Lisa asked:


The closest place to buy the EVO is like, 30 miles away, yet science diet is right here in town. How would you compare the two? Is science diet just as good? When I’ve had cat problems in the past, science diet has always been the cure all. Do you think its as good as EVO? Or will it be a good balanced diet for my kitten ?

Kristen

TheOnion asked:

Today Now! talks with a diet book author who reveals that many things are surprisingly edible when you are driven mad by hunger.

More coverage at: http://onion.com

Franklin

Kristen Onasch asked:


Until the last 40 years, ferrets were fed what we refer to as a “natural diet,” which was similar to the diet of the domestic ferret’s wild ancestors. In recent years as ferrets have become more popular, they have been fed commercially prepared ferret, cat, and kitten diets. While this is convenient for us as owners, is it what our ferrets were meant to eat? What exactly is a natural diet, and what are the benefits and concerns associated with it?

FERRETS ARE CARNIVORES

Ferrets are obligate carnivores, which means that they get their nutrients from a diet high in animal protein and fat. Their diet must be a meat diet, because they are unable to digest vegetable protein. They need food that is very low in carbohydrates, and they get their energy from animal fat. This is why proponents of a natural diet argue that ferrets’ bodies are actually designed for a whole prey or raw meat diet.

Ferrets have a short GI tract populated with simple organisms, and they don’t absorb nutrients as well as other animals can. They are intended to eat food that provides them with a highly concentrated fat content (calories for energy) and highly digestible meat proteins for maximum nutrition.

While there are a number of high quality ferret kibbles available today, many of them contain a high number of grains, corn, and other sources of filler material in addition to vegetable protein. Ferrets who eat diets with excessive vegetable protein can suffer from poor skin and coat quality, decreased growth rates, bladder stones and other conditions.

Insulinoma is also a concern, as a high level of carbohydrates in a ferret’s diet puts too much stress on the pancreas. While there is no definitive proof that a diet high in carbohydrates causes insulinoma, it just is not healthy for the beta cells in the pancreas to be overworked. When beta cells work too hard, they become overactive (hypertrophied) and either burn out (stop working altogether) or go to neoplasia (cancer).

MYTHS ASSOCIATED WITH A NATURAL DIET

Before I explore what feeding a natural diet entails, there are a few widespread misconceptions associated with feeding whole prey or raw meat that need to be addressed.

First and most importantly, your ferret will not turn into an aggressive wild animal if you feed a raw diet! Kim Schilling, author of Ferrets for Dummies, draws a great parallel. She points out that cats are great hunters and, at times, vicious hunters, playing with their prey before killing it. They kill countless mice, birds, rabbits, and other wildlife throughout their lives, yet they still remain sweet and cuddly companion animals that are perfectly happy to sit in your lap, purring and allowing themselves to be petted. It is not going to be any different with ferrets. Eating raw meat isn’t going to transform your sweet little girl into a vicious killer.

Many ferret owners point out that diseases could be passed from the prey animal to the ferret. If you are feeding your ferret the dead mouse from your mousetrap, the spread of disease is very likely. However, there are a number of reputable sources for humanely killed, frozen prey animals, and as long as you stick to getting prey from those sources, your ferret should be fine.

Another misconception is that to feed a natural diet, you must feed live prey. This is not true, nor is it even recommended. While some ferrets may be able to catch and kill their prey, the majority are going to take time to adjust to a natural diet, let alone be able to hunt for their own food. Ferrets are fully domesticated after all! Also, if you were to feed live animals, you also risk your ferret being bitten by the prey animal. The point of feeding whole prey is not to allow your ferret to hunt live animals, it is to provide a nutritious diet.

TYPES OF NATURAL DIETS

I will discuss two types of natural diets in this article – a whole prey diet and a raw carnivore diet. Bones and meat are the staples of a natural diet, regardless of which type you choose to feed.

Whole Prey Diet

A whole prey diet is the most balanced natural diet, and it refers to feeding ferrets pre-killed, frozen prey such as mice, rats and chicks. Ferrets have teeth that are designed for cutting meat and bone, so whole prey provides them with the necessary exercise for teeth and jaws and cleans their teeth and gums. Whole prey also gives your ferret the chance to experience a variety of tastes and textures, so it’s enriching as well.

