Testimonials
Shelby is a 17 year old high energy border collie who belongs to Jim Miller – President & CEO of Diets for Life. Even now as an older dog, Shelby enjoys a zest and effervescence for life that is hard to ignore. Because she is still an active Frisbee catcher, it is paramount that her joints and tendons remain in good shape. She doesn’t take any synthetic vitamins or supplements, but receives a daily dose of natural calcium, herbs and a mix of high quality fatty acids to help maintain her joints. She’s never had any kind of injury or health-related problem other than a few Lipomas (the annoying fatty growths that can pop out subcutaneously on a dog), some worn front teeth (from playing Frisbee every day for 13 years) and a Vet-assessed pronouncement of Lenticular Sclerosis (nothing more than a hardening of the eye lens. It does not affect a dog’s sight). Shelby was immediately weaned off all processed foods when the 1st few fatty growths appeared. I had already been into the nutrition thing for many years (actually, many decades) and so it was a natural progression of things that I became an indefatigable researcher and practitioner of advancing my dog’s diet to help her maintain vibrant health and well-being. Shelby typically starts her day off with a Raw Meaty Bone (Beef Shank, Marrow Bone, etc.). She’ll sometimes spend close to an hour ripping and tearing the raw meat off the Bone. The benefits are twofold in that not only is she naturally cleaning her teeth but she’s ingesting a high quality protein source in alliance with her ancestral roots. When Raw Meaty Bones are not available, I’ll give her the full complement of protein & essential fatty acids along with a small amount of low-glycemic carbs. Essentially, her diet is compositionally 70% protein, 20% essential fatty acids, 5% carbs and 5% herbs and Diets for Life personal trimmings. Lunch and Dinner are a variant of her Breakfast with only the types of protein & fatty acid sources changing to assure maximum nutritional balance. I rotate everything frequently, so I know that whatever key amino acid or mineral that may have been missing from one meal, will most assuredly be present within the few servings.
In addition to her regular (3) meals per day regimen, she also gets Diets for Life hummus, smoothies and recreational bones to chew on. Since Shelby is a smaller-size dog, I don’t want her to try and ingest bones. She doesn’t have the “Bite-Force” to masticate bones and digest them. Once she has finished ripping the raw meat off , extracting whatever marrow she can and gnawing for a while, I’ll generally take the bone away from her.
Shelby’s exercise program has pretty much stayed the same through the years. She gets her early morning walk through our neighborhood followed by some Frisbee catching in the yard. After Breakfast she’ll typically take a brief rest period and then it’s time for some more action. I am amazed how her energy level has not fallen off much since her puppy days. She’s the “Energizer Bunny” and then some. Because she is such a high energy dog, I need to exercise her each and every day – regardless of weather conditions. Even when it snows, Shelby will run and play in the “white stuff” until she’s exhausted or I can’t stand the cold any longer (usually it’s more the latter than the former).
Since her health has been so good over the long haul, the only modification in her diet that I make is an occasional refinement here and there. I’m constantly searching for new and emerging ideas to help Shelby sustain her glowing vitality. Her health status is the culmination of (25+) years spent researching and putting into practice what I’ve learned. I couldn’t ask for a better dog. She’s a wonderful companion.
Jim & Shelby – Hamilton Square , NJ
In addition to her regular (3) meals per day regimen, she also gets Diets for Life hummus, smoothies and recreational bones to chew on. Since Shelby is a smaller-size dog, I don’t want her to try and ingest bones. She doesn’t have the “Bite-Force” to masticate bones and digest them. Once she has finished ripping the raw meat off , extracting whatever marrow she can and gnawing for a while, I’ll generally take the bone away from her.
