Naturopathic Doctor Mary
Schrick's Newsletter
Vol. 2
September, 2005
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Vol. 2 |
September, 2005 |
September is:
• Children’s
Eye and Health Safety Month
• Cholesterol Education Month
• Family Health & Fitness Day
• Food safety Education Month
• Gynecologic Cancer Awareness Month
• Healthy Aging Month
• Leukemia & Lymphoma Awareness Month
• Osteopathic Medicine Month
• Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month
• Prostate Cancer Awareness Month
• Respiratory Care Week
• Reye’s Syndrome Week
• Sickle Cell Month
Women’s Health & Fitness Day
Articles:
· Kidney Disease Is On The Increase, By Mary Schrick, ND
· Distilled Water is a Perfect Recipe for Disease, By Mary Schrick, ND
· Alzheimer's Risk INCREASES With Heart Bypass, By Mary Schrick, ND
· The Acid/Alkaline Mystery Solved, By Stephen Cherniske, M.Sc. , Submitted by Lonnie Birmingham
· Fluoride Banned, By Mary Schrick, N.D.
· Your Dogs & Cats Need Meat - - NOT Dried Pet Food, By Steve Brown and Beth Taylor, Submitted By Mary Schrick N.D
Calendar of Events
Radio Program Listing
Starr Walker Savings ~
Recipe – Recipe For Happiness
KIDNEY DISEASE IS ON THE INCREASE
By Mary Schrick, ND
There is an epidemic of kidney disease in this country. Based on a 2000 report of the U.S. Renal Data System, kidney disease affects some 20 million Americans -- almost twice the number from a decade ago -- and many have no idea their health is at risk.
An interesting story in the Washington Post should shock those who live in the DC area, in particular, to get checked out for kidney disease: The rate for new cases of end-stage kidney disease in the 20019 Zip code alone is 44 times higher than the national average!
Race plays some part in this epidemic, at least in Washington D.C., as African-Americans are up to four times more prone to suffer from kidney disease (blacks also outpace whites in diabetes and hypertension, the leading causes of kidney problems). But that doesn't explain the far smaller numbers of kidney disease in Miami or Chicago where many African Americans live too.
In any event, you can lower your risk of kidney disease by avoiding these things:
Use the Starr Walker Shu Wu and adopt a vegetarian diet until your kidney function
Returns to normal.
DISTILLED WATER IS A PERFECT RECIPE FOR DISEASE
Most of you will agree that drinking unfiltered tap water is hazardous to your health because of things like
Many health fanatics, however, are often surprised to hear me say that drinking distilled water on a regular, daily basis is dangerous. In fact hazardous to your health!
Paavo Airola wrote about the dangers of distilled water in the 1970's when it first became a fad with the health food crowd.
Distillation is the process in which water is boiled, evaporated and the vapor condensed. Distilled water is free of dissolved minerals and, because of this, has the special property of being able to actively absorb toxic substances from the body and eliminate them. Studies validate the benefits of drinking distilled water when one is seeking to cleanse or detoxify the system for short periods of time (a few weeks at a time).
Fasting using distilled water can be dangerous because of the rapid loss of electrolytes (sodium, potassium, chloride) and macro minerals like magnesium, deficiencies of which can cause heart beat irregularities and high blood pressure. Cooking foods in distilled water pulls the minerals out of them and lowers their nutrient value. This really is a case of needing to drink the cooking water and throw out the food!
Distilled water is an active absorber and when it comes into contact with air, it absorbs carbon dioxide, making it acidic. The more distilled water a person drinks, the higher the body acidity becomes. Remember that an acid body, is a body that invites cancer.
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, "Distilled water, being essentially mineral-free, is very aggressive, in that it tends to dissolve substances with which it is in contact. Notably, carbon dioxide from the air is rapidly absorbed, making the water acidic and even more aggressive. Many metals are dissolved by distilled water."
The most toxic commercial beverages that people consume (i.e. cola beverages and other soft drinks) are made from distilled water. Studies have consistently shown that heavy consumers of soft drinks (with or without sugar) spill huge amounts of calcium, magnesium and other trace minerals into the urine. Just another way to become deficient in the nutrients that are in short supply to start with.
