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Remembering BirD-elicious! Foods…

Filed under: Basic Parrot Nutrition — 6 Comments

November 15, 2011

“Your home for really, really SAFE bird products!”(TM)

“I am really impressed with the ingredients of your food. I thought there was nothing better than [the food I am currently feeding] because it is organic and has clay. I cannot tell you how excited I am to buy some of your food.Thanks again, Racheal of MN”

These foods represent only a few of the many, many foods we offered when we were in full production!

As many of you remember we offered species-specific daily diets for almost every parrot species common to all parrot-lovers! In addition, as you can tell by our list of species and all of the related symptom related diets, we had diets formulated to address many disorders as well as a full list of breakfast foods, and mashes such as you see pictured here.

We also had delicious, but nutritious, treats as well as edible foraging treats designed to keep even the busiest beaks busy for hours!

Our toy line was designed with only the most natural and rugged parts with only stainless steel hardware to ensure your birds never came in contact with heavy metals that could cause metal toxicity.

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Tags: African Grey, best bird food forum, bird food, bird nutrition, Bird-elicious, Birdelicious, Cockatiel, Cockatoo, Conure, healthy bird food, Indian Ringneck, Lovebird, Macaw, Parrot, parrot food, parrot nutrition, Parrots, Quaker, the best bird food

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Carbohydrates: Choosing the Right Carbs for Our Companion Birds

Filed under: Basic Parrot Nutrition, G) Carbohydrates — 1 Comment

February 22, 2012

Carbohydrates play an important role in the health and nutrition of our companion birds, but unfortunately they are grossly misunderstood. What is a “carbohydrate”? How are carbohydrates utilized by the body? What are the right kinds of carbohydrates? What is the difference between “simple” and “complex” carbohydrates?

First of all we need to understand that carbohydrates are a form of sugar. The main function of carbohydrates is to provide additional energy to the living body. This is supportive energy in addition to the energy that is provided by “good fat”. Carbohydrates, in the form of sugars, provide “quick energy”; they do not provide long-lasting energy the body can draw from for long periods of time, like energy that is derived from stored from fat. Carbohydrates are metabolized at a faster metabolic rate than fats are metabolized. They are metabolized into sugars that get transported into the metabolic system.

Carbohydrates break down into glucose, a sugar that the body recognizes as a useable fuel source. Glucose then gets transported throughout the body by way of the metabolic system, in other words through blood and lymph. Proteins and fats must be broken down into carbohydrates before they can be used by the body for energy. This is why the diet should be higher in healthy carbohydrates than proteins or fats. But a diet balanced in the correct ratio of protein-to-fat-to-carbohydrates as well as the right kind of carbohydrates must be provided so that unnecessary or improper weight gain does not occur. If the incorrect kind of carbohydrates are consumed on a regular basis there will be left over glycogen that will be stored in the fat cells as adipose fat tissue which may lead to obesity and other cascading health issues, even diabetes.

It’s important to know that it’s not enough to understand the difference between “simple” and “complex” carbohydrates. We must really understand the molecular structure of carbohydrates; simple carbs are constructed of one molecule and complex carbs are constructed of two or more molecules. And we must also understand that there are good and bad carbohydrates in each category.

Since complex carbohydrates are those that contain multiple molecules they must go through a metabolic process in which the body recognizes the “sugar” as a friendly fuel source known as “glucose” which only contains one molecule. Living creatures can only properly utilize one-molecule carbohydrates, therefore any and every multi-molecule carbohydrate that enters a living body has to be broken down into this one-molecule form before the body can utilize it as an energy source, it’s just much more efficient if the source is already in a recognizable form as in the case of most simple carbohydrates.

Because simple carbohydrates are made up of only one molecule the body recognizes them as friendly and easy to metabolize, the body doesn’t have to work as hard to utilize simple carbohydrates; this doesn’t place a strain on the liver and kidneys. That is, as long as the type of simple carbohydrate consumed is a natural carbohydrate and not refined such as in sugar, pasta made with white flour, or white breads, these kinds of simple carbohydrates are unhealthy to consume and actually overtax the liver and kidneys causing a buildup of adipose fat in the fat cells by way of supplying too much sugar for the body to utilize. Simple carbohydrates enter the blood system at a quicker rate so they provide quick energy, but complex carbs enter the blood system at a slower rate, providing energy over a more even and extended period of time.

It is important to keep in mind that our companion birds are not far removed from their wild and instinctual behavior to fly freely in the skies and therefore still maintain the need to process their energy sources quickly. For this reason it is of utmost importance to understand the kind of carbohydrates their body requires as readily digestible and easily metabolized energy sources. Unfortunately many of the foodstuffs being fed to our companion birds today are not these types of energy sources.

I could go into a very long dissertation regarding how all of this works within the digestion system, but I reserve that in depth information for my up and coming book regarding companion bird nutrition. So for now I will just talk about which foods I believe to be the best to feed to keep our companion birds’ internal motors humming and which foods I believe we need to try to avoid.

The complex carbohydrates I try to stay away from, well actually I avoid at all costs, are all kinds of pastas, even whole-grain pastas because they still contain starch which weighs the digestive tract down, potatoes, rice, whether it be white, brown or any other variety, corn, wheat, whether the wheat is processed or whole-grain, and soy. These, along with the simple white/refined carbohydrates I listed above, are absolutely at the top of my list to avoid. All of them either contain high amounts of starch or gluten. Starch is a sticky, waxy substance that our companion birds cannot break down in their digestive tract because they lack the enzymes and acids to do so. And even if we cook them, at best these items break down into a gel-like substance, they do not become water-soluble. If they cannot become water –soluble then what does that say about their ability to be completely metabolized by the metabolic system? Then, some of these items contain gluten, an indigestible protein. And at least one of them, soy, contains phyto-estrogens that can actually change the hormonal balance of our birds’ delicate hormonal system.

Other complex carbohydrates I feed, but in very limited quantities are oats, millet, barley and legumes. While these may be high in plant protein, we have to be careful because they tend to be high in glutens or starch as well. In addition some of them actually need to be soaked or cooked to obtain any real nutrition from them at all. In the wild birds do not cook their foods before ingesting them.

Vegetables also fall into the category of complex carbohydrates and I am moving away from feeding them to companion birds for this very reason plus the fact that they contain dense cellulose that is difficult for parrots to digest.

On the other hand there are some very reliable simple carbohydrates that I feed on a regular basis such as alfalfa, mango, peaches, blueberries, raspberries, persimmon, papaya, grapefruit, dandelion greens, pears, various nuts, various seed, but especially hemp, flax, red clover and safflower seed (a bitter-tasting seed).

The more research I perform for these beautiful creatures of the air the more I am convinced that they are designed to consume mainly fruit and berries, but not so much the actual fruit and berries but the seed contained within. They are also designed to consume other seed, usually bitter-tasting seed they find in the wild along with tender grass shoots, tender leaves from bushes and trees. They will occasionally consume soft barks and once in awhile snack on the delicacy of an insect or two. Rarely will you find them consuming grains or vegetables and only if there is not an abundance of the aforementioned foods I listed because their primary food sources have become scarce or are completely unavailable. It is us, being the “civilized” creatures we are, who are attempting to change their eating habits by introducing grains and vegetables, and now even meat, into the daily diets of these mostly herbivorous creature’s lives. But if we would really look more closely at what they consume in the wild long before we began invading their habitat and planting crops that are not indigenous to their land, these creatures would not be consuming the very foods we are attempting to “domesticate” their internal organs to today.

If we would take a closer look at what we have forcibly evolved our companion birds’ diet into, feeding them diets high in grains, and now even vegetables and sometimes meat, we would soon come to understand why they are showing signs of physical and even emotional stress. We cannot take a “wild” animal through the process of true domestication and expect absolutely no signs of physical, mental and emotional stress to present throughout the process. By removing these creatures from their wild habitat we are changing their natural environment (living space), their creature comforts, the air they breathe, their daylight and darkness of night, all of their natural food sources, among many, many other factors. It absolutely does not make any sense to think we can change all of these factors, including what they internally ingest without inducing a negative impact on their overall mental, emotional and physical health and well-being.