Raw Carnivore Diet

Another natural diet option is a raw carnivore diet, which is a good alternative for ferret owners who are hesitant to feed prey animals to their ferrets. Raw carnivore diets can include commercially prepared diets that contain meat, organs, and bones. They can also include raw or cooked meat like chicken wings, raw liver or hearts, and other similar foods. If you are trying to find a raw carnivore diet, look for one that contains all parts of the animal (meat, bone, cartilage, organs) and meat suitable for human consumption. It must be high in fat and protein.

One thing a natural diet is not is just raw or cooked meat. If you feed your ferret only chicken, she will not get the nutrients that she needs. Bones, organs and other parts contain amino acids, calcium, fatty acids, iron and other essential vitamins and minerals that your ferret needs for a balanced, nutritious diet.

PROS & CONS OF NATURAL DIETS

As with any practice, there are both pros and cons associated with feeding ferrets a natural diet. If you are contemplating a natural diet, you should consider this list closely, and speak with your veterinarian about any concerns you may have.

Benefits of a natural diet include:

Automatically well balanced diet.

Closest diet possible to what your ferret would eat in the wild.

High in moisture (unlike kibble).

Fewer incidents of hairballs and obstructions because of the variation in food consistencies.

Protein and fat sources are high quality.

Because you design your ferret’s diet, you have more control over what your ferret eats.

Owners who feed a natural diet report that their ferrets have more energy, plusher coats, better overall dental health, and smaller stools with less of an odor.

Ferrets in countries that feed a natural diet have significantly lower incidences of insulinomas.

Concerns associated with a natural diet include:

Must be done correctly or the ferret will become malnourished.

Can be difficult to switch your ferret over to a natural diet.

Slight possibility of choking on bones or internal injury from bones.

Bacteria or parasites could be present if the whole prey isn’t from a reputable source.

Food must be handled carefully or you risk salmonella or e. coli contamination.

Can be expensive and inconvenient.

FEEDING A NATURAL DIET

Before you do anything, it is very important to speak with your veterinarian. Your veterinarian will determine what your ferret’s nutritional needs are and how healthy your ferret is. Switching foods, especially from a commercial dry kibble diet to a natural diet, can be stressful on a ferret, and you need to make sure your ferret is up to the change. You may need to limit his access to kibble for short periods of time to get him to try the prey or meat, so you will need to make sure that your ferret is not insulinomic and his blood glucose levels are stable. Finally, it’s important to keep your veterinarian abreast of any changes in your ferret’s care, as it can affect how he or she will treat your ferret.

As with any diet change, switching to a natural diet should be done gradually. There may be a point where you have to completely remove your ferret’s kibble, effectively forcing him to try the new food, but this should not be done right away. Start out by giving your ferret meat and meat gravy or broth baby food, if you aren’t already, to get him used to eating meat. Once your ferret will eat baby food, you can try giving him some chicken. Move from that to chicken wings, either cooked or raw. Remember, any meat you give your ferret must be free of spices and sauces. Your ferret needs nutrients, not zesty barbecue flavor! Whether or not you feed the meat raw depends on your comfort levels. Once your ferret is comfortable with meat, you can continue to give that to him or you can try whole prey. (If you decide to feed your ferret whole prey, make sure it is fully defrosted.)

If your ferret is refusing to try the meat, here are a few things you can try:

Drizzle FerreTone on the meat, chicken wing, whole prey, or whatever else you’re trying to feed him.

Be creative with the meat you give him – if he won’t eat straight meat, try mixing cut up pieces of it with kibble.

Use the juices that come from the meat and pour it over their kibble to get them used to the new taste.

You will find that some ferrets are much more easily converted to a natural diet than others. Younger ferrets generally have a quicker transition because they aren’t quite as imprinted on their food as older ferrets are. However, whether you’re trying to switch over your six month old ferret or your six year old ferret, be patient and remember that different ferrets will like different things.

There is a difference of opinion as to whether all ferrets can be switched to a natural diet. There are some owners who advise removing all kibbles, forcing the ferret to eat the meat, because they believe that all ferrets can be switched over. There are others who will only try until it’s obvious that the ferret would rather starve than eat the meat. How you go about switching your ferret and how hard you are willing to push is something that you will need to decide for yourself after discussing it thoroughly with your veterinarian.

