Holistic Pet Food – Worth the Cost?

When dealing with holistic nutrition for your own body and mind, pet owners can’t help but think of their furry friend’s diets as well. I have two furry friends of my own – going through my own process of transitioning to a holistic lifestyle through food has made me think about what they are eating as well. Max is my ten-month old Chocolate lab – Sharpei mix (right) and Belle is my three-month old Beagle (left)!

Have you ever thought about what goes into those dried bits of kibble they eat? Chances are you have never really looked into it, I know I haven’t, until now. I looked into the ingredients in the food that I feed my two pups and the results were rather odd.

Ingredients
Whole grain corn, corn gluten meal, chicken by-product meal, whole grain wheat, animal fat preserved with mixed-tocopherols (form of Vitamin E), soybean meal, brewers rice, meat and bone meal, beef, water, animal digest, propylene glycol, sugar, fish oil, salt, dried yeast, phosphoric acid, tricalcium phosphate, potassium chloride, sorbic acid (a preservative), dried peas, dried carrots, calcium propionate (a preservative), choline chloride, added color (Red 40, Yellow 5, Blue 2), DL-Methionine, Vitamin E supplement, zinc sulfate, ferrous sulfate, manganese sulfate, niacin, Vitamin A supplement, calcium carbonate, copper sulfate, Vitamin B-12 supplement, calcium pantothenate, thiamine mononitrate, garlic oil, pyridoxine hydrochloride, riboflavin supplement, Vitamin D-3 supplement, menadione sodium bisulfite complex (source of Vitamin K activity), calcium iodate, folic acid, biotin, sodium selenite.

Obviously I am not a canine nutritionist and have no idea how these ingredients interact with my dogs immune system, digestion, or well-being. All I know is that they seem to enjoy it and they don’t have any problems digesting it. However, if I am looking to create a more holistic healthier lifestyle for myself and I know that things like selenite, DL-Methionine, or calcium propionate are things that I am making an effort to NOT put into my own body – should I allow them to intake these things?

Some say that allowing your pets to eat holistic dog food will, in the long run, allow you to buy less food because they will eat less and it can lower your vet bills by causing less problems with your dogs digestive or immune system.

Holistic food versus commercial dog food:

I have found a few helpful links to aid you in the search for healthier alternatives to commercial dog food and even some coupons!

• Natural Pet Marketplace allows for owners to search for the best all natural dog food for their pets as well as other holistic pet care items!
• The Blue Buffalo Company provides a comparison chart for owners from the current pet food they use to their Blue brand – along with a $5 off coupon for their food!
• Infinia Holistic Dog Food is a brand that supports immunity, vitality, and longevity in your pets, offering a wide variety of holistic pet food tailored to your pet’s needs.
•  Here is a continued list of the top holistic foods for your pet!

I hope this allows you to make an informed decision on how you are feeding your pets!

Peace, Love, and Holistic you (and your pets!!)
Drdonley

Spaghetti Squash

Curiosity got the best of me – I had to know what this whole spaghetti squash trend is all about. This was my inspiration:

                                                                                                                                             Source: skinnytaste.com via Alison on Pinterest

YUM! After seeing how delicious that looked and through further research on various blogs and pinterest, I decided to make my way to the local grocery store and pick up my own – it was only $1.40!!

When buying spaghetti squash, look for hard fruit that is heavy for its size, about eight to nine inches in length and four to five inches in diameter and with a pale even color. Avoid any squash with soft spots and green color is a sign of immaturity. The average four-pound spaghetti squash will yield about five cups.

