Showing posts with label natural pet food. Show all posts
Showing posts with label natural pet food. Show all posts

Friday, November 8, 2013

The Joy of Perfect Balance & Nutrition - Hill's Ideal Balance Pet Food

Come a little closer, I have something important to say.
Perfect balance is very important in so many things. People need to have a balanced checkbook, car tires need to be balanced for safety, babies must learn to have balance before they can walk, good balance is ideal when you are dancing, and just life in general should be a good balance of work and play. The concept of balance is everywhere! I'm even balancing on this shelf to talk to you.
I love running as fast as I can, with my ear flying in the wind!
Mommy talks a lot about having a balanced meal for the family, a healthy amount of protein, vegetables, carbohydrates, and vitamins and minerals that come from the food to help everyone stay healthy. Of course, dogs and cats need to have balanced meals too. Since I love to run, I need to have a good balance of nutrients to support that kind of activity and exercise.
I don't get to choose what food I get, so Mommy has to make sure that my meals are a perfect balance of key nutrients that my body needs to maintain good health, energy, and a proper weight.
No, Mommy...I'm pretty sure I can open the bag by myself.
I've heard the phrase, "if a little does a little good, a lot must do a LOT of good!" With that idea in mind, if it were up to me personally, I'd eat anything and everything that's good! I'd eat a whole bag of Ideal Balance Baked Naturals Chicken and Apple treats a day if Mommy let me, just because it tastes so good, and especially because it is so good for me. But I guess that's why I'm not in control of my own feeding regiment, haha! (Is that why the bag is up on the top shelf Mommy?)
Seriously though, I asked Mommy why precisely balanced nutrition is so important for me. She says that each vital nutrient, such as protein, fats, vitamins, minerals and fiber, has a specific job to do to keep my body in shape and nourished. Nutrient excess or deficiency can lead to a number of health conditions.
Here are some of the key nutrients that are important for good health, and a brief explanation of what each one does for the body.
1. Protein helps support lean muscle tissue in adult pets, and helps nourish growing muscle tissue in puppies and kitties. A pet's body can only absorb a certain amount of protein though, so too much protein in a diet can stress the liver and kidneys as it tries to process it and get rid of excess nitrogen. Over time, that can have an effect on those organs.
2. Fats, in the appropriate amounts in pet food, is excellent for healthy, soft skin and a beautiful, shiny fur. Too much fat in a diet can cause all kinds of issues like weight gain and blood problems, yet too little fat can be trouble too.
3. Fiber is great for healthy digestion, a healthy heart, and keep your cholesterol in check. Too much or too little can cause an upsetting imbalance in the intestines and cause unhealthy bowels.
4. Vitamins and minerals are essentials for so many reasons. Vitamins support the immune system. If levels are deficient in a pet food, fatigue or weakness can ensue, yet if vitamin levels are too high, organ stress can occur. Minerals help grow and maintain strong muscles and healthy teeth. Yet if mineral levels are too low or too high, serious health issues can arise.
I've got the moves....cha, cha, cha!
Hill's Ideal Balance natural and grain free pet food seeks out that perfect balance of these key nutrients for your pet...not too much and not too little. They use high quality ingredients in every recipe. As with any food, when ingredient quality increases, so does a pet's ability to absorb and use the nutrients for optimum health. Plus, it just might help them dance better, too. I mean, check out my samba...I'm workin' it over big time thanks to my healthy balanced diet! Now, all Mommy has to do is give me that treat!
Are you feeding your dog a perfectly balanced nutrition? Find out if your dog's food contains properly balanced nutrition and how to make a change if it doesn't. I invite you to the Hill's Ideal Balance website and do a self assessment of your current food vs. Hill's Ideal Balance. They also did their own comparison of some of the biggest dog food brands and share their findings here.
Just remember, whether you are seeking the right food for your pet, or seeking to master the perfect twirl, BALANCE IS THE KEY. Would you like to try Hill's Ideal Balance for your pet? I say, go ahead, give it a whirl!! Or should I say give it a TWIRL! You'll be so glad you did.

A healthy, balanced, nutritious diet helps Pixel joyfully twirl all day long!
  

Author has been compensated for completion of this article.
Hill's Pet Nutrition, Inc. is not responsible for the content of this article.

Saturday, October 12, 2013

Pixel Ponders "Is Natural Enough?" - The Joy of Knowing The Difference

You know, I am a very natural kind of a dog. I like nature, I like being in nature, and I love things that are all natural. Mommy feels the same way. She is always on the hunt for "all natural" products and food for our family, and especially for me and my sisters. She feels strongly about finding foods that are all natural since we will be ingesting that food into our bodies. She reads the ingredients of everything, pouring over the packaging and analyzing every word. But here is a very important question to ponder:  if a pet food says "natural ingredients" on the packaging, does that mean that it's a good balance of nutrition? Does it mean it will give me every nutrient in a way I will be able to absorb properly?
As I said before, reading the labels are one of the best ways to learn about what your pet is ingesting. Ingredients are important, but it's what's in those ingredients that really makes a difference in delivering those essential nutrients that every body needs, whether human or animal. Nutrient deficiency AND nutrient excess can lead to certain health conditions. Good nutrition is just about ingredients, it's about the proper balance of nutrients.
My friends at Hill's, the makers of the new Ideal Balance Pet Food, have an excellent grasp on this very same subject. They have a few answers for the question "Is natural enough?" Hill's Ideal Balance pet food has the best ingredients like chicken, potatoes, apples, cranberries, carrots and lots of vitamins and minerals, but more importantly, they make each recipe to be a perfect balance of nutrients from those ingredients. Not too much, not too little, so every pet that eats Ideal Balance will get the right amount of nutrients to stay strong and healthy.
The goal of Hill's is to make a pet food with quality ingredients that delivers nutrients like protein, fat, carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins and minerals balanced in the right proportions to provide optimal nutrition for your pet. Protein is needed for muscle growth, carbohydrates are needed for energy, vitamins and minerals help create a strong immune system and strong bones and teeth.
According to Kathy Gross, Hill's Pet Nutritionist, “Creating a natural pet food is one thing. Creating a perfectly balanced one to Hill’s high standards is quite another.”
What makes Mommy and I feel good about recommending this food is that Ideal Balance is a true natural pet food crafted by pet nutritionists who know how to perfectly balance natural ingredients for better health for your dog and cat. See for yourself in this video featuring Hill’s Pet Nutritionist Kathy Gross, who chooses to feed Hill’s Ideal Balance to her own pets.

So, now that I've shared just some information on natural ingredients, good nutrients and Hill's Ideal Balance pet food, I encourage you to do some additional research yourself. I know you care as much as Mommy does about the food that your pet eats. Remember that balanced nutrition is the key to good health. Check out the Ideal Balance website for great information about finding the right Ideal Balance food for your pet, compare for yourself how Ideal Balance stacks up against the competition, and be sure to take advantage of the Try Me Free rebate!
Here are a few additional links with some further information to help you be as informed as possible:
http://www.hillspet.com/dog-care/choosing-a-natural-dog-food.html
http://www.hillspet.com/cat-care/choosing-a-natural-cat-food.html
http://www.petmd.com/cat/centers/nutrition/evr_ct_what_is_a_balanced_cat_food#.UP1IPh1QVp4
http://www.petmd.com/dog/centers/nutrition/evr_dg_what_is_a_balanced_dog_food#.UP1ILh1QVp4
Author has been compensated for completion of this article.
Hill's Pet Nutrition, Inc. is not responsible for the content of this article.