Posts Tagged ‘Embark’

Flaxseed – One of nature’s most perfect foods.

Ever wondered where we get our certified organic flaxseed from? Here’s an actual photo of one of the flax fields in full bloom! So beautiful!

 

“Our organic flax is grown here in North Dakota, where 95% of US flax happens to be grown.  Our supplier told me that when the flax is in bloom in mid-August, the fields from a distance look like a rippled lake,” says Laurette Sipe, our resident herbalist and director of operations and purchasing. 

“The pods are quite ingenious, where the shell holds about 7-11 flax seeds, a great example of nature at her finest. The seeds inside the pods are amazingly shiny – and are sliced not milled using ultra-sharp blades, which helps to prevent leaking of the valuable golden oil inside each one.”

Flaxseed has often been referred to as “nature’s most perfect food”.  It is a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids, vital for healthy skin, coat, heart, joints and kidneys.  Flaxseed also contains lignans which are potent cancer fighters and antioxidants.  Loaded with vitamins and phytonutrients, flax offers a great supply of fiber and protein, too!

Flax offers a nice ratio of healthy fats to protein, as well as both soluble and insoluble fiber and, in addition, some essential minerals, according to Laurette. And since our flax is grown organically, therefore, it is likely higher in minerals than conventionally grown.

Flaxseed contains alpha-linolenic acid(ALA) and omega-3 fatty acids.  Essential Fatty Acids are important in the development and maintenance of a healthy brain, liver, heart and immune system.  Animals cannot survive without them and this is why they are referred to as essential fatty acids.  However, dogs are not efficient at converting ALA to EPA and DHA so a variety of sources of fats is recommended for our dogs to make sure they get the essential fatty acids they require.

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Grayson and Embark…a winning combination!

Trisha  emailed us to share Grayson’s story.  We’re so happy she did and we hope you enjoy it, too!
 

 

Grayson

 Grayson is a husky mix which my husband and I adopted 2 years ago from the Winston-Salem Humane Society. The first year with Grayson was a learning experience.He had chronic diarrhea, which would flare up every 6-8 weeks. It was so bad that he would wake me up at 3:00 in the morning and we would walk the neighborhood for about 45 minutes so he could relieve himself.  

Our vet had put him on Tylan powder and suggested we switch to a novel protein diet of rabbit and sweet potatoes.  I did my research and decided against the rabbit.  With the help of Michele at Prohund, Grayson was first put on a raw diet of frozen turkey, then, once he was stable, we introduced Embark. The combination is perfect for Grayson! He has not had diarrhea for at least nine months and is no longer taking Tylan powder (which our vet suggested keeping him on for the rest of his life!!). He is a such a great dog and I am delighted to see him enjoying his food so much without suffering any digestive problems.

In addition, my sister’s dog, Cleo, a Pharaoh Hound, has come to live with us. She is allergic to chicken and has very sensitive skin. We put her on Embark and she has lost weight and her skin and coat are in wonderful condition!

Cleo 

Thanks for making such a great product! Grayson, Cleo and I are grateful. You have improved the quality of all of our lives.

With warm regards,

Trisha F. – North Carolina

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Weight Loss

Companion animal obesity is becoming increasingly common. In fact, veterinarians estimate that 44% of their dog and cat patients are overweight – almost half the pet population.

The two primary causes of weight gain are of course, food intake and lack of exercise. Other factors such as medications (particularly steroids) can also be to blame.

Many pet foods are becoming increasingly higher in calories as the quality levels are beginning to increase. In terms of diet, there are several approaches to managing obesity in pets. Conventionally, low fat foods have been used with some success. Our Verve recipe is naturally low in fat, at just 7.5% Fat, with 21% protein and 440 calories per cup.

A newer, alternative approach, has been to limit carbohydrate intake to help achieve & maintain a healthy body weight. This is surprisingly, a logical choice for a canine – most people agree now that dog’s GI tracts are not designed to process an overload of processed ingredients or an excess of grain. We have found that many dogs actually seem to slim down when they consume fewer or zero grain.

