Irene Pastore

Doggie Calories

June 23, 2013

According to a study 2012 by the Association For Pet Obesity Prevention, the percentage of overweight and obese dogs in the United States is 52.5%, and rising. Read about the full results of the study APOP here.

Dog obesity is caused by people, not dogs. Feeding your dog excess food isn’t love.

Overfed dogs gain weight. The formula is the same for your canine friend as it is for you. Too many calories, and no exercise equals too much fat. Calories taken in, have to be used.

An overweight or obese canine is at risk for osteoarthritis, tumors, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, breathing problems, heart disease, kidney disease, and shortened lifespan.

Once you’ve made him sick, your dog will undergo stressful medical procedures, surgeries, overnight or longer vet stays, and possible medication side-effects.

Dog Weight Loss Program

Consult your veterinarian for guidance on proper food, and how to exercise your dog. You might have to buy special prescription food that isn’t available over-the-counter. Keep in mind that an older, overweight, arthritic dog may not take too quickly to an exercise program. Be patient and gentle with him/her.

Hassle Free Way To Weigh Your Dog

Weigh yourself on your home scale. Pick up your dog and weigh the both of you. Subtract your weight from the combined weight.

Dog Weight Loss Success Stories

About.com has four canine weight loss success stories sent in by their readers: “Conquering Canine Obesity – Dog Weight Loss Stories“.

Exercising With Your Dog Slideshow, from WebMD. Twenty-two slides show you how to exercise with your dog by walking, dancing, running, swimming, and more.

Health Care Resources for Cats and Dogs

June 22, 2013

Looking after your companion animal is just as important as taking care of your own health. The following resources will help you make educated decisions about canine and feline healthcare.

Pet Health Network

Pet Health Medline Plus

Cardiac Arrest vs. Heart Attack

June 21, 2013

HEART ATTACK OR CARDIAC ARREST?

Cardiac arrest isn’t the same as a heart attack.

Cardiac arrest is an electrical malfunction of the heart. It suddenly and unexpectedly, stops beating.

During cardiac arrest the heart stops pumping, and blood no longer flows through the body.

The victim of cardiac arrest cannot breathe and loses consciousness. Emergency defibrillation and CPR should be done as soon as possible. Without immediate medical attention, death occurs within a few minutes. .

A heart attack is an arterial problem occurring when blood flow to the heart is blocked, due to the gradual build up of plaque along artery walls. This build up is called atherosclerosis.

Plaque is made of fat, calcium, cholesterol and other substances in the blood. As plaque hardens, the walls of the arteries become narrow, limiting the flow of blood. Atherosclerosis can affect any artery in the body, and can lead to heart attack, stroke or death.

Obesity Up In Cats, Dogs and Horses

June 12, 2013

ANIMAL OBESITY IS ON THE RISE

Obesity due to overfeeding is becoming a health problem among domestic animals. Some cases are so severe that the animal has difficulty walking, as in the case of Obie, the 77 pound dachshund. According to CBS News in Los Angeles, animal obesity is an epidemic across the country, with over half being overweight.

Read about Obie, the world’s fattest, overfed dachshund in The Sun July 2012 – Dog Almost Fed To Death By Owners. An up-to-date report on Obie’s progress is in the May 2013 issue of the Daily Mail, Obie The Formerly Obese Dachshund. The dog has lost 40 pounds.

Weight loss prescription is the same for animals as humans, cut back on calories, and increase exercise. Overfeeding your furry friend isn’t a sign of love. An overweight animal, isn’t a happy one. A cat that can’t stand up or walk, isn’t funny.

If you really love your furry friends, stop overfeeding them. The articles in the following section are a good start to help you understand how to help your overweight cat, dog or horse lose weight.

NEWS AND WEBSITES ABOUT ANIMAL OBESITY

For further information about prevention visit The Association Of Pet Obesity Prevention.

Tips on buying dog and cat food, Are You Overfeeding Your Pet?, and High Fat Dog Foods.

Mistakes People Make Feeding Cats at WebMD, and Help For Overweight Dogs.

Advice on feeding fewer calories, and giving more exercise from the Horse Channel: Help For An Overweight Horse.

The April 2012 issue of Veterinary News reports on, Overweight Horses: An Increasing Problem.

Learn how to care for an overweight horse from The American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP): The Overweight Horse Special Care and Nutrition, July 2005.

A fat horse is not a happy horse, from May 2004 DVM News, Equine Obesity.

PawNation, How To Avoid Overfeeding Your Horse.

Mozzarella On-The-Go

June 8, 2013

Planning a hiking or biking trip? Pack an easy lunch with mozzarella cheese, fresh fruit, and whole grain crackers, or pretzels.

Mozzarella is an, easy-to-slice Italian curd cheese made from cow’s milk. If you’re concerned about fat, mozzarella is sold in low-fat and skim.

The soft, bland and milky tasting cheese is complimented by apples, pears, grapes, peaches, nectarines, plums, and tangerines.

To compliment mozzarella cheese, a quick bite to eat should include crisp breads such as whole grain crackers, or pretzels. Here are a few suggestions: WASA Sourdough, or Multigrain Crackers, Ritz Whole Wheat Crackers, Carr’s Rosemary Crackers, Saltine Crackers.

Whole grain spelt, or whole wheat pretzels would serve as an alternative to crackers, and are very easy to pack. Newman’s Own, and Vita Spelt both manufacture organic spelt pretzels. Synder’s of Hanover sells Organic Honey Wheat Pretzel Sticks.

Buon Appetito!

Giving up on Pilates

June 6, 2013

Why People Quit Pilates

The Pilates Hundred exercise might be too difficult for beginners.

You’ve tried a group class, and couldn’t do the exercises. Your neck hurt, and you couldn’t keep your head off the mat. Your hamstrings are so tight that you couldn’t straighten your legs. You were out of breath. Everything hurt. You couldn’t wait for the class to end.

If you had an experience like this, the class you took was much too difficult. Maybe it was the only one offered at your gym, and you decided to try it. But now, your never going back. No wonder you quit.

How To Enjoy Learning Pilates

There’s a better way to begin Pilates. Here are a few suggestions.

Find a Pilates studio, or gym that offers basic classes. Call the studio, describe your needs. Find out whether they teach your fitness level.
Find a Pilates trainer who has a studio, or will visit your home for private instruction.
Purchase a beginner level DVD. Amazon.com is a good place to start because of their large inventory.
Purchase a Pilates book that illustrates exercise modifications.
Find on online membership-based Pilates studio that offers basic classes.
When you take classes, be sure to listen carefully to instructions.
Don’t overdo it.

When To Hire A Pilates Trainer

Group exercise isn’t for everyone, especially if you’ve been injured, have special needs, or you’ve been sedentary.

The Pilates Spine Supporter is used to modify The Hundred exercise.

A qualified trainer will save you time and money by teaching you correct alignment, and how to modify exercises that are too difficult. They will take you step-by-step through each exercise according to your ability, and help you avoid injury.

A trainer will demonstrate the use of specialized Pilates equipment, such as the Spine Supporter, and the Pilates band.

The band helps you develop stronger abdominals and neck muscles during the supine Roll-Up, without straining yourself.

The Spine Supporter develops abdominal strength, and reduces tension in your neck during the Double Leg Stretch exercise.

At some point, you might be ready to join a group class. So, don’t give up. If you stay with it, you’ll succeed.

Irene Pastore Fitness.com

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