In conclusion, I am of the opinion that it is not us that should expect their internal organs to adjust to what we want to feed them, but that we should adapt to feeding them what their systems are already equipped to consume and try to find viable solutions to try to find foods that are at least similar to what they would consume in the wild. While we cannot feed the exact same foods they would find in the wild, we can at least find comparable food sources that are in the same categories, mostly simple carbohydrates containing vital omega fatty acids their delicate systems recognize along with plant proteins their bodies can easily digest and metabolize. Vegetables, grains, pastas, breads and meats are not what these creatures would consume in their natural habitats. We need to be feeding fruits, berries, seed, nuts, and tender grasses, tender bush and tree leaves, soft barks and tiny amounts of insects with the life-giving-healing elements and nutrients their delicate systems crave in order to thrive.

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*Information supplied by The BEST Bird Food or any of its contributors, associates, et al, does not intend to diagnose, treat or cure any symptom, illness or disease. Any information provided is strictly for the purpose of “sharing” resources. Should a reader decide to use any such information they do so at their own risk and holds author(s) and associates, et al, of The BEST Bird Food blog harmless in any and all legal matters concerning their health and the health of their family and/or friends and/or colleagues who they may share the information with as well as all of their pets and/or livestock whom they may practice the information upon.

Tags: best bird food, bird nutrition, Bird-elicious, Birdelicious, Carbohydrates in bird diet, Carbohydrates in companion bird diet, Carbohydrates in parrot diet, Complex carbohydrates in parrot diet, Diabetes in birds, Diabetes in companion birds, diabetes in parrots, parrot nutrition, Simple carbohydrates in parrot diet

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“SHI”:Seasonal Hormonal Irregularity- Understanding and Comforting Your Bird

Filed under: Behavior, Specialized Information — Leave a comment

February 15, 2012

Yes, it’s that time of the year when our beloved companion birds begin to “sow their wild oats”! And while this behavior is perfectly normal, and it provides a good time to molt those old, worn out feathers to grow beautiful new feathers in, the behavior that comes along with this seasonal behavior can both cause great discomfort to our birds and drive us absolutely up the wall!

Although not all companion birds experience this phenomenon at the same time of the year, because of the circadian clock, each bird really does have its very own cycle. But for many of us, we will experience this behavior along with many of our fellow exotic bird-lovers.

There is a lot we can do to come to the aid of our birds to provide them comfort, and us as well, during this very frustrating and uncomfortable time.

First and foremost we need to have a good understanding of what biologically takes place in our birds during breeding season. An abundance of testosterone is produced by both the male and the female birds. So in order to help curtail this “mating and breeding behavior” we actually want to help lower the testosterone our birds’ systems are naturally producing.

Testosterone is synthesized from cholesterol, so this is one good reason we want to keep cholesterol at a healthy level in our birds. But let me explain what I mean, we can’t just take my statement at face value and say that we need to avoid cholesterol overall in order to prevent testosterone from being produced. It’s the lousy “LDL” cholesterol we want to avoid in our birds’ diet, such as fat obtained from the long chain fatty acids (LCFA’s) from meat or other animal products. We actually want to keep the healthy “HDL” good high density lipoproteins (normally obtained from plant fatty acids, medium chain fatty acids (MCFA’s) in our birds’ diets. Our birds need the good “HDL’s” in order to transport oxygen and other nutrients throughout the body. The brain which consists of mostly “fat cells” especially needs these healthy “good fats” in the form of Omegas obtained from certain plant oils. And by raising the “HDL’s” and offering healthy Omegas in the form of *Palm Fruit and Coconut oil during breeding season we will help calm our birds’ overall behavior, while also providing the “good fats” they need for healthy overall nutritional support and proper brain function. However, I must caution you, DO NOT use hemp and flax oil during breeding season, these are high in nutrients that actually help produce testosterone. At any other time of the year these are perfectly safe oils to use, but not during this time period known as “Seasonal Hormonal Irregularity (SHI)”. *(Palm fruit oil is high in beta-carotene and naturally synthesizes into vitamin A during the metabolic process in our birds’ systems, which is normally very good for our companion birds, and I highly recommend feeding this oil on an occasional basis. However, there is some, though very scarce, research that indicates that vitamin A may contribute to the synthesis of testosterone. If this is accurate research we would want to avoid feeding Palm oil during the breeding season and feed only Coconut oil, avoiding all other types of oils completely. I would take each bird on an individual basis and watch their behavior closely. If you witness your bird becoming aggressive or cranky after you have fed Palm oil, simply discontinue feeding it until after breeding season has lapsed.)

Anyway, this cholesterol I mentioned above, comes from cells in the ovaries in females and from cells in the testes of males. These cells synthesize and secrete the androgens, androstenedione and dihydroepiandosterone (DHEA). Small amounts of testosterone are also secreted by the adrenal glands, but most of it comes from the testes in males and the ovaries in females.
The amount of testosterone produced and secreted is controlled by a circulating luteinizing hormone (LH), as well as a follicle stimulation hormone (FSH)(not to be confused with feather follicles in any way, this hormone is strictly concerned with the ovaries ability to reproduce). These two hormones are secreted by the pituitary gland and are regulated by the hypothalamus gland located deep within the brain. This is a self-regulating process and is drastically affected by physiological as well as environmental conditions. These hormones primarily regulate ovulation in female birds although it does have an effect on testosterone levels in females as well, but it primarily regulates testosterone in males.

The pineal gland integrates the photoperiod by which a living creature regulates its life cycle, it is responsible for the circadian rhythm, and it produces melatonin and it is that hormone that carries both the LH, the FSH as well as prolactin a luteotrpic hormone (LTH) that is a protein-like substance and an important regulator of the immune system. Prolactin serves an important function in overall growth of all body parts but also plays an important role in blood coagulation as well.

If you have ever wondered what the biological connection is between breeding season and a good molt, this is the reason.

Foods that are high in the “B” vitamins, but specifically B5, B6 and B12 as well as foods high in zinc, will actually increase libido, in both female and male birds, because they help in the production of testosterone. These foods would include bananas, figs, asparagus, fish, poultry, meat of any kind, eggs, basil, and literally all nuts and seeds. It may seem like you are starving your bird during breeding season by reducing or removing these foods, but keep in mind that many birds will be “love-sick” anyway and may actually reduce their food intake naturally. While birds may eat voraciously prior to actual breeding season, they may actually reduce their food intake upon the actual breeding time period in order to prepare for the activity ahead, mating and then later during the production of eggs and then brooding over them. So reducing their food intake is not a mean or harmful thing to do, and it may just help with lowering the amount of testosterone produced giving the bird, and you, a more peaceful and calm environment in which to live during this potentially stressful time.

Other foods we want to avoid feeding during this time are those high in the amino acid “Arginine” because it increases the gas known as “nitric oxide”. This gas expands, or dilates, the veins and arteries which actually helps increase the libido by allowing more blood to flow through the veins and arteries creating a pulsating, vibrating or “quivering” sensation. I have discussed this particular amino acid in great detail in a couple other blog posts so I will not go into detail here, rather you can just click on the hi-lighted words “Amino Acids” and “Arginine” to learn more about the effects of this essential, but cautionary amino acid on your bird’s diet and overall health.

However, during Seasonal Hormonal Irregularity (“SHI”) there are food items and delicacies you can add to your bird’s diet to help prevent the production of testosterone levels too, or just overall balance out the hormonal levels.

Yams (although these are high in Arginine so watch your individual bird carefully when feeding this food for any increased breeding/mating behavioral signs), the orange-red variety, are a natural phyto-estrogen and will aid in the balancing of hormones. And once again, yams are high in beta-carotene which as already mentioned, converts to vitamin A in the body’s own synthesizing process.

Dandelion greens are also touted as hormone balancing because they contain taraxerol and taraxasterol powerful triterpenoids that are anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and anti-tumor as well. In addition they are extremely high in beta-carotene. But don’t use Dandelion in overabundance as it is high in vitamin K, a powerful blood coagulant.

Red clover seed as well as red clover blossoms are excellent in aiding to balance hormonal levels in both male and female birds. If you find that your bird doesn’t like the whole red clover seed, simply grind the seed in a coffee bean grinder (after you have thoroughly washed the grinder) and mix the fine powder in with other foods your bird likes. I haven’t met a bird yet that doesn’t like the organic dried red clover blossoms (available from Mountain Rose Herbs).

Organic dried hibiscus flower petals are good for curtailing testosterone production too. You can feed them dry just as you would feed the dried red clover flowers; just add them in to your bird’s food. Or, if you would like you can steep a tea, let it cool, and give it to your bird as its drinking water a couple of days of the week. But don’t go overboard with it, just a couple of days out of each week throughout breeding season, not every day.

Generally foods that are high in the essential amino acid Lysine may help curtail the libido by constricting the veins and arteries to some degree, having the opposite effect of Arginine.

