April 2005 | Whole Health
Can I whip you up a little something, Fluffy?
by Rebecca Ephraim
We were swamped with emails following Ann Martin’s February story (Do You Know What You’re Feeding Your Pet?) about the disgusting ingredients in mainstream commercial pet foods. In explaining how to read pet food ingredient labels, Martin mentioned that she makes food for her animals. That resulted in readers clamoring for homemade pet food recipes.
From a practical standpoint, both the cost and time of making your own pet food can be challenging. I personally use a combination of homemade food (that I prepare ahead of time) mixed with a high-quality canned pet food, which seems to keep my two dogs healthy and happy. So, having said that, here’s the skinny on homemade food for the Felix and Fidos in your life.
First, know that there’s a huge issue among pet food experts on whether to feed dogs and cats raw or cooked meat — and both sides argue persuasively (both favor organic whenever possible). Martin, for instance, who’s written two books on pet foods, believes it’s a huge no-no to feed raw meat, saying that in interviewing vets and breeders, pets are as susceptible as humans to the many bacteria and parasites that can reside in raw meat.
She advocates lightly cooked meats (“until the juices run clear”) with cooked grains and raw or cooked veggies. Since cats are carnivores, hers get a diet that’s comprised of two-thirds protein — either ground chicken or turkey — and the other one third grains and veggies. Dogs are omnivores and eat more non-meat foods so Martin’s get one-third protein, one-third grains and one-third veggies. These are just a start. She has recipes in her books (Foods Pets Die For and Protect Your Pet) and also recommends Home-Prepared Dog and Cat Diets by Donald R. Strombeck, D.V.M.
As for raw meat diets, a number of high profile holistic vets swear by them — such as Ian Billinghurst (Give Your Dog a Bone) and Richard H. Pitcairn (Natural Health for Dogs And Cats). Pitcairn says that in the 20 years he’s been recommending the raw meat feeding practice (that includes other ingredients like veggies), he has not seen significant parasite problems. Billinghurst popularized the Bones and Raw Food Diet (BARF). Both attest to unparalleled success in having pets regain or maintain good health by adding raw meat.
Over all, it’s important to follow recipes that have been specially formulated to insure balanced nutrition. And it’s always helpful to have a holistic vet. The American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association has a website for vet referrals: www.ahvma.org.
Let’s Not Forget the Kiddies…
As a nutritionist, I believe most all of us benefit from taking a daily vitamin and mineral supplement — particularly kids, whose high-gear growth rate and evolving immune systems need a full complement of nutrients. The research linking bad diet to bad health is irrefutable so it’s imperative that vitamin and mineral supplements be provided to the people who most need them — the poor and the homeless, particularly children, who are least likely to get anything even close to a wholesome diet.
It’s for this reason that I’m on the advisory board of Vitamin Relief USA, a social profit organization that distributes high-quality vitamins daily to 14,000 underprivileged kids in 39 states. Because of this group’s efforts, dramatic improvements have been reported in health, school performance, behavior and self-esteem — once the kids get this regular nutrient fortification.
Taking a page from the playbook of eBay, Vitamin Relief is hosting a Bids for Kids on-line auction through mid-May. Items range from the quirky to lavish with many directed at supporting healthy lifestyles. Each $36.50 from this auction provides daily vitamins to a malnourished child for a full year. To bid and learn more, check out www.vitaminreliefusa.cmarket.com.
Rebecca Ephraim is a registered dietitian and certified clinical nutritionist.
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