Honest Kitchen Newsletter

volume 1

March 2005

Who is Harry? Meow!!!
The Honest Kitchen would like to introduce our new hire. Harry was hired as a very exclusive, independent consultant hired to assist with the development of our long-awaited cat food. Harry, (previously named Oreo) was hired from a Pet Food Express store in San Leandro CA where he was up for adoption.
Harry is settling into his new position at the HK office and he plans to launch his cat food this fall. If your cat has any suggestions for Harry he has his own email address harry@thehonestkitchen.com . You can email Harry ingredient suggestions and any other feedback. Of course, Harry will be working with our staff nutritionist that will oversee his ingredient choices and be sure that his diet will meet AAFCO's nutrient profile. Customers who have emailed us over the last 2 years to request a cat food, will be sent invitations for their cats to get involved in additional palatability trials before the planned product launch in the Fall of this year. To join this invitation please email Harry at harry@thehonestkitchen.com .

Look for his debut picture next month.

Feature Product

Invigor

Invigor
n. Strength, bright, fresh, revitalized, fortify.

Invigor was launched this past fall. This herbal creation from The Honest Kitchen is a supplement of powerful antioxidant and immune enhancing properties. Invigor is designed to combat free radicals, cleanse and revitalize the system for over all health and vitality. Invigor is ideal for aging dogs and cats as well as those with compromised immune systems, or those undertaking vigorous exercise, traveling, or in the show ring.

Invigor is a synergistic blend of six herbs and green foods:

Kelp is a rich source of trace minerals, vitamins and antioxidants as well as Iodine, a mineral that is vital for the proper functioning of the thyroid gland.

Astragalus is a popular herb in Traditional Chinese Medicine for its nurturing properties, immune system boost and support for T-Cell function.

Hawthorne is most popular for its ability to support healthy heart and circulatory function. This herb's flavanoid properties may be useful to help prevent the breakdown of collagen; this is useful for disorders of bones, joints and cartilage (Arthritis, periodontal disease).

Olive Leaf Extract is effective against a multitude of bacterial, viral and fungal diseases and strengthens the immune system. Olives are the foundation of a healthy diet in the Mediterranean where life expectancies are high.

Spirulina is a "Superfood" loaded with antioxidants and a remarkable concentration of nutrients including protein, Beta Carotene, Vitamin B12, Iron & trace minerals. It also contains the fatty acid, GLA.

Watercress is the subject of a number of current cancer studies to investigate its anti-carcinogenic effects. It is a potent source of the antioxidant Vitamins A, C & E. This herb is thought to have natural antibiotic and detoxification effects.

Invigor is a pure herbal product and is very easy to use, just sprinkle on top or stir into your dogs' bowl of healthy food. This product contains no fillers or synthetic ingredients, no added salt, sugar, artificial preservatives, by-products, dairy or grain ingredients. Our herbal supplements are safe for both dogs and cats.

Invigor will be on special for the Month of March $14.00.(MSRP $18.00) click here

On the Resellers Front

Reseller of the Month!

One again this month we are featuring more that one reseller, although they are linked in their cause – For March we have chosen the SPCA, LA and the San Diego Humane Society. The SPCA with two Los Angeles locations, has been selling and promoting our products for over a year. There retail store locations can be found click here
San Diego's Humane Society just began stocking our line in its newly renovated facility. To visit there website click here
We're pleased to have both these wonderful organizations working side by side with The Honest Kitchen .

We would like to welcome our additional new resellers from this month.

Pet Food Express a California chain of 24 stores in the Bay area now has Honest Kitchen Diets on there store shelves.
Click here for there store locations
San Diego Human Society's retail store- (619) 243- 3451
Meat in Portland, OR- (503) 236- 6971
The Bark Market, Incin Portland, OR.- (503) 312- 9663
Bark Avenue Pet Supply Mesa, AZ (480) 832- 2510
Four Footed Friends- Myrttle Beach, SC (843) 272-0237

To visit our store directory click here.

In additional Honest Kitchen News:

Later this year, we plan to introduce a new Charitable Donations program where one product each month will be featured and a portion of the profits from its sales during that month will be donated to a charitable, animal-related cause. More information on this program, will follow this summer.

Speaking of donations, at the time our February newsletter went to press, we were unable to provide specific information on our $500 Tsunami donation. We're glad to have been able to assist an important Tsunami Relief project coordinated through the AVMA (American Veterinary Medical Association) which focuses on assisting animals stricken by the region, and runs programs to reintroduce healthy agricultural animals to help revive and rejuvenate affected communities. Each donation made to this cause if matched dollar-for-dollar by the AVMA. For more information, please visit the AVMA web site at www.avma.org