The more mineral loss, the greater the risk for osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, hypothyroidism, coronary artery disease, high blood pressure and a long list of degenerative diseases generally associated with premature aging.
A growing number of health care practitioners and scientists from around the world have been advocating the theory that aging and disease is the direct result of the accumulation of acid waste products in the body. Drinking distilled water adds to this problem. Remember an acid body is a body that much more easily stores toxins.
There is a great deal of scientific documentation that supports such a theory. A poor diet may be partially to blame for the waste accumulation.
These and other junk foods can cause the body to become more acidic:
Stress, whether mental or physical can lead to acid deposits in the body.
There is a correlation between the consumption of soft water (distilled water is extremely soft) and the incidence of cardiovascular disease. Cells, tissues and organs do not like to be dipped in acid and will do anything to buffer this acidity including the removal of minerals from the skeleton and the manufacture of bicarbonate in the blood.
The longer one drinks distilled water, the more likely the development of mineral deficiencies and an acid state.
In looking at over 3000 mineral evaluations using a combination of blood, urine and hair tests, almost without exception, people who consume distilled water exclusively, eventually develop multiple mineral deficiencies.
Those who supplement their distilled water intake with trace minerals are not as deficient but still not as adequately nourished in minerals as their non-distilled water drinking counterparts even after several years of mineral supplementation.
The ideal water for the human body should be slightly alkaline and this requires the presence of minerals like
Distilled water tends to be acidic and can only be recommended as a way of drawing poisons out of the body. UNDER THE CARE OF A PHYSICIAN Once this is accomplished, the continued drinking of distilled water is a bad idea.
Water filtered through reverse osmosis tends to be neutral and is MY CHOICE for regular use provided minerals are supplemented.
Disease and early death is more likely to be seen with the long term drinking of distilled water.
Avoid it except in special circumstances.
Zoltan P. Rona MD MSc
Alzheimer's Risk INCREASES With Heart Bypass
By Mary Schrick, ND
Patients who undergo an angioplasty or heart bypass surgery may increase their chances of developing Alzheimer's disease, according to a study published in Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease August 2005.
The reason for the increased risk of Alzheimer's: The stress and trauma surrounding such procedures. In fact, coronary bypass patients alone had a frighteningly high 70 percent increased risk of developing Alzheimer's. A statistic that bears looking into.
Further, patients who suffered a mental decline after their heart procedures and later recovered, weren't out of the woods either. Researchers believe their recovery may be masking a problem caused by the heart surgery. And, as patients age, this could trigger progressive cognitive deficits, associated with mild impairments, which is often a precursor to Alzheimer's.
The best way to avoid the risk of Alzheimer's disease after a heart procedure pretty simple. "Bypass" heart disease altogether by making some simple lifestyle changes.
The Acid/Alkaline Mystery Solved
By Stephen Cherniske, M.Sc.
Submitted by Lonnie Birmingham
When Rob Gunwall and Lonnie Birmingham were recently on air discussing minerals, we discussed the topic of acid/alkaline balance. We referred to this article. Some of you asked for a copy of it.
Acid/alkaline balance has got to be the most puzzling concept in the area of nutritional health. The terms “acid,” “acidifying” and “alkalinizing” have been misused in health food literature so often, that by now, most everyone is hopelessly confused. Scores of books and articles have been written, in most cases by people with no training or understanding of human physiology. I do not believe there is another health topic that has been so badly mangled in the popular press.
How bad is it?
First of all, if you collect a number of books, brochures, pamphlets and health guides from a variety of sources, you’ll find that they contradict each other. The same foods will be called acid by one author and alkaline by another. Some devise entire charts based upon invented terminology, such as sub-acid, acid and acidifying, all the while forgetting that these foods will be swallowed into a stomach that is hundreds of times more acid than the most acid food on their list.
