5 Cold Appetizer Recipes Great For Any Party

Gearing up for a party includes creating a menu of mouth-watering treats for your guests. Often the main dish will be inspired by the occasion. Turkey for Thanksgiving, Crown Roast for Easter, Burgers and dogs for the 4th of July. But what about those appetizers to keep your guests happy before the meal is served? This all important menu item is often overlooked in the mad dash to ensure all is ready. But, with a few simple ingredients you can serve your guests appetizers that will not only keep them happy and their fingers out of the pots until the meal is ready, they will spark conversation and set the mood for fun.

What is an Appetizer? An Appetizer is a small serving of food or sometimes a beverage that is served before the main meal. It is intended to 'wet the appetite'. Digestion begins in the mouth. Saliva is generated when you begin to chew. This helps to begin breaking down the food for digestion. Ok, I know that may be too much information, but think about it this way. Not only will a good appetizer get your guests primed for that great meal, it may be the reason they don't stuff themselves. Most people know that it takes about 20 minutes for the stomach to send the signal to the brain that it is full. Eating an appetizer just before a meal is served may cause you to eat less. Now there's a bonus. Appetizers as a diet aide.

Cold Appetizers:Some basics to keep on hand so you are ready at a moment's notice to serve up a tray of treats.

• Cheese - several varieties are best but at least have a good cheddar


• Olives - black and green


• Anchovies


• Cream Cheese


• Mayonnaise


• Pimento


• Assorted Dried Fruit


• Crackers


• Nuts


• Sour Cream


• Party Franks


• Canned Shrimp


• Canned Oysters


• Canned Salmon


• Lemon and Lime juice


• Assorted spices including dried parsley

These are just a few of the things I keep on hand. With these I can almost always come up with a tray of treats as guests walk in the door. For Example:

HALF AND HALF

• You will need about 8 slices of your favorite bread. You could also use crackers for this instead. This will make about 16 crackers. Mix 1/2 cup drained and flaked salmon with 2 tablespoons of mayonnaise and 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice (you may substitute lemon pepper if you don't have juice). Salt and pepper to taste. Set aside. TIP: I omit salt as I have friends and family on low salt diets, but it you think it needs salt and perhaps a little pepper, go ahead.


• Mash 1 avocado and mix in 1 teaspoon of lemon juice, 2 tablespoons cream cheese, salt and pepper. Set aside.


• Using a large drinking glass cut each slice bread into rounds. You will be cutting off the crust, but don't toss it. I put the crusts in a zipper bag in the freezer to use for bread crumbs later. of Toast bread in the toaster or on a cookie sheet. Omit this step if using crackers.


• Spread toast lightly with butter or margarine. This helps keep it from getting soggy from the spreads.


• Spread 1/2 of each round with the salmon mixture and the other half with the avocado mixture.


• Garnish with pimento or olive slices.

This makes a tasty and welcome open sandwich to get the party started. The Salmon and avocado are a nice complement.

MOSAIC SANDWICHES

• You will need 8 slices each or a light or white bread and a dark bread. I like using seedless rye and pumpernickel.


• Remove the crusts from the bread and set aside. Remember to add those crusts to your zipper bag in the freezer. You are going to have a great mixture for bread crumbs.


• Mix up some canapé' butters. You have a lot of choices. Cream 1 cup butter with any of the following additions: TIP: You can use cream cheese instead of butter.


• 1 cup cooked Minced shrimp, 1/4 teaspoon salt, dash of paprika and 1 tablespoon lemon juice


• 1 can anchovies or 4 tablespoons anchovies paste, w teaspoons lemon juice, 4 drops of onion juice or 1/2 teaspoon finely minced onion. You can also substitute other canned fish like herring, smoked salmon, or sardines.


• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese or 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese, or 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese


• 2 tablespoons chili sauce, drained. Just be sure it is not too runny.


• 1/4 cup chopped olives and 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice.


• Spread each slice of bread with one of the butters above.