Another great treatment for curtailing testosterone production is the Young Living essential oil, “Clary Sage”. Once in the system it actually turns into estrogen. And of course we understand that when estrogen is at play, testosterone is not and libido is calmed down. You can either offer a drop or two on top of your birds food (yes, it is perfectly safe to feed, especially if you are offering a pure, organic blend such as the Young Living brand). Or, if you prefer, you can atomize it through an infuser at regular intervals of 2 minutes on and one hour off throughout a 24 hour period. If you find that even that is too strong for you and your household, reduce the time to 1 minute on and 1 hour off. Don’t infuse it 24/7 though, that would cause an overabundance of estrogen to be produced in both your birds and you!

Some people have found Bach Flower Essences to be of help with “SHI” and have suggested the use of “Cerato, Wild Oat and Scleranthus” added directly to their drinking water. While I have used Bach Flower Essences on occasion, I have not used these three in combination specifically for hormonal balance. But I would not hesitate to try them if the other methods I have listed failed to provide the relief my birds need during breeding season.

Now I wish to move on to another, but very important subject matter regarding your bird during breeding season and that is the topic regarding your bird’s environment! This includes not only your bird’s overall space (room, lighting, temperature, and humidity), but also the inside of its cage and the bowls and toys inside of the cage.

The canopy of the Rain Forest in which most of our exotic companion birds live is actually drier than most other parts of the overall forest. But most likely during breeding season it becomes more humid as the plants, flowers and trees begin to bloom. It is for this reason that I suggest, in order to curtail the breeding behavior that we attempt to “dry out” our birds’ space to some degree. I know this goes against everything we teach most of the time, but remember this is a specific time of year when we are attempting to avoid a particular kind of behavior and help our birds through a very uncomfortable and frustrating time of their seasonal life. So if you are running a humidifier I suggest you dial it back a little, don’t turn it off, just dial it back a tad, until breeding season is completely over and done with. This will help “click off” that part of the brain, the hypothalamus, and trick it into thinking that breeding season does not really exist, at least mentally. It doesn’t mean that the physiological aspects of your bird’s body, the molting and the growing in of new feathers, will stop all together, it just means that you are calming down the mental and emotional aspects of what your bird is experiencing. And you might want to cool down your bird’s room a tad too. Remember, in the wild if the humidity raises, the temperature does too. So if you are lowering the humidity as well as the temperature, you are curtailing the kind of environment that a wild bird would key into during a natural breeding season. You don’t have to make your bird’s room into a freezer, just turn the temperature down a degree or two, it will make all of the difference in the world.

Also during breeding season the days become longer, there are more daylight hours. So if there is any way possible don’t allow that to happen quite as fast as it’s actually happening in real life, make it happen at a slower pace so your bird can ease into the Spring and Summer months at a slower pace, gently easing your bird into the new season. If you can, allow your bird to take advantage of those longer days for a longer period of time, but at the same time don’t allow your bird to go to bed! WHAT? Yeah, that’s what I said. Because if you disrupt your bird’s normal sleeping pattern you will cause your bird’s entire physiological system to become off-balanced and that will have an effect on its ability to produce testosterone. So try to keep things dark around your bird’s room instead of allowing it to stay light at night, but keep your bird up later than usual to interrupt your bird’s overall system so it can’t produce the hormones it would normally produce, throw the system off-balance. You don’t have to keep your bird up another hour or two, just keep it up another 15 to 30 minutes, that’s enough to change your bird’s circadian cycle.

Next, consider the food bowls you have in your bird’s cage. Are they large enough to make nests in? If so you may want to consider replacing them with smaller bowls or bowls that be can’t climbed into and a nest be made in. Nesting instincts are very strong in these not-yet-truly-domesticated exotic birds and they will make use of anything they can to make a nice home for their potential eggs and potentially coming little nestlings.

And finally what you consider a toy for your bird may be looked at with completely different eyes by your bird. It may view that shreddable toy as nesting material. Remove the toy from the cage and if necessary don’t replace it with anything until breeding season has passed. If you can’t find a toy that doesn’t have any shreddable objects on it, then leave your bird without a toy. As harsh as it may sound, doing without a “toy” for awhile isn’t going to kill your bird. But there are toys on the market that are not shreddable, it takes a lot of looking, but they are out there, you just have to be diligent in your search. Hey, maybe you can spend more time with your bird teaching it how to come out of the cage, how to step up, or other new behaviors. That is unless spending more time with you brings out more breeding behaviors like regurgitating on you, showing its love and affection for you. If so, then “Polly” spending time alone in her cage may be the only solution during this time, unfortunately.

I think most of us understand why we shouldn’t be using “shreddable” toys in our bird’s cage during “SHI”, because they can be used as nesting material and thus encourage the instinctual breeding behavior. But avoiding colorful toy parts may be a new concept to many of us…

Let’s think about this rationally. What happens in the wild during the normal mating and breeding season? That’s when trees, plants and flowers begin to bloom and the landscape comes alive with color. This is a natural visual trigger to our exotic birds. And what do many species of birds do during their courting procedures? They dance about and “display their colors” to their potential mates! Is it any wonder then that so many of our birds pick, pluck and mutilate, possibly in total frustration when we place colorful toys inside of their cages, hanging there 24/7 “displaying mating colors” constantly before their eyes antagonizing them like a temptress beckoning them to dance along in true mating behavior? We need to rethink how the brightly colored “toys” we are placing in our birds’ environments may be affecting their emotions, even when their hormones are not actively and fully engaged in full-fledged breeding season. We may just be triggering an “artificial” breeding season at other times of the year leading to generalized picking, feather plucking and skin mutilation without even realizing it.

Lastly, for any of you that may be in to using healing crystals, the crystal “Smokey Quartz” is commonly used to calm hormones and help with the production of female estrogen. And as mentioned earlier, when estrogen levels are increased, testosterone levels decrease lowering the libido. Simply place two or three of these crystals around your bird’s cage and allow the “energy” from the crystals to do their “work”. Keep in mind that you will need to “clean” or re-energize, or “re-charge” your crystals from time to time. Normally this is done by placing them in the sunlight for a few hours up to a day or so.

Now, taking a much, much different approach to all of this, if your bird hasn’t had a good, hard molt in a very long time, you might want to allow your bird to continue onward through this natural process as long as your bird isn’t physically harming itself and you can tolerate the behavior. Remember, this is a natural process, something your bird would experience in the wild. And it’s good for your bird to experience a molt and rid itself of old, worn out feathers. It’s good physically as well as mentally and emotionally. Just be sure to provide as much comfort and reassurance to your bird during this time as you possibly can.

Provide all of the food your bird will need to actually induce a good, hard molt by adding in to your bird’s diet, in abundance, some of the foods I suggested eliminating above. Allow the natural change of the season to occur, letting all of the longer daylight hours of natural sunlight in to your bird’s room. And you might even want to increase the humidity and slightly raise the temperature in your bird’s room.

But please don’t encourage any nesting behavior by offering shreddable toys all decked out in loud colors, this will only add to the frustration your bird is already experiencing. The natural physiological process your bird is going through will take care of itself without the complexity and confusion of adding tempting nesting materials and “fake colorful mates” by way of shreddable and brightly colored toys hanging around 24/7.

All in all if your bird still has the “call of the wild” in it, and let’s face it most of these exotic birds do have that “wild instinct” because they aren’t that far removed from their natural habitats, only on record as domesticated since 300b.c., and even that’s somewhat debatable, then there isn’t a lot any of us can do to avoid this behavior completely. The next best thing we can do is to make our birds as comfortable as possible during this stressful time, provide them with adequate nutrition, adjust their lighting, their air source, room temperature, and their cage environment to try to suit their current situation and suffer along with them until their misery passes. Hopefully on the other side of it all the reward will come with some amount of new feather growth if a molt occurs. If not, well then we need to be thankful that our bird, and us as well, made it through another season. Hey, it’s not so much to go through considering all of the wonderful companionship they offer to us for all of the remaining times of the year!

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Tags: Behavior, Bird-elicious, Breeding, Breeding behavior in parrots, Breeding season, Breeding season in birds, Hormonal activity in parrots, Hormones in parrots, Mating behavior in parrots, Mating season in birds, Mating season in parrots

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GMO/GE Foods and How They May Affect BirD-elicious!

Filed under: XYZ...But REALLY Good Files! — 2 Comments

February 7, 2012

Monsanto is at it still, again, more…Please read this article and then sign the petition to keep GMO/GE (Genetically Modified Organisms/Genetically Engineered) foods out of our markets! Research has indicated that the DNA of the people/animals/pets consuming these foods may permanently be changed. These foods are already on grocery shelves across our Nation.