Then there are the blatant contradictions in books that warn sternly against eating acid foods, but recommend that one take HCL (hydrochloric acid) as a digestive aid or consume apple cider vinegar (acetic and malic acid) for just about any ailment known to man.
Does that mean these acid/alkaline lists are useless? Yes. If you have such a list on your refrigerator and you’ve been trying to reconcile the contradictions between different health gurus, you can now throw the list away and relax.
Separating the facts from the fads
The widespread confusion is due primarily to the fact that there are four distinct acid/alkaline factors in human health and nutrition. Following is a careful discussion of each: a mini-course in biochemistry which you can refer to the next time someone says to you, “Oh, I never eat oranges; they’re too acid.”
First of all, what is an acid? An acid is any substance which, in solution with water, will turn litmus paper red, taste sour, and chemically release hydrogen ions. Acids are referred to as strong or weak, depending on their concentration of hydrogen ions, and this factor is measured on a pH scale which uses pure water as a neutral point of 7.0. Values less than 7.0 are acid, and the stronger the acid, the lower the pH. Common acids include acetic acid (vinegar), and hydrochloric acid, the digestive fluid secreted by the lining of your stomach.
Alkaline (also called base) substances, in water solution will turn litmus paper blue, taste bitter, and chemically accept hydrogen ions. Alkali, or bases, are measured on the pH scale in numbers greater than 7.0, and the stronger the base, the higher the pH, up to 14. Common bases are sodium hydroxide (lye), and sodium bicarbonate (baking soda).
NOTE: Acid and alkaline are value neutral terms. Neither is good nor bad, but both have definite properties and essential activities in the human organism. The four factors of acid/alkaline balance related to nutrition:
1. The acid/alkaline balance of the blood and body fluids.
2. The acid/alkaline quality of certain foods before they are eaten.
3. The acid and alkaline chemistry of digestion.
4. The effect of foods AFTER they are digested and metabolized, often referred to as acid/alkaline “residue” or “ash.”
1. ACID/ALKALINE ‘BALANCE’
In medical terminology, when one speaks of the acid/alkaline BALANCE, or the acid/alkaline equilibrium, it refers to the relative pH of the blood, which must be kept within a narrow range around 7.4 (slightly alkaline). This vital function is accomplished most efficiently by a number of mechanisms, including automatic buffer systems in the blood, and the pH regulating action of the lungs and kidneys.
In ACIDOSIS, or acidemia, the pH of the blood is too acid (less than 7.35). In this case, blood buffer systems will adjust toward alkaline, and the rate of breathing will increase to remove carbonic acid via the exhalation of carbon dioxide (CO2). Next, the kidneys increase the acidity of the urine, and balance is quickly restored.
NOTE: Acidosis is NOT caused by eating acidic foods such as lemons and oranges. It is most often the result of impaired metabolism, such as in diabetes or starvation, kidney disease, or respiratory disorders that limit the release of CO2 from the lungs.
ALKALOSIS, or alkalemia, is less common than acidosis, but can result from hyperventilation (too rapid breathing), loss of stomach acid due to excessive vomiting, or overuse of antacids and/or ulcer medications. In this case, blood buffer systems adjust toward acid, and breathing becomes more shallow to conserve CO2 and raise carbonic acid levels in the blood. Once again, the kidneys contribute to the “balancing act” by excreting more alkaline urine.
2. ACID FRUITS – Fruits are sometimes classified as either acid, sub-acid, or sweet. This differentiation has nothing to do with the acid/alkaline balance in the blood, which is not affected at all by the acid content of a food. In fact, as you will see, the metabolism of most all types of fruit results in an alkaline ash, with the exception of cranberries and some varieties of plums.
Once again, acidosis is not caused by eating “acid” fruits. Whatever negative effects individuals may experience from eating citrus fruits, are most likely due to food allergy, fermentation in the gastrointestinal tract due to maldigestion or localized irritation from the citric acid in the fruit; all of which are common.