Hypo- Thyroid condition

Hypothyroid condition refers to the inability of the thyroid gland to produce sufficient thyroid hormone. Lymphocytic thyroiditis, a condition in which white blood cells attack and destroy thyroid tissue. Thyroid condition is the possible the most common auto-immune disease known to dogs. This is most likely caused by environmental factor, i.e. (commercial dog food, over vaccination, etc.)
Certain breeds are more prone to the disease, some of those top breeds being Rottweilers, Labradors (chocolate especially), and Golden Retrievers, where some veterinarians see a rate of 80% of there clients in the above breed category with the condition. Other breeds that are close on this list: Boxers, Cocker Spaniels, Akitas, Chow, Dobermans. While a large percent of dogs have the condition hypothyroid, a similar percentage of cats suffer from hyperthyroid (an opposite condition). Researchers are trying to pin point the cause of thyroid condition in pets, and commercially processed dog foods is a big culprit.
The thyroid gland hormones have an effect on every cell in the body at a metabolic rate. Thyroid gland is responsible for regulating metabolism. Some of the clinical signs of Hypothyroid condition are as you would expect, lethargy, weight gain, dry and brittle coat, or excess oily coat with heavy dog smell (even right after a bath). Some dogs seek heat or have neurological changes (sudden aggression, seizures). Some dogs exhibit no typical clinical symptoms (a wispy little thin Chihuahua) though other health issues lead to discovering of a sluggish thyroid.
Hypothyroid condition is not an easy one for veterinarians to determine, besides which, blood level standards for a diagnosis have changed over the last several years as well.
Dr. Jean Dodd, is an expert in canine blood analysis and specializes in the autoimmune condition- hypothyroidism being at the top her list. She is world renown for her work. Dr. Dodd is founder of Hemopet a service that you can have Dr. Dodd's 40 years of blood analyze experience working to diagnose a condition in your dog's blood sample. Also, besides the diagnostic blood work, Hemopet is a non-profit blood bank organization- a valuable asset if an emergency situations where to come up with your dog. Dr. Dodd is well known for her work researching vaccination protocols for our canine friends. She also does a great deal of work with Greyhound rescue. You may visit her site click here

Tori Beans Soup recipe

One of our wonderful customers Cara Aimee, has shared her dog, Tori Beans, soup recipe below:

Basically it is 2 fold, soup for my dog and beef stock for my husband.

(This is a basic Stock recipe with lots of extra veggies added)
I take soup bones and burn them under the broiler, throw them in the pot with most of the fat and drippings ( I leave some drippings in the pan for the next step)

Brown vegetables under the broiler. I do carrots, celery, broccoli, cauliflower, string beans.

Throw all the vegetables in the pot. Fill the pot with water and boil. Once boiling, bring the pot to a simmer until about ½ - 2/3 of the liquid is gone.

(You can also add peppercorns, but I recommend putting them in a bag or cheesecloth so they are easy to remove later)

Now, for your own stock, push the mixture (not the bones/ Never Feed Cooked Bones) through a china cap. Put it in the fridge and then skim off the fat.

The leftover mush of vegetables, bone marrow, fat and liquid is a GREAT breakfast for your dog. (When your stock is cooled down enough to remove the fat, I add the fat back into my dogs portions.) Then I just warm it up in small portions and add some more water to cool it back down and get her to drink more. I usually make a HUGE pot of it, with about 15 bones and a ton of veggies, freeze it in week size portions and bring it to work with us in the morning. I have my Mate, she has her soup.

This does take HOURS of work, but I only have to do it about once a month since I make such HUGE batches. It's really worth it for the stock too. My husband loves the roasts, soups and gravies I make with the fresh stock.

What's in a Coconut

Our ingredient focus for March is Coconut, a valuable and sometimes mis-understood, medicinal food.
Coconut oil is rich in lauric acid, which is known for being anti-viral, antibacterial and anti-fungal..
At one time coconut oil received negative press in the US because of its high level of saturated fat. However, modern research has shown that not all saturated fats are alike and that the fatty acids in coconut oil, (medium chain triglycerides) do not raise serum cholesterol or contribute to heart disease, but are in fact very healthy. Also, some negative studies done on coconut oil in the past was done on hydrogenated coconut oil, which has been altered from its original form.
Other studies have clearly shown that traditional Asian cultures that eat significant amounts of coconut in their diet do not suffer from modern diseases seen in western cultures that promote a low-fat diet.
Most research on the nutritional and medicinal benefits on coconut oil that has surfaced in recent has classified coconuts as a "functional food," which provides health benefits over and beyond the basic nutrients. Studies have specifically identified lauric acid as a key ingredient in coconut products:
"Approximately 50% of the fatty acids in coconut fat are lauric acid. Lauric acid is a medium chain fatty acid, which has the additional benefit of being formed into monolaurin in the human or animal body. Monolaurin is the anti-viral, antibacterial, and antiprotozoal monoglyceride used by the human or animal to destroy lipid coated viruses such as influenza, various pathogenic bacteria including listeria monocytogenes and heliobacter pylori, and protozoa such as giardia lamblia. Some studies have also shown some antimicrobial effects of the free lauric acid."
As a "functional food," coconut oil is now being recognized by the medical community as a powerful tool against immune diseases. Several studies have been done on its effectiveness, and much research is currently being done on the incredible nutritional value of pure coconut oil.

Please go to www.coconutoil.com to read about these studies.