Spaghetti Squash can be stored at room temperature for about a month. After cutting, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate up to 2 days. Spaghetti squash also freezes well. Pack cooked squash into freezer bags, seal, label and freeze. Partially thaw before re-using, then steam until tender but still firm, about 5 minutes.
http://www.fabulousfoods.com/articles/19943/discovering-spaghetti-squash

I bought a “Big Chuy” Spaghetti squash that came with cooking instructions on it:

 

Averaging from 4 to 8 pounds, the cylinder shaped spaghetti squash is generally available year-round with a peak season from early fall through winter. While a true spaghetti squash is pale ivory to pale yellow in color, in the early 1990’s, an orange spaghetti squash, known as “Orangetti” was developed and this is what is frequently found in today’s supermarkets. Higher in beta carotene, the orange variety is also bit sweeter than its paler counterpart, although both have a mild flavor that is easily enhanced by the food served with or on it. A dieter’s dream, a four-ounce serving of spaghetti squash has only 37 calories.

 http://www.dashingdish.com/2011/03/how-to-make-spaghetti-squash/

ONLY 37 CALORIES?! This is a must try. I decided to do a combination of two recipes – I have some left over pesto and some Parmigiano and Mozzarella cheeses and I am going to use a little bit of extra virgin olive oil and salt and pepper. The basic method I am using to cook the squash, since it was too hard to cut before it was cooked, is to poke holes in it with a fork or knife to allow steam to escape while cooking. Also, I put a small amount of water in the bottom of my baking dish – something a lot of the blogs suggested. I preheated the oven to 350 degrees and once its ready the squash will cook for about an hour.

My squash prepped and ready for the oven!

Tomato, pesto, and cheese

Seeds from the squash

Shredding the "spaghetti"

SO MUCH SPAGHETTI!

Yum!

The possibilities for using a spaghetti squash are endless – I saw ways to use it obviously as a replacement for spaghetti but also as hash browns, lasagna, as a side dish, the base for grilled salmon, tacos, tossed with grilled or roasted veggies, tetrezzini, frittatas, pancakes, instead of rice in sushi, soup, casseroles, desserts, pizza, and even as a Halloween decoration…

Franken-squash

I hope you give it a try – it was DELICIOUS!!

Peace, Love, and a Holistic You!
Drdonley

Related articles

• Spaghetti squash can be a side or main dish (seattletimes.nwsource.com)
• Spaghetti Squash (valerietrainer.wordpress.com)

Embodiment Wellness and Nutrition

Looking for local holistic health outlets has been a challenge throughout my time writing for this blog. Looking for motivation myself, I have been even more passionate about my search for holistic food options. However, The holistic “gods” shone down on me and brought me the perfect place to tell you all about!

Yesterday I had the pleasure of interviewing Melissa Estes and Ryan Domyan from Embodiment Wellness and Nutritionlocated at 574 Buttermilk Pike in Crescent Springs, Kentucky in the Buttermilk Shoppes. Embodiment is what some would call a “nutrition club”, meaning they want to “bring good nutrition to community members”. The point of a nutrition club, for those not familiar with the concept, is to bring together people who share an interest in good nutrition and well-being in a social environment. While the concept of a nutrition club may be foreign to most – don’t let it scare you!

In a coffee shop setting, guests can find sanctuary inside Embodiment in the unique comfortable atmosphere. Entertainment is provided on the TV’s throughout. According to Ryan “we have to get to know you in order to help you”, an approach that not many wellness and fitness coaches have. They support the community in various ways such as getting involved with the Flying Pig marathon and have a marketing board within their store for local businesses to advertise. They specialize in fitness smoothies that can be used as meal replacements or in addition to a healthy diet.

Health coaches, Melissa and Ryan, along with four other wellness team members make it their goal to provide their guests with information on the importance of good nutrition and regular exercise to achieve optimum health through seminars, social events, sporting events, and other community activities. The real holistic health appeal to what they do comes into play in how they interact with their guests, in a no pressure environment, advising guests on not only health and nutrition but wellness of the mind, body, and spirit.

With three certified personal trainers on staff, they can accommodate guests of all fitness levels and body types as well as people in all processes of making the transition to a more holistic lifestyle. Their goal is to “fill the gap between desire and action, giving members the tools to help those that want to make a change for a healthier lifestyle. Providing solution, motivation, education and a friendly atmosphere where they can feel valued and supported with like-minded individuals.”

In addition to being open to all types of people, Embodiment also looks to cater to those with food allergies creating products that are lactose free and use all natural extracts and additives. They pride themselves on their personal relationships with their members as well as being a source of motivation and encouragement for all who are ready to make that lifestyle change. Their eventual goal is to open other facilities and create a larger business including a personal training studio, wellness clinic, smoothie shop and other facilities.

