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FOR A BEAUTIFUL, HEALTHY SMILE
ELKINSDENTAL.COM FEBRUARY 2023
A SURREAL EXPERIENCE That Time When the President Attended My Pinning Ceremony
I can’t say that many of my closest family and friends have had the chance to meet one of the presidents, but it’s pretty cool that I did! This month, we celebrate President’s Day, and to be honest, I think being president of the United States is a tough job, especially with every citizen looking up to you. At the end of my second and final deployment with
hours serving with the Navy — my replacement was due to arrive the next day. President Bush, his son, and his wife were welcomed aboard our ship for a tour. Of course, they were pulled left and right: Everyone wanted a piece of them. In the little time I spent conversing with them, it was obvious they were truly the nicest and most genuine
famous people I had met and would ever meet. They were willing to take photos with anyone and everyone who wanted and made sure to give everyone attention and time. Typically, a ceremony is held at the end of a tour, and the ship's captain pins you with your Navy achievement medal. To my surprise, in this case, it was the 41st president of the United States pinning mine on for me. He also gave me a gift that hangs in my office today — a presidential keychain. This experience was an amazing way to finish and close out my time on the ship. The next day, I packed and departed the ship I had spent two years on. My wife, Beth, flew to Greece to meet me, and we watched that ship sail away without me — it was a weird and surreal experience. From there, we spent a week on a second honeymoon, exploring Greece and having a fantastic time after being apart for five months. What a way to end an era and kick off the beginning of a new adventure! –Dr. Elkins
the U.S. Navy, as our ship pulled into a port in Greece, we ogled a giant yacht pulling in simultaneously. This ship was ginormous — it resembled an over-the-top luxury cruise liner. We were all counting the pools and helicopter pads that dotted it, and once we were done swooning over the ship, our minds wondered who was lucky and rich enough to be onboard.
Sure enough, it was President George H.W. Bush, his wife, Barbara Bush, and their son, Jeb Bush, onboard with a bunch of friends. It appeared they were just taking a nice trip out on the water, enjoying the splendors of the beautiful yacht that was even larger than our Navy ship. It could not be any more surreal that President Bush would be in Greece, in the same port during my final
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YOU CAN HAVE YOUR CAKE AND EAT IT, TOO Developing a Healthy Work-Life Balance
DON’T BE A PERFECTIONIST. Career burnout can drastically impact your personal life, so stop trying to control everything. In reality, perfectionism is out of reach. Constantly striving for perfection can be exhausting, draining, and destructive; at home and in the office. TAKE TIME TO UNPLUG. If the first thing you do in the morning is go online and check emails, or if you’re responding to work texts at the family dinner table, you’ve certainly crossed
Often, the desire to succeed in our professional lives can take precedence over everything else in our private lives, including our well-being, family, friends, and hobbies. Moreover, finding a healthy balance between the two can be challenging as they can begin to blend. Here are the four best ways to keep your work and personal life separate while excelling at both! LOVE WHAT YOU DO. Loving your job is easier said than done, right? If you can land an enjoyable career that isn’t restraining, you’ll find it’s much easier to leave work at work and home at home. When you’re unhappy with your job, it can affect your overall happiness, and feelings of despair can carry into your personal life.
for business activities. Once you mix the two, it can be tough to turn back. TAKE BREAKS. Even 30-second breathers throughout your day can make a drastic difference in improving stress levels, building your concentration, and helping you to feel more engaged — it can even help you to enjoy your job a bit more! By implementing these tips into your routine, you’ll be on your way to a healthier work-life balance, which translates into
feeling less stressed, having fewer health issues, being
the line on balancing your work and home life. Quality time at home should be focused solely on your family, and hours at the office are
more productive, and having a happier life at
work and home.
The Proven Benefits of Sugar-free Gum A Word From Cheyenne & Ashlee
Chewing gum is fun, addicting, and enjoyable, but is it okay for your teeth?
Because chewing sugar-free gum promotes saliva, it reduces any discomfort that dry mouth may cause and helps to distribute more calcium and phosphate (commonly found in saliva) to your teeth, strengthening tooth enamel. However, just because sugarless gum carries some great oral health benefits, don’t let it replace brushing or flossing regularly! The ADA still recommends flossing once a day to remove debris, plaque, and leftover food and brushing your teeth twice daily.
Gum can help to relieve stress, curb your appetite, reduce boredom, and combat bad breath. But is it safe to pop in a piece of sugar-free gum
here and there?
While chewing gum containing sugar can be damaging, according to the American Dental Association (ADA), chewing sugarless gum after eating a meal or snack can help reduce the risk of tooth decay.
When looking for sugar-free gum that is safe for your teeth, be sure that the packaging displays the ADA seal. This seal confirms that any sweeteners in the gum are non-
When we chew sugarless gum, it increases our saliva flow, which helps wash away leftover debris and food
particles that, if left on our teeth, can lead to oral health concerns. Gum also works to neutralize the acids that harmful bacteria create, reducing the risk of tooth decay.
cavity-causing sweeteners.