If you are able to successfully switch your ferret over, be sure to give him a variety of different animals, meats, or other dietary components. The key to doing a natural diet properly is feeding a combination of different foods. Ferrets wouldn’t eat only mice in the wild – they would eat anything they could catch – so they shouldn’t just eat mice at your house either. You may also want to continue feeding kibble if you are feeding a raw carnivore diet.

A NOTE ABOUT NATURAL VS. COMMERCIAL DIETS

The point of this article is not to prove that the ferret food industry is evil. While there are ferret diets out there that are not as good as they could be, there are also manufacturers who strive to provide healthy, nutritious diets for our ferrets and work on developing great new foods. Likewise, if you choose to feed a kibble diet, you are not a bad ferret parent. You just need to be aware of the ingredients in the food and what the protein and fat sources are.

It is important you understand that there is no hard evidence a natural diet is better than a kibble diet or vice versa. Much of the information available as to how either diet affects our ferrets is anecdotal, based entirely on ferret owners’ personal experiences. Every ferret owner needs to decide what diet will be best for his or her ferret after doing research and discussing the options with an experienced ferret veterinarian.



Yvonne

streetcar asked:


My Sister is taking diet tea everyday, but it seems it’s not working. I just wanna help her to find the most effective diet tea instead of taking diet pills. At least diet tea is just a herbal and no side effect.

Stephanie

Flor Serquina asked:


If you are looking for free diet programs on which you will base your weight-loss program, it is best to search online. Almost all types of free diet programs are found in the internet. Diet programs are different from each other in terms of the style or approach that it takes to lose weight, the phases of the program and the types of food included in the diet.

Here are some examples of the types of diet plans on which you can base your diet program of choice. These types are the most common ones which most people are familiar with. Some have been around for a long time while others are relatively new.

Fixed-Menu Diet Program

One example of the diet plan is the fixed-menu diet plan. The advantage of this plan is that it is easy to follow because this diet plan has a definite menu and recipes. The list is detailed and and has been perfected over time. The listing is made together with the program. You can not replace anything on it.

The disadvantage is that this diet plan will tend to be dull. There are no changes and it is stationary. And once the program is finished, you will now have difficulty in manufacturing your own menu so you will tend to lose interest in the menu and start to gain weight again.

Exchange-Type Diet Plan

Another diet plan is the exchange-type diet plan. This diet plan has greater challenge because it allows swapping of food. The only goal when swapping is to find the right amount that matches the amount to be replaced. The advantage of this diet plan is that there are possible variations with the food that you eat. You add and subtract certain foods to come up with your choice of combination.

The disadvantage comes in when you don’t know how to balance and follow instructions. Later on, you might find it difficult to find the correct matches for the required food.

An example of this diet plan is the South Beach Diet. With South Beach diet, you can eat anything as long as you comply with the requirements of the food groups that you should eat.

Pre-Packaged Meal Diet Program

Another type is the prepackaged-meal diet plan. This is a diet plan where sizes and proportions for this diet plan are strictly implemented. The advantage of prepackaged-meal diet plan is that it is measured carefully and appropriately. Size matters and the calorie intake make the difference.

The disadvantage, on the other hand of this type is that it is more expensive than other types. Because this type might need you to purchase the foods that you will eat to follow the required sizes and proportions. Before getting into this type of diet, inquire first if you will have to buy or you can make the servings by yourself.

Liquid/Powder Formula or Replacement Diet Plan

Still another type of diet plan is the diet program that replaces part of your meals with liquid formula (which are usually powder-based). This is also commonly known as the replacement diet plan. From the description, the diet plan swaps liquid formula with the food. The liquid formula has the same calorie requirement as the food. The advantage of this type of diet plan is that this is a very effective weight loss program for a short period of time. Liquid formula can be in the form of shakes or juices.

The disadvantage of the liquid formula diet plan is that you will gain weight fast when you go back to the usual diet that you have.

The example for this type is the Medifast Diet Program. The diet requires an individual to take 5 sets of liquid formula diet and only 1 green and lean meal per day.

