June 29th, 2010

Organic Whole Food

Organic Whole Food

Should You Feed Organic Cat Food For Best Feline Health?

The health of domestic cats is on the decline. Their life span is much below that of their wild cousins and the cats of your parents era. I frequently hear people implying their cat is old by the time they have reached eight or nine years of age.

Not that long ago, it was common for cats to reach 18 or 19 years of age, with a few rare exceptions reaching nearly 30.

You may have your own reasons why this might be happening, and I’m probably going to voice most of them here!

By virtue of the regularity of eating, I consider the most important reason why cats aren’t as healthy as they once were is the diet they are fed.

As people are coming into this awareness, there is a mad scramble by the commercial cat food industry to attract you with pretty words and smiling actors on the labels. The pretty words include icons such as ‘scientifically proven’ or ‘recommended by top vets’, although that is now less alluring than ‘natural’ or ‘all natural’. (I’m not sure what a ‘top vet’ is either. Could it be one who does the most advertising for the industry?)

However, ‘nature’, ‘natural’ and ‘all natural’ are slipping into second place as ‘organic’ becomes the favourite word of the day.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m a strong contender for organic food, both for humans and for cats, but not all organic cat food really is organic.

For a start, the word ‘organic’ means nothing if it is not backed by a reputable certification. Everything that grows could be said to be organic. Many conventional producers have marked their produce as organic, when it had no certification.

Becoming a certified organic producer takes time - years. The soil is regularly checked. In that period, the producer can’t sell his produce as organic or use chemicals. It can be a tough time.

I have seen some dried organic cat food for sale. It was certified. But what’s the point in that? You’re feeding your cat organic cat food to avoid the chemicals that go into food production - the antibiotics in standard stock feed, the hormones given to stock to increase weight and production over a shorter period, the pesticides, herbicides, insecticides that are regularly used on the crops, the chemical fertilisers.

Stop and consider this. Can meat (in reality meat by-products as the good stuff goes for the higher priced human food) be kept indefinitely without the use of strong preservatives? How else can a packet of dried organic cat food have such a long shelf life?

Sure, the packet may not list preservatives in the list of ingredients. Why would they? You wouldn’t buy it.

The packet may even boast ‘no added preservative’. The wording needs to be clever to avoid litigation. ‘No added preservatives’ means they, the brand, didn’t add the preservatives. It doesn’t mean that preservatives weren’t added to the ‘meat’ before delivery.

So the million dollar question is, should you buy organic cat food? In my opinion, if it’s a commercial organic cat food, it is no better than non organic cat food.

All commercial cat food, whether organic or not, have one or more of the following preservatives in:

  • ethoxyquin (which causes diarrhoea, vision disorders, blindness, organ failure, cancers, leukaemia on just exposure to the human factory workers)
  • formalin is used to preserve dead bodies
  • sodium nitrite, which gives a nice rosy colour to food and can produce powerful carcinogenic substances known as nitrosamines
  • propyl gallate - is now suspected of causing liver damage
  • propylene glycol used to maintain the right texture and moisture content is used as coolant antifreeze in engines
  • up to 1000 times more salt than occurs naturally

Most of these are not allowed in human food, due to their high levels of toxicity. Do you think that could be why cats are not living as long as they once were Would you?

Farmer's Market Foods Organic Canned Pumpkin, 15-Ounce Cans (Pack of 12)
Farmer's Market Foods Organic Canned Pumpkin, 15-Ounce Cans (Pack of 12)
List Price: $43.26
Sale Price: $24.00
You save: $19.26 (45%)
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Description

Farmer’s Market Organic Pumpkin is rich, smooth and delicious, and ready to use for everything from baked delights to savory center of the plate entrees. Use it in a variety of recipes including pies, muffins, cookies, soups…even chili! The bright orange color is your first clue that our Organic Pumpkin is loaded with beta-carotene, which may help protect against heart disease, regulate blood-sugar, and reduce the severity of conditions such as asthma, osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis with its anti-inflammatory effects. Also, Farmer’s Market Organic Pumpkin has large amounts of dietary fiber and antioxidants, is very low in fat and calories, and high in potassium. It also contains a fair amount of vitamin C and other nutrients such as niacin, vitamin E, calcium and iron.

Features

  • Pack of 12 15-ounce cans (total of 180 ounces)
  • Certified Organic
  • Naturally sweet pumpkin puree
  • Grown in the USA
  • Very best for pies, baking, and soups
Earth's Best Organic Fruit & Whole Grain Comnbo, Variety Pack, 4-Ounce Jars (Pack of 12)
Earth's Best Organic Fruit & Whole Grain Comnbo, Variety Pack, 4-Ounce Jars (Pack of 12)
List Price: $16.80
Sale Price: $12.92
You save: $3.88 (23%)
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Description

Contains: Banana Apricot Mixed Grain, Prunes & Oatmeal & Plum Banana Brown Rice

Features

  • Banana Apricot Mixed Grain, Prunes & Oatmeal & Plum Banana Brown Rice
  • Made with whole wheat flour
  • Kosher4 Dairy
The Whole Organic Food Book: Safe, Healthy Harvest from Your Garden to Your Plate
The Whole Organic Food Book: Safe, Healthy Harvest from Your Garden to Your Plate
List Price: $19.95
Sale Price: $7.50
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Description

Something is being done to the food we eat. Much of our food is being bioengineered with genes from other life forms and presented to us without identification and with almost no examination of possible consequences. The Whole Organic Food Book provides insight and inspiration for those wanting to grow and eat food that is pure and natural. Whole-food guru Dan Jason encourages and instructs us on ways to regain control of our food supply through sensible, natural gardening techniques. Jason offers growing tips and loads of helpful hints on how to increase diversity and productivity in your garden. Also included are many healthy, delicious recipes featuring whole, unprocessed crops - grains, legumes and vegetables - you can produce from seed. This book will help you enjoy the tasty, nutritious benefits of organic food - food that is good for the soil and good to eat.

