#Still trying to find the balance between ‘getting stuff done’ and ‘having yummy treats’ and ‘not eating stuff that makes me feel gross’

[bookwyrrm]

I’m currently on Pinterest staring really hard at matcha drinks and imagining the taste. to try and trick my brain into believing that we’ve ingested caffeine in the last 6 hours

[centralparkpawsblog]

What Does It Mean When a Dog Eats Grass?

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Why Do Dogs Eat Grass?

“This is Shasta. She’s a vegan”

That was the simple introduction made by my hubby as he placed the little blue-eyed husky mix – cleverly disguised as a ball of fur with giant ears and a pink tongue – into my open arms.  Through the “getting to know you” puppy kisses, I waited for the punchline.

The look on his face told me he was dead serious.

After having the new fluff ball at home for a few hours I knew he was right – and I was about to embark on an adventure through the twilight zone that I had never expected with a dog.

Shasta ate grass. I’m not kidding – she ate it.

I’m not talking about the occasional nibble as if she had a bellyache – you know, the old wives’ tale about dogs and grass.

Nope, the puppy was out there chowing down my lush green lawn like a kid with an after school snack of chocolate chip cookies and no homework. All day, every day. Grazing away like the cow she wasn’t.

Was there something wrong with her? Was she sick? Was she hungry?

Or worse – was my puppy really a vegetarian?

So, the hunt was on for an explanation to solve the canine mystery we’ve all encountered – why does our dog eat grass?

Are Dogs Carnivores or Herbivores?

Actually, our four-legged furbabies are both.

The correct term is omnivore, and this is an unpopular fact that has been proven through various phases of scientific study, as well as genetic markers in the domesticated Canis Lupus Familiaris, as well as Canis Lupus – the wild wolf.

So, although they commonly considered steadfast carnivores, studies are more and more supporting that both dogs and wolves alike are omnivores.

Clearly, canines are preferential carnivores. Heck, if given the choice between a thick, juicy steak or a grilled chicken breast, and a bowl full of boring field greens – which would you choose?

Getting his “roughage”

It’s the same with dogs. They go for the meat every time.

A cursory look inside the mouth of the beast shows dentition perfectly designed to rip and tear – trademarks of a carnivorous bend. But that doesn’t mean there is no need for vegetation in their diets.

A closer inspection shows the intestinal design supports an omnivorous diet.

Heck, studies show that even wolves have been known to seek out and ingest the various berries that their dinner from the previous days had snacking on. This fact, that seeking vegetation of various kinds to supplement their diets, in itself is proof of the omnivorous nature of the beast.

Unfortunately, another problem with identifying canines as omnivores is that it goes against the current fad of “grain free” diets that are becoming more and more popular – as well as the resurgence in “raw food diets“.

Rather than go into the benefits or evils of grains – and other so-called “fillers” –  or open the Pandora’s box of debating raw versus kibble in our dog’s daily nutritional plans, we’re going to focus on the vegetation en masse.

So one scientific – and practical – reason about why dogs eat grass and other leafy greens, fruits, and vegetables, in addition to their chicken and beef, is that it’s in their DNA.

Vegetation, along with quality meat products, are both components of a balanced diet. And besides – they like it!

But we’re still left with a question – is grass bad for my dog?

Should I Let My Dog Eat Grass?

Okay, since we’ve established that eating grass isn’t the end of the world – it still doesn’t answer why my beautiful little husky is cross-dressing as a billy goat. So let’s take a look at some of the why’s that could be rational explanations;

Just like you and I get food cravings that can be indicative of a missing nutrient from our daily diet, the same can be said for our canine companions. And while we can grab a handful of potato chips to get a little sodium boost, it’s different for Fido.

We do the best we can to make sure they have a balanced diet – and that includes the occasional yummy treats – but every now and then they need a little extra. And since it’s programmed into them, they know just where to look.

Grasses not only add roughage to aid in digestion (dogs can’t process the grass), they can add various other minerals – as well as quick rehydration on hot days or after rough and tumble play.

The common explanation for dogs eating grass is because they’re sick and need help to get whatever is ailing them out of their system.