The only reason to classify fruits this way, other than the dubious practice of “food combining” may be to help in the botanical description of the food. For example, oranges, grapefruit, lemons, limes, tangerines and kumquats are citrus fruits containing citric acid. Apples, sometimes classified “sub-acid,” contain malic acid. Cranberries contain benzoic acid, etc.
3. THE ACID/ALKALINE CHEMISTRY OF DIGESTION
The words “stomach acid” have a negative connotation for many because of the continual barrage of media advertising for products that “neutralize excess stomach acid” that supposedly causes “acid indigestion” and “heartburn.” The image that these phrases conjure up is that the vast majority of mankind is in imminent danger from acids in their stomach, and should run, not walk to the nearest drug store for Tums, Rolaids, Alkaseltzer, Bromoseltzer, Mylanta, Brioschi, Digel or any of a dozen other brands of antacid. This billion dollar industry is based on myth, and outright distortion of facts. It has done a great disservice to Americans by confusing the important issue of proper digestion. In addition, the ads do not state that there are significant health risks involved with long term use of such products. The advertising message, stated or implied, is that when we have an upset stomach, it is due to excess acid production in the stomach.
This is false. In most cases, the characteristic “sourness” is due to fermentation of foods in the stomach due to maldigestion, a common result of poor food selection, overeating, eating too fast, or insufficient hydrochloric acid production. In fact, research has shown that where abnormal acid production exists, it is far more often too little than too much, especially in elderly individuals.[i] Antacids then, can help with the acidic by-products of fermentation, but may actually increase the problem in the long run. They may also create new problems such as malnutrition. Most minerals, vitamins B12 and folic acid all require adequate stomach acid for absorption, and chronic antacid use can dramatically reduce the availability of these nutrients.[ii]
The facts: Cells in the lining of the stomach secrete hydrochloric acid (HCL). This acid is strong enough to cause a slight burning sensation if placed on your skin, but your stomach is protected by mucous secreted by other cells. HCL has two important functions. It acts directly upon the food (primarily protein), beginning the breakdown process called hydrolysis, and it facilitates the activity of another important enzyme called pepsin. Without sufficient HCL, pepsin is inactive, and maldigestion results.
The normal pH (acid level) of the stomach is between 1.5 and 2.5 (very acid). This is neutralized, to a certain extent, by the food we eat; but the stomach is able to re-acidify during the meal to complete its digestive function. By the time our food has been reduced to a semi-liquid mass called chyme, its pH is far less acidic (in the range of 3.5 to 5.0) and it is ready to pass into the small intestine.
Digestion continues in the small intestine by the action of enzymes secreted by the pancreas, gallbladder, and intestinal wall. But a fundamental difference exists here. Whereas the initial stages of digestion in the stomach required a highly acidic medium, the latter stages require an alkaline environment. This is because 90% of all absorption takes place in the small intestine, and absorptive tissue is extremely sensitive. This rapid and dramatic change in pH to alkaline is accomplished by the pancreas, which secretes the necessary quantity of bicarbonate. In fact, the pancreas may secrete, on a daily basis the equivalent of 8 Alkaseltzer tablets, or half a roll of Tums. Digestion is thus a complex and delicate process, involving feedback mechanisms between stomach and pancreas, to maintain optimal acid/alkaline levels.
Excessive use of any medicine which alters this balance is potentially harmful. I am not only speaking about the multitude of antacids that are literally a household item in America, but also the variety of hydrochloric acid products found in health food stores.
ACID FORMING AND ALKALINE FORMING FOODS
Ready? This intricate process of metabolism is the story of what ultimately happens to food after it’s digested and absorbed. In the final stages of energy production, you have to realize that the mineral content of food is not oxidized. (You can’t burn rocks, right?) This, therefore, leaves a residue, or ash, that is alkaline, acid or neutral, depending on the mix of minerals found in the food. Hang in there. Sulfur, phosphorus and iron form acid ions in the body. These minerals are found primarily in proteins, such as meat, fish, poultry, eggs, grains, and most nuts. These foods are therefore called ACID FORMING FOODS. Soft drinks, the bane of the American diet, contain no protein, but lots of phosphate and thus are very acid forming.