Every first time visitor gets a free smoothie and wellness evaluation so I encourage you to go check it out if you even think you might be interested, I assure you they will motivate you to make a change.

They are holding an open house this Sunday February 26th from 1 – 4 p.m. that I will be attending – hope to see you there!!

Where
574 Buttermilk Pike Crescent Springs, KY 41017

Phone
859-331-WELL (9355)

Hours
Mon-Wed 7am-7pm

Thurs-Fri 7am-4pm

Sat-8am-12pm

Hope to see you Sunday!

Peace, Love, and a Holistic You!

Drdonley

THE ACUPUNCTURE EXPERIENCE

Now, the question you’ve been asking this whole time: does it hurt?  I wish I could say that I have experienced this versatile treatment myself, but I have not.  Kathleen Port from Los Angeles, California practices acupuncture.  In this short video she walks you though exactly what to expect during a treatment.

If you’ve got The Nutty Professor picture in your head, you’ve got it all wrong.  A typical treatment only uses six to eight needles at a time.   Most treatments range from 15 minutes to one hour.

Acupuncture needles are different from the needles which you receive your flu shot each year.  Very fine, solid, hair-like needles are used for acupuncture; whereas thicker hollow needles are used in a doctor’s office.  Hypodermic needles used at the doctor have cutting edges and are hallowed for injecting medicine, or for extracting blood. 

Sometimes an electric or heat source is applied to the acupuncture needles to further accelerate the process.

 WebMD points out that most people feel no pain, but rather a slight pressure.  Sometimes people may feel an itch, numbness, or a tingling sensation.  There are also few side effects associated with the practice including bruising, slight bleeding and soreness.

The needles used during treatment are sterilized and disposable, so the risk of infection during acupuncture is extremely low.  Bottom line, acupuncture is a safe practice.

Laugh your way to a better life

The sayings, “A frown uses more muscles than a smile” and “laughter is the best medicine” are all too common, but are they based on facts, or just quotes to help us create positive aspects on life?

http://www.myriadifa.com/2010_04_01_archive.html

Laughter and smiling are a form of communication, a mechanism that everyone, no matter what language, can speak. Laughter puts us in a state of eustress vs. of being in a state of distress. Being around others and laughing releases a chemical messenger to our brain called dopamine, that makes us feel good all around. Laughter helps us form interpersonal relationships with other people, which are necessary for happy, healthy lives socially and emotionally. Laughter can cause feelings of being apart of a group and sharing acceptance and positive interactions. When you laugh you are removing all inhibitions and allowing your personality to shine through. Laughing with others can help you relax and not focus on distressing emotions. The psychological effects of laughter are endless.

Not convinced? Laughter also has proven medical benefits such as

• Lowering blood pressure, giving more oxygen to the blood vessels allowing blood to flow freely throughout the body
• Reducing the stress hormone cortisol
• Raising immunoglobulin A, which helps our immune systems
• Increases cytokine, a white blood cell that prevents illness
• Endothelium dilation, which increases blood flow protecting us from hear disease
• Increases lung capacity
• Increases endorphins. The body’s natural painkillers

A lot of people are unaware that laughing is also an exercise. When you laugh for 20 seconds, you have successfully done 3 minutes of hard stationary jogging.

Not to mention, laughing works over 15 facial muscles, which helps takes away, wrinkles and worry lines.

Need some inspiration? Well luckily laughter is one of the most contagious acts a human take part in, so watch this video and LAUGH! I dare you not to.

 

 

A HISTORY OF ACUPUNCTURE

Needle phobes beware!

An ancient Chinese medicine known as acupuncture has been helping many people around the world for thousands of years, but would you try it?  Why or why not?

(Image from disaboom.com)

According to the Mayo Clinic, acupuncture helps rebalance your energy, or Qi (pronounced chee) by inserting extremely thin needles into specific places, known as meridians, on the body. If your Qi is imbalanced or obstructed your body may experience discomfort or other problems. Meridians help connect the inside of your body with the outside (over 360 meridians exist on the human body). The needles help release the impediments to the Qi.