Shelby’s exercise program has pretty much stayed the same through the years. She gets her early morning walk through our neighborhood followed by some Frisbee catching in the yard. After Breakfast she’ll typically take a brief rest period and then it’s time for some more action. I am amazed how her energy level has not fallen off much since her puppy days. She’s the “Energizer Bunny” and then some. Because she is such a high energy dog, I need to exercise her each and every day – regardless of weather conditions. Even when it snows, Shelby will run and play in the “white stuff” until she’s exhausted or I can’t stand the cold any longer (usually it’s more the latter than the former).
Since her health has been so good over the long haul, the only modification in her diet that I make is an occasional refinement here and there. I’m constantly searching for new and emerging ideas to help Shelby sustain her glowing vitality. Her health status is the culmination of (25+) years spent researching and putting into practice what I’ve learned. I couldn’t ask for a better dog. She’s a wonderful companion.
Jim & Shelby – Hamilton Square , NJ
My name is Maria Bilanco Gutierrez and I live in Rancho Cucamonga, California with my beloved (5) year old German Shepherd Bingo. His overall health has been pretty good for the most part with the exception of some excess weight gain. Bingo is a voracious eater and loves to devour his meals in record time. I had been feeding him Eukenuba Puppy Chow and then switched to Eukenuba Regular Chow as he matured. I got the shock of my life when our Vet announced after his yearly examination that Bingo has “elevated liver enzymes.” The Vet also added that Bingo “may be setting himself up for early cardiovascular disease and joint problems unless he loses some weight.” The Vet ordered some testing done to determine the cause of his high liver enzymes. There are a multitude of reasons why the liver may not be functioning at full capacity including: bacterial and viral infections, poor diet, chemical toxicity from lawn sprays ,etc. The tests were negative for bacterial and viral infections. As far as the chemical toxicity goes, I don’t use any commercial sprays on my lawn, the landscapers always put down organic pellets which are safe for pets and humans. Bingo’s Vet further added, “My recommendation would be less food and more exercise.” I was really scared at this point. Here you think you’re doing the right things for your dog and all of a sudden he’s got some worrisome health issues. Over the course of the next few months, I tried various diets and spoke with lots of people (nutritionists, homeopaths, well-meaning friends, etc. hoping to make things right. Unfortunately, Bingo’s weight pretty much stayed the same. I increased his exercise/walk regimen from (1) mile to (2) miles per day and cut back on his food portions by about ¼. Still not much change. I was told by a unnamed source that “your Boy has a sluggish metabolism and you’re probably going to have to live with it.” It was during this really frustrating time period that a mutual friend gave me Jim Miller’s phone number and told me “Maria, call this guy, he really knows dog nutrition.” About a week later, I spoke with Jim over the phone. Diets for Life was on the drawing board at this stage. He obliged to help me with the caveat that I must get full clearance from Bingo’s Vet and any other health care practitioner that I was working with before we begin. He wanted a full physiological breakdown of Bingo’s health from puppy to present status so a “profile” could be formulated. To be perfectly honest, I was really skeptical. I didn’t know this guy from Adam – despite the glowing endorsement from a mutual friend. He’s never met Bingo before and he’s asking a million questions. I think what really clinched it for me was when Jim offered to send a full, complete diet plan via PDF file with the guarantee that “since one size does not fit all – if this doesn’t work, we’ll keep working with your dog until we get it right – at no additional cost. ” I really liked the fact that Jim was genuinely concerned with Bingo’s well-being and wanted to stay on board until the job was done right. The Diets for Life plan that we received instructed me to get rid of the Eukenuba dry food and any other processed treats that had been a staple in Bingo’s life for the last (5) years. The kibble was replaced by a combination of raw and lightly-cooked protein sources. I didn’t want to include bones in his diet simply for fear of pieces breaking off and causing impaction. Jim concurred with this. The fat sources he recommended were varied and easily obtainable at my local Trader Joe’s Market. To make sure Bingo had the full array of minerals (dogs need 11 essential minerals for optimal health) I added a daily natural calcium source along with a whole complement of raw greens, veggies and low-glycemic fruits. I had been giving Bingo “Milk Thistle” for his liver enzymes along with a “Krill” capsule as supplementation (The Homeopathic Vet recommended the Milk Thistle and Krill) and will continue to do so. Much to my relief, Bingo’s Liver Enzyme Numbers did fall back into an acceptable range at his next Vet visit, but his excess weight was still a concern. Since his Vet didn’t give any specific dietary guidelines (she sells Science Diet in her office, which I later found out is a terrible product) and the Homeopath wanted to do a complete raw diet with lots of herbs & supplements for him, I decided to go with the Diets for Life plan which seemed to be make the most sense. Jim told me that “Bingo’s weight will gravitate towards the norm once you get rid of the refined carbohydrates and feed him what he is genetically-coded for.” We continued to do our (2) mile walk each and every day along with the “Diets for Life” regimen. Bingo lost about (5) pounds the first (3) weeks and seems to have more energy. He just looks healthier. His eyes have taken on a glow that I never saw before and his breath is no longer stinky. The Vet seems satisfied that his Elevated Liver Enzymes were dietary related. I’m so glad that I found out about Diets for Life. I would recommend it to all who ask.