Features

  • ISBN13: 9781551924267
  • Condition: USED - Very Good
  • Notes: BUY WITH CONFIDENCE, Over one million books sold! 98% Positive feedback. Compare our books, prices and service to the competition. 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed
Newman's Own Organics Adult Dog Food Formula, 12.5-Pound Bag
Newman's Own Organics Adult Dog Food Formula, 12.5-Pound Bag
List Price: $30.02
Sale Price: $25.99
You save: $4.03 (13%)
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Description

Newman's Own Organics Adult Dog Food Chicken & Rice Formula is a new holistic formula based on the newest concept in animal nutrition.

Features

  • One 12.5 pound bag of dry dog food
  • Organic ingredients
  • Pack with 12.5 pound bag
Food Inc.
Food Inc.
Sale Price: $2.99
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Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Organic Raw Sun Cured Whole Vanilla Bean Powder - 4 oz
Organic Raw Sun Cured Whole Vanilla Bean Powder - 4 oz
Sale Price: $24.95
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Description

Vanilla is the only orchid flower in the world that produces an edible fruit, and it is very labor intensive to cultivate and produce large amounts of, which is why it is normally so expensive! Other interesting Vanilla Facts : Vanilla is used in almost every chocolate bar recipe on the planet, and vanilla vines can actually grow on chocolate trees! For the Totonaca, vanilla was a sacred herb that they incorporated into all levels of their lives. As a medicine it had a number of uses. Although vanilla hasn?t received as much attention as many of the common popular herbs such as lavender, mint or chamomile, it has been used as a ?medicine? for hundreds of years and its popularity is growing as more evidence becomes available about its power to heal and soothe.

Features

  • Our Vanilla Bean Powder is made from organic vanilla beans
  • Vanilla keeps indefinatley and actually gets better with age a lot like wine, and it does not requir
  • Vanilla is the only orchid in the world that produces an edible fruit!
New Good Food Pocket Guide, rev: Shopper's Pocket Guide to Organic, Sustainable, and Seasonal Whole Foods
New Good Food Pocket Guide, rev: Shopper's Pocket Guide to Organic, Sustainable, and Seasonal Whole Foods
List Price: $9.99
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Description

This convenient pocket guide packs the knowledgeable information of the original whole foods bible into a concise, easy-to-carry format. Focusing mainly on core food products available at large-scale supermarkets and natural foods stores, easy-reference entries help shoppers navigate their many options when choosing organic, whole, local, and sustainably and ethically produced foods.  An updated pocket-size edition of the definitive guide to buying, storing, and preparing whole foods. Handy charts and tables summarize what's in season when. Organic food sales totaled nearly $17 billion in 2006, up 22 percent from the previous year, in the U.S. alone.  From the Trade Paperback edition.

Whole World Botanicals - Organic Royal Maca 180 - Botanicals Herbs
Whole World Botanicals - Organic Royal Maca 180 - Botanicals Herbs
Sale Price: $32.99
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Description

WWB uses no additives, coloring, flavoring, or excipients. No pesticides, chemical fertilizers, irradiation or chemical gassing is used on our herbs. Their high standards extend to their relationship with native and maca growers and rainforest plant collectors and growers. They are fair traders who use part of the profits from sales of our maca products to improve the conditions of life of the growers/collectors through education, agricultural loans, and technical assistance in producing organic herbs with high crop yields. Front Label Panel: Whole World Botanicals Organic Royal Maca Vegetarian Capsules Maca Root Extract Powder Certified Organic By Skal Lepidium Peruvianum A Dietary Supplement 180 Maca Root Extract Capsules (500 Mg)Whole Root Extract) In Royal Maca Capsules Has Been Certified Organic By Skal (017722). Since The Capsules Contain Several Heirloom Varieties Of Maca Root Extract, The Color Of The Maca In The Capsules May Vary From Bottle To Bottle.

60 Minutes - A Different Kind of Grocery (June 4, 2006)
60 Minutes - A Different Kind of Grocery (June 4, 2006)
Sale Price: $17.95
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Description

John Mackey, the founder of the Whole Foods Market, believes you are what you eat, and judging by the success of his 184-store chain, shoppers agree. Now Mackey wants to go beyond high-quality and organic foods, and soon will be offering meat from animals who were treated humanely during their lives. Mackey is an unusual tycoon -- a competitive and determined man whose hobbies are yoga, meditation, and the care of his chickens.

Reuseable Produce Bags, Medium - Package of 3
Reuseable Produce Bags, Medium - Package of 3
List Price: $14.99
Sale Price: $13.27
You save: $1.72 (11%)
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Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Description

The next logical step in waste reduction.These reusable lightweight cotton bags are similar in size to the standard plastic produce bags found in most grocery stores. Bring fruits and veggies home and store them too. Customers also tell us these bags are also great for growing sprouts and brewing beer. Made from 100% cotton in India under the Fail Trade/Fair Labor policy. Sold in packages of Three (3). Size: 8.5"w x 11"h with Drawstring. Each bag weighs 0.04oz.

Features

  • Size: 10"w x 12"h with drawstring.
  • Made from 100% cotton in India under the Fail Trade/Fair Labor policy
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