• Stack the slices, alternating dark and light until you have stacked all 16 slices of bread.


• Slice the stack into 4. You want to have four stacks about the same size. Lay the stacks on the side.


• Spread one side of 1 stack with a different spread. You can use the same but adding a second spread makes it more fun.


• Take the next stack and turn it over so that the pattern of dark and light is reversed and place it on top of the first that has been covered with the spread.


• Repeat this process with the other two stacks. Do not put spread on the top of the last addition.


• Again slice the new tower into four slices. You can then cut each of those length wise to create 4 mini sandwich towers each. You should end up with about 16 appetizers.

These look impressive and although it sounds complicated it really isn't. You can make this in about 5 minutes.

DEVILED EGGS an old standby but one almost everyone loves. Here is a little twist.

• Boil a dozen eggs and set aside to cool. When cool peel and prepare by slicing in half lengthwise and removing the yolk.


• To the yolk add sour cream and 1 teaspoon of mayonnaise. Use just enough sour cream to make the mixture creamy. Separate into two small bowls.


• To one bowl add 1 tablespoon chopped olives and 1/4 teaspoon pickle relish.


• To the other bowl add 2 tablespoons finely chopped ham.


• Put each mixture into a small zipper bag. Cut a corner off of the bag and use it to pipe the mixture into the cavity left by the yolk in each egg.


• Garnish with pimento or a small curl of ham, or a small triangle of ham placed into the yolk center.

These look as good as they taste and it only takes a minute or two to add a little surprise flair. You could also add chopped fresh tomato instead of olives, or chopped pepperoni instead of ham.

FRUIT KABOBS

• You will need several varieties of fresh fruit, some maraschino cherries, and bamboo skewers.. Cut fruit in chunks. For apples, pears, and other similar fruit, dip in lemon juice or orange juice to reduce browning.


• Alternate chunks of fruit and cherries on the skewers. Be sure to leave about 4 inches at the end as a handle.


• Serve with Vanilla Yogurt mixed with 1 to 2 teaspoons of the cherry juice as a dipping sauce.

You can't get much quicker than this and it tastes great too.

DON'T FORGET THE CHEESE

• 1 pound brick of cheese, this may be the cheese of your choice, but a favorite is mild cheddar


• Crackers, a good buttery round or a whole wheat cracker is great for this. Try one of those new flat bread crackers too.


• Sliced Ham

Slice cheese into small slices that will fit on the crackers you have chosen. Slice the ham into strips and wrap around the middle of the cheese slice. Place on crackers. You may wish to garnish some or all of the crackers with a piece of pimento, and olive, a sprig of parsley, or even a small stem of celery. Those slender tips with a couple of small leaves remaining look good and are edible.

With a little advanced planning and less than an hour you can put out a tray of assorted crowd pleasers. I can prepare these 5 dishes in about half an hour, but I do them often. Once you have your ingredients ready, assembly is quick. If you have children in the house, encourage them to help. They will be proud to carry the trays of appetizers they helped make and urge every one to try a taste. Happy Entertaining.

For over 20 years I have been working and playing online. I am a certified teacher, entrepreneur, website designer, and genealogist, and as such I find that people are constantly asking how to do ____.

At http://www.LifeWithBarbara.com I am working to share as much information as I can find. Why? Simply, because I really feel it is time to get back to basics. People Helping People. It is what has made us who we are. If you need information, free products to offer for sale or as bonuses for your business get them here with No log-in or payments of any kind required.

If you are looking for access to one of my other sites you can find the links at http://www.cagleonline.com. Read articles, watch free videos and more. Be sure to check out the Cagle Cooks section.

How to Make Her Desire YOU - 3 Quick Tips For Men

So,  you want to learn how to make a woman want you and only you?  The bad news is,  that most guys have no real clue as to what it is that they should be doing to make this happen.  The good news is,  you can learn how!  Making a woman desire after you is not as hard as it may seem at first.  Sure,  you might feel a little intimidated,  especially is she is a hottie,  but that doesn't have to keep you from getting her!

