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Earlier this week, I wrote a story about a local gardening group that offers space in the soil for grieving members of the community to tend to their sorrow. The group was formed by the Tamarack Grief Resource Center and starts next Tuesday, meeting through July 29 on a weekly basis. (Those interested can attend one or multiple days by reserving their spot online.)
During an interview, the group’s organizer Rick Stern educated me on the fact that some microorganisms found in soil, specifically Mycobacterium vaccae, contain antidepressant properties. A 2007 study discovered that the bacteria aids in serotonin production, a chemical needed in large quantities for the brain’s hypothalamus, which oversees mood regulation.
Other than improving immunity and boosting mental health, Mycobacterium vaccae has also recently begun to be tested for is its potential in the weight-loss world. A preliminary study published in March showed that when injected into mice, the bacteria prevented them from gaining weight, despite being on a high-fat diet.
The friendly, dirt-based bacteria is considered an “old friend” of humans, “microbes that humans co-evolved with but have largely lost contact with during the process of urbanization,” said Christopher Lowry, the lead researcher of the weight-loss study and a professor of integrative physiology at the University of Colorado Boulder.
“There is something inherently attractive about addressing the global obesity epidemic (or other conditions in which inflammation is a risk factor, including stress-related psychiatric disorders) by simply replacing an organism that we have inadvertently lost contact with throughout our transition from hunter-gatherer, to agricultural, to urban lifestyles,” said Lowry.
I’m Zoë Buhrmaster, here to ground you in what’s happening around the valley with today’s Daily Roundup.
This weekend, Logan Health is hosting a free community event focusing on safety during summer activities and injury prevention for children.
Some of the demonstrations and activities include:
• Climber safety tips by Jeff Voigt from the Logan Health Fitness Center
• Backcountry survival tips from the Logan Health A.L.E.R.T. team
• Ladder truck demonstration by Kalispell Fire Department
• Interactive fire safety course by Smith Valley Fire
• ATV and snowmobile safety with U.S. Border Patrol
• Safe skateboarding techniques by Serious JuJu
• Campfire safety and s’mores with Marion Fire Department
• Safe Sleep for Babies, Flathead County’s WIC, Lead, and Home Visiting programs
• And more, including booths from Stop the Bleed, BeSMART, Nate Chute Foundation, AT&T Mobility, the Humane Society, FBI Community Outreach, and the Montana Department of Transportation with their snow plow on display.
Logan Health will also be fitting and handing out 1,000 free bicycle helmets to children throughout the day, and attendees are encouraged to bring their children’s bikes for a tune-up, including tire inflation and seat height adjustments. Afterwards, Aaron Luna from the Columbia Falls Police Department will lead a road safety course.
The ninth annual Spring into Safety event will take place this Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Flathead County Fairgrounds.
Bigfork Fire Department to Float Bond Initiative, Mill Levy in Special Election
Voters in September will determine whether to fund a new fire district headquarters, as well as station upgrades, additional firefighters and wage increases
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