Archive for April, 2011
New Eating Disorders: Are They For Real?
By Lisa Collier Cool
Source: Yahoo! Health
I have a friend who will only eat short pasta, like penne. Another friend sticks to long pasta – linguini, spaghetti. I thought that was a bit bizarre until I read about Heather Hill, 39, whose diet consists entirely of French fries, pasta with butter or marinara sauce, vegetarian pizza, cooked broccoli, corn on the cob, and cakes and cookies without nuts.
Ms. Hill isn’t alone. New findings indicate that there may be hundreds, if not thousands, of adult picky eaters. To get a handle on the numbers, Duke University and the University of Pittsburgh have launched a national public registry of adult picky eaters. Respected publications like JAMA and Psychology Today are recognizing another new eating disorder, orthorexia, an obsession with healthy eating. That may not sound bad, as obsessions go, but those who carry good intentions too far can face serious risks.
Kristie Rutzel, 27, dropped to 68 pounds when she was in the grip of her fixation on healthy eating – at one point she ate little more than raw broccoli and cauliflower. Neither adult picky eating disorder nor orthorexia is included in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM), the American Psychiatric Association’s “bible” of mental disorders. Once a disorder is listed, treatment is often covered by insurance and it’s easier for researchers to get grants to study it. Here’s what we know so far:
- What is Adult Selective Eating? Like kids, adult picky eaters limit themselves to an extremely narrow range of foods. Unlike those who suffer from anorexia nervosa or bulimia, adult picky eaters are seemingly not worried about calorie counts or body image. But so far, researchers don’t know if adult picky eaters just haven’t outgrown childhood patterns or if their eating habits are a new twist on obsessive compulsive disorder. Some may be “supertasters,” with an abnormally acute sense of taste that turns them off certain foods. Many appear to have had unpleasant childhood associations with food.
- What is orthorexia? Identified in 1997 by Colorado physician Steven Bratman, MD, orthorexia is Latin for “correct eating.” Here, too, the focus isn’t on losing weight. Instead, sufferers increasingly restrict their diets to foods they consider pure, natural and healthful. Some researchers say that orthorexia may combine a touch of obsessive compulsive disorder with anxiety and warn that severely limited “healthy” diets may be a stepping stone to anorexia nervosa, the most severe – and potentially life-threatening – eating disorder.
What do they eat?
- Adult picky eaters: Food preferences tend to be bland, white or pale colored – plain pasta or cheese pizza are said to be common foods along with French fries and chicken fingers. Some picky eaters stick to foods with a common texture or taste.
- Orthorexics: Those affected may start by eliminating processed foods, anything with artificial colorings or flavorings as well as foods that have come into contact with pesticides. Beyond that, orthorexics may also shun caffeine, alcohol, sugar, salt, wheat and dairy foods. Some limit themselves to raw foods.
What are the risks?
- Health consequences: Limiting your diet to only a few foods – because you’re a picky eater or have a long list of foods you deem unhealthy – can lead to potentially dangerous nutritional deficiencies. At its most extreme, a diet limited to only a few foods perceived to be healthy is described as orthorexia nervosa and can lead to the same emaciation and health risks seen with anorexia nervosa.
- Social Isolation: Being an adult picky eater can take an enormous social toll. Out of embarrassment, these folks avoid dining with friends or co-workers. Heather Hill tries to hide her eating habits from her children for fear that they will pick them up. Going to extremes in an effort to eat only healthy foods can also be socially isolating and can undermine personal relationships.
How are these disorders treated?
- Adult Selective Eating: Techniques that have proven successful in treating kids who are picky eaters – learning assertiveness skills and systematically trying new foods – are being used on adults, but it’s still too soon to know whether they work.
- Orthorexia: Cognitive behavior therapy designed to change obsessive thought patterns regarding food is usually recommended.
Farm Fresh Eggs for Sale!
Mountain Valley View Farm
is now selling fresh, organic eggs!
Our Barred Plymouth Rock and Red Star laying hens are producing around 15 dozen eggs per week. These chickens are free range, hormone and antibiotic free, and fed a fresh grain feed that contains no soy or animal bi-products. Eggs are ready for purchase now, and we are also taking pre-orders for future batches. We can only sell 15 dozen each week, so get on our waiting list quick to ensure that you get some of these nutritious and tasty eggs!
Organic eggs are extremely nutritious and contain significantly higher ratios of Vitamins A and E, Omega 3, and beta carotene than commercially produced eggs. They are also lower in cholesterol and saturated fat, making them an excellent choice for anyone concerned about their health. Furthermore, trace chemicals from pesticides and fertilizers have been detected in commercial eggs, and many of these chickens are given growth hormones and antibiotics to make them produce more. Chickens at Mountain Valley View Farm are fed an all-natural grain and allowed to roam and forage for food to supplement their diet. We do not use chemical pesticides or fertilizers on our farm, nor do we give our animals growth hormones or antibiotics, so you can be assured that our eggs will not have the toxins so common to commercially produced eggs. You will also love the taste of our eggs, as studies have shown that organic eggs from hens that eat a varied diet have a noticeably stronger and more pleasing flavor than commercial eggs.