Maria & Bingo – Rancho Cucamonga, California
Maria & Bingo – Rancho Cucamonga, California
Our beloved Bianca is a 1 ½ year old yellow Labrador Retriever who we adopted from a local Rescue Shelter here in the Minneapolis area. We were devastated when we lost our other dog (Mitzee – mixed breed) to cancer a few years ago. She was only (6) and “the Apple of our Kid’s eyes.” The emotional toll it took on the whole family was incalculable. Bianca came into our lives unexpectedly. A neighbor of ours who does rescue work at one of the local Shelters called me to say “we have a beautiful, yellow Lab Puppy here that was brought into the shelter because her owners can no longer care for her.” It sounded great, but were we ready to let another dog into our hearts? After much family discussion we decided to go for it. I made my mind up that we would read up on everything nutrition-related (mostly me, my husband hates reading) and give Bianca the best possible care so she can live a healthy life. I devoured everything possible that I could find including on-line newsletters from places like Tuft’s School of Veterinary Medicine. Slowly but surely I was able to piece together a comprehensive dietary plan for Bianca that would work, despite the fact that there really didn’t seem to be any clear-cut consensus on certain things like whether or not to feed a dog Pasta & Brown Rice. Weren’t complex carbohydrates providing a good balance with proteins and Fats? I found Diets for Life on Linked-In for Business where Jim Miller had written a short blog on feeding canines carbohydrates and the effect it had on insulin resistance and glucose tolerance. Most of the other sites that discussed canine nutrition did stress that carbohydrates were not a part of the canine ancestral diet; however, the article that Jim wrote was more in-depth and gave a very clear and concise picture of what can happen when dogs are fed carbs over a long period of time. I decided to send Jim an e-mail through Linked-In-For-Business. He did respond & told me that it would probably be best if we talk over the phone. A few days later Jim called me and we had a nice, long chat on canine nutrition. What sold me on Diets for Life was that he took the time to break everything down into basic, easy-to-follow fundamentals that made a lot of sense. I had already learned quite a bit from researching many of the other sites, but Jim took it to a new level when he pulled all the loose ends together and explained the definite link between glucose intolerance& canine heart disease. Also, there’s a (3) part step in which cancer can take a foothold in your dog’s body and what to do about it. We agreed on the Combination Diet Plan for Bianca. I liked the fact that it gives a comprehensive approach to building super immunity in your dog. Another bonus was that we are actually saving money on Vet bills now. We used to buy Mitzee a (40) lb. bag of Blue Buffalo at our local Pet Thrift Mart. The Blue Buffalo would last about a month or so, but we were constantly taking her to the Vet’s for allergies and other digestive tract problems. Vet visits are not cheap. Over the course of a given calendar year, on average, we were spending in excess of a $ 1000.00 or more for lab tests, pharmaceuticals and office visits. We did have pet insurance for Mitzee, but they would not cover certain things and we had to pay out of pocket. I didn’t want to go through that again with Bianca. Call it cathartic or whatever, but the best thing we ever did was to get rid of the processed dog food. Bianca now has a wonderful diet plan and it shows in every facet of her life. She now eats (3) small meals a day) and is enjoying things like: tempeh, miso, mushrooms, organ meats and essential fatty acids. I also make her a Diets for Life Smoothie in our blender which acts as supplemental insurance. Another bonus with Diets for Life was that Jim helped us set up a Health Savings Account for Bianca. Since we have unlimited phone