But in reality, it’s been proven that only a small percentage of dogs vomit after eating grass, and even then the general consensus of research veterinarians can’t agree if it is a driving force to seek out and eat grass for the gastrointestinal relief, or a learned pattern of behavior – or simply a coincidence.

If your dog is sick, he’s gonna be sick – grass or no grass. And like every other dog owner on the planet, nothing can rouse me from a dead sleep in the middle of the night like one of my dogs about to get sick on the carpet.

Speaking of things that go burp in the night … I don’t mean to gross you out here – but are you sure your little angel is eating grass?

Stop and think of the potential nasties that could be hiding there, enticing Fido. Another dog’s scent. A parting gift leftover from a rabbit passing through. Remnants from last night’s chow that still smells so yummy.

The term pica refers to the eating of non-food items – and trust me, there are plenty of non-food items out there to be discovered and ingested.

What Can You Do About Your Grass-Eating Pooch?

Well … Just like in every other realm of life, you’ve got options available.

First things first, identify what’s getting eaten – and why.

Yeah, we just covered why dogs might be eating grass or other leafy stuff, but have you done your homework? Do you know why your pup is eating the grass? Or should we say – do you know what your dog is actually eating?

That’s a pretty big key to deciding what to do about it.

Figuring out the what in the equation is key, and then the answer why will be pretty obvious. Just open your eyes and watch. Look at where he stops and watch what he does.

Nonchalantly walk around the yard while your dog is sniffing out a spot to make a deposit, and pay attention to his actions and reactions.

Is he looking for specific grass or leaves to eat? Is he sniffing and gently licking? Is he uncovering a dainty morsel to devour? Is he heading directly to the previously digested dinner for a second helping?

If it’s traces of scents your pup is going after, say from a neighborhood dog remarking territory, that’s easy enough to handle.

A short conversation explaining the problem and asking the dog’s owner to walk across the street, or not allowing them to stop along your property line should suffice; most dog owners understand some of the quirkiness that comes with the leash and collar.

Rinsing the spot on a daily basis works as well – especially if you can catch it as soon as the offender completes his rounds. You can also try a soap-suds rinse; it will eliminate not only the offending odor but discourage remarking.

“Tootsie rolls” are a common delicacy – and the fresh ones even more so. Again, this takes a respectable amount of vigilance on your part to identify and eliminate (no pun intended) the temptations. The first step could be keeping a close eye of Fido as he wanders the yard to identify the offender.

If it’s from a rabbit or other wildlife, then consider rabbit fencing to reinforce any areas that the bunny might be slipping through, or even wildlife sprays. A few nights of the offending fragrance will curtail the wildlife from crossing into your territory.

If you find that your dog is recycling his own “tootsie rolls”, that will take a little more effort to correct. Dogs re-ingest food for three primary reasons:

1. The food is still yummy. That means there’s undigested goodness in abundance. If this is the case – and your dog is not absorbing all the available nutrition from his meal – then it’s time to look at a change in food.

2. There’s a nutritional need. Just like we crave what our bodies need, there might be nutrients in the waste – whether his own or another animal’s – that he needs. This takes more consideration, and perhaps a trip to the vet to ensure his nutrition is where it should be.

3. Compulsions occur in our four-legged friends just as easily as they do in us. If there is no rational explanation – or you find that your little bundle of joy is eating poo indiscriminately, then it is time for a serious intervention.

Training, as well as physical aids such as muzzles can eliminate eating the non-food items. Proper dog training can also be very effective. If it’s serious, your veterinarian can add a medicinal component to change the behavior.

If you discover it’s really just about the sweet, succulent grass or plants, you can simply let nature take its course and let your dog continue to eat grass. It really won’t hurt anything.

One small caveat: if you use any weed or pest control chemicals, you will want to discontinue them – these chemicals can be dangerous when ingested.

Also, get a book – or scour the internet – and eliminate any potentially toxic plants and weeds.

Lastly, you can take steps to eliminate the draw of the offending vegetation altogether.

Don’t Want Your Dog to Eat Grass?