Mountain Valley View Farm is a small family farm serving the Spokane/Coeur d’Alene area with healthy, farm fresh produce and more. We are located in beautiful Spokane Valley.
Eggs are $3.00/dozen and are available for pickup at Mountain Valley View Farm:
4227 S Chapman Rd
Greenacres, WA 99016
Or you can arrange to have them delivered to your home. Delivery charge will vary depending on your location. There is a small 50¢ egg carton deposit fee that is refundable when you bring egg cartons back for your next purchase. Call 509-928-1800 for more information, or to schedule a time to pick up your delicious farm fresh eggs!
When a Pug and a Beagle Fall in Love, It’s a Puggle
by Miriam Gottfried
Source: The Wall Street Journal
Please, don’t call these dogs mutts.
They’re goldendoodles, cockapoos and puggles and they are among the most popular cross-bred dogs in the U.S., according to the American Canine Hybrid Club. Nipping at their heels are cavachons, shih-poos and schnoodles, says the organization, which has registered and named 671 different hybrid combinations since it started registering litters in 1990.
More dog owners are looking to create custom varieties that combine in a single dog the best traits of two purebreds. This has spawned an industry of breeders who specialize in hybrids. (Hybrid pooches, of course, have been created naturally for centuries in back yards, alleyways and other places where mutts mingle.)
“My dog doesn’t have the bark of the beagle. He is calmer,” says Lisa Zellitti of Mountain View, Calif., who recently bought a Pekingese-beagle hybrid, known as a peagle. “Pekingese are less social, and I wanted a dog that was good around people.”
Peagles are popular for their mild manners, silky taupe-and-white fur and slightly droopy eyes, says Chelle Rohde, who sold Ms. Zellitti her dog, Lucas.
Ms. Rohde acts as a sort of puppy middleman, paying a breeder in Arkansas to have litters of various hybrid puppies — as well as the occasional purebred — shipped to her Fairfield, Calif., home, where she lists them on her website for $675 to $795 — a price often comparable to that of a registered purebred puppy. Ms. Rohde says she works with reputable breeders and ensures that both parents are registered purebreds.
Puggles are the most popular for their size and family-friendly temperament. Many buyers also look for hybrids with hypoallergenic fur and dogs that don’t shed, such as the cavapoo, cockapoo and shih-poo. Ms. Rohde and other breeders say they often have a waiting list for the most popular hybrids.
While the possibilities of designer dogs may seem limitless, breeders say they exercise common sense in match-making and aren’t trying to mate large breeds with small. Customers typically do their research online beforehand to determine which hybrids out there fit their needs, says Cindy Miller, an Aurora, Mo., breeder of shorkie tzus (shih tzu-Yorkshire terrier).
For the most part, designer dogs are not hard to breed. Ms. Miller says she simply puts the two dogs together when the female is fertile. The animal’s size can sometimes make things a bit tricky. Ms. Miller has one yorkie male that is only 2½ pounds — too small for some of her larger females — so she has used artificial insemination to breed that dog. When hybrids are bred with other hybrids, some breeders continue to tout their lineage, but they are not currently recognized by the American Canine Hybrid Club.
Hybrid dogs are still not that common. For every hundred litters registered with America’s Pet Registry, there may be six hybrid litters registered with the American Canine Hybrid Club, its subsidiary, says Susan Richmond, co-owner of American’s Pet Registry. For example, there were only 39 registered aussie-poos last year, despite it being the registry’s 10th most popular hybrid breed for 2010. Breeders who register litters with the ACHC must provide proof that the puppies’ parents are purebreds, which increases their appeal with consumers.
For some, the novelty is the appeal. Michael Crane of Rohnert Park, Calif., and his girlfriend, Amanda Rojee, recently bought a beaglier, a beagle, King Charles spaniel mix, from Ms. Rohde that they named Charlie Brown.
“We can’t go anywhere without people saying what a beautiful dog she is,” Mr. Crane says. “No one has ever heard of a beaglier, but everyone who sees her wants one.”
Not all designer combinations are destined for success, says N. Matthew Ellinwood, a professor specializing in canine genetics in the department of Animal Science at Iowa State University. “I wouldn’t breed a pug with an English bulldog,” he says, because both breeds are brachycephalic, or have pushed-in snouts, which means a tendency for breathing disorders.
And while the mother of a hybrid dog is typically from the larger of the two breeds to ensure she can carry the offspring, there are still some combinations that don’t seem right, Dr. Ellinwood says. “I don’t know of any instances in the literature where anyone has taken a great Dane and bred it with a Chihuahua.”