If Monsanto gets their way and all alfalfa seed is “infected” with their chemical that staves off pests from the inside out, then this would mean that our company would not be able to obtain any alfalfa that is not GMO.

In plain language GMO plants are plants that are defined by the FDA as natural pesticides themselves. In other words, because they contain the pesticides within the germ of the seed, they are considered pesticides themselves. Do you want your bird to consume plants that are labeled as pesticides by the FDA?

Well, you are already consuming foods that are labeled pesticides by the FDA. There are literally thousands of GMO/GE foods on the grocery store shelves and we don’t even know it. FDA does not require food manufacturers to label their packages “GMO” or “GE” so it’s virtually impossible to know which foods contain these pesticides. Right now the only way to be absolutely certain you are not consuming these altered foods is to purchase certified organic foods. Even if the package states “natural” that doesn’t guarantee you are not purchasing “GMO” or “GE” foods, the label must clearly state “certified organic” ingredients.

However, if this “deregulation” passes, as indicated in the article I am providing in the link below, even “certified organic” will no longer guarantee that you are not consuming these pesticides. Food manufacturers will be allowed to use ingredients that are GMO/GE and continue to leave that information off of their labels, and they will still be allowed to label the product as “certified organic” and the consumer will never know the difference.

You may ask how can I possibly arrive at this conclusion, the same way I know about other food additives that are not disclosed on our labels. For instance, and I have talked about this in other posts, regarding monosodium glutamate, or more commonly known as MSG. As long as the primary manufacturer does not directly add it to their product they do not have to disclose it on the label. In other words, if the MSG is the secondary ingredient to a primary ingredient the food manufacturer is purchasing from a supplier, the food manufacturer doesn’t have to list the secondary ingredient on the package label, they only have to list the primary ingredient, not the MSG that is contained in that ingredient!

And then take Diatomaceous Earth for another example. Thousands of grain mills use this as a natural, and safe way to eliminate tiny pests like weevils from invading their stored grains that go into our grains, cereals, pastas and such. Because the FDA considers this substance to be an “inert” substance, manufacturers are not required to list it on their packaging, yet it is literally in every dry food on the grocery store shelf.

If Monsanto gets away with this deregulation, this may constitute the first time in the history of certified organic foods that they will contain pesticides but still maintain the certified organic label! This is appalling! This is totally unfair and removes all truth in labeling!

Please, please read the article and then sign the petition at the end of the article. This deregulation will have a HUGE effect on the future production of BirD-elicious! foods.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ronnie-cummins/the-organic-elite-surrend_b_815346.html

Tags: GE, GMO, organic bird food, organic parrot food, truth in labeling

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Amino Acids: The Building Blocks of “Complete Protein” – Malnutrition

Filed under: Basic Parrot Nutrition, D) Amino Acids, Malnutrition — Leave a comment

February 5, 2012

If I were forced to name only one of the main causes of “The Mutilation Syndrome”, even though I believe there are many causes, I would probably have to list malnutrition at the top of my list. The reason I would feel safe in listing malnutrition as the main cause of this insidious syndrome is because it takes in a wide variety of nutritional aspects and it’s an umbrella for so many other causatives of poor health.

Malnutrition could be the lack of the vital base macro-nutrients in the diet derived from whole-foods such as vitamins and minerals. Or it could be the lack of Omegas in the form of fatty acids derived from the “good fats” from seed and nuts. What I wish to focus upon in this section though are the amino acids, and in particular the balance, or proper ratio, of those amino acids because they provide the protein the body needs for so many basic and primary bodily functions.

If the amino acids are imbalanced, or skewed, favoring one amino acid over another, then a “complete protein” is missing in the overall diet and as a result the body cannot metabolize proteins correctly causing malnutrition to set in if the diet lacks this “complete protein” nutrition over a long period of time.

If this situation occurs, the body, being the miraculous creation it is, will begin to “feed on itself” for the nutrition it lacks, absorbing all of the nutrients from within, slowly dying without notice to the outside world. Eventually the creature that is suffering malnutrition may even begin to consume itself, as in the case of The Mutilation Syndrome. The bird may begin to pick at its own feathers and nibble on the ends of the feathers for a short time hoping to find some of the nutrients, such as vitamins, minerals and proteins, found within the feather shaft, to reabsorb back into its system before discarding them to the bottom of the cage. Or, in the case of skin mutilation, the bird may even be attempting to gain access to the very protein it is lacking by picking at the skin or gaining access to the tiniest droplets of blood seeping through the wounds it created by picking the skin open.

It really doesn’t matter the quantity of food a bird like this is fed if the amino acids are not properly balanced in the food the bird is being fed. The bird can consume large quantities of the food, even appearing to be obese, but in reality is suffering malnutrition. If the amino acids are not balanced, i.e. a “complete protein” is not present, then the bird will not be receiving a protein source that can be properly metabolized by its metabolic system and utilized as nutrition for bodily functions, therefore malnutrition is bound to set in at some point in time.

Yes, it is possible to supplement the diet with additional whole foods to ensure additional amino acids are being offered to round out the diet. But one must have a very good knowledge and understanding of the commercial diet they are feeding their bird in the first place. One must know just how those additional foods interplay with the commercial diet, their vitamin content, fatty acid content, and of course the amino acid content they are adding to the diet, in order to know for sure if their bird is receiving a total, complete and balanced diet overall so that malnutrition does not exist.

One way of knowing this is to have your bird’s blood panel checked on a regular basis. A regular blood count with additional vitamin, mineral and blood lipid counts should be performed in order to know exactly where your bird’s overall nutritional profile stands. But you need to know exactly what to look for clinically as well. Keep a good eye out on your bird’s energy and activity levels, coordination and movements, the condition of the feathers, the moisture and suppleness of the skin, even the legs, the condition of the talons and beak making sure there are no cracks or scales and that they are not overgrown. Make sure the Ceres are clear and smooth, not congested. Make sure the breathing is smooth and not labored. Notice the droppings and make sure they are consistently the same, take notice of any abrupt changes.

Overall, malnutrition is very silent and insidious, but in my opinion it is pervasive in birds that pick, pluck and mutilate. I believe that most commercial bird foods are amino acid deficient and they lack the proper balancing of the most basic nutrients needed to build the “complete protein” our companion birds need in order to metabolize proteins efficiently. This is not all that difficult to remedy, but is does require more expensive ingredients than most commercial food producers are utilizing today. Being a strong advocate of preventative health care, I suggest the bird food industry begin producing foods that prevent malnutrition, thus preventing other health issues as well. I would rather see people spend their hard earned cash on wholesome foods that prevent health a crisis than to pay for health problems down the line and see their companion birds suffer, maybe to the point of no recovery.

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Tags: amino acids, Amino acids and Complete Protein, Amino acids and Parrots, Birdelicious, Malnutrition, Malnutrition in birds, Malnutrition in companion birds, Malnutrition in companion parrots, Malnutrition in parrots

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Fatty Liver Disease and the Use of Dietary Fats for Companion Birds (Hepatic Lipidosis)

Filed under: Ailments/Illness/Disease, Liver and Kidney Disease, Specialized Information — Leave a comment

January 29, 2012

I recently wrote a fairly comprehensive overview regarding dietary fats for companion birds. In that review I mentioned “fatty liver” disease but I did not go into great detail. I think it might be a good idea to explain just what fatty liver disease is and how it develops as well as how it can be avoided and still feed our birds the “good fats” they need in their diet.

In fatty liver disease fat accumulates in the liver, more correctly an abnormal amount of fat lipids are retained within in each cell of the liver creating liver hepatitis. It affects the metabolism of fats in the liver. It adds to an already existing metabolic problem of glucose processing known as insulin resistance and even adds to the existing problem of malnutrition if it is already present.

Fatty liver disease normally develops in humans as the result of drinking too many alcoholic beverages over a long period of time destroying liver cells thus creating cirrhosis of the liver.

But there is a type of fatty liver disease that develops where drinking alcohol is not involved and it is appropriately called non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Scientists and researches aren’t exactly sure what causes this type of FLD but they suspect it has to do with insulin resistance along with a buildup of bad (LCT) triglycerides in the liver, inflammatory bowel disorder, or even malnutrition. They also strongly suspect that the victim has a weakened immune system and this could very well be the case in parrots that may carry viruses for autoimmune disorders such as PBFD or even Psittacosis. Birds that have, or have had Polyoma or Pacheco’s are also susceptible to FLD because both of these are auto-immune disorders. In the case of having any of these immune disorders the immune system attacks the liver causing the liver to become susceptible to FLD.

