Creative humans in the last 10,000 years have revolutionized diet with the domestication of cereal crops, but the mammalian genome has not yet adapted to a diet high in soluble carbohydrate and excess energy. 10,000 years in the history of evolution is the same as one second in five days. The mammalian species is far better perfected to deal with lack of nutrition, the constant problem evolution had to solve.
Current nutrition policy gets it wrong with its emphasis on reducing fat in the diet. Why, if fat is the culprit in our diet, has fat consumption declined, yet obesity is skyrocketing, in both pets and people? Why, if fat is the reason for diet excess, does the Atkins diet cause weight loss yet allow unlimited dietary fat? Could it be that fat is not the problem? Maybe we have overlooked something.
Often, while pet owners believe they are providing the best nutrition, failure to restrict carbohydrates silently robs their pets of health and longevity.
The book explains how behaviour, both of pets and people, is a critical aspect of any proper diet.
Contents
- Early paradoxes as an animal nutritionist
- Adaptability perfected by lack: the eloquence of lack
- The primordial diet: always something to eat
- Nutrition and animal behaviour: how pets train people
- Horse nutrition - the paradox continues
- The cat: paradox at its extreme
- Major dietary components: important big things
- Vitamins and nutricines: important small things
- Minerals: from rocks to nutrients
- Anatomy and digestive physiology: design and layout
- The feeding and support of microbes (probiotics and prebiotics): tiny beasts with big effects
- Labelling and regulations: how we know what we feed
- What to feed: looking after your pet
- Index