Here are 3 tips that should help give you the start that you need:

1.  Your approach should show no real hesitation.  When you are approaching a woman,  the last thing that you want her to pick up on is the sense of you being nervous.  Trust me,  they will pick up on that EASY,  especially if you are real hesitant about approaching her. 

2.  Forget the canned line approach.  Occasionally that might work out.  Usually it won't.  The more attractive a woman is,  the more likely it is that she has heard those same lines a million times before.  To really make a woman think of you,  you have to be at least a little unique in how you talk with her.  The goal is to stand out in her mind.

3.  This may sound funny,  but know in your mind that she is yours.  When you can trick your mind into thinking that you already have her,  then all that nervousness goes away in an instant.  And you will interact with her in a much different way.  The mindset is key.

Wanna know more?

Go to: http://www.geturgirl.com NOW!

You can publish this article as long as you keep it intact and the URL active.

How to Grow With Water

It sounds like a compendium off elementary school facts: The Earth's surface is more water than land; our bodies are mostly water; you cart survive for weeks without eating but will likely die within a few days of your last drink. Despite all the discussions about water we've been having since grade school, a lot of confusion remains. Not so much about the geological makeup of the planet or our biological makeup, but about how much you need to ingest and when.

The bottom line is that without proper water intake, your bodybuilding efforts will be compromised. If you're serious about building muscle, here's what you need to know about [H.sub.2]O.

The biggest question is also the most argued and the most important for those of you concerned with both your health and your physiques: How much water should you drink per day? You've probably heard conflicting tidbits of conventional wisdom. Some people swear you should count every glass, aiming for about eight each day; others say you should just drink whenever you feel thirsty.Then there are those hardcore gym freaks who carry a gallon-size bottle of water around while lifting, slugging it back between sets.

The Institute of Medicine (IOM) in Washington, D.C., which sets dietary regulations, reviewed the research on hydration and water intake in 2004 and released an updated recommendation. It said that to maintain optimal hydration, men need to drink 16 cups of water a day, and women need 11. Sound like a lot? Well, for one thing, when the IOM says cups, it actually means cups, as in not glasses or mugs, but 1 cup 8 ounces. That makes a total of 128 ounces of water per day, or 1 gallon. Not everyone thinks that much water is necessary. The authors of a study published in the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology in April 2008 examined existing research on water intake and found no evidence that drinking extra water is good for you. Their review was found to be extremely flawed, however, and their ultimate conclusion was that there's also no evidence that drinking extra water is not good for you.

Research increasingly shows that getting even slightly less water than your body needs can have notable effects on everything from strength to muscle growth. A study published in 2001 in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research had 10 trained men perform their one-rep max (IRM) bench press in a normally hydrated state and again in both a dehydrated state and after having rehydrated. When they were dehydrated, subjects' IRMs decreased compared to their normal and rehydrated states. In addition, the leaner the subject, the more dehydration affected him.

Scientists concluded that even a 15% loss in body mass due to dehydration that's only 3 pounds for a 200-pound man resulted in a significant decrease in strength. And not just muscle function is affected.

Research

A new study conducted at the University of Connecticut (Storrs) found that dehydration and resistance exercise can be a bad combination, negatively impacting the ideal hormonal state for muscle growth. Researchers had study subjects complete three identical bouts of exercise in three different states: normally hydrated, moderately dehydrated (about 2.5% of body mass lost) and more severely dehydrated (about 5% of body mass lost). They then drew subjects' blood and tested it for a slew of hormones linked to muscle growth, such as testosterone, cortisol, growth hormone, insulinlike growth factor-1, insulin, glucose, lactate and more. Being underhydrated was found to negatively affect testosterone levels in two ways. One, it boosts levels of Cortisol, which competes with testosterone for receptors and can drive down T levels, and two, it reduces how much testosterone is released in response to exercise. It also affected the metabolism of carbs and fat, meaning you might end up with more bodyfat. Altogether, the evidence is strong and mounting that keeping your body well-hydrated is important not only to overall health but also to the pursuit of muscle.