Potassium, calcium, magnesium and sodium form alkaline reactions in the body. These minerals are found primarily in fruits and vegetables, and so these foods are called ALKALINE FORMING FOODS.
It’s all a matter of balance. For example, milk is a high protein food, rich in sulfur and phosphorus, so you would expect it to be acid forming. But it contains enough calcium (alkaline) to balance out to about neutral. To complete the picture, we find that the simple sugars and fats don’t count, because they don’t contain minerals of either category. Ta Da!
How to use this information
For decades, the alkaline or acid-forming properties of one’s diet were thought to be important only for kidney stone patients. An alkaline ash diet, emphasizing fruits and vegetables, produces more alkaline urine, and was used to treat uric acid stones. The acid ash diet, emphasizing meat, fish and grains, was used with oxalate stones.
We now know, however, that there are significant adverse consequences to anyone consuming the Standard American Diet (abbreviated SAD) because it is extremely acid-forming. Food consumption surveys reveal that Americans are now consuming more soft drinks than any other beverage, including water. Add coffee to that (including decaf) and you have a metabolic disaster in the making. And that’s only the beginning. Americans consume meat and poultry products at an average of two meals a day every day, and the grains we consume have all had the alkaline minerals refined away.
At the same time, consumption of alkaline-forming vegetables and fruit is at an all-time low. The result is widespread acidosis that accelerates catabolic damage and impairs anabolic repair processes. Perhaps the best example of this is the effect of acid/alkaline factors on bone health. It has long been known that high protein diets increase risk for osteoporosis. Numerous theories have been proposed to explain this, but it now appears that a high intake of acid-forming foods (primarily meat, poultry, and eggs) over the course of a lifetime, may accelerate the loss of alkaline minerals (calcium, magnesium, potassium) from the bones. In other words, the body may deplete one system (the skeleton) in order to maintain balance in another more sensitive system (the blood).
In support of this theory, the New England Journal of Medicine reported a study in which postmenopausal women were given an alkalinizing agent (potassium bicarbonate) to neutralize the acid produced by a high protein diet. Researchers were able to see significant improvements in the bone retention of calcium and phosphorus in a little over two weeks.[iii] Does this mean that we should all be taking potassium bicarbonate supplements? Not at all; many of the women in the study had digestive problems as a result of the bicarbonate therapy, and antacids have been shown to seriously reduce nutrient bioavailability.[iv],[v] A more sensible conclusion is that we should eat less meat and more fruits and vegetables.
1Capper WM, et al. Gallstones, gastric secretion and flatulent dyspepsia. Lancet 1967;1:413.
2Russell R, Golner B, Krasinski S: Effect of acid lowering agents on folic acid absorption. Fed Proc 1987;46:1159-1164.
3Sebastian A, et al. Improved mineral balance and skeletal metabolism in postmenopausal women treated with potassium bicarbonate. New Eng J Med 1994;330:1776-81.
4 Effect of antacid and H2 receptor antagonists on the intestinal absorption of folic acid. Russell, R.M., Golner, B.B., Krasinski, S.D., Sadowski, J.A., Suter, P.M., Braun, C.L., Journal of Laboratory and Clinical Medicine 1988 Oct:112(4):458-463.
5 Antacid effects on the gastrointestinal absorption of riboflavin. Feldman, S., Hedrick, W., Journal of Pharmacologic Science 1983 Feb;72(2):121-123.
The Green Power that we carry is full of powdered green vegetables which should help to bring alkalinity to your body. Pick some up today at The Doorway to Health, The Full Circle Health Clinic or order some from The Third Opinion.
Fluoride Banned
By, Mary Schrick, N.D.