Our Force recipe has moderate fat and protein with lower carbs than Verve. Embark is very high protein & fat with low carbohydrate content. This latter profile is usually best for maintaining lean body mass in more active dogs.

For weight loss, you want to follow the ‘less active’ column and you might even feed less than the suggested amount if she has a slower-than-normal metabolism. One useful tip is to compensate for the lesser amount of food, by re-hydrating it with extra water. This will make more of a ‘soupy’ meal that will help to fill her up without any extra calories. Remember too, that our feeding guidelines are just suggestions; the actual amount your dog needs will be specific to her metabolism and other factors such as her age, whether or not she’s been spayed, and how active she is.

Unfortunately, there are no rules concerning which approach will work for an individual dog, so it is a matter or trial and error to determine whether lower fats or lower carbohydrates will be the most effective method for reducing obesity in any particular dog.

Of course the other important part of the weight management picture is to ensure your dog is getting sufficient exercise. At a minimum – about 20 minutes of running or brisk walking, twice every day. If they’re relatively inactive right now, you would need to work up gradually to that activity level, beginning with slower walks for shorter duration in the beginning.

You should also restrict the amount of calories per day, in the form of treats. Reserve treats for rewards only and perhaps just one at bedtime. Try offering vegetables like raw carrot as a treat in place of cookies (but don’t slice large carrots into disks as they could present a choking hazard). Alternatively, tiny pieces of plain poached chicken could be used instead of sugary jerky-style treats.

Failing that, it might be helpful to have some blood-work done to check her thyroid function; an under-active thyroid gland (hypothyroid) can lead to weight gain but is fairly easy to regulate with medications.

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Ratios of Fat, Protein and Carbs

Did you know that many pets can benefit from your adjusting the ratios of fat, protein and carbohydrates in their diets? Just as we people have different foods and diet types that we do better on, so do our animal companions. With a food like The Honest Kitchen, which has balanced calcium: phosphorus ratios to allow the addition of ingredients from your own kitchen, you can tailor each meal to meet your pet’s specific needs and find a balanced diet that is right for your dog.

For example, a dog who does well on Keen because he needs a single grain in his diet to maintain a healthy body-weight, may need slightly more fat and protein to support his active lifestyle. Adding half a cup of extra turkey or perhaps a little fish, can increase the ratios and make the meal just right!

If your dog does really well on Embark but tends to get too slim with low carbohydrates, try mixing in some sweet potatoes or maybe a single non-gluten grain like millet or quinoa. This should provide the extra carbs he needs to pack on a few extra pounds.

Does your pup find Thrive a little too rich or high in fat? Balance it out with some green beans or pumpkin! Adding fibrous vegetables can make a meal less rich, and more easily tolerated for sensitive pets. Pumpkin is also excellent for firming up slightly loose stools.

Want less carbs in an average meal? You can still feed Force, but combine it with a good helping of extra meat. The meal will remain completely grain free and by increasing the percentage of protein and fat by adding meat, the overall percentage of the meal that is made up of carbohydrate, will naturally come down.

If Verve works well but the fat’s a little low, try adding in some ground lamb (one of the fattiest meats available) or marbled beef, for a calorie dense meal that will provide some extra fat to balance out the grains. You could also try a fish oil to do the same job (we like sardine or wild salmon oils) and coconut oil has many medicinal benefits for your pet, as well.

You can also make Prowl even higher in protein (and thus reduce the overall percentage of carbs) by adding in some extra chicken, salmon or duck that she should find kitty-licious!

When you combine foods together, you can manually adjust the percentages of certain components of the meal. Remember, the total meal will always be 100%. If you increase one component’s percentage, the other components will adjust accordingly. If you need some help or a personalized suggestion, give us a call! 1 866 437 9729 – we love to help! In addition, your pet is sure to benefit from the extra variety because the new foods will provide a new spectrum of amino acids, minerals and other vital nutrients.