The needles help boost the nervous system to release healing chemicals in the muscles, spinal cord and brain and produce natural painkillers.  According to the American Academy of Medical Acupuncture, “The chemicals will either change the experience of pain, or they will trigger the release of other chemicals and hormones which influence the body’s own internal regulating system.”

The results? Acupuncture needles stimulate your body’s natural healing capabilities to promote an overall wellbeing.

What do you do when the grownups are getting it all wrong?

Grownups run the shows and world-changing events, and kids/youth just sit back and watch. That’s the case most of the time whenever something big is going on. Events like the Arab Spring, Tunisian and Egyptian Revolutions, and the Occupy global movements are huge stepping stones for the youth to wake up and take action, and the grownups to sit back and watch as things begin to change.

Young minds are filled with ideas of change and resisting what is wrong or inadequate. However no one seems to hear their voices, or tries to extract their talents and ideas. My last post had highlighted young students in Pakistan and India taking on their own governments, not through protests, but through dialogue and an initiative called Aman Ki Asha (Hope for Peace).

Back here in the U.S., youth are socially charged with their Twitter and Facebook accounts. They are in charge of what they want to see and what they don’t, and if they see something inspiring, or inaccurate, they’ll comment, send an email, start a petition, and spread the word like an Internet wildfire. It’ll reach hundreds to thousands, possibly millions, of people before it makes the evening news. Young people know what’s up!

ABCNews had recently aired a story of a 4th grade class in Brookline, Massachusetts, taking on Hollywood. This particular story really entails what young people are capable of, and how they can change the world, one step (or email) at a time. Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax is an environmentalist, in the books; the only voice trying to save the trees from a greedy factory owner cutting down the trees. However, this 4th grade class noticed, on The Lorax movie website, there was nothing about “Going Green” or the Lorax speaking out for the trees, or saving the environment. Through the website Change.org, the 4th graders started an online petition versus Universal Studios to put up changes. The result; Hollywood listened and on the website now are tips for kids on how to save the environment and how to be an “environmental hero” like the Lorax.

It’s a MUST WATCH news clip from ABCNews as it entails what Metamorphosis is trying to inspire people to do; change. This 4th grade class was selected as the “Person of the Week” on February 17, 2012.

Change.org is an online petition site that helps people communicate in mass numbers to spark change in the “grownups” of our world. There are hundreds of petitions started daily, according to the CEO, Ben Rattray, and these petitions start from all over the world. In the news clip above, there were two other stories highlighted; Bank of America’s stop to debit card fees, and the plight of women drivers in Saudi Arabia, both petitions started on Change.org. The site helps a passion for a cause into effective action, as well as empowers people to make a difference in their communities and their surrounding world.

There is another site similar to Change.org, called Avaaz.org. It means “voice”, and it is “The World in Action”. Avaaz.org “is a global web movement to bring people-powered politics to decision-making everywhere.” Launched in 2007, it is very similar to Change.org, but more focused on political issues, regional and national issues, corruption in governments, and battling human rights issues. Currently, Avaaz.org is focused on the humanitarian crisis in Syria and making every effort it can to place mounting pressure on the Arab League, as well as European and U.S. powers to stop the violence. Petitions are signed through emails; all you do is register your email on the website, and whenever an cause comes up that you feel strongly about, you put in your email and you have “signed” the petition, that’s it. You can also see who else has signed at the same time, by people from all over the world.

These are little steps to help bring big change, not only to corrupt governments, but also greedy corporations.

Holding Corporations Accountable: A Case for Social Media

When people are overturning governments and directing public policy through groups formed on social media platforms, you know that times are changing.

Events like Arab Spring, the Tunisian Revolution and the Occupy movement are proof that when like-minded individuals meet up (or, tweet up), they’re able to accomplish great things. Mashable.com put together a collection of 9 Social Media Uprisings that Sought to Change the World in 2011, and none of them are short of impressive.

The people behind these movements saw their governments plagued with inadequacy and rife with corruption. They believed that governments should be representative of their constituents; social media created an outlet for people to find others with their same ideals, formulate a plan of action and gather together to create change. They’re working to make their lives and the lives of their future generations better through something as seemingly simple as communicating.