Another antagonist of NAFLD is Wilson’s Disease. This is an inherited disorder where the carrier of the gene absorbs and retains too much copper in body tissue, especially the liver. In the case of FLD fats cannot be processed correctly because the accumulation of copper present in the liver causes damage to the liver so that it does not function properly.

I will briefly touch on the idea of malnutrition. If, in my opinion, we are feeding our birds nothing but highly processed foods then the signs are obvious, there is absolutely no way our bird can receive the right kind of nutrition from something that is ground up beyond recognition and then chemical supplements are added back into it. Our birds need whole-food nutrition in order to receive all of the natural digestive enzymes, macro-nutrients, micro-nutrients and vitamins whole food has to offer. No living creature can survive on a few ground ingredients with nothing but additional chemicals added to them and be expected to thrive. A large variety of natural and living ingredients need to be fed on a daily and ongoing basis for the life of the living creature.

Then there is the much more obvious symptoms of FLD, too much bad fat. And this is what all of us worry so much about, even to the point that we find ourselves holding back the much needed fat our companion birds actually need in their diet in order for their systems to properly function. In humans it is known fact that 70% of our brain is made up of fat. Fat helps carry oxygen to our brain among other vital nutrients. If we have a knowledgeable understanding about the kind of fats we need to be feeding to our birds then we will not have any worries about feeding fat to our birds. After all, these exotic flighted creatures consume good fats in abundance in their natural habitats, it only makes sense they need these fats in their diet on a regular basis. So why are we taking these healthy fats away simply because we have decided to turn these creatures into our companions in our homes? It doesn’t make sense no matter what reasons we use. To say that they don’t get as much exercise, that they are more sedate in their cages doesn’t add up. They have very high metabolisms even when they are at rest. They have naturally oily glands, especially their preening glands, this is what their feathers need to keep preened correctly to keep them oiled smoothly down for flight and to lay smoothly on their body. They need the oil to keep their skin supple and their beaks and talons strong, but not brittle.

So let me explain the difference in fats once more.

There are long chain fats (LCFAs) and medium chain fats (MCFAs). The long chain fats are what animal fats are made of and the systems of living creatures don’t know how to metabolize these kinds of fats. Therefore they need high amounts of insulin from the pancreas as well as bile from the liver to be broken down and metabolized. In other words these kinds of fats overtax a living creature’s system. And what doesn’t get used as energy ends up getting stored in the fat cells throughout the body, as well as the liver, i.e. fatty liver disease can eventually set in. Compound that with any additional problems such as an auto-immune disorder as I mentioned above and nothing but trouble abounds. LCFAs should not be consumed by living creatures; they are what can cause strokes, heart disease and fatty liver disease.

But if the fats that are being consumed are medium chain fats, such as fats that are found in plant fatty acids such as flax and hemp oils, then we have less to worry about. These fats are “good fats” and do not require insulin from the pancreas or bile acids from the liver to be metabolized. Basically, these fats do not raise blood glucose levels, nor do they tax the liver and kidneys. Almost all of these fats get turned into energy for the body to use. And those that don’t are quickly excreted through the body’s waste system instead of being stored in fat cells.

We have to know to avoid the more common plants fats though such as corn, sunflower, safflower, canola and peanut oil as these are too high in the Omega 6’s and are not balanced enough to consume on a regular basis. Even though Omega 6 fatty acids are polyunsaturated fats and are considered to be healthy fats, too many of these can actually cause inflammation of the arterial walls. Americans consume too many of these fats in all of the highly processed foods we eat, and unfortunately this is all too true for our parrots as well. Again, we must know how to balance the good fats for our parrots in order for them to obtain the best possible health advantage. It’s not that we should stop feeding them fat; we just have to know how to feed the good fats in the right balance.

We need to know how to generally balance the good fats so that the proper amount of Omegas they contain are being fed (some species will require additional “good fats” added to their diet). In other words if we are feeding what seems to be good fats but they are heavy in the Omega 6’s, then we are adding to the problem of inflammatory illnesses, such as in the case of arterial plaques. But when we balance the Omegas as I have mentioned in a couple of my articles then the “good fats” actually help scrub the arterial walls of the bad plaque.

Americans have been told for far too long to avoid all fat. We have not been educated on the difference between good fat and bad fat. In fact researchers are now beginning to believe that a diet containing a good amount of healthy fats may not only stop Alzheimer’s, but actually reverse it, because as I mentioned above, our brain is 70% fat! Researchers now believe that a diet rich in Omegas help a person’s brain to process information faster and more efficiently. Researchers are now thinking that depression can be helped by the right kind of fats in a person’s diet. How much fat is a parrot’s brain? Do we even know? What if a parrot’s brain is 90% fat and we are holding back the very nutrient our parrots need to process their logic and emotions? Did you ever think why our parrots scream? What about the parrot who always seems depressed. Maybe it’s the lack of good, healthy fat. What if part of their plucking problem is actually behavioral because they can’t think properly due to the lack of the amount of good fat they need to process their thinking ability? And what about the nutrients in the good fat they need to grow and preen their feathers? It gives us a lot to think about doesn’t it?

The important thing to know and understand is that FLD is not always caused by too much fat in the diet, in fact FLD is usually a secondary disease caused by other underlying illnesses, syndromes, disorders and diseases and even malnutrition. In addition when it is caused by too much fat it’s usually caused by consuming the wrong kinds of fats, such as LCFAs, not by consuming the healthy fats such as the kind living creatures readily recognize as friendly and easy to metabolize, the MCFAs. We can’t just simply state that fats have to be limited across the board. We need a solid understanding of the different kinds of fats and how they work within a living creature’s system.

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Tags: Bird-elicious, Birdelicious, fatty acids for birds, fatty acids for parrots, Fatty Acids in Parrot Diet, fatty liver disease, fatty liver disease in birds, Fatty liver disease in parrots, omega fatty acids, Omega Fatty Acids in Bird Diet

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When NOT to Use Apple Cider Vinegar

Filed under: Allergies, Mutilation Syndrome (AKA Feather Destruction), Specialized Information, XYZ...But REALLY Good Files! — Leave a comment

January 29, 2012

Apple Cider Vinegar has been touted as one of Nature’s most reliable bird room cleaners for many, many years because it’s “natural” and doesn’t contain harmful chemicals, dyes, or preservatives. However if you have a companion feathered friend in your bird room that exhibits signs of feather plucking, skin mutilation or generalized picking you may want to re-evaluate your use of any kind of vinegar in your bird room, apple cider or otherwise.

There are a couple of reasons why vinegar or apple cider vinegar should not be used in a bird room where there are birds who suffer from the Mutilation Syndrome.

The first reason you may not want to use apple cider vinegar is that some birds may actually be allergic to apples. While this is highly uncommon, this allergy does exist and should be considered.

But the second reason is much more common and highly probable. Many living creatures are allergic to all fermented products. And all kinds of vinegar are fermented. It doesn’t matter which kind of vinegar you choose, white or apple cider, both are fermented. Fermentation requires the use of bacteria and yeast and some living creatures are highly allergic to one, or both of these. While, yes, apple cider vinegar is the healthier of the two types of vinegars, it still has to be fermented to be, well, vinegar. And living creatures that are extremely sensitive to certain substances will most likely be sensitive to apple cider vinegar as well, whether they ingest it or they just come into contact with it as an airborne substance.

You may wonder how I know this for sure. I’ve done my research. But first and foremost I know by my own experience. If you want to know how I know firsthand please read here. I first began noticing this when I would use apple cider vinegar to clean my own bird room. I would feel physically horrible soon after beginning the task at hand. I would begin to itch all over and not long into the process I would begin to develop a headache. It was then I began thinking about the couple of “pluckers” I had in my flock, wondering if the vinegar was affecting them the same way it was affecting me. I began to watch them closely after I cleaned their room and cages, bowls, etc. To my surprise I realized that they scratched more intensely after cleaning their room each time I cleaned! I knew I had to find a new product to clean their room, both for my own comfort as well as theirs!