Okay, so you’ve decided that you’re taking grass off the canine menu. No more vegetarian diet for you. Now you need a plan. And patience – lots and lots and lots of patience.

Basically, if you don’t want your dog to eat the grass – you eliminate the grass.

See how easy that was?

Consider a pea-gravel run. With some proper preparation, and special emphasis on drainage, you can create an area for your dog that’s both grass-free and healthy – and easy to clean up.

Keeping to leashed walks is another way to ensure your pup isn’t stopping for a quick meal while out and about. Just remember to pay attention when they stop and sniff – a bit of solid leash training can go a long way.

Do a little recon work – does Bruiser like to eat grass in the morning? After he’s had his nightly meal? Is there only a certain area that he eats the grass?

Information is knowledge – and knowledge is power. Filling in the blanks can not only help you understand what he is eating – it can help you avoid it.

Another way to deal with eating grass without turning your backyard into a rock garden is with discouraging sprays and scents. These chemical-based sprays can be either bitter tasting, or an acrid odor that repels dogs altogether.

Although they can be quite effective, they can be expensive between initial purchase and reapplication after the rain washes them away – or they can be more dangerous because of their caustic make-up that repels or gives a bad taste.

The truth is that while eliminating grass from their diet is possible – it really might not be all that practical once you’ve weighed out the options.

Should I Let My Dog Eat Grass? Probably

When it comes right down to it, our pups are pretty smart. If they pick up a strange new habit, it’s a good idea to look into it and ask why – but if it’s not hurting anything, maybe the best action is to just let it run its course.

Shasta? Yeah, she still eats grass. I’ve made sure that we no longer treat for weeds and grubs in the yard, and I’ve even taken to planting some of her favorites in a small area just for her. She rolls all through them and munches away to her heart’s content.

But she is also getting a good, solid diet rich in meat, minerals, and vitamins.

My puppy is not going to be a vegan.

The post What Does It Mean When a Dog Eats Grass? appeared first on Central Park Paws.

from http://www.centralparkpaws.net/pet-health/why-dogs-eat-grass/

[gethealthy18-blog]

WHAT I EAT IN A DAY! HEALTHY WHAT I ATE TODAY! DINNER, SNACK AND MORE!

New Post has been published on http://healingawerness.com/healty-recipes/healthy-recipes-for-dinner/what-i-eat-in-a-day-healthy-what-i-ate-today-dinner-snack-and-more/

WHAT I EAT IN A DAY! HEALTHY WHAT I ATE TODAY! DINNER, SNACK AND MORE!

everyone a happy it's Friday today I think I need to get a tripod from the film on my iPhone so I'm sorry this is shaky I'm off to Pilates it is so cold if my hands are gonna freeze off because it's like not even 7:00 am