consultation, all the leg-work was done in a quick and orderly fashion. A complete blue-print was sent via PDF to seal the deal. Bianca does have pet insurance, but we are seriously contemplating dropping it in favor of the health savings account. Insurance works fine when your pet is young and healthy, but things change as they get older and health conditions may rear their ugly head. Another issue that I have with pet insurance is that they make you meet a deductible 1st before they will pay the balance. That deductible can be very pricey (around 20% off the top). We’re currently paying $ 44.00/month for her premium, but the contribution to a health savings plan is a little less. I like the fact that “all the money will be there if needed and we don’t have to wait for an insurance carrier to reimburse us.” In addition, we won’t have to pay out of pocket for a deductible and can concentrate on our dog getting well. Hopefully, we won’t have to use either the insurance or a health savings plan, but it is comforting to know that it’s (the money) there. I’m really glad we found out about Diets for Life. Thank you so much and may God Bless.
The Sorensen Family (Lars, Anna, Mychal and Kimberly) & Bianca – Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota
The Sorensen Family (Lars, Anna, Mychal and Kimberly) & Bianca – Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota
Paul & Cindy Galayda of Trenton, NJ own (2) Diets for Life dogs – Kona & Stowie. Kona, a mixed breed is about (13). Stowie, A little white “fluff-ball” is (3). Cindy handles the chores of feeding them (with Paul as a proxy when Cindy is away) despite her demanding work and travel schedule as a flight attendant for a major air carrier. The Galaydas became interested in pet nutrition not serendipitously but as a reaction to the “fatty growths” that were seemingly popping out all over on Kona. Cindy did some research and pieced together a “real-world” diet plan for her brood that included cooked chicken & turkey, brown rice, carrots, sweet potatoes and lightly steamed greens. They will also on occasion receive a recreational raw bone to chew on. Neither Kona or Stowie get any supplements or vitamins. I made a recommendation of canned sardines without the salt as an adjunct to their diet. Sardines provide a wonderful assortment of essential nucleic acids along with the fatty acid (DHA) that promotes numerous benefits including stable blood sugar levels, a strong heart and efficient metabolism. In addition, it was suggested that the Galaydas drop the brown rice or, at least, serve it less frequently, as it is a high glycemic carbohydrate and may be helping fuel the growth of Kona’s fatty growths. A far better choice would be some finely ground legumes added in with the meat. Legumes are a wonderful, powerhouse of protein and carbohydrates (low glycemic) with almost no fat. Since legumes are sometimes not fully digested, I wanted to emphasize that a very small amount should do nicely. Just put a small cupful into a food processor and mix with the meat, carrots, greens and whatever else is on the menu for that meal. It’s also worth noting that most legumes should be soaked (lima beans and lentils are the exceptions) before cooking. As a general rule of thumb, it’s prudent to soak the legumes several hours prior to prepping. Both dogs look healthy as a result of their high level nutritional status.
During our consultation, Cindy also expressed some concern about some “wart-like” growths that have popped out on Kona’s head. These are usually innocuous growths that are a result of viruses. Since viruses are ubiquitous, dogs can pick them up almost anywhere (from the ground, contact from other dogs, etc.). It’s probably best to just leave them alone as they won’t do any harm aside from the cosmetic concern. There are certain “grocery store and organic market” herbs that people sometimes use as “anti-viral” treatments, but the data and success rates are inconclusive at best.