But apple cider vinegar is not only a “histamine-causing” agent; it’s really not all that great to be feeding on a regular basis. I know there are those who believe in feeding vinegar in order to keep their bird’s system on the “alkaline” side, but if our birds are receiving enough greens in the way of herbs and grasses in their diet in the first place, their system will already be on the alkaline side of the PH range and they should not need additional support to make their systems lean towards the alkaline PH range. You see, apple cider vinegar has a tendency to deplete the body of potassium as well as create low bone mineral density because it depletes calcium from the bones. And excessive use of apple cider vinegar has shown to cause damage to the stomach, duodenum and the liver in animals. How much is too much? This is information we do not yet know.

By this time you may be asking, “What do I use instead of apple cider vinegar to clean my bird room, cages and all of the bowls and toys?” I have a very simple answer for you, grapefruit seed extract (GSE) diluted to the manufacturer’s directions. It is not a fermented product so you need not worry about it affecting highly sensitive individual birds that suffer from allergies. And if you buy a reliable brand there will be no dyes, chemicals or preservatives to worry about. I always purchase mine from Mountain Rose Herbs and I have had absolutely no problems with it since I started using it many years ago. I don’t itch when I use it and neither do my birds. And I have never found myself suffering a headache after using it. It has no scent and leaves no film. But you must dilute it according to manufacturer’s directions (a little goes a very long way).

Apple cider vinegar may be one of Nature’s miracles, but just because it’s “natural” doesn’t mean it’s good for all creatures. I found that out the hard way. Yes, GSE may be more expensive than ACV, but aren’t our beloved feathered friends worth the extra expense? Especially in the case of those that pluck, mutilate and pick? Isn’t their comfort just as important as ours? I think so. I hope you do too!

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Tags: Apple cider Vinegar, Bird-elicious, feather destruction, feather destruction behavior, feather mutilation, feather mutilation in parrots, feather picking, feather plucking, Grapefruit Seed Extract, Grapefruitseed Extract, mutilation syndrome, Vinegar

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Dietary Oils: A Multi-Part Series – Flax Seed Oil

Filed under: E) Dietary Fats/Oils, Flax Oil — Leave a comment

January 19, 2012

Flax seed oil is touted as one of the best, if not the best dietary oil to consume to fight cardiovascular disease by raising the healthy HDL cholesterol levels over the lousy LDL cholesterol levels. I totally agree with this fact and here is why, flax seed oil is extremely high in Omega 3 fatty acids, the “heart-healthy fatty acids”.

Flax seed oil is also known as a “brain” food for the same reason, because it is high in Omega 3 fatty acids. Omega 3 fatty acids are found in high concentration in the brain and are responsible for memory, performance and behavioral function. They also help with vision and nerve relay. In addition Omega 3 fatty acids play an important part in maintaining mood levels.

Flax seed oil has been linked to preventing stress by calming the nerves, increasing energy and stamina, regulating blood sugar levels, easing inflamed tissues as with arthritis, and soothing dry skin as with eczema. It has also been known to help people who suffer with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD).

But for the same reason flax seed oil is so wonderfully good for cardiovascular health, and all of these other health benefits, in my opinion it makes a poor oil to consume without adding other Omega oils along with it if your goal is to consume a healthy diet overall.

How can this be?

Flax seed oil lacks some of the qualities that help convert the Omega 6 fatty acids into another really great Omega fatty acid, “gamma-linolenic”, or more commonly known as GLA. This little wonder fatty acid actually scrubs the arteries of lousy LDL cholesterol therefore putting the Omega 6 fatty acids to work in a way that they normally would not work without being converted into GLA.

In addition flax seed oil does not contain enough Omega 7. Omega 7 is otherwise known as palmitoleic acid which helps to oxidize, or “burn” unused fat. This is of great importance to ensure that our birds do not become obese or develop fatty liver disease.

Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely love flax seed oil and believe it should be part of the overall “good fat” in our birds’ diet because it is uncommonly high in Omega 3 fatty acids. But in my opinion it should not be considered a “stand-alone” dietary oil. In my opinion, when feeding flax seed oil it should always be fed in partnership with hemp seed oil at the rate of 1.5 parts of hemp seed oil to 1 part of flax seed oil to ensure that our birds are receiving enough of the GLA and Omega 7 fatty acids in the hemp seed oil along with the Omega 3 fatty acids in flax seed oil.

*Mixing 1.5 parts of hemp seed oil to 1 part of flax seed oil you can use the same portions as an overall “total added fat intake” guideline as I presented in the hemp seed oil article for feeding your bird. However, using this recipe is optimum because it includes both hemp seed oil and flax seed oil and therefore provides a more balanced ratio of Omegas 3, 6, 7, 9 and GLA.:

“You can add it on top of their food. (Please DO NOT add this to their drinking water! It will only coagulate and cause a mess and if you don’t wash the water bowl out really, really well, it could go rancid.)

Just a drop for small Budgies once a day is more than enough. You can probably get away with giving only a drop every other day. For parakeets such as the Ringneck and similar size birds a drop or two daily will do. Moving on up to larger birds, say Conures, Pionus and the like, maybe 3 or 4 drops a day on top of their food. Then for African Greys, small Cockatoos (and even the small Macaws) and such, 5 drops to a 1/16^th of a teaspoon a day. Larger Cockatoos you could give from 1/16^th to 1/8^th of a teaspoon a day depending on skin and feather quality. Then the large Macaws you can give 1/8^th to ¼ teaspoon daily depending on skin and feather quality.”

If your bird is suffering from “The Mutilation Syndrome” it may partially be because these essential fatty acids are lacking in your bird’s diet. Please keep in mind the above recommendations are only a guideline and depend on the overall health and vitality of your individual bird. Obviously if your bird is suffering from a health problem you need to consult with your licensed avian veterinarian before adding any additional oils to your bird’s diet. And if you know you bird already suffers from fatty liver disease, do not increase your bird’s intake of these fatty acids without first consulting with your licensed avian veterinarian.

A combination of hemp seed oil with flax seed oil on a regular basis, and then adding palm oil once a week should provide the dietary fat our birds need, especially if they are also receiving nuts every now and then. Coconut oil can be used on occasion for very specific reasons, or for certain species. It’s important to remember that in the wild our birds would be consuming these healthy fats on a regular basis; their systems are designed to metabolize these healthy plant fats.

Harmful fats, like long-chain animal fats from meat and dairy, have no place in our birds’ diet for the most part. These are the kind of fats that cause a buildup of cholesterol. Hydrogenated and trans-fats from industrial oils are extremely harmful for our birds, they come from highly processed foods. These are the kind of fats that will lead to cardiovascular problems, obesity and fatty liver disease because our birds’ systems cannot process these fats and utilize them.

But we must remember that these “good fats” are medium-chain “plant” fats and are therefore easier for the body to recognize as useable, digestible and easy to metabolize fats, they actually help reduce cholesterol in most cases. These are the kind of fats that give our birds energy, help their heart to pump blood, help their brain to function, provide lubrication for joints, aid in maintaining good eye sight and help to create beautiful feathers and supple skin. Without enough “good fat” in our birds’ diet every function of their body is going to suffer. You can learn lots more about “good fats” and the role they play in our diet as well as our birds’ diets in our series on “Dietary Fat: An Overview for Companion Birds“.

*Dieatary Fat during mating/breeding season: I have found the use of flax seed oil during mating/breeding season to be of wonderful use in calming the emotions of hormonal birds. The Omega 3′s in flax seed oil have a calming effect on the hormones in the brain that control the emotions. But during the mating/breeding season I highly recommend discontinuing the use of hemp seed and hemp seed oil completely. In some extreme cases flax seed/flax seed oil must be discontinued as well. But in most cases flax seed oil, because of its high content of Omega 3, is actually somewhat beneficial because of its overall calming effect. However, if you find that your bird is too sensitive to both hemp and flax seed oil during this hormonal time, discontinue the use and use only Coconut oil as it does not contain any properties that will antagonize hormones. You may find that even Palm Oil antagonizes hormones during this hormonal time of your bird’s cycle. Watch your bird carefully when feeding dietary oils during its hormonal cycle for any additional aggressive or emotional behaviors and discontinue the use of the oils if necessary.

*If at any time you begin to see black spots on your bird’s feathers, you may be feeding too much oil or fat to your bird, (Or this may be a sign of “Iron Storage Disease”) back off and consult your licensed avian veterinarian. You may need to have your bird’s blood lipid and lipoprotein panel checked and/or checked for fatty liver disease and/or place your bird on a liver detox regimen.