With the basic knowledge on the different diet plans available, you can now choose which free diet program you would like to incorporate in your daily life -the diet plan that you think will work best for you.



Minnie

Diet Debate asked:


The Atkins Diet, introduced by Dr. Robert Atkins in the 1970’s has spurred a legion of low-carb dieters in the United States. For two decades, millions of Americans have restricted their intake of carbohydrates following the teachings of Dr. Atkins. The diet, which was reintroduced in the book Dr. Atkins New Diet Revolution, focuses on the restriction of carbohydrates to 20 grams in an individual’s diet at the start of the program and then tailoring his diet to accommodate up to 40-50 grams of carbohydrates during the ‘maintenance’ phase.

During the first phase or the induction phase, dieters are not allowed to have more than 20 grams of carbohydrates and they also can not have any alcoholic or caffeinated drinks. They must also refrain from consuming starchy foods, bread or even fruits. There are no imposed restrictions on meats and other sources of protein and yet weight-loss is fastest during this period. Later on, more carbohydrates will be allowed in the diet but dieters will be asked to watch their intake of refined grains and sugar. By the time a dieter reaches the Maintenance phase, he would already have been used to making smart food choices and would already know the amount of carbohydrates he can consume that will keep him in top shape.

Proponents of the Atkins Diet claim that the program teaches your body to burn calories more efficiently and as a result is said to lessen fatigue, depression, and muscle pains.



Brad

bowulf asked:

This is the second in Atkins Diet misconceptions or myths series, and in this video I deal with the thought this is a high protein diet. Just check out google for “Atkins Diet” and “high protein,” and you’ll see how prevalent this misconception is.

USDA Food Pyramid Standard for Protein:
10-35% of Total Calories

http://health.msn.com/weight-loss/articlepage.aspx?cp-documentid=100186268

http://www.health.gov/DietaryGuidelines/dga2005/document/html/chapter5.htm

With 35% being the standard for high protein, what does Dr. Atkins recommend?
“The macro-nutrient breakout in the Induction phase is 60 percent fat, 30 percent protein and 10 percent carbohydrate. It should be more appropriately be called a high fat regimen. As you progress through the phases, your percentage of fat naturally diminishes as your percentage of carbohydrates increases.” Even in DANDR, he cautions against going high protein on page 43,
“No, because when you cut out fat, what is left is protein and carbohydrate, both of which can produce a blood-sugar response. Fat is the only substance that won’t have an impact on your blood sugar. It also provides essential fatty acids you can’t get from protein or carbohydrates. Contrary to much of what you may have heard, fat can be good for you! (43)”

Dangers of low fat, low carb, high protein diet:
Sources:
* http://www.nationmaster.com/encyclopedia/Rabbit-starvation
* http://www.medbio.info/Horn/PDF%20files/rabbit%20starvation.pdf

Rabbit starvation is the form of acute malnutrition caused by excess consumption of any lean meat (e.g. rabbit) coupled with a lack of other sources of nutrients usually in combination with other stressors, such as severe cold or dry environment. Symptoms include diarrhea, headache, lassitude, a vague discomfort and hunger that can only be satisfied by consumption of fat or carbohydrates.

How much protein is advisable:
*** .8 – 1.2g per kg of body weight – normal adults, or roughly 72g to 109g per day for 200 pound adult
*** Up to 1.6g per kg – for extremely active or weight lifting adults, or 145g for 200 pound adult (29%)

Source:
** http://sportsmedicine.about.com/od/sportsnutrition/a/Protein.htm
** Protein requirements for endurance athletes. Nutrition , Volume 20 , Issue 7 – 8 , Pages 662 – 668. M . Tarnopolsky

Kimberly

Diets In Review asked:


There are thousands upon thousands of weight-loss products available today. It seems the weight-loss industry is growing by leaps and bounds. How do you know which pill will really work for you? Well, you can turn to Alli. Alli is the first FDA-approved over-the-counter diet pill—and it is absolutely not a fad diet pill.

The pill, from pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline, promotes a healthier lifestyle by teaching you that the best route to weight loss involves eating healthy food and getting the exercise you need. Alli is not a shortcut to weight loss that will leave you gaining fifteen pounds once you stop taking it—Alli is meant for long-term weight loss results.