yet it's still dark so I'm sorry but I'm not sure you guys want to eat today so I have a short americano with the national milk that's because caffeine actually helps you burn fat while you work out so it's a great pre-workout and then I had half of a made both are X bar one whole one is too much remove the core Pilates oh wait I was getting good sorry guys everyone and so I'm done Pilates and I just got banana um butter but I ask for less banana so I always do 1/4 banana and kale spin it a little bit hey guys so sorry fat was a bit rushed and vlog this morning but I am now shooting with my friend and we're tying there's like taste test for Kelly's if you guys live in the GTA you need to check out Kelly's bait shop hit it amazing I'm so proud of doing like a little story and like the benefits of everything in between that so mind you it'll be gone because it's on my story by the time this goes up channel but it's fun so you should go check out Kelly's it's gluten free vegan soy free free of all that kind of like crappy stuff and just feel good sound for you so okay we're gonna shoot everyone so I'm back at home now I did stop at a poky shop to get some lunch and they had this miso soup so I decided to try it out and the cup says you make me so happy I thought that was adorable if you didn't know miso soup is actually really good for you it helps balance your gut bacteria so it helps with leaky gut so if you've got issues it can be really good it's packed with probiotics so it's really good like option to like have a soup to drink and this was really yummy so if you haven't tried miso soup I would try that out but I also got a pokeball which I will show you so this is the pokeball I got a base of zucchini noodles and then there's raw tuna cucumber edamame a little bit some purple cabbage the I'm no know what they're called but they're like the fish eggs the seaweed I'm some watermelon radish and then I just got a couple of the gluten-free sauce they had a couple of the different ones and then they also had this winter special for these Szechuan edamame so I decided to try them out soo burgers I had to eat sorry if I see him a little bit like frazzled in this vlog I'm just a little bit stressed right now I do start 11 exams starting Monday and today's Friday so a little bit stressed out my skin is breaking out it's it's a tough time but you know what I wanted to vlog because then you guys see that it's not all like sunshine and rainbows I get stressed I get overwhelmed and I'm trying to like pre film videos and get stuff ready to go for when I have my exams it's not going so well to get stuff pre done but you know we're gonna try our best and hopefully it's good so I'm gonna eat lunch and then I'm probably gonna have one of those Kelly's treat so I'll show you which one that I pick out which they probably won't last very long they're probably gone in a couple days but I'd rather have something like that that's like better for you and made with good things and then you won't feel like crap afterwards it should be good so I don't know if I mentioned it before but all their stuff is vegan plant-based gluten free egg free peanut free and all that so I'm gonna try what I think is pumpkin spice doughnut um yeah you guys should let me know if you enjoy these types of like more casual vlogs drinking my remnant of a latte that I got in between getting the pokey place waiting for the pokey place to open and shooting that stuff for Kelly's she saw I just ate the donut it was super yummy this is just an almond milk latte it's in a jar because I wanted to transport it from the coffee type place and didn't want to hold it because it's so cold outside that holding a cup like my hands would freeze so I put it in a mason jar and then like can put the mason jar in my purse I need to get a bigger purse because the purse I have but barely holds everything but on my Christmas list so you know hopefully Santa comes – what else do I have to tell you i'ma show you guys some of like my things that I'm loving right now cuz I feel like I miss favorite videos this will kind of be like what I eat in a day and health things I've been loving I'm thinking that's a good idea hopefully you guys like it you guys can't tell me because it's gonna be up already so hopefully that is the plan I have to go to school later hey guys so I set up a little iPhone tripod to show you a couple of my favorites right now so the first one is this bulletproof coconut charcoal you guys saw me talk about this in a Whole Foods haul I've been really liking it or if you're going out to eat or just relieve gas and bloating in general when you're really stressed you're more likely to get bloated and because I'm super stressed that's the thing my next one you can really kind of see it in the frame is this holiday nog from Khalifa farms if you're from Toronto or the GTA the only place that has this is called Summer Hill Market in Summer Hill otherwise if you live in the state I'm jolly that you can get this readily but this one is really good it's the best vegan nog that I've tried and when I was little I used to love nog and this is great even to make pancakes with to make waffles I believe I need egg nog pancakes in a video last year so I'm gonna leave that down below but this one is the best one that I've tried in the last favorite is actually ear acupuncture so I don't think you guys can see but I've used this if you follow me on Instagram you've seen it before I'm going to try to do a close-up but I can't see if it's in the frame but it's little tack that's inside my ear and it's in the point called Shen minh and this point basically it decreases anxiety it helps with insomnia it helps with stress and it is night and day for me when I have this in so I'm actually gonna switch this one out and put a new one in this one's been out for about in for about a week and it's a small tack it's literally like a few millimeters inside your ear and you can press it when you want some added like effect and it works through acupuncture um to basically regulate all that kind of stuff so if you're a person that gets stressed anxious I would really look into acupuncture and getting a tack put in I love acupuncture in general just getting it done but when you have a tack in like this it allows the benefit to be had all week long which is great so I would just look look hook up an acupuncturist in your area or Google Shen men if you want to know more about it like shen man acupuncture or acupressure boy those are few my favorites I was thinking about doing a more natural skin care routine soon just because I've been switching more to a natural skin care routine and I found a lot of good things apart from the fact that I'm breaking out because I'm stressed right now it's been going well so I think I want to kind of do that to let me know that something you want to see in 2018 what else just let me know kind of vlogs you guys would want to see or what topics you want me to touch on because I don't want to peat myself but I don't know what you want to hear about I was thinking about doing lately I've kind of like I don't know lost weight but kind of like toned up so I was gonna do a video on like how I got leaner or how I like I don't think I actually physically lost weight because I gained a lot of muscle so weights probably say the same has not gone up but um like more leaner cuz I had to like go down and Jean sighs so if you guys want a video on that I will do that because it's like I don't know the last like little bit of like you know when you want to like tone up it's like I worked really hard so if you guys want to hear my tips for that I will do that um I think I have to get to school yep I was just leaving like 10 minutes well technically this would be there all morning but I had to shoot something so yeah I'm pretty much gonna study tonight and I was gonna make cauliflower rice cauliflower chicken fried rice so you guys are sticking around to see me make that me super casual but yeah I'm hoping that this iPhone like iPhone X vlogging is turning out because I bought the iPhone X that it could be really easy kind of vlog on the go now wouldn't need to carry two cameras but if it doesn't I might have to bite the bullet and get the g7x mark to but this bone was already like I bought it off contract so is there any kind of expensive I'm hoping I'm hoping it looks good hey guys so it's a bit later now and as you can see I'm in my pajamas because as soon as I get home from school I change into my pajamas but I'm making uh some tea and I want to show you guys my favorite holiday team it's this sugar cookie sleigh ride you can find it at most grocery stores and it's so good I like to double up on the tea bag to make it strong and then I'm gonna add in a scoop of my vital proteins collagen peptides it dissolves completely it has no taste but it's good for your gut your joints your hair your skin and your nails this so I have a pan heating to about medium heat and I'm gonna be putting on some avocado oil it's great because it has a higher smoke point and if you use something like olive oil its scorch and then you get free radicals which will ultimately can cause cancer so I've also added in a little bit of garlic into the mixture I'm going to stir that up until it gets nice and golden and then I'm going to be adding in some frozen then I'm gonna add in my cauliflower right and then I could use these garlic sauce easy you can throw in whatever veggies you have so this is it all finished up I put it in my little snowman bowl and I added in some green onions on the top as well as some chili flakes and a little bit of leftover chicken you can do tofu I released just my way of like throwing a bunch of leftovers like veggies and then whatever kind of protein weird some cauliflower rice and you kind of have like an Asian stir-fry it's super yummy so I froze everything else and I'm going to eat the gingerbread lemon that cupcake yeah that's probably it for today I'm drinking some flow water it's alkalizing it's really good for you I still have some leftover tea and I'm just been studying so this is probably going to be it