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Tags: Flax seed, Flax seed oil, hemp oil, hemp seed, hemp seed oil, omega 3, omega 6, omega 9, omega fatty acid, omega fatty acids, Omega Fatty Acids in Bird Diet, omegas for birds, omegas for parrots

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Dietary Fat: An Overview for Companion Birds – Part 2

Filed under: An Overview: Dietary Fat - Part 2, Basic Parrot Nutrition, E) Dietary Fats/Oils — Leave a comment

December 28, 2011

In part 1 of “Dietary Fat: An Overview for Companion Birds”, we discussed the two classifications of fats, the “saturation” and the way fats are “structured”, by molecular carbon chains. We discovered that polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats are basically healthy fats more so than saturated fats, except in the case of saturated plant fats that are made up of medium chains. This specific group of medium chain saturated fats is unique to plant fats; saturated animal fats are made up of long chains and therefore are not healthy saturated fats. Medium chain fats are compatible with a living body and therefore are considered to be a heart healthy fat in spite of the fact they are saturated.

Seed and nut fats are made of medium chains and are therefore recognizable by the living body as compatible fats in which to metabolize and turn into quick energy sources. Whereas animal fats take a longer period of time to digest, metabolize and finally turn into an energy source a living body can utilize. More often than not animal fat actually turns into fat on a living body, but seed and nut fat normally do not when fed in moderation, they actually get utilized as energy and what doesn’t get utilized as energy gets utilized to clean out the “lousy” LDL cholesterol running through the arteries.

Knowing this very important information helps us to understand that “fat” can be a really good nutritional support to add to our companion bird’s diet. In fact, it is a vital part of an exotic bird’s total and complete nutritional profile. Having discovered this we are now ready to discuss some of the various nutritional seed, oils and nuts we have available to us to include in our companion bird’s diet!

Beneficial “Fatty Acid” Seed and Oils

I have previously only briefly touched on some of the best kinds of seed and oils to add to our companion birds’ diets to achieve the best “fatty acid” nutrition. Let’s go into a little more detail.

Seed

Unfortunately seed has gotten a really bad reputation because in the past so many people fed a diet strictly of seed for so many years resulting in under-nourished or mal-nourished birds. But there is a healthy place for seed in a companion bird’s overall, balanced diet.

When we are diligent in feeding a diet rich in whole foods consisting of a large variety of greens, fruits, berries, nuts, herbs and other wholesome foods, seed can play a vital role in the overall nutritional profile of a bird’s total diet.

Seed contains some of the essential fatty acids we have discussed, but it’s important to know which variety of seed is the healthiest seed to feed.

Hemp Seed / Oil

Hemp Seed

First of all let’s take a deeper look into hemp seed and hemp seed oil because I mentioned it several times in previous sections.

Hemp seed and the oil derived from it contain probably the most balanced fatty acid that can be easily obtained. It contains all of the fatty acids that are beneficial to the health and well-being of our parrots. It contains, depending on the variety, approximately 21% Omega 3, 2-3% GLA (no other of the common oils contain this fatty acid), about 56% other Omega 6’s, and about 11% Omega 9, about .12% of Omega 7 and finally about 9.7% of the saturated fats. Hemp is one of the rare seeds to contain Omega 7, Palmitoleic acid which actually helps in the burning off of excess fat.

In my opinion, if you feed no other oil, this is the best oil by far to feed your companion bird to ensure good health overall.

You can read a more in depth post here: Hemp Seed Oil

Flax Seed / Oil

Secondly, flax seed is very high in Omega 3, that fatty acid known for its heart health properties.

Flax Seed

Many people tout this source of fatty acid over any other because it is so high in Omega 3 helping to balance the high amount of Omega 6’s we normally over-consume in our American diet, and this is a good thing. However, flax seed does not contain any GLA like hemp seed does.

Flax seed contains almost 60% Omega 3, about 14% Omega 6, about 16% Omega 9 and 10% saturated fats. But because it does not contain GLA, I would not recommend feeding this oil as a “stand-alone” oil.

Safflower Seed

Safflower Seed

I am convinced that we need to be adding safflower seed to our companion birds’ diets. Typically it contains at least 14% Oleic acid, Omega 9. This makes it a heart healthy fatty acid seed and one that should not be avoided in our companion birds’ diet. It also contains about 4% Palmitic acid, a fairly healthy saturated plant fat our birds need for the production of supple skin, beautiful feathers and strong beaks and talons. It’s also good for our birds because it contains a high amount of Folic acid, naturally occurring vitamin A and a fair amount of vitamin E.

This seed should not be a stand-alone seed; this should be fed in conjunction with other seed.

I do not recommend adding safflower oil to our birds’ diet. Too many times safflower oil is processed as a hydrogenated oil. We have previously discussed hydrogenated oils; they are industrial oils used in highly processed foods and are almost impossible to break down in the metabolic system leaving arteries clogged. Just to make absolutely sure we are not feeding a hydrogenated version of safflower oil to our birds, in my opinion it’s just best to stick to safflower seed and stay away from the processed oil.

Saturated Plant Oils

Some fatty acids must be derived from saturated plant oils. You can feed the actual fruit when you can find it, most of the time it’s just more convenient to find the oil in a virgin, unrefined, cold-pressed version. As previously discussed saturated plant fats are not the same as saturated animal fats, these plant fats have medium chain carbon bonds (MCFAs) and the body recognizes them as something that can be easily metabolized. So there is no worry about build up in the arteries like there is with animal fats, actually these fats are very healthy and can help lower the “lousy” LDL cholesterols, especially when saturated fats are combined with naturally occurring Oleic acid, Omega 9, they are extremely efficient in reducing the harmful cholesterols. Both Palm oil and Coconut oil contain enough Oleic acid to make them heart healthy oils.

Palm Oil

Let’s not confuse this with “palm kernel oil”.

The two are not the same and palm kernel oil should not be fed to our companion birds.

Palm Fruitparrots.

Palm oil is a rich, orange-red oil known mainly as a “saturated” oil. It contains about 50% saturated fats, and about 50% unsaturated fats: 1% Omega 3’s, and 11% Omega 6’s. Palm oil is high in Oleic acid, Omega 9, 38%.

One of its greatest properties it offers our birds is the beta-carotene, the precursor to vitamin A. Beta-carotene is easily converted to vitamin A by natural synthesizes in a bird’s body. And just briefly, the importance of vitamin A in our birds’ diets are: Overall vitality, healthy immune system, healthy digestive tract, healthy respiratory tract, healthy reproductive system, strong skeletal structure, supple skin, vibrant feathers, good eyesight.

You can read a more in depth post here: Palm Fruit Oil

Coconut Oil

Coconut

Coconut oil is about 92% saturated fat containing about 5-7% Oleic acid, Omega 9.

Coconut Oil supplies its very own very special properties that need to be looked at for purposes that may arise from time to time with your bird. It contains Caprylic and Lauric acids, both efficient in treating yeast infections. Coconut Oil is also known to level out blood sugar in the case of insulin resistance in Type 2 Diabetes. It is also a good source of vitamin E so it helps condition and protects the skin as well as healing minor cuts, abrasions and minor wounds. It has been known to help prevent macular degeneration of the eyes as well. There are many, many uses for Coconut Oil, too many to list. I suggest you turn to the Internet and conduct your own search regarding the healing properties of Coconut Oil.

You can read a more in depth post here: Coconut Oil

Beneficial “Fatty Acid” Nuts

Nuts are extremely high in Oleic acid, Omega 9 which as previously stated, is responsible for lowering the overall “lousy” LDL cholesterols and raising the overall “healthy” HDL good cholesterols. Just about any nut you decide to feed is going to contain a fair to high amount of Omega 9 and there are a vast array of nuts from which to choose to feed our companion birds.

Macadamia nuts are an excellent source of Omega 9 and they contain Omega 7 as well, the fat-burning Omega. But on a regular basis I prefer to feed almonds because they contain a moderate amount of Omega 9 plus they are very high in calcium, a mineral that almost every companion bird needs in their daily diet and almonds contain a good amount of protein too. Basically they are just a good all around nut if you are not going to feed any other nut. But just like any food, feed in moderation, too much of a good thing can be harmful. Almonds are a tad high in the amino acid Arginine and anyone following my blog will know that I highly suspect Arginine to be a contributing factor in The Mutilation Syndrome. However, I do like to feed Macadamia nuts on an infrequent basis just to make sure that great beta-carotene and Omega 7 nutrition is being derived from such a wonderful whole food source.

I never feed peanuts because they are so susceptible to aflatoxins. In my opinion it’s just not worth the risk.

