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:what's for dinner :need for speed What���s for dinner? What exactly is a healthy diet for our beloved pets? For animal lovers like ourselves, your pet���s health will be of huge importance and it begins with nutrition. I���m sure we all understand how critical it is for our dogs and cats to be as healthy as possible ,though sometimes this may get confusing and possibly even just a little too hard. There is a large percentage of dog owners who desperately care for their dogs but still don���t really understand what natural health is all about. We want to do what���s right for our pets but are simply overwhelmed with fancy advertising and promises and don���t know quite where the truth lies. I like the Chinese proverb that states ���Whatsoever was the father of disease, an ill diet was the mother.��� But the question still is, what is a healthy diet for our beloved dogs and cats? People often ask, ���Is dried food or wet food better, raw or cooked, grains or no grains?��� While the importance of a good diet is understood, which diet to choose can be very puzzling. Many health problems such as teeth and gum problems, arthritis and allergies are caused by diet, yet a lot can be avoided by 68 | www.h e rma gaz i n e . c o. n z feeding more natural, less processed foods. You can make great improvements in your pet���s diet with quite simple changes and even making your own dog food and dog treats can be a beneficial way to go. Often people are nervous about making their own dog food but remember that our grandmothers and those before them always used to make their own dog food. Processed food has only been a modern invention and it may or may not be the wonder food you think it is. When you think about it, dogs and cats have been eating raw foods and fresh foods for thousands of years and just like humans have had no necessity for processed or artificial foods. Processed foods can lead to problems such as dandruff, bad breath and digestive problems. In fact, you may be horrified to know what is truly in your dog���s processed foods, so try and avoid these where possible. Anything with preservative, additives and colours will be just as detrimental to your pet���s health as your own health and frankly if your pet smells bad, it is quite likely because of diet. So let���s look at some of the foods we can feed our beloved pets for them to be as healthy as possible. Dogs are not true carnivores and are by nature scavengers and omnivores therefore they can be fed a variety of foods. For thousands of years, dogs have thrived on a varied diet of meat, fruit, herbs and nuts, so making your own dog food is quite achievable. Their main diet should consist of meat, bones, fats, vegetables, herbs and grains. Dogs will naturally seek out herbs in the wild and you can easily add a variety of herbs to their diet. Here is a list of healthy foods to include for optimum health: leftover vegetables semi cooked or raw, kelp, rosehips, psyllium husks, wheat germ oil, lecithin granules, parsley, mint, sage, chives and garlic. You will notice the difference a healthy diet will have on your pet���s appearance and energy levels so it is well worth considering what you can do to help. Jackie Rive www.brookbyherbs.co.nz