Disputing a common belief, Dr. Ellinwood says there have been no definitive studies showing that hybrids are healthier than purebreds. There are a fair number of cases where mixed-breed dogs still hold the genetic propensity for disease from their purebred parents, he says.
To reduce health risks, Ms. Miller, the Missouri breeder, has the parents of her dogs genetically tested to ensure they don’t carry liver disease or have retinal dysplasia, two ailments that can occur in Yorkshire terriers and shih tzus. The cost of the tests, along with other expenses, brings the price of her shorkie tzus to $1,600 each.
Rosemary Traettino of Ocean Township, N.J., has a Yorkshire terrier, that is now 14 years old and also weighs 14 pounds — much larger than the typical yorkie. But she wanted to be sure her second dog was smaller. Plus, she fell in love with the calm personality of her neighbor’s shih tzu.
“I said, ‘Gee if I could get a yorkie with the personality of a shih tzu, that would be perfect,’” she says.
In the end, she contacted Ms. Miller and got just what she wanted: a shorkie she named Maggie Mae. The pup is about six pounds and is not high strung.
Liking that she could select a certain look and personality in her dogs, Ms. Traettino recently contacted Ms. Miller again to buy another shorkie puppy that she and her kids were eyeing. This one she plans to name Lulu.
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Don’t forget that Mountain Valley View Farm has 5 gorgeous Cockapoo puppies for sale! Click here or call 509-928-1800 to learn more about these sweet puppies that would love to come home with you!
Red Star Chickens
Red Star hen
Chicken Breed History:
The Red Star is a hybrid breed of chicken that, while not a breed recognized by the American Poultry Association, they are a well-known and well-loved breed among farmers and owners with smaller flocks alike. They are a sex-linked breed, meaning that males and females are different colors and can easily be identified from each other at hatching. However, the sex-linked colors do not hold true in second generation Red Stars and the genders cannot be sorted from each other accurately. Females are red at birth and mature to reddish-brown flecked with white feathers. Males are white or light yellow at hatch and mature to white flecked with red, buff, and brown. A red male chicken (for example a Rhode Island Red or a New Hampshire Red) is crossed with a white female (often a Leghorn or a Delaware). Many different crosses are possible to create Red Star chickens, and each farm or hatchery will have its own preferred breeding cross.
Red Star chicks are sex linked in color.
Female chicks are red and males are white.
Chicken Breed Profile:
Red Star chickens are friendly and docile, and people often comment with surprise that this holds true for the roosters as well. Adult females usually weigh 5-6 lbs, while adult males will weigh 7-8 lbs. They are a good breed for people with small yards who want just enough eggs to feed their families. They are also an excellent choice for large production flocks, as the hens begin to lay eggs at 22 weeks old, earlier than many other chickens. They produce consistent quantities of eggs, and are a hardy bird that will continue to lay even in hot and cold temperatures. They produce large, brown eggs that are delicious.
Mountain Valley View Farm sells fresh, organic eggs that are laid by our flock of Red Star hens. Please click here or call 509-928-1800 for more information.
Whispering Pine Press celebrates GetLit!
This week is the 13th annual Get Lit! literary festival sponsored by Eastern Washington University. Events run from April 13-17, and include poetry slams, book readings, panel discussions, writing contests, and workshops. For a full calendar of this year’s events, click here. Over 40 nationally acclaimed and local authors will be in Spokane for Get Lit!; past guests have included such luminaries as Kurt Vonnegut, Salman Rushdie, and David Sedaris. Prominent authors for GetLit! 2011 are Tim O’Brien, Sena Jeter Naslund, Maude Barlow, Sam Kean, Matthew Dickman, Louise Borden, Michael Harmon, Suzanne Morgan Williams, and Ani DiFranco. For a full list of authors attending this year’s festival, click here.
The Big Read is an event created by the National Endowment for the Arts with the goal of restoring reading to the center of a community’s culture by “[drawing] communities together around a single book through a month long series of related literary events.” For Spokane County’s third Big Read event, the book chosen is The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien, a collection of stories about soldiers who served in the Vietnam War. The Things They Carried was a finalist for both the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Critics Award. The Big Read will culminate on April 16 at the Bing Crosby Theater, when Tim O’Brien and veteran/poet Brian Turner will discuss their experiences in war and their resulting creative works. This event is also part of GetLit!.
To celebrate GetLit!, Whispering Pine Press is offering a 10% discount on all books from April 13-17. Please visit our website to see our list of children’s and adult fiction, cookbooks, poetry collections, and more. If you have any difficulty getting the 10% discount on our website, feel free to call us at (509) 928-8700.
In honor of GetLit!, we are also giving away one free copy of Frost of Spring Green, Karen Hood’s widely-acclaimed first poetry collection. Click here to read a review of the book, then leave a comment on this post to be entered into the giveaway. Don’t forget to include your e-mail address so that we can contact you if you win! Entries will be accepted through April 23 to give everyone time to participate.
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