OUR JEWELRY SHOP (Handcrafted)
Our jewelry shop makes handcrafted artisan jewelry from local area products, plus unique glass beads and stones collected from all over the world.

OUR POTPOURRI & FRAGRANCE SHOP
Our farm makes and blends our own potpourri, wreaths, sachets, and fragrance gifts, using fragrances made from natural ingredients.

OUR PERSONALIZED POEM & GREETING CARD SHOP
Our farm owner and author writes and designs greeting cards and personalized poems for that special or sentimental gift you want to send.

OUR BOOKS & COOKBOOKS by Karen Jean Matsko Hood – Local Author & Poet
Our farm owner and author, Karen Jean Matsko Hood, has published books, cookbooks, poetry, and children’s books. We offer these for sale, autographed and personalized for your gift giving. NOTE: She needs a minimum of 24 hours notice to complete your unique notes.

OUR Cookingwithkaren.com COOKING LESSONS
Our farm owner and cookbook author, Karen Jean Matsko Hood, who happens to be the owner and operator of Mountain Valley View Farm and provides cooling lessons and demonstrations on an occasional basis.
Have fun and schedule some classes with Cookingwithkaren.com.

OUR VISITING ARTIST GALLERY & CUSTOM FRAME SHOP
Our small local art gallery and frame shop welcomes local artists and are happy to display and feature artists on a rotational basis. You can purchase the artist’s work of your choice through our shop and we even provide custom framing for your choice, if desired! We also ship custom art framed or unframed for your convenience.

OUR GETAWAY STUDIO CLASSROOM
Our Getaway Studio classroom provides cooking classes, food, wine and cheese tasting classes, farm workshops, seminars, writing workshops for authors, and nature classes, by advance appointment only.

OUR GETAWAY STUDIO BED AND BREAKFAST
Our Getaway Studio Bed and Breakfast provides one single room king sized bed and breakfast unit, by advance appointment only.

OUR PET AND FARM ANIMALS FOOD SHOP
Our pet food shop makes small batch custom treats for your dogs, pets, and farm animals. We sell only pet foods that we are licensed to make.

OUR PETTING FARM AND NATURE LEARNING SCHOOL:
We have over 300 farm animals to come and visit and learn about at our Learning School, by advance appointment only. Our farm is also a wildlife sanctuary so you will be able to see many birds and local, protected wildlife on our farm. All classes must be pre-arranged by advance appointment only.

ABOUT OUR GIFT & FLORAL SHIPPING AND DELIVERY SERVICE:
We ship our products, gifts, and personalized gift baskets worldwide. We can also arrange local delivery for a standard 55 cent mileage fee, with a minimum 24 hour notice, from our farm address to yours, as a convenience to our customers! You can shop or re-order products at our farm store online at :

www.mountainvalleyviewfarmblog.com www.mountainvalleyviewfarmstore.com or call us at (509)928-1800.

Come and visit us at the farm by advance appointment only (509) 928-1800. However, you can also visit us year ‘round at the downtown booth at the Spokane Public Market every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday 10:00 am – 6:00pm anytime during those hours!

We look forward to seeing you there soon!

You can also find us at the local seasonal farmer’s markets and the local fairs.

Straight Teeth – A Precious Gift

Dr. James G. Hood — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 22:27:57 +0000

Straight teeth can be easily attained in our modern world with orthodontics. Orthodontists are specialized dentists who have the ability to move teeth in the jaws and even to realign the bones involved with chewing. The results of their labors are readily evident in beautiful smiles with straight teeth. Big smiles build self-esteem.

Beautiful smiles and straight teeth may be the end result but, during the process of teeth movement, cleaning the teeth is more of a challenge.

Healthy teeth and gums are important for everyone and good brushing and flossing with well-defined patterns of cleaning can be the difference between disease and health. Frequently, good brushers and flossers are best trained while in braces. The brackets, bands, wires, rubber bands, and general hardware make it more difficult to reach and clean all the nooks and crannies. If a patient is able to clean teeth well, while in braces, he/she will probably have developed the proper oral care to do a good job for life.