It's nearly impossible to predict how much water an individual will lose during exercise. Every trainee's sweat rate is different and linked to such variables as percent bodyfat, conditioning, heat acclimation, exercise intensity, altitude, even genetics. That said, most athletes lose 0.5-2 liters of sweat per hour of exercise. Since the ratio of water lost to water replaced is 1:1, that means you need to drink anywhere up to 2 liters of water to replace what you lose.

Rule Of Thumb

One rule of thumb is to weigh yourself before and after the workout and drink about a pint (16 ounces) for every pound you've lost. But you also lose water driving to the gym, sleeping at night, eating one of your seven daily meals, etc. In fact, the mere act of breathing is responsible for the majority of the body's water losses, hence our recommendation to drink a gallon of water per day.

Content prepared for http://www.hiasin.com

Motivate Your Employees Through Storytelling

Nonprofit organizations use the stories of others to move people to dig deep into their pockets and give to groups or individuals in need. In many ways, nonprofits are expert storytellers or they wouldn't raise the funds needed to help others. Storytelling doesn't have to be a motivational tool that only nonprofit organizations use effectively; any company can learn to tell a story in order to increase production and inspire employees. In order for employees to be motivated through storytelling, three things need to happen; know your goal, find a hook, and finally, share it authentically.

Knowing the Goal

Before jumping into a motivational story, you need to have a goal in mind. Think about what you want your story to accomplish? Do you want your employees to work extra hours or perhaps develop a new product? More often than not, if you're looking to inspire your employees, it's because you're sharing a vision with them. When you use storytelling to share a vision, be clear in what you want them to see. If you're not clear, your story will be ineffective and the vision or goal you have will be lost.

Hooking Your Audience

When you read a book or see a movie, there comes a point in the story where you are committed to it. You either love it or hate it. It's the point in which you are "hooked". Much like the artistic hook, when you're using storytelling as a means to motivate your employees, you must be able to hook them and get them committed to the story you're telling or they either won't understand the goal, or worse, they will stop listening altogether. The point of hooking your employees early on is so that they will become vested in wanting to know what comes next in your story.

Storytelling with Feeling

When you share your story with your employees, it needs to feel original; meaning it can't sound like a canned speech. The authentic feeling your put into your story is essential for your employees finding your story believable and thus feel inspired to act in the manner you want. Storytelling can't be emotionless. The storyteller must feel that the story is important to them or it won't be important to the audience.

Two recommendations:

If you're interested in storytelling, Profitable Storytelling is a fantastic site!

And for an incredible source of motivation, you really need to look at BlindMentor.com You'll be really glad you did!

The Who, What, Where, and Why of Christian Book Promotion & Marketing

So, do you think every Christian needs to read your book? If you do, let us stop for a moment and get real. If you think your book is going to end up in WalMart, on Oprah, and on the NY Times Bestseller List...really, I hate to rain on your parade, but you really are setting yourself up for a lot of disappointment. It will help from the start to have realistic expectations and recognize clearly who your real market is. You must ask your self these defining questions...who, what and where? Then you must prove the why.

If you cannot narrow down your who into a specific people group, the narrower the better, the more difficult you will find marketing and promoting your book.

WHO?

If your who is all Christian, all women, all men, or all teens, then we've got a problem. Your goal should be to target your message to a more specific people group, like:

• New moms


• Single moms


• People in sales


• Military wives


• Cancer survivors


• Homeschoolers


• Christian writers


• Teachers


• The grieving


• Bereavement counselors


• Child abuse survivors


• Teens struggling with addictions


• Women struggling with eating disorders


• Christian counselors


• Runners or hikers


• Pastors or church leaders


• Wives of veterans


• Parents of terminally ill children


• Caregivers


• Senior citizens


• Stay at home moms


• Dog lovers


• Cat lovers


• And so on

The more clearly you can define your market, the easier it will be to find ways to advertise and promote to them.