Communication is a powerful engine, and social media is adding fuel to the machine. But what happens when people start to influence the way corporations think and act through social media?

The consumer once again is the true center of the marketplace.

Changing the way companies interact

In April 2009, Domino’s Pizza was much like any other fast food company in the U.S. – providing greasy, bad-for-you, indulgent food that was considered reasonably safe and enjoyed by millions of Americans.

That is, of course, until April 13^th, when two bored employees at a franchise location in North Carolina decided to film themselves doing disgusting things to food that was set to go out on a delivery order. Then, in a stroke of pure genius, posted those videos to YouTube. Within hours, they had thousands of views; millions of viewers have now enjoyed their exploits as the videos have been posted and reposted across the web. The videos are still available online at The Consumerist and showcase the extreme idiocy of these two employees; the instant corporate was able to identify the culprits they were fired and charged with felonies.

But out of necessity comes ingenuity, and for Domino’s, that means springing into social media like never before to respond to these videos and try to win back any customers that hadn’t already gone running for the hills. The CEO responds within 48 hours by filming a short video and posting it to YouTube:

In the years since the incident, Domino’s has become a social media case for what to do in a crisis situation, and undoubtedly will teach lessons to Public Relations students for years to come about how the Internet can be your foe and your friend.

But Domino’s didn’t stop at resolving the situation. With a newfound appreciation for social media and the level of consumer engagement you can achieve, Domino’s began asking for customer feedback. They wanted pictures of their deliveries to see if the food was up to par. They wanted comments about the sauce, the crust and the quality of their toppings. They wanted to know what their customers thought, and they were open to genuinely listening to their criticisms. They’re calling it the Pizza Turnaround and it’s changing the way they make decisions.

By opening up their ears to the concerns of their customers, Domino’s has been able to reconstruct their products and create entirely new marketing campaigns centered on the consumers’ wants and needs. And they’re quickly moving past the tumultuous days of April 2009 and into a customer base that is willing to try them again.

In this case, social media stood at the crux of success and failure for Domino’s. Certainly, their consumers were concerned with what they saw happening at the store in North Carolina. The videos spread like wildfire across the YouTube video platform and put the entire country on fast-food high alert. But social media allowed for Domino’s to not only respond quickly, but to remain a part of the conversation. Had they not jumped in with a video of their own, they may have reached an entirely different base of customers than the ones who saw the original video, causing potentially more harm than good. But by embracing social media, they were able to quickly and efficiently reach those who had seen the video and issue a sincere apology.

But more than that, they were able to continue engaging their customers, encouraging their feedback and taking their criticisms to heart. They changed their business model because the customer was demanding it, and the customer now has a direct line of influence into the brand through social media.

New Age Movement- Returned?

Dating back to the 18th and 19th centuries, community members have been gathering around spiritual, religious and holistic health similarities to experience their shared passions for their beliefs and lifestyles.  Through these traditions, the New Age Movement was formed.

Today, individuals are taking a serious look into their religious affiliation, spiritual background and health as a form of their lifestyle. Does this mean the New Age Movement has returned? Or has the New Age Movement been taking place since the 18th century?

Though the New Age Movement has many parts associated to its long history, many of the traditions of this movement became active again in the 1960s. Today, in 2012, the patterns of this movement still remain. Community members are seeking holistic lifestyles and are engaging in various practices. One of the newest practices stems from Colombia, South America. Bringing different religious and cultural dances/routines together, Zumba is an expression of various backgrounds coming together through fitness and health.

All across the world individuals are partaking in the newest “New Age Movement” exercise called Zumba. Zumba is an exhilarating and upbeat approach to living a holistic lifestyle. Community members have formed Zumba classes to achieve better health through these classes and the support to maintain a healthy balance in other areas of their lives.

For many community members, Zumba has become a way of life. Zumba classes have formed at local churches, city buildings and fitness centers. From children to elderly, Zumba has changed health for the better.