Alli helps you lose weight by blocking 25% of the fat you consume from being digested. As a result, Alli can help you lose 50% more weight than you would be able to with dieting alone. All it takes is a single pill with every meal!

It is important that when taking Alli, you consume a healthy diet, as continuation with a high-fat diet can result in inconvenient side effects including flatulence and rectal discharge as the drug acts to reduce the amount of fat stored to your body. This, however, is great motivation to stay on the right path of a healthy diet and exercise.

The Alli weight-loss plan also includes an individually tailored online plan that will help you safely and gradually lose weight. . The plan is designed for you to use alongside the pills to provide the support you need to achieve your weight-loss goals. The Alli starter kit also comes with helpful reference guides so that you have every tidbit of weight-loss information right at your fingertips.

Alli is a sensible approach to weight loss that focuses on your long-term health and success. If you’re considering trying Alli, you should be sure you’re ready to make a commitment to change your diet and exercise habits and to live your life in a new, healthier way.



Marlene

roberto asked:


If you add the below mentioned weight loss tips in your day-to-day lifestyle, you will not only feel better, but also look better. Avoid trying to do all these weight loss tips at once, since they do not work well with everybody.

Pick one, and practice it for a week, see if you are comfortable, if not choose another one. If you really want to reduce your weight, then have patience since you may have to wait at least three months to witness the positive outcomes of your weight loss programs.

A few Effective Weight loss Tips:

Below cited are some of the weight loss tips that will help you to cut down the additional pounds that you gained due to an improper diet plan.

1. This is the most vital and natural weight loss tips according to many dieticians. It is advisable to take fruits and vegetables, since they contain beneficial vitamins, fibers and antioxidants.

2. Eating ample of fresh fruits is one of the most effective weight loss tips. This is especially of great use when you eat these fruits between mealtimes. Since, this helps to regulate your sugar level and cravings.

3. Have fresh vegetables with everyday lunch and evening mealtime. Avoid mixing of proteins with starch.

4. Maintain meat consumption to less than 4 to 5 servings a week, which means you need to take vegetarian dishes too.

5. Replace meat with legumes, but begin gradually. You can make use of lentils, peas, and dry beans.

6. Avoid drinking liquids during mealtime. If you feel thirsty, try to drink a bottle of water after 10 minutes.

7. If you take less amount of meal, it may help to balance your intake of calorie level. Beside this, it keeps your sugar level well balanced. Instead of having three big meals a day, it is advisable and beneficial to have 5 to 6 light and small meals all through the day.

8. Pop, cream, juices and sugar in your tea or coffee can add up your weight. Instead, drink at least eight glasses of water each day, since it provides hydration to your body and helps to feel full.

9. Most dieticians also suggest 30 to 60 minutes of physical exercise daily to remain healthy and to cut down those extra pounds.

10. If you really want to cut down your weight, you need to avoid alcohol. Since, these substances are rich in calorie and add additional weight on your body.

11-Nearly every guy or gal who’s tried dieting or fitness has dropped out of a program at least once. Such is life. Work and social events tend to get in the way, lack of adequate emotional support saps the willpower and boredom sets in. Eating the same kind of foods every day is boring. Suiting up at the gym only to go through the same motions is also boring. But this kind of mood can be avoided with a bit of planning and a positive attitude. Here’s a list of the most common mistakes people do when trying to get fit.

12-The number one mistake has to be the failure to plan ahead. Going to the gym with a vague target in mind is the best way to fail. If your target is unclear, how can you know if you’ve reached it or not? If you’re a little vague on the details, maybe you need help. Ask a doctor what’s your ideal weight and make that your goal. Or focus on the number of inches you want to drop off your stomach, bottom and thighs. That works great, too.

13-Coming up with excuses to avoid going to the gym is second on this list. Yes, life tends to get in the way, but that can be arranged with some more planning. Don’t quit the program just because something came up at the last moment. Reschedule your gym session and make sure you don’t get lazy.