[kobeoram]

This photo was shown to me by a friend of mine and it made me seriously laugh. Before I get started I would like to say that in absolutely no way am I trying to say that I think my body is perfect. I have that dreaded cellulite that doesn’t go away no matter how hard you work. I have spider veins on my thighs, and I get bloated and look like I am pregnant on the regular. Just like all other women, I too get that bullshit we have to deal with. Everyone has those days where you wake up, look in the mirror and point out everything you wish you could change, but I have learnt to embrace my body and ‘love the skin I’m in’! I also don’t eat like a “fat piece of shit” as the book Homer is reading says, but I certainly am not about that diet life and I do love my junk food. In this blog I’ll be talking about a few things I do to try and keep my body looking it’s best along with what I eat on a day to day basis ☺

These are some things I do to try and keep wobbly bits to a minimum…

MONITOR MY EATING – I have never been the diet type. I love my food far too much to ever give up sweet treats and take-aways. Though in the past few years, I have now come to what I personally think is a healthy balance between the good food, and the shit food. I have always had a fast metabolism, which most definitely helped me in high school when I lived off white bread, blue V and Mr Wedge pizza. But maturing over the years physically, things have definitely changed and the metabolism is not is fast as it once was. What I like to do is save the treats for the weekend. During the week I find it easy to keep a balanced diet as I have a set routine I stick to. E.g.

Breakfast – 3 Weetbix to keep me full until my first break at work. Pekish thins and a banana are usually my break snack, but by the time I am due for a break I am usually starving, and I will eat way to many crackers than I originally intended to.

Lunch – Lunch is always eggs. Poached or scrambled, eggs are just so easy and yummy. I will have 2 slices of bread too, I still can never say no to my carbs.