Fats: In Conclusion

After our study of fats we have learned that healthy fats not only provide energy, they carry oxygen to the blood, they also nourish the brain, help prevent certain cancers, lubricate the body inside and out as in the case of preventing arthritis and also aid in keeping the skin moist and supple. Fats also help with the uptake of calcium thereby preventing osteoporosis. Certain fats can aid in the treatment of diabetes and other fats can help keep eyesight sharp by preventing macular degeneration and in some cases fat can also act as an antiviral, antifungal or an antibacterial and aid in destroying yeast infections, heal cuts and minor wounds. In short, fats are nothing but miraculous in many ways and should be a staple in our companion birds’ diet for optimum nutrition!

We shouldn’t be so worried about feeding “fat” to our birds, as long as it’s healthy fat. There has been far too much negative talk about fat in our birds’ diets in my opinion. For some reason the common thinking is that all fat translates into “fat birds” and this is just not true. These birds come from regions of the world where there is an abundance of healthy fats from which to choose and consume, and they do consume these fats in the wild; these fats are part of their normal diet and they need these fats to thrive. Obviously they don’t need as much fat living more sedentary lives as captive birds, but they still need a good amount for their bodies to function properly.

Take a good, long look at your bird’s diet and if necessary make changes to include the healthy fats your bird needs to thrive. Don’t be fearful that your bird will become obese simply because you are feeding your bird what its body is designed to consume. As long as your bird is receiving lots of fresh, wholesome greens, fruits, berries and herbs, then adding some quality nuts and seed to the diet will not harm your bird in any way. In fact your bird will be a lot better off with the added “good fat” in its diet!

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Tags: Dietary Fat, Dietary Fat in Companion Bird Diet, Dietary Fat in Parrot Diet, Fat in Bird Diet, Fatty Acid in Bird Diet, fatty acids for birds, fatty acids for parrots, Fatty Acids in Bird Diet, Fatty liver disease in parrots, Omega Fatty Acids in Bird Diet, omegas for birds, omegas for parrots

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Dietary Fat: An Overview for Companion Birds – Part 1

Filed under: An Overview: Dietary Fat - Part 1, Basic Parrot Nutrition, E) Dietary Fats/Oils — Leave a comment

December 21, 2011

Pre-Classification and Purpose of Fats

Fats fall under a wider category known as “lipids”.

Lipids

Lipids are natural organic compounds and are not water soluble; they are fat, lipid and oil soluble. Lipids include fats, phospholipids and steroids. Fats are necessary for energy, to store energy, insulate the body, and cushion and protect the organs. Phospholipids are a major component of cell membranes, they are found virtually lining every cell in the body, especially the brain, protecting each cell. They help brain cells communicate and influence how well receptors function. Steroids are cholesterol derived hormones that help regulate various physiological functions in the body.

For the purpose of our edification we will be focusing primarily on “fats” mainly in the form of “fatty acids”, the building blocks of total fats, and the function they play in the health of our companion birds.

Fats are used inside of living creatures for many things, but one of the main purposes of these necessary nutrients is for the production of energy the body will utilize in daily activities. Therefore it is absolutely crucial that high quality fats are available to a living creature, fats that can be quickly absorbed, metabolized and exchanged into energy so that a living creature has plenty of energy in which to expend throughout each and every day. Such is the case for birds living in the wild that may need to escape quickly from any approaching predators.

But what about the fat requirements of companion birds, what are the kinds of fats our birds need? What are the best sources of food from which to derive these fats? Is it important to know how much fat our companion bird should consume each and every day?

In some ways it’s more important to discuss the classifications of fats and their molecular structure so you will have a good understanding of what constitutes a healthy fat. Once you understand what constitutes a healthy fat, it becomes much easier to choose sources of healthy fats for your companion bird to consume. And in knowing what the purpose of fats are in the diet, then we don’t have to worry as much about the total intake of fats, because we will know that the right fats, fed for the right purpose in moderation will not make our birds fat, but will supply the necessary nutrients exotic birds need to thrive.

The Two Classifications of Fats

There are two ways to classify fats, one is by saturation, the other is by the length or molecular size of the carbon chain, or how they are connected to one another.

Let’s review saturation first.

Saturation

There are mainly polyunsaturated, monounsaturated, saturated, trans-fats, and hydrogenated fats.

First there are the polyunsaturated fats (PUFAS). These are extremely healthy fats which make up the fatty acids known as “Omega 3” fats. One of the best sources for this fatty acid for our companion birds can be found in flax seed and flax seed oil, although hemp seed and hemp seed oil supplies a good amount of this fatty acid as well.

Secondly there are the monounsaturated fats (MUFAS). These are basically healthy fats which make up the fatty acids known as “Omega 6” fats; they are mostly vegetable fats and are found in abundance in almost all of the highly processed foods we consume. They are commonly derived from corn, safflower seed, peanuts and olives. While they are mostly healthy, when eaten in overabundance they can actually add to the problem of cardiovascular problems and chronic pain by causing more inflammation unless the “GLA” (Gamma-linolenic acid) version is consumed. The “GLA” version is derived primarily from hemp seed; this is the only seed besides borage, black currant seed, and evening primrose that contains GLA.

Then there are the saturated fats. These are normally animal fats, but not always. There are healthy plants, nuts and seed that contain saturated fats.

And finally there are trans-fats and hydrogenated fats. Some trans-fats occur naturally in some foods. But most trans-fats and hydrogenated fats are industrial or synthetically produced fats for use in highly processed foods. A living creature cannot break these fats down into useable energy and they clog the arteries, never, never use these kinds of fats in your bird’s diet.

The Molecular Carbon Chain Structure of Fatty Acids

Now let’s review how fats are structured. Fats are made of chains of “fatty acids”. Fatty acids consist of chains of carbon atoms with hydrogen atoms attached.

There are short (SCFA), medium (MCFA) and long (LCFA) chain fatty acids. Most of the foods we consume are made up of the LCFAs. MCFAs also contain the medium-chain triglycerides known as MCTs. MCFAs are probably the best fatty acids to consume because a living creature recognizes fat molecules by their size and MCFAs are recognized as compatible to a living creature and therefore are metabolized more efficiently than SCFAs and LCFAs. This is actually more important to remember than the classification by “saturation” of any given fat because while a fat may be considered to be unhealthy by the “saturation” standard, it may actually be considered healthy when measured by the molecular size of the chain, that is if it is a medium chain fatty acid (MCFA).

I wish to include a short quote by Dr. Bruce Fife, ND. I believe this is one of the best explanations of how MCTs “work” in a living body:

“MCTs are processed differently. When we eat a fat containing MCTs, such as coconut oil, it travels through the stomach and into the small intestine. But since MCTs digest quickly, by the time they leave the stomach and enter the intestinal tract they are already broken down into individual fatty acids (MCFAs). Therefore, they do not need pancreatic enzymes or bile for digestion. Since they are already reduced to fatty acids as they enter the small intestine, they are immediately absorbed into the portal vein and sent straight to the liver. In the liver they are preferentially used as a source of fuel to produce energy. MCFAs bypass the lipoprotein stage in the intestinal wall and in the liver. They do not circulate in the bloodstream to the degree that other fats do. Therefore, they do not supply the fat that collects in fat cells nor do they supply the fat that collects in artery walls. MCFAs are used to produce energy, not body fat and not arterial plaque.”
(You can read Dr. Fife’s complete article at OfSpirit.com)

Categories of Fatty Acids

There are two main categories of fatty acids, both “essential and non-essential fatty acids”, in other words, “essential and conditionally essential” fatty acids that a living creature really needs to perform at its best.

The term “essential” fatty acid refers to what a living creature needs to ingest as a required food source because it cannot synthesize the nutrient without introducing it by an exogenous source, that is, a source outside of itself.

The term “non-essential” fatty acid means that a living creature does not need the substance introduced by a food source because it is synthesized by the body either naturally or by food that has previously been introduced and metabolized by the body.

The essential fatty acids are “Alpha-linolenic” (ALA) or Omega 3 and “Linolenic” (LA) or Omega 6. Normally Omega 6 fatty acids are widely available through food sources, too available in fact. We have to work a little harder to find food sources that contain Omega 3 fatty acids.

Then there are “non-essential fatty acids” like Gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) a special Omega 6 fatty acid that is metabolized from Linoleic acid another Omega 6 fatty acid, Lauric acid (a saturated fatty acid), and Palmitoleic acid (a monounsaturated fatty acid), classified as Omega 7, found in extremely high concentration in Macadamia nuts. And finally, one Omega that isn’t talked about very much but is very important in my opinion is Omega 9, or Oleic acid. It is considered one of the “non-essential” fatty acids too, but because it has such