Since Paul is recovering from major back surgery and can only take Stowie for a short walk, the bulk of the exercise regiment is up to Cindy. When her work schedule permits, she will take both dogs for a long walk through their neighborhood which is the perfect complement to their home cooked diets. The exercise help promote healthy muscle and tissue maintenance, good cardiovascular performance and is a well documented anti-depressant. Cindy also asked about using herbs as a preventative measure and for minor things like skin irritations. I did notice Kona scratching a little during our consultation and offered the following recommendation. Herbs that can help bolster the immune system, provide relief from minor issues and promote healthy cardiovascular functioning are things like: Alfalfa, Sage, Lavender, Basil, etc. The operative word here is “maintenance” of a healthy dog. Since these herbs are FDA approved and can be purchased over the counter at most grocery and organic markets, they are generally considered to be safe without any known side-effects. In all my years of researching and feeding dogs I have yet to see any bad reactions from using a “small amount of FDA approved herbs” mixed in with their daily fare. I would, however, caution everyone that certain herbs can cause reactions (things like: Tea Tree Oil, Comfrey and Garlic.) that range from mild stomach upsets to episodes of diarrhea, especially if mixed with certain medications and drugs. Some are even toxic if ingested. Probably best to stay away.
As as far as Kona’s itching goes, she probably has a mild case of fleas. Instead of spending lots of money on cures that don’t work well, I suggested that the Galaydas try a little Neem Oil or Almond Oil to administer right on the spot.
Paul and Cindy Galayda’s dogs are enjoying robust health and Diets for Life is flattered to be a small part of it.
Paul & Cindy Galayda with Stowie and Kona – Trenton, NJ
During our consultation, Cindy also expressed some concern about some “wart-like” growths that have popped out on Kona’s head. These are usually innocuous growths that are a result of viruses. Since viruses are ubiquitous, dogs can pick them up almost anywhere (from the ground, contact from other dogs, etc.). It’s probably best to just leave them alone as they won’t do any harm aside from the cosmetic concern. There are certain “grocery store and organic market” herbs that people sometimes use as “anti-viral” treatments, but the data and success rates are inconclusive at best.
Since Paul is recovering from major back surgery and can only take Stowie for a short walk, the bulk of the exercise regiment is up to Cindy. When her work schedule permits, she will take both dogs for a long walk through their neighborhood which is the perfect complement to their home cooked diets. The exercise help promote healthy muscle and tissue maintenance, good cardiovascular performance and is a well documented anti-depressant. Cindy also asked about using herbs as a preventative measure and for minor things like skin irritations. I did notice Kona scratching a little during our consultation and offered the following recommendation. Herbs that can help bolster the immune system, provide relief from minor issues and promote healthy cardiovascular functioning are things like: Alfalfa, Sage, Lavender, Basil, etc. The operative word here is “maintenance” of a healthy dog. Since these herbs are FDA approved and can be purchased over the counter at most grocery and organic markets, they are generally considered to be safe without any known side-effects. In all my years of researching and feeding dogs I have yet to see any bad reactions from using a “small amount of FDA approved herbs” mixed in with their daily fare. I would, however, caution everyone that certain herbs can cause reactions (things like: Tea Tree Oil, Comfrey and Garlic.) that range from mild stomach upsets to episodes of diarrhea, especially if mixed with certain medications and drugs. Some are even toxic if ingested. Probably best to stay away.
As as far as Kona’s itching goes, she probably has a mild case of fleas. Instead of spending lots of money on cures that don’t work well, I suggested that the Galaydas try a little Neem Oil or Almond Oil to administer right on the spot.
Paul and Cindy Galayda’s dogs are enjoying robust health and Diets for Life is flattered to be a small part of it.