14-Don’t work out too little. This may seem too obvious to belong here, but a lot of people lift two dumbbells a couple of times and think they’re done for the day. Sit down at the table for half an hour and come up with a sound training program. If you don’t know enough to make your own program ask a gym trainer or a veteran bodybuilder to help you. People are usually quite happy to show off their knowledge.

15Too much fitness is also bad. Muscles need time to grow and the body needs time to burn fat. Some people think that the body only burns up fat during exercises, but this is not true. The more muscles mass you have, the faster calories get burnt because muscles need energy for maintenance all the time. Even when you’re resting. Overtraining will simply make you tired without any additional benefits.

16-Never compare yourself to others. We are all unique individuals with unique genetic make-ups governing our weight gain, weight loss and response to training. You shouldn’t rate your performance according to the achievements of others, but stick to your own pace and your own goal. If you’re trying too hard too soon, you’re simply asking to fail.

17-Don’t do the same things over and over. There’s no better way to lose motivation that doing the same exercises in the same order over and over again. Learn to juggle around with the exercises that form your routine and replace them with new ones every now and then. Find variations on a classic exercise and try them out. Make things interesting for yourself

18-Don’t stroll into the pub straight from the gym and keep alcohol consumption on a tight leash. Alcohol has extra calories that you don’t want and is also metabolized as fat and very fast. Pumping iron in the gym for 45 minutes and then throwing the entire effort away with a couple of beers is not a good way to move forward.

19-Keep a close eye on your meals. Drop the fast food and snacks from your daily eating plan and forget about soft drinks. At the same time avoid starving yourself. This is a huge mistake and a lot of people do it. Never assume that you can tank your way through a fitness program while starving yourself because you’ll only end up in a hospital. Muscles need nourishing meals in order to grow and starvation is a bad way to diet anyway.

20-And, lastly, never look for a magic fix that can save you all the trouble. You can’t lose weight sitting around and moping in front of the TV or computer. It just doesn’t happen. So get out and go to that gym because it’s good for you. And no excuses!

21-The Atkins diet is the most admired of the top 10 diets. This low-carbohydrate diet encourages the elimination of carbohydrates from your diet. The diet really works and you can munch as much as fats and proteins you want. However, before starting this diet, study a bit to know the suitability of this diet for your body.

22-South Beach Diet

This diet is one of the most successful of the top 10 diets to lose weight. It is not a low-fat or low-carb diet. Instead, it focuses on consuming the correct amount of fats and carbs. The diet depends on the glycemic index. It limits the intake of carbs in the initial two weeks and then re-introduces those carbs with a low glycemic index. You need to eat three healthy meals daily, along with some snacks, provided they are healthy enough.

23-Cabbage Soup Diet

It is also one of the effective of the top 10 diets. The diet contains insignificant amount of calories. You will observe instant weight loss, if you stick to cabbage soup diet for a week. The more soup you consume, more pounds you drop.

24-Grapefruit Diet

This is the finest weight loss diet for obese people. The advantages of this diet arrive from the addition of grapefruit to a low-calorie and low-fat diet.

25-SlimFast Diet

This is also one of the superior of the top 10 diets. The diet restores your breakfast and lunch meals, with two SlimFast shakes, and puts ahead for a usual meal for dinner. These low calorie shakes will help you to lose weight.

26-Subway Diet

It is also a well-known diet of the top 10 diets. The low fat content in the Subway sandwiches assist you to lose weight.

27-The Beverly Hills Diet

This diet reaps the benefits of the natural chemical reaction of foods when consumed to lose weight. The diet is quite strict, as protein needs to go with proteins and carbohydrates with carbohydrates only. The diet is exceptionally restrictive, but motivates rapid weight loss.

28-3-Day Diet

This is also one of best of top 10 diets. The diet can be ideal to lose weight, if you can follow a three-day meal plan without wandering from it.

29-Apple Cider Vinegar Diet

This is one of the sensitive diets of the top 10 diets. Hence, you need to follow it carefully. It is a low-calorie diet, which stimulates quick weight loss.

30-Negative Calorie Diet

This is one of the ultimate types of diet among the top 10 diets to reduce weight. It includes addition of healthy vegetables to your diet as much as possible. http://aloeverainfo.co.cc/



Hazel

TheCure416 asked:

how to make a bottle rocket

Alfred