As far as I know, only one government has had the sense and decency to outlaw
the use of fluoride as an aid to oral health. Fluoride tablets, fluoride drops
and fluoride chewing gum, for decades promoted as the crown jewels of dentistry,
are to be taken off the market in Belgium because the government now agrees that
they are poisonous and pose a great risk for physical and psychological health
But let me quickly point out that the United States EPA is waking up to this
deadly poison. DEAN TIPTON SHARED THIS WITH US ON THE SATURDAY SHOW AND IT IS
VERY ENCOURAGING, DEAN HAS BEEN TELLING US FOR OVER A YEAR NOW THAT WE MUST GET
THE FLOURIDE OUT OF OUR WATER AND THE GENERAL IONICS FILTRATION SYSTEM IS BY FAR
THE BEST ON THE MARKET. LISTEN TO WHAT OUR EPA IS DOING TO HELP..
This is great news about fluoride, but there is another problem with some of our tooth care products.
An example of the cavalier attitude of toothpaste manufacturers came from a truck driver. He reported picking up a 44,000 pound load of aluminum dioxide powder in Bauxite, Arkansas. When he asked why the load was destined for a toothpaste manufacturer, the shipping agent told him that the aluminum mined in Arkansas is too low grade for manufacturing purposes, but that the brilliant, white aluminum powder is perfect for toothpaste. To allay the fear of Alzheimer's Disease-conscious consumers, it is concealed on the label as an "inactive" ingredient. Think about that for a minute, aluminum is directly associated with Alzheimer’s and to get past savvy consumers, the aluminum is not listed! Who is looking out for the consumer anyway?
You can see that we must not be lulled into a false sense of security by the
ingredient labels on tubes. Many are downright fraudulent, and most list only
the benign-sounding ingredients..
Your Dogs & Cats Need Meat - - NOT Dried Pet Food
By Beth Taylor and Steve Brown Submitted By Mary Schrick, N.D.
When people begin the search for better dry foods for their animals they're often told, "Look for more meat!" A meat-based diet is best for dogs and cats, as long as the food is balanced with the necessary vitamins, minerals and fatty acids. But a meat-based diet is not what you find in a bag of dry food, no matter what the label says!.
We all know that the weight of ingredients determines the order in which they are listed on the label. Here is what you may not be aware of however. You see the rules about labeling allow ingredients with the same weight to be listed together. The manufacturer can choose the order of ingredients. For example, if a formula is 15 percent by weight meat, rice, wheat and rice flour, the manufacturer will almost always list the meat first. Most people therefore will assume that meat is the most abundant ingredient
The label will read "meat, rice, wheat, rice flour?." Look closely at all the grain sources when you read an ingredient panel for pet food. If you see three grain sources after the meat, that food is mostly grain, and the manufacturer is playing the "meat first" game.
Should "Real Meat" come first on the label?
Manufacturers use two different types of meat in their dog and cat foods: real meat and meat meal. Meat meal is the meat with the water removed for ease of handling and production. One pound of chicken will yield about .3 pounds of chicken meal.
Production managers prefer to work with meat meals, not real meats. Real meat is a tricky ingredient for manufacturers. Because it is mostly water, meat causes problems in production.
Real meat also requires significant amounts of freezer space, which most pet food plants do not have. Meat meals are easier to use and store than real meat. It's the marketing departments that want meat listed first, and they often dictate which ingredients are used.
The marketing departments of some of the leading premium dry pet foods have taught us to look for real meat in their dry pet foods, or, at least, meat listed first on the label. This is not necessarily good advice.
In theory, it seems that real "Chicken" or "Lamb" should head the list of ingredients on a pet food label Labels of "healthy foods" tell us that "Real Meat! Never Been Frozen" is included, and it looks like this must be the major ingredient. This is not always the case!
All the water is still in the chicken or lamb, and not in any of the other ingredients. If the water were removed from the chicken, it would weigh 60-75 percent less. Based upon its dry matter (DM) weight, may move far down the ingredient list.
Let’s look at a label together to see what I am talking about, for instance the label reads:
The "Real Meat" Formula: Chicken, Ground Rice, Rice Flour...
In this "Real Meat" formula, there are three major ingredients. In many of the formulas I've seen, the first three ingredients all have the same amount by weight – each would represent about 25-30 percent of the formula.
On a DM basis, however, this food may have very little meat protein in it. Even if it's 30 percent "real" chicken, on a DM basis it's only about 7-8 percent chicken!