If you are a fiction writer, make sure you include an issue in your story. Do not just have your main character become a Christian, but create someone struggling with abortion, infertility, domestic violence, infidelity, prodigal children, AIDS, homosexuality, etc. This will help you niche market your fiction title much easier since there are many support groups in the church and secular world reaching out to those dealing with issues, giving you a greater potential reading audience, again, because it is targeted.

WHAT?

Once you've determined the who and hopefully narrowed down your market to a niche group of potential readers, it is time to take a look at the what:

• What magazines or newsletters or newspapers or catalogs might they read?


• What radio stations do they listen to?


• What TV shows do they watch?


• What websites do they visit?


• What keywords are they typing into an internet search engine?


• What blogs do they read?

These days you see magazines, catalogs, websites and newsletters targeted for specific people groups. Many support groups have newsletters to keep in touch with their membership and typically the cost to advertise is low. Also, the chances of getting your book reviewed are much better in this type of publication than in a huge, well known publication...especially if your book offers great benefit to their readers.

All too often, authors gravitate towards the well known, full color, slick magazines like Christianity Today, Discipleship Journal, Charisma and the like. But beware...to advertise in these publications is not only extremely expensive, but typically very unproductive because the audience is so broad. You could easily spend thousands of dollars and get about as much return as flushing your money down the toilet would!

Take a few moments and come up with a list of keywords that relate to your topic. Then go to a few different search engines (http://www.google.com; http://www.dogpile.com; etc.) and type in each one of the keywords on your list. You will be amazed at all the resources you will find on the internet...and many of them are looking for important books like yours to add to their list of links and recommended reading.

The essential opportunities to look for are resources that are focused on meeting the needs of your particular people group. Whether it is a daily or weekly radio or TV show, a catalog, or newsletter, or an e-zine, blog or website, do some research to see what you can find that is dedicated to your prospective readers. Those are the kinds of websites, publications and media resources that you will want to prayerfully add to your marketing plan.

WHERE?

So where are you going to find these prospective buyers? Another reason to get as specific as possible is that you will find that the more specific the people group is, the easier it will be to find events and happenings where they might gather. Whether it's in cyberspace, or in your physical locale, people who share similar interests or challenges tend to gather on a regular basis. This is good news for you if your book is a resource that will meet their needs.

Online

• Message boards


• Forums


• Chat groups


• Opt-in newsletters


• Targeted websites


• Blogs


• E-Zines


• Social networks (myspace.com; facebook.com, etc.)


• Teleclasses


• Web Conferences

Offline

• Support groups


• Seminars and conferences


• Bible Studies


• Book Clubs


• Conventions (annual, regional, etc.)


• Civic groups


• Churches


• Monthly membership meetings


• Christian workers conferences


• Christian Education conventions


• Street Fairs / Festivals

You've zeroed in on your niche market, but now begs the question...why should anyone buy your book? What do you have to offer them?

At this point the best thing you could do is get some valuable feedback. Get a group of your supporters together for a creative inspiration session. Brainstorm a list of places where you can find those who need to hear your message. While you're at it, ask your focus group these important questions:

• What does your book offer?


• What problem does it help the reader solve?

Spend some additional time listing all the benefits of the message and then take a break. After a snack, come back together and go over the list, highlighting the most compelling and exciting benefits. These are the ones you will want to use in your sales copy in advertising, back cover copy, and a short description for a catalog.

WHY?

The truth is, people are selfish. That's our sinful nature and there's no getting around it...that said, most don't really care why you wrote your book, what they really want to know is what is in it for them. Why should they take the time to read what you have to say?

Hopefully you've already gone before the Lord to make sure your message is His message, getting rid of anything that draws attention to yourself and embellishing whatever glorifies the Lord. With that done, you need to clearly and articulately encapsulate the benefit your book offers your reader.