Afternoon Tea – If I get the chance to sit down and snack again it will either be more pekish thins or a handful of cashew nuts. I sometimes have a Nutribullet smoothie that I have made that morning. I just keep that in the fridge and sip on it when I get hungry during the day (which is often).

Dinner – One thing that is lucky about still living at home, is getting your dinners cooked for you. I am very thankful that my beautiful Mum is a wiz in the kitchen. We get the ‘My Food Bag’ meals and they are incredible! Portion controlled meals, healthy and super tasty. Perfect for any flat looking to have their meals organised from week to week, and quick and easy to prepare…can’t say I have ever done the cooking at home so I’ll take my Mum’s word on the preparing part!!

That is my usual food I consume each day. Not overly healthy, not overly bad. If I feel like I need a chocolate bar or something sweet I will have something. I do not like have ‘rules’ when it comes to eating. But I do try especially to refrain from having take-aways during the week. This is another reason why weekends are so great, because I eat exactly what I want, when I want. If I feel like nuggets from Maccas for dinner, or snickers pods and lollies, then that’s exactly what I will have. Though that is not to say I eat every bad thing I can get my hands on during the weekend. I still like to keep things in moderation and I am conscious of my health. So like to make sure that I am still getting my fruit and veges on board even in the weekends.

WATER – I drink shed loads of water, especially during the week. I have always been good at drinking water and making it part of my daily routine. Drinking lots of water makes sure that I am flushing out any bad toxins from my system. It is said to promote weight loss by keeping you fuller for longer, acting as a natural appetite suppressant. And it aids digestion keeping things moving and increasing your metabolism!

WORKING OUT – This is a relatively obvious one. Nine times out of ten, if you want to look fit you are going to have to get moving. I have always kept a relatively high level of fitness, and physical activity has always been something that I have been naturally good at. I played hockey for 13 years, I loved running at school, and P.E was always my favorite subject. Now days I definitely do not do as much physical activity as I used to, but I make sure I am always doing something. I like to work out at least 3 times a week, but I try to make it 4. Whether it is going for a run, walking or following along to some YouTube tutorials. I always like to keep my workouts fun and interesting. This way I do not get bored of doing the same old stuff, and I am always finding new muscles to work by challenging my body. I used to go to the gym, but began to find it a bit boring. I can make my workouts more exciting and challenging using my surroundings and being out in the fresh air. When working on my strength, I like to focus on my arms, core and booty.

ARMS – Press ups are an excercise that are great to build up day by day. If you do a couple of press ups in the morning, and add one more each day, you will surprise yourself with how much newly found strength you will have in a couple of weeks. You will be doing more than 10 in no time!

CORE – Working on my core is important to me. I have always been lucky to have a flat stomach naturally, but I can thank excercises like, crunches, planks, and lots of leg raises for keeping my tummy toned. Posture is also important. I have always walked around with my stomach in and my shoulders back. This is more flattering and keeps your stomach muscles tight.

BOOTY – My 🍑 will always be a work in progress, as all my life it has been more like a pancake rather than a peach. But thanks to squats, donkey kicks and hip thrusts, over the past year, I am slowly but surely seeing a difference!

In the long run, many things about our bodies purely comes down to our genetics. Some of us have great legs, some of us have flat tummies, and some of us have amazing bootys! Everyone out there has at least one great feature. Whether it is your eyes, your personality or even something as small as your finger nails!! Find it, embrace it, and rock it! Too often young women have unrealistic expectations of what their bodies should look like. Causing them to set unrealistic goals and risking their health to look a certain way. There are so many shapes and sizes out there, and that is what makes being a woman so beautiful, because we are all different in our own perfect way.

Lots of love,

Kobe Gray x

  DISCLAIMER – I am most definitely not an expert on fitness and health, nor am I trying to be. Just sharing my experiences and what I do to keep fit and healthy on a day to day basis, in the hope of inspiring and motivating others. What may work for me, may not work for you. This is just what I personally do.

Xx

  How I keep in shape! This photo was shown to me by a friend of mine and it made me seriously laugh.