“I attend three to four Zumba classes a week with different instructors,” said Kathy Woeste. “Zumba is a fun and motivational way to maintain my holistic lifesyle of attending church, eating healthy and keeping my mind, body and sprit on a comfortable level.”

Zumba has been a growing program since the 1990s. Right now it’s in more than 75 countries and classes are taking place in over 50,000 locations. With a variety of cultural backgrounds, Zumba incorporates traditional, spiritual and cultural dances from different denominations. By viewing this video, one can see an example of the integration of cultural customs and norms into a Zumba routine.

“Zumba has impacted my health through the energetic offering that other exercise classes do not have,” said Zumba student Kandy Ohara.

What is Zumba?

Zumba is a latin-based fitness program that was formed by “accident.” Alberto “Beto” Perez, a resident of Cali, Colombia, is the founder of Zumba Fitness. He was teaching fitness classes in Colombia and forgot to bring his music to class with him one day. He grabbed some music from his backpack and started to move to the music. Focusing on the movements of the body and the healthy aspects of the class, Zumba Fitness was formed.

Zumba Fitness has a mission that states “At Zumba Fitness LLC, our vision is to fill the world’s empty rooms with Zumba® classes. Working hand-in-hand with our most dedicated Zumba Instructors (called ZIN™ members), together, our goal is to spread the philosophy of health and happiness and of loving everything you do, especially your workout.” This mission keeps each Zumba class on the same track and toward a better lifestyle. This video gives more of an example of the Zumba missin.

Zumba helps individuals get on a healthy track and maintain their healthy lifestyle. The sprit and working of the inner core is the main ingredient to living a holistic life. The holistic lifestyle approach, which stems from the New Age Movement, can be achieved through puzzle pieces of choices. Not only does the individual better their body through exercise, but their spiritual/religious and eating habits are taken into account.

What does a Zumba class look like?

Each class begins with a warm up dance and then it follows with 45 minutes of Zumba dancing. Zumba dances are a mixture of cumbia,  salsa, merengue, mambo, flamenco, chachacha, reggaeton, soca, samba, belly dancing, bhangra, hip hop music, axé music and tango. Each of these dances originated from a country that traditionally dances to these songs in their everyday praises. The classes end with stretching and meditation techniques.

“I lost 150 pounds from Zumba!” said instructor Samantha Ward of northern Kentucky. “It’s a great energetic hobby that is out of the box and helps every Zumba member live a holistic lifestyle.”

One of the unique aspects of Zumba is the age verity of students. There are classes for children and even the elderly. The goal of Zumba is to integrate a fun and healthy spin on life no matter what the age is of the participant.

• Zumba Gold– This class targets the elderly community members. Those that are physically limited or aren’t use to working out on a daily basis, can try this exercise format.
• Zumbatonic– A class geared toward children. The moves are simplified and adapted to the age of the children participating.

Kristi Bishop, regular Zumba student, said, “I feel 100% better about myself when I Zumba!”

Zumba is an example of a current practice that relates to the origins of the New Age Movement. Through other exercise classes, such as aerial yoga, meditations, religious affiliations and a strong focus on the mind, body and spirit, community members are partaking in various aspects of this continuous movement.

“New Agers continue to find value in practices such as meditation, yoga, holistic medicine, and astrology,” claims Explore Astrology. “It is estimated that as many as 20% of all Americans still seek comfort in some type of New Age belief.”

Are you part of this culture? Do you believe the New Age Movement returned? or has been here since the 18th century?

AMERICAN = RESISTANCE

Americans have been resisting for over 200 hundred years – So let’s keep counting!

If you really want to resist, just be “more” American.  Yeah, I know it’s cool to say you are a worldly individual and that we are all citizens of the world, but the truth be told, if you want to resist, just do the following: One, re-study your American history perhaps beginning with the Declaration of Independence and the first 10 amendments of the Constitution better known as the Bill of Rights.  Two, stop looking for collaboration, building bridges or building a consensus.   And three – start decentralizing government – federal, state and local.

Sound radical?  Well, it shouldn’t – we’ve been gradually lulled into believing that it is…  So remember, resistance – local or global – is the American way.   I will attempt to explain my thoughts in my next article discussing American = Resistance.