If you cannot come up with sales copy of less than 40 words, then you might be in trouble. Let's face it, people are busy. If you meet someone in an elevator; you don't have 15 minutes to tell them about your book...you need a sound byte...a "bottom line" describing the problem that exists and the solution you offer.

You should be able to share your sales copy (or "elevator speech") one on one in 30 seconds or less. You've got to be able to communicate what's in it for the reader and be ready to expound on that as the opportunity arises. Just make sure your copy sounds natural when you say it...if it is too flowery or technical it will sound canned. It needs to be natural yet compelling to those who hear it without so many words that your listener gets lost.

As you consider the troubles you help others conquer, as a Christian writer, you are able to offer a real and enduring solution for the trials of this life. It is true that the solution is surrendering ones life fully to Jesus and becoming a disciple whose only goal is to do His will, but that does not necessarily mean that the Lord is going to solve all of our problems and we will never have to suffer.

Readers are tired of trite, superficial answers to the challenges of this life. We must, as Christian writers, give them an opportunity to go deeper and experience true life by the power of the Holy Spirit as the only solution to the issues they face.

So what are you helping your reader to overcome? Depression? Loneliness? Abuse? Unforgiveness? Anger? Betrayal or infidelity? Fear of the future? Grief over the loss of a loved one? Make sure you use this information in the back cover copy and all advertising and sales material so that your potential readers will relate based on their felt needs and see that you may have some answers for them.

In conclusion, by clearly determining who your market is, what type of media they prefer, where they congregate with others, and why they should buy your book, you have the basics that you'll need for success. Now you can create and launch a successful marketing campaign to get your message into the hands of those who need to read it.

Athena Dean, founder of WinePress Publishing and three-time self-published author, has coached hundreds of authors through the daunting task of book production and promotion. Over the last 17 years she has helped bring the degree of credibility for self-published works up to the high level of acceptance in the industry it enjoys today. Athena functions as Acquisitions Manager for WinePress Publishing Group http://www.winepressgroup.com and is currently the President of the Northwest Christian Writers' Association http://www.nwchristianwriters.org Check out her You Can Do It - Promote and Market Your Self Published Book Blog at http://athenadean.authorweblog.com

Ringing in Ears Blood Pressure Problems - 3 Tips to Stop the Whooshing Noise in You Ears

You probably already know that hearing loss and its unwelcome cousin, tinnitus is most often caused by subjecting your ears to loud noises. Other causes include head injuries, sinus and ear infections, wax build-up, high cholesterol, TMJ problems or dental problems, food allergies, certain types of tumors and high blood pressure. If you have an odd whooshing or thumping ringing in ears, then high blood pressure may be linked to the cause. Here's help to get over this confounding problem.

Say Hello to Pulsatile Tinnitus

Tinnitus is the medical term for "ringing in the ears" although some people hear other sounds. Normally the noises can't be heard by anyone else and there is no obvious cause of the noise in your ears. You may hear it in one ear or both ears. The noises vary, but in pulsatile tinnitus the noise is described as a drumming, thumping or whooshing noise in the ears. Anyone of any age can experience of tinnitus. Some times the noises last for minutes, other times the noise never goes away.

Does the sound in your ears beat in time with your pulse? This is called pulsatile or vascular tinnitus. Approximately 3% of tinnitus patients experience this kind of tinnitus. When you have pulsatile tinnitus you hear a rhythmic pulsing, often in time with your heartbeat.

Ringing in ears blood pressure related noises are caused by a narrowing or a partial blockage of your arteries or blood vessels caused from an atheroma. The most common cause of pulsatile tinnitus is arterial turbulence, a noisy blood flow caused by plaques or kinks in the arteries in the head or neck. An atheroma is an abnormal accumulation and swelling of cholesterol and fatty acids, calcium mineral and fibrous connective tissues within the walls of your arteries. It can be made worse if there is also hypertension. The good news is that many forms of pulsatile tinnitus are treatable.