–Cheyenne & Ashlee Registered Dental Hygienists
CURRIED STEAK WITH SCALLION RICE AND PEAS Inspired by MarthaStewart.com
Ingredients
Out-of-town relatives who are visiting for the holidays might wonder what makes Emmett so special. But we already know the Treasure Valley is full of gems — and we don’t just mean the rocks. Here are some additional reasons Emmett and The Gem State are great. WE’VE GOT SUNSHINE On average, we have 210 sunny days per year. Compare that to 144 rainy days in Portland and we can feel pretty happy about all our free vitamin D. Directions • 1 lb flank steak, room temperature • Kosher salt and ground pepper • 3 tbsp massaman curry paste, divided • 1 1/4 cups white rice • 2 1/2 cups water, divided • 4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided
MOUNTAIN RANGES Surrounded by the Rocky Mountains, we don’t have to go far to find mountaintop winter activities. If skiing or tubing is your idea of winter fun, Bogus Basin is just a short drive away, and heading to McCall makes a fun weekend getaway. ... AND RIVERS Not only are we surrounded by the Payette and Boise rivers, Idaho is also home to the deepest gorge in North America: Hells Canyon. Take that, Arizona! • 1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced, white and light-green parts separated from dark-green tops • 8 oz sugar snap peas, trimmed and halved on the bias
GOOD CHEER Beer lovers, rejoice! Idaho is the world’s largest hop producer, and more and more people are taking advantage of our agricultural bounty by opening breweries in the Treasure Valley. Share a few of these treasures with visiting family members and their only question will be “How did we not come here sooner?”
1. Season steak with salt and pepper. Brush with 1 tbsp curry paste, and let stand 10 minutes. 2. In a saucepan, combine rice, 1 3/4 cups water, 1 tbsp oil, and 3/4 tsp salt. Bring to a boil, then stir, cover, and reduce heat to low. Simmer about 15 minutes before adding white and light-green scallions. Cover to steam. 3. Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Swirl in 1 tbsp oil. Add the steak, flipping once; cook this for 7–9 minutes, then transfer to a carving board.
4. Reduce the skillet to medium heat, then add 1 tbsp oil and the remaining 2 tbsp curry paste. Cook this for 1 minute. Add 3/4 cup water and cook until reduced, about 30 seconds. Transfer to a bowl and cover. 5. Wipe skillet clean, then add remaining 1 tbsp oil. While stirring, add snap peas. Season with salt and cook this until crisp-tender, about 2–3 minutes. 6. Fluff rice before stirring in scallion tops. Slice steak against the grain, then serve with rice, peas, and curry sauce.
JOKES DAD
Does anybody know any good Groundhog Day jokes?… I feel like I keep hearing the same ones over and over again.
Sometimes February feels like it will last forever… But time Marches on.
Facts Tooth Fun
DID YOU KNOW?
Fun Facts About Groundhogs
As humans, we are born with baby teeth beneath our gums and beginning at approximately six months of age (sometimes sooner, sometimes later), those teeth emerge. Then, as children, we lose our baby teeth and our permanent teeth come in. Because we only have two sets of teeth in our lifetime, this makes us diphyodont. Other animals, like dolphins and rodents only have one set of teeth throughout their whole lives. However, some animals are polyphyodont and grow many sets of teeth! Did you know that sharks go through about 40 sets? Reptiles, such as alligators, crocodiles, and even geckos are also polyphyodont! How Many Sets Of Teeth Do You Have?
Did you know that groundhogs are part of a large ground squirrel animal group known as marmots and are also known as a woodchuck or a whistle pig? These rodents can grow to be 25 inches long — that's over two feet — and can live up to 10 years if well cared for in captivity. Legend has it that Punxsutawney Phil, our famous Groundhog Day friend, is over 125 years old! All winter long, groundhogs hibernate in burrows and because they are so dormant, come this time of year, they tend to lose roughly half of their body weight. However, during the spring and summer months, they munch away on insects, wild berries, vegetables, crops, and succulent plants!
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INSIDE THIS ISSUE 1. President’s Day 2. How to Achieve a Healthy Work-Life Balance
PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411
3. Curried Steak With Scallion
4.
3 Family- Friendly
Rice and Peas
Valentine’s Day Activities
1110 S. Washington Ave. Emmett, ID 83617
Tooth Facts
A Word From Cheyenne and Ashlee
Did You Know?
Happy Valentine's Day From Elkins Dental!
208-369-4532 · ElkinsDental.com
SPENDING VALENTINE’S DAY WITH THE FAMILY? Try Out These Activities
Valentine’s Day demands most of the attention in February. This holiday is designated for couples to share their love and do things they greatly enjoy together. While this usually consists of dinner dates, a movie, and possibly even some dancing, some parents have a difficult time getting away. Maybe they can’t find a babysitter, or one of the kids is ill, causing them to cancel plans. You might think there’s no point in celebrating the holiday if you can’t do so with just your significant other, but you can turn Valentine’s Day into a family-friendly event. Here are a few activities to try if you’re spending Valentine’s with the kids this February. WRITE LOVE NOTES TO EACH OTHER. Valentine’s Day is all about love, so what better way to celebrate it than by sharing your love with those closest to you? Take a moment and have every member of your family write love notes to each other. Encourage your kids to share their happy memories and explain why they love each person. This can be a fun and educational activity for your kids as you can help them with their spelling and grammar. HAVE A FANCY DINNER. You don’t need to go out to have an extravagant Valentine’s dinner. You can make one at home by incorporating the same ingredients as
the dishes you would get at a restaurant. Or you can order from your favorite restaurant and pick it up. Use a fancy tablecloth, light some candles, and have fun with it. Don’t forget to include a special dessert; you can even make mocktails to amp up the fun. FINISH THE NIGHT WITH A MOVIE. Valentine’s Day is often one of the busiest nights of the year for movie theaters, but you don’t have to go out to enjoy a movie during the holiday. Head to your favorite streaming service and find some family- friendly romantic comedies to watch together.“The Princess Diaries,” “Lady and the Tramp,”and“Gnomeo and Juliet”are all great options.
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