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Home Prepared Diets

Here’s our take on preparing your pet’s food yourself: done properly, it can provide a healthy, nutritious and tasty alternative to many commercial pet foods on the market. Lots of manufacturers will caution you against feeding table scraps or preparing your pet’s meals yourself, and the real reason is that they want you to feed more if the stuff they make!  But – humans don’t expect to maintain optimal health on a diet that consists entirely of breakfast cereal or fast food — and we should not expect our pets to eat the same food day after day, either. The truth is, every other species on the planet besides those who have been domesticated, eats a varied diet consisting of different foods, to provide a broader spectrum of nutrition.That’s why, at the Honest Kitchen, advocate the addition of healthy table scraps and other home made extras, right along with your companion’s Honest Kitchen meals. We can even help provide guidance on special needs diets if required. With the exception of Preference (which must have protein added, before serving), all our dehydrated raw foods can be fed as stand alone diets, so if you don’t have the time or interest, it’s fine to feed these foods alone with out additional ingredients mixed in. On the other hand, creating home prepared meals can be fun and rewarding and most pets thoroughly enjoy a little variety in their daily fare.

Many pet food companies and even some veterinarians caution pet owners not to feed home cooked or raw diets. For those who have been raising their animals to lead long, healthy lives by doing so for many years, this information is most irritating! And when you think about it, many of us are able to raise our human children on a varied home-made diet so there really isn’t any logical reason why we shouldn’t be able to do the same for our pets as well. The secret lies in dietary variety, and not feeding the exact same thing every day.

It certainly takes some homework to prepare balanced, nutritional meals (the Whole Dog Journal is an excellent resource) — but it’s not all that much trickier than providing our children with wholesome nutrition, when a broad array of foods is offered throughout the week:

  • Ground meat (beef and turkey are ready available from human food markets), as well as chicken, rabbit, buffalo, and lamb can be served raw or cooked depending on what you are comfortable with.
  • Raw Meaty Bones such as chicken necks or backs. We recommend grinding RMB’s or pre-grinding them to begin with to allow your pet to get used to them. Never feed cooked bones!
  • Raw (or lightly cooked) organs and other muscle meats as well as low sodium canned fish are also popular, once or twice a week. We suggest ½ to one cup of meats for each dry-measured cup of the food.
  • Raw or cooked Fish such as cod, mackerel, sole, haddock (Salmon should be cooked).
  • Plain yogurt,
  • Cottage cheese
  • Keffir
  • Fresh fruits such as melon, blueberries & peach (not grapes or raisins), as well as dried fruit such as cranberries or pitted dates.
  • Vegetables such as kale, yams, pumpkin, parsnips (root veggies should be lightly steamed or pulped to aid digestibility),
  • Fresh herbs such as parsley and dandelion
  • Ground nuts such as almonds also make an interesting add-in – although macadamia nuts should be avoided.
  • Recreational Bones such as raw beef marrow (soup) bones should be offered once or twice a week to help maintain dental health and keep your keep your dog mentally stimulated.

Remember, always check with your veterinarian before making changes to your pet’s diet, especially when underlying health conditions exist. If necessary, find a holistic veterinarian who is familiar with the benefits of home prepared pet food

**Ingredients to Avoid**
  • Chocolate
  • Grapes
  • Raisins
  • Macadamia Nuts
  • Onions

If you feed our Honest Kitchen dehydrated human grade recipes as a base for your home prepared fare, you can really add as many or as few of our suggested ingredients as you wish, depending on time and convenience. As a general guide, we recommend 1/2 to 1 cup of extra ingredients for each dry-measured cup of the food.

Using Preference, where additional protein is mandatory to create a balanced meal, we suggest 1 to 2 cups of extras, for each dry-measured cup of Preference.

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