Tips To Stop Ringing In Ears Blood Pressure Problems

Pulsatile tinnitus is a symptom of a more serious condition and you are advised seek out your physician's advice to reduce your cholesterol levels as soon as possible. Here are some natural steps to ending your pulsatile tinnitus.

1. Salt contains sodium. Sodium causes the sounds of tinnitus to become louder and more intense. High sodium levels lead to high blood pressure problems. So back off or completely stop adding salt to your food. Search out low sodium products when buying canned or pre-packaged foods.

2. Try lowering your blood pressure without synthetic drugs. Add omega rich fish oil to your diet and eat more fiber. If you love oatmeal or oat bran flakes eat it every day as they offer the largest cholesterol lowering effects of all grains.

3. Dairy products can aggravate tinnitus and add to cholesterol problems (which lead to pulsatile tinnitus.) Try eliminating all dairy products from your diet for 10 days. Keep a daily log of any changes (good or bad) in your ringing in ears blood pressure related noises. If at the end of 10 days you noticed a reduction in the pulsatile related noises, then continue on without dairy or slowly add it back in with skim/low fat dairy products.

If you are tired of living with the noises related to pulsatile tinnitus, you need to get your blood pressure or cholesterol problems under control. The above tips are easy and you may find that you get relief from ringing in ears blood pressure related noises in days. Get your hands on more free tips for a life free of tinnitus at http://MyCureForTinnitus.com.

Why Cats Need Canned Food

Cats are true carnivores, requiring a meat-based diet for optimal health. Their natural diet is prey such as rodents, lizards, insects, and birds. These prey consist primarily of water, protein and fat, with less than 10% carbohydrate (starch, sugar and fiber) content. Cats are exquisitely adapted to utilize fat and protein for energy. They are not at all like dogs and people, who are adapted to use carbohydrates for energy.

When feeding our companion cats, the most logical strategy is to feed the diet that most closely mimics the natural prey diet. A homemade diet is an excellent way to accomplish this, but it isn't always practical. Feeding more (or only) canned food is another way--one that is often easier for people to deal with. Canned foods are higher in fat and protein, and lower in carbohydrates, than dry foods. Their high water content increases the cat's overall fluid intake, which keeps the kidneys and bladder healthy. The higher fat contributes to skin and coat health. Because the ingredients are more easily digested and utilized by the cat's body, canned foods produce less solid waste in the litterbox--and who doesn't appreciate that?

Another feature of the cat's natural diet is variety. A hunting cat doesn't one day decide to eat only purple finches! He will eat any small prey he can catch: chickadees, mice, grasshoppers, robins, or rabbits. Likewise, we should feed our cats a variety of foods. Variety keeps cats from becoming finicky and food-addicted, lessens the chance of dietary excess or deficiency of any single nutrient, and may prevent the development of food intolerances, allergies, and inflammatory bowel disease. Feeding the same dry food year after year greatly increases the risk of these problems. With canned food, it is easy to vary the flavors and protein sources.

Dry food typically contains 35-50% carbohydrates, mostly as starch. (The new "grain-free" foods may be as little as 20% carbohydrate). This is necessary because the equipment that makes dry food requires a high-starch, low-fat dough for proper processing. Cereal grains provide an inexpensive and plentiful source of calories, which allows manufacturers to produce foods containing adequate calories at an affordable price. A few dry foods provide less carbohydrates, in some cases substituting starchy vegetables and soy for cereal grains; but they are still heavily processed and just as dehydrating (if not more so) than regular dry food.

Adult cats need 2-3 times more protein than dogs. Yet dry cat foods generally supply only about 1/3 more protein than dry dog foods-about 30-35% in dry cat food compared to 20-26% for the average dry dog food. "Kidney" diets for cats in renal failure are even more restrictive with 26-28% protein (such diets should never be fed to normal cats; they will cause muscle wasting as the cat breaks down its own body for protein). Canned cat foods contain 45-50% protein, and canned kitten foods may contain up to 55% protein. (All percentages calculated on a dry matter basis.)