However, because of the areas created by this orthodontic hardware, which are more difficult to reach with brushes and floss, such effort becomes more even critical. Plaque is bacteria with all the sticky toxins and waste products it produces while residing on one’s teeth and gums. In orthodontic treatment, reaching all the hidden areas while cleaning becomes a seemingly never-ending challenge. Acids, a waste product that may be left on enamel for longer than 24 hours, begin to etch or demineralize (decalcify) teeth producing, if left unchecked, chalky surfaces or decay on teeth.

Proper brushing and flossing cannot be replaced, but…fluoride can be topically applied to the surface of teeth to recalcify or remineralize tooth enamel. Fluoride treatments, with various formulas, can be prescribed by your dentist or orthodontist to make your teeth “super teeth” and drastically more resistant to tooth decay. Again, just as with brushing and flossing – Repetition is the mother of skill – the more you brush and floss, the more proficient you become. Likewise, the more you apply fluoride to the surfaces of your teeth, the more skilled (if enamel can have skill) your teeth become at resisting decay. Voila! – super teeth!

The results of people who have worn braces without proper oral care is readily evident on teeth with chalky or decayed areas at the gum line (below brackets holding orthodontic wires) once braces are removed.

Dentists can, at the non-brushers’ expense, restore these teeth, but isn’t diligent care while in braces a good investment?

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.com

Please join us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/drjameshood

and visit our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/drjameshood

Autoimmune Diseases and Oral Disease

Dr. James G. Hood — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 00:14:05 +0000

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

Online Support: The Perfect Answer for Many Adoptive Parents

Bipasha — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 18:25:45 +0000

Support can come in lots of ways for people who have adopted children who have special needs. Talking to someone who “gets it” is one of the best things that we as adoptive parents can do to normalize our experience and feel like we are not alone. However, some types of support just aren’t possibilities for us during our most trying of days.

Here are some reasons why “real life” as opposed to virtual, online support aren’t possible for adoptive parents:

1) Traditional support groups require us to leave our homes. This requires child care. Many adoption support groups do not provide child care.

2) Traditional support groups that meet in person sometimes offer child care. However, sometimes our children simply cannot function in that setting — even if it is geared to special needs children.

3) Sometimes we are simply to exhausted to make ourselves look presentable. Even if we want to get out and go to a group, it would require having time for a shower and ttime to find clothes that match and don’t have holes in them, perhaps makeup or perfume… you get the idea. Sometimes we’re just too tired at the end of the day to get there.

4) If we can’t meet in person, phone calls are the next best thing. However, it is quite embarrassing to be talking to someone with the noise of a kid raging in the background or while being called a variety of interesting and colorful names by an angry teenager. After we’ve said, “wait, hold on a second” five or six times it just gets too frustrating to try any longer.

5) Having visitors would be another natural way to connect with others, but I know you can think of 30 reasons why THAT isn’t going to happen. At least I can.

6) Meeting another adoptive parent for coffee or lunch is a great idea IF all the kids are in school and IF the school isn’t calling to interrupt the lunch or coffee time to say that we have to come to the school to intervene, give advice, or bring them home.

So, naturally, those of us who have interesting children at home often can’t find support by going to a “real life” support group. We can’t have people over, go out to meet someone, or talk on the phone. Fortunately, there is the internet and now even those of us in the midst of the battle in the trenches can participate in an online group.

So obviously, after reading the paragraphs above, you should already be able to articulate these reasons why online support has been my favorite type in my fifteen years as a foster and adoptive parent:

I don’t have to get dressed up. In fact I don’t have to get dressed at all. I don’t have to go anywhere. I can do it any time of day or night, it doesn’t matter if everyone is awake, or nobody is. Nobody can hear the noise and chaos in the background.

I also find that the ability to write down what I am feeling (which often is required for online support) helps me understand myself more.

So if you are finding a need to “talk” to “someone who gets it” during the next weeks, why not check out online support options? List servs, message boards, blogs, and other avenues of online connections can be just what you are looking for.

If you have not heard, Adopt America has an online support group via Facebook. You can check us out by searching for Adopt America Network’s Support Group on facebook and asking to join. We’d love to have you be a part of our group. And remember … we couldn’t care less what you look like right now, or what your kids are doing or saying in the background, or if you have lots of energy or very little. We are definitely a “come as you are” group. “See” you soon!