 engineering is done in such a way that the DNA of the plant is permanently altered. The scary part is that very little testing is done to determine what effects the altered genetics will have on the person or animal ingesting the food. The modified genes can be unstable and even incorporate into intestinal cells, modifying their DNA!
This can explain increases in diseases such as allergies, food sensitivities, autoimmune syndromes and cancer, even when supposedly ‘healthy’ foods are being consumed. You can learn more details about the genetic modification of our food supply at: http://responsibletechnology.org/
What does this mean for your pet and how can you feed foods that are GMO free? The answer is to read labels and ask questions of food producers. Anything labelled organic will be GMO free by definition. Avoid soybeans, canola, cottonseed, corn, and sugar from sugar beets. These are the crops with the highest prevalence of GMO. Remember too that there are many byproducts of these crops, especially corn, such as syrup, starch additives. Many companies are now labeling their products that are GMO free. You can find a more comprehensive shopping guide at http://nongmoshoppingguide.com/.
In general, fresh organic ingredients will provide the best chance of avoiding genetically engineered foods. Companies that do not use genetically modified ingredients will typically make that obvious on their packaging. Remember – pay attention, read labels and ask questions if labels are unclear. The time you spend will be worth the health benefits to you and your pets.
Our pets bring so much to our lives – love, companionship, joy, playfulness. It is devastating to face the moment of truth when a beloved pet may be leaving our lives. There are difficult decisions to make, finances to consider, and most importantly, we do not want our pet to suffer needlessly. These decisions can be heart-wrenching, to say the least.
How do you decide how long to treat your pet, and with what? Do you feel selfish by keeping your pet alive in order to avoid the loss? There is often a dead end reached in allopathic medicine where ‘no more’ can be done. In alternative medicine, however, there are many options to choose from regardless of your pet stage of life.
This is not to say that we can stop your pet from aging or stop the progression of disease, but there are definitely options that can improve your pet’s quality of life both mentally and physically. These options include energy work, essential oils, acupuncture, massage, chiropractic care, homeopathy and animal communication. Within each of these modalities, there are many options available to help your pet.
As you pet reached its ‘golden years’ seek out alternative therapies that you are comfortable and you will find great comfort for both you and your pet.
People food can be a very healthy addition to your pet’s diet. Current recommendations often state that a commercial diet should be fed in order to create optimal health for your dog or cat. There are undoubtedly some advantages to feeding a commercial diet, but there are also some profound limitations that often go unrecognized.
The best diet for dogs and cats is a meat-based diet with a 70% moisture content. This must also include a proper balancing of vitamins, minerals, and amino acids.
Here are some basic pros and cons of different types of dietary ingredients:
Commercial dry diet
Pro: Contains basic vitamins, minerals and amino acids required for proper nutrition
Meets basic nutritional standards set forth by AAFCO (American association of feed control officers)
Convenient – no preparation or refrigeration needed
Con: Processed at high temperatures which can destroy important enzymes and other nutrients that are important for ideal health.
Lack of moisture can be detrimental to the kidneys if there is not enough water consumed
Dry food can be irritating to the stomach lining causing vomiting after eating
Nutritional content is measured before processing, so nutrients lost during the processing procedure will not be reported.
Fresh food