Cats are attracted to food that has a strong meat or fat flavor. Pet food manufacturers go to great lengths to make their starch-based dry foods palatable to cats. They may coat the kibbles with fat or with "animal digest," a powder made of chemically or enzymatically digested animal by-products. The result may be a cat who overeats, not because he's hungry, but because he loves the taste of the food and doesn't want to stop. (I think we've all been there!)

Dry food is very dehydrating. Our feline friends descend from desert-dwelling wild cats who are well adapted to limited water resources. Their ultra-efficient kidneys are able to extract most of their moisture needs from their prey. However, the end result is that cats have a very low thirst drive, and will not drink water until they are 3-5% dehydrated (a level at which, clinically, a veterinarian would administer fluid therapy). Cats eating only dry food take in only half the moisture of a cat eating only canned food. This chronic dehydration may be a factor in kidney disease, and is known to be a major contributor to bladder disease (crystals, stones, FUS, FLUTD, cystitis). Caution: adding water or milk to dry food does not solve the problem; and the fact that there are always bacteria on the surface of dry food means that adding moisture can result in massive bacterial growth--and a very upset tummy.

The high heat used in processing dry food damages (denatures) the proteins in the food. The resulting unnatural proteins may trigger an immune response that can lead to food allergies and inflammatory bowel disease.

There is increasing evidence that carbohydrates (starches and sugars) in dry food are simply not metabolized well by many, if not most cats. While obesity is caused by many factors, the free-choice feeding of dry food to a relatively inactive cat is a major player. Obese cats are prone to joint problems, liver and kidney disease, and diabetes.

Recent research has shown that high-carbohydrate diets are to blame in most cases of feline diabetes. Many overweight cats are carbohydrate-intolerant, and should be fed low-carbohydrate diets (think "Catkins" diet!). This means canned food. Experts are now recommending canned kitten food as the primary treatment for diabetes. Many diabetic cats can decrease or even eliminate their need for insulin, simply by changing to a high-protein, low-carbohydrate diet. Ultimately, canned food may be even more beneficial as a preventative for this devastating disease.

Overweight cats may greatly benefit from a switch to an all-canned diet. Any all life stages and kitten foods is fine, although you do get what you pay for, and quality is important. Most cats lose weight more efficiently on a canned food than dry food diet. Even though they're often eating more calories, these diets are much better suited to the unique feline metabolism.

If your cat is not used to eating canned food, add it to the diet slowly in small amounts. It is so different in composition from dry food that it may cause tummy upset at first.

If a cat won't eat canned food, it's usually because of a dry food addiction, or because he isn't hungry enough to try something new. Start by putting the cat on a meal-feeding schedule, leaving dry food out only an hour each, morning and night. Once he's accustomed to the schedule, put a little canned food down first. Most cats will be willing to try it at that point.

Dry food is a great convenience and may be necessary in some cases when the guardian is gone long hours or cannot feed on a regular schedule. But at least 50% of the diet (preferably 100% if you want to ensure optimum health!) should be a high-protein, high-moisture, low-carb diet such as canned or homemade food. Your cat will be healthier, and while you'll spend a little more on food up front, ultimately you'll save hundreds, if not thousands, on veterinary bills!

Dr. Jean Hofve is a retired holistic veterinarian with a special interest in nutrition and behavior. Her informational website, http://www.littlebigcat.com, features an extensive free article library on feline health and pet nutrition, as well as a free e-newsletter. Dr. Hofve founded Spirit Essences Holistic Remedies for Animals (www.spiritessence.com) in 1995; and it remains the only line of flower essence formulas designed by a veterinarian. She is a certified Medicine Woman within the Nemenhah Native American Traditional Organization who uses holistic remedies as a part of body-mind-spiritual healing.