Paul & Cindy Galayda with Stowie and Kona – Trenton, NJ
Hardly a day goes by when we are not bombarded with stories about how so many of our furry, little friends never find their “forever homes” and end up in rescue shelters. Many are the victims of broken homes, animal abuse, abandonment or, sadly enough, have just outlived their usefulness to their owner’s changing lifestyle. But with every dark cloud comes a silver lining. Such is the case with Mattie, a flaxen-haired, little (10) lb. mixed breed dynamo who was rescued at a Orange County, Florida Animal Shelter by Mary Anne Rouch. Fate could not have dealt Mattie a kinder hand. Not only did she end up in the relative comfort of a stable, loving household (Mary Anne and her husband Bruce) but she will now enjoy the benefits of being fed by a person who knows a lot about nutrition. Mary Anne has been researching the field of food science for many years now and is doing a paradigmatic shift into the still emerging field of canine sustenance. What Mattie is eating now may not necessarily be what she consumes in the near future. Currently, Mattie is enjoying “Nature’s Fresh” by Fresh Pet as her diet mainstay. “Pure Bites” (dehydrated chicken or turkey) as her training treat and small bits of sweet potatoes, watermelon, green beans, corn, broccoli stems and other assorted veggie’s from table scraps. We consulted with Mary Anne about Mattie’s diet and found it to be very acceptable but wanted to add a few recommendations. First and foremost, since Mattie is still a very young dog (exact age not known) we did suggest that she be given a small, raw bone with meat on it to chew on. A marrow or beef shank bone would do nicely. Many people worry that the bone may fragment or splinter. To counteract that, you can always pre-heat the bone briefly in a microwave or toaster oven for about (3) minutes, let it cool and then serve. We did emphasize that the raw bone is for ripping the meat off – not for internal consumption. Because Mattie is very petite (10 lbs or so), she probably lacks the necessary bite force to masticate and break down a beef bone. If Mattie were existing in the pre-domestication epoch of her pack animal ancestry, masticating and consuming bones would be a daily way of life. Obviously with domesticity and selective breeding it no longer became essential for dogs to be fed bones, genetic inclination notwithstanding. Raw meaty bones serve a twofold purpose. Not only do they help provide a wonderful protein source but they also act as deep cleaners for canine teeth. The ripping, chewing and gnawing on a raw meaty bone can help maintain good dental health throughout their entire lives. Another suggestion we had for Mary Anne would be about the corn being served, albeit small amounts, as a table scrap. Since the quantity is very small, it shouldn’t be a problem, but savvy pet owners should be aware about the lingering controversy about GMO’s (Genetically Modified Organisms) that are ever-present in corn and soy. Until more facts are known, it’s probably best to stay away from corn and most soy unless you know that it’s certifiably organic. And finally, we told Mary Anne about our Diets for Life Dog Smoothie. All you need is a blender, some low-glycemic fruit, veggies/greens and a little creativity.
With Mattie’s dietary future looking very bright, Mary Anne touched upon her “little shadow’s” exercise regiment which consists of playing fetch, tug-of-war and outings to the park. She is also attending training class. Good natured and quite the ham, Mattie loves to perform tricks for all humankind to watch which is leveraged by her insatiable appetite for treats, which prompted Mary Anne to say “the large, paw-shaped magnet on my refrigerator door that reads “Who Rescued Who” tells the whole story.
Mary Anne & Bruce Rouch with Mattie – Orange County, Florida
With Mattie’s dietary future looking very bright, Mary Anne touched upon her “little shadow’s” exercise regiment which consists of playing fetch, tug-of-war and outings to the park. She is also attending training class. Good natured and quite the ham, Mattie loves to perform tricks for all humankind to watch which is leveraged by her insatiable appetite for treats, which prompted Mary Anne to say “the large, paw-shaped magnet on my refrigerator door that reads “Who Rescued Who” tells the whole story.
Mary Anne & Bruce Rouch with Mattie – Orange County, Florida