Most of the protein comes from grain and other non-meat protein sources. The "meat first" does not add a lot to the protein level of the food, but it makes the food attractive to consumers.
This does not mean that all real meat first foods have low meat content on a dry matter basis. The quality brands usually have, besides fresh chicken, some chicken meal to enhance the meat based protein sources.
Now let’s look at another label:
Chicken Meal, Ground Rice, Rice Flour...
This formula probably has much more meat protein than the other example. On a dry matter basis, this has at least 25-30 percent meat – perhaps three times as much meat as the previous example.
Another bit of advice usually given to pet food consumers is:
"Look for two or more meat sources in the first five ingredients" -- does this really mean more meat?
This advice, often seen in articles on how to choose healthy foods, is intended to be an easy way to sort out the "more meat" food from those that use mostly grain or soy to boost their protein levels. However, having meat listed two times does not necessarily mean more meat.
Chicken, Ground Rice, Rice Flour, Poultry Fat, Chicken Meal...
The chicken meal in the above formula may be a very small part of the food. The first four ingredients may be 95 percent of the formula. The chicken meal may be there just so the salesperson can say, "We have two types of meat in the first five ingredients – more meat." Let’s look at still another type of ingredient listings.
"Meat First" with dry ingredients: How much lamb, how much rice?
Lamb Meal, Ground Rice, Rice Flour, Rice Bran... Rice Gluten
Those ingredients I listed from a box shows the main ingredients of a popular, simple, lamb and rice "healthy" dry food. Rice and rice parts are listed four times. There may be the same amount of lamb meal as ground rice, rice flour and rice bran, because they are listed in order, and might each contribute the same weight to the formula.
The rice gluten listed further down the line is pure protein, and is a contributor to the protein level of the food, which allows the manufacturer to use less meat meal. This food may contain greater than three times more rice than lamb.
Remember the protein doesn’t all come from meat!
Some of the protein content of all dry foods comes from the grain. For example, wheat can have 14 percent protein. It's often used in dry food because gluten -- the protein in wheat -- helps to hold food together as well as providing a boost to the protein level of the food that costs less than meat ingredients.
Want more meat? Add it yourself!
It is simply wise to add fresh meat to dry foods. Dry foods are high in carbohydrates, and lower in protein than is the natural diet of dogs and cats. Meat adds protein, and therefore decreases the percentage of carbohydrate.
A typical maintenance dry food provides 50 percent or more of its calories as carbohydrate. The natural diet of a dog has about 14 percent of the calories coming from carbohydrate. Though dry cat foods are higher in protein than dog foods, they are far higher in carbohydrate than is optimum for a cat.
If you feed dry food, your animals will benefit from the addition of fresh meat and other foods. It is recommended adding up to 15 percent (by volume) fresh, raw or lightly cooked meats to your animal's diet.
If you want to feed more fresh meat than this, learn to make your own fresh food diet, or purchase a commercially prepared complete meat-based diet. If your cat or dog is ill, I recommend that you consult with Dr.Nita McNeill who is familiar with fresh food diets and can help you.
Bottom line is that no dry food can provide a meat-based diet! Our dogs and cats will be healthier and live longer if we feed them according to the needs of their species.
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Calendar of
Events
2nd Annual Natural Health & Wellness Conference
September 10, 2005
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Doors open at 8:30
Tickets $15.00 Individual
$25.00 per Couple
University of Central Oklahoma
Nigh Convention Center
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Recipe for Happiness
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have a little recipe that isn't hard to make
But you must always start as soon as you awake.
Take a great big mixing bowl and fill it with a smile
Mix half a cup of sunshine with good deeds to last a while.
Add a pinch of work and play, a pinch of thoughtfulness and care
But don't bake it in the oven, just spread it around everywhere."
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OK 73013
Phone: (405) 753-9355
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Phone: (405) 621-2273
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The information contained within this newsletter is not meant to take the place of the advice or instruction of your physician or health care professional. It is offered here for educational purposes only.