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About Vernonia's voice. (Vernonia, OR) 2007-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 9, 2012)
8 in other words october9 2012 Natural Path to Health: Food is Medicine Dr. Carol McIntyre Fall is upon us and it is harvest time. Sunday we harvested our plums and Monday night we made our first plum jam. Very fun. I have been doing more reading about food as medicine and remembering that every single food is medicine. Let me show you what I mean… plums. In Chinese medicine plums (whether sweet or sour) affect the liver and kidneys. They are used to treat liver dis- ease, diabetes, ascites (a form of edema), diarrhea, dry cough and excessive thirst. Respecting food as medicine is also impor- tant. The above medicinal properties of plums are all valid; however it depends on whether the plum is sour or sweet. If you consume too many plums it will over stimulate the liver and could lead to an emotional out- burst! Thinking about that last statement… this is why it is so important to respect foods and not indulge in any one type of food. Each food has medicinal prop- erties and can affect different organ systems. We can heal ourselves with food as well as create imbalances. In Chinese medical philosophy they speak of prenatal and postnatal Qi. We obtain the prenatal from our mother and father upon conception. The postna- tal Qi comes from our nourishment (food, water, sleep, rest). Many different stressors can affect our postnatal Qi. Excess of any kind will alter the balance and bring on disease. One of the greatest Chinese doctors of the Qing dynasty (1644-1911) was Sun Si-miao. He said: “To live long, people should take care not to worry too much, not to get too angry, not to get too sad, not to get frightened, not to do too much, not to talk too much and not to laugh too much. One should not have too many desires nor face numerous upsetting conditions. All these are harmful to the health.” In addition he went on to say: “One who knows how to conserve one’s life is one who thinks less, worries less, has fewer desires, is less active, talks less, is less upset, has less excitement and less anger and does less wrong. These 12 lesses are the key to conserving one’s life.”1 Understanding the teaching here is critical. Dr. Sun Si-miao is referring to the excesses of life, not normal day to day activity. Actually, in Chinese medi- Creature Comforts ~ See Spot Move! By Michal Smith I’m sure it’s a bit awkward for those long timers in the community who’ve become used to frequenting Creatures Pet Store in the same location for almost 12 years to now see it empty. But not to worry, the town’s pet store has taken up residency at 998 Bridge Street! A stand-alone building which, among many advantages, offers customers off-street parking and access. We’ll be unpacking boxes for a bit but we will remain open for custom- ers to come in and shop or just say “hel- lo” to our pets and staff. We’re looking forward to celebrating formally with a big Grand Re-Opening in November- keep a look out for more details in the coming weeks! No matter how organized you are on paper, there is no getting around the fact that moving is stressful. Thank- fully I, along with the animals, are all getting much relief from Bach Flower Remedies. These natural oils and es- sences provide a natural way to support the body and assist in remaining calm when everything around us seems to be in upheaval. We put a drop of Bach Flow- cine it is said that one should keep a constant, regular lifestyle and suitable amounts of work and rest. BAL- ANCE. Also, one should be happy with a light and open view, guarding against being seized by sudden change in emotion. 2 Autumn is a time of harvest, a time of transi- tion into the Winter season. A time for reflection. It is important that we reflect on the balance in our lives. In our current culture it is very difficult to stay balanced. There are many stressors surrounding us and coming into our daily lives. Many people are medicated in or- der to cope with these stressors. Taking the time to look inward and identify what imbalances we have in our lives is so important. Food can help us obtain health and balance. Think about what you put into your body. Think about how it comes out! Think about how it makes you feel. Think about how it is serving your body. I will be pre- scribing some medicinal porridge for winter nourish- ment in my next article. Enjoy your Harvest. Thank you for joining me. Be Well~ er Rescue Remedy in the birds, Guin- ea Pigs and kittens water to help them through the move and they are taking the change like champs! If you’re interested in these remedies call or stop by to get more information (you can also read the September 11, 2012 issue of Vernonia’s Voice in which Victoria details the Rem- edy’s benefits and heritage). New in the store this month is Red Dingo Pet ID Tags. These are made in Washington State and are the most du- rable tag out there! Perfect for the rug- ged and active lifestyle of Vernonia’s finest. These tags are thick and will not be easily worn down or fall off. You’ll get a variety of styles to choose from and free personalizing and shipping! Also in the store is the fall line of Pet Speciality - Pet Odor Eliminating candles. Safe to burn around pets and people they include natural odor--eating enzymes that are released when burned, all in an amazing selection of scents! Well, I better get back to un- packing~ come check out our new “Spot”! 503-429-PETS (7387) open Tues-Fri 10-6 Sat 10-5 closed Sun/Mon. Sheriff’s Office Uses Creativity, Outside Funding and Volunteers to Fill Budget Gaps Despite budget cuts that caused layoffs in the jail and patrol staff at the beginning of summer, Co- lumbia County is still receiving quality services from its Sheriff’s Office, thanks to an empowered staff, a high level of outside funding and strong volunteer ser- vices. “In many ways, we are getting more done with less, thanks to volunteers and creative staff members and thanks to a high percentage of outside funding, which is made up of grants, fees and agreements with outside entities,” says Sheriff Jeff Dickerson. This summer, because of a $700,000 budget re- duction, the Sheriff’s Office lost four Corrections Divi- sion positions and one Enforcement Division position. The layoffs would have been worse, except for a high level of outside revenue developed in this budget year. Additionally, a program featuring a call-triage system instituted last fall and a cadre of newly cross-trained deputies in both divisions, has absorbed the budget cuts with very little visible effect to the overall public safety mission Added to the creative problem-solving that has led to improvement in service delivery county-wide, the Sheriff’s Office has a high per- centage of revenue coming in from outside re- sources in the form of grants, fees, and outside entity agreements totaling over $3.1 million in the current budget year. “The revenue from outside sources is significant,” says Undersheriff Andy Moyer. “With the county budget stressed to the point that only about $2.6 million is dedicated to the Sheriff’s Office, the outside revenue we bring in makes up over half of the operating costs of the entire Sheriff’s Office.” In the past four years, the Sheriff’s Office has been buttressed by more than the $12 million in outside resources while the county has provided roughly the same amount over that same period of time. “Without that outside funding from various sources, the Sheriff’s Office mis- sion would be se- verely crippled,” Moyer said. The Sheriff’s Office also relies on Reserve Deputy Jeff Mansheim is part of a cadre of reserve volunteers to help fill deputies who contribute 250 hours a month to their community on a voluntary basis. Overall, volunteers are expected to add gaps in service lev- more than 8,000 hours to the Sheriff’s mission in 2012. els. Volunteers serve in all three divisions of Columbia County to search for missing people or to of the sheriff’s office, pro- find important evidence in a crime. Add to that number viding excellent services an additional 10 volunteers who help with Sheriff’s of- to the community at little fice programs, and there are well over 50 volunteers extra cost to the public. who are active members of the Sheriff’s volunteer pro- Reserve deputies help pa- gram. trol in Columbia County “We have the highest number ever of trained both on the river and on the and certified volunteer Search and Rescue members,” roadways. About 40 fully says Volunteer Search and Rescue coordinator Ron active Search and Rescue Hermo. These Search and Rescue volunteers contrib- volunteers are available ute thousands of hours each year to community service. and train regularly to re- Lieutenant Dustin Hald oversees the Sheriff’s 503-429-6364 continued on page 16 spond anywhere in or out Hunting Season is here! Archery Equipment - Sporting Goods Calls - Cammo - Boots - Accessories Binoculars - Scent Killers - Targets Family owned & operated for over 40 years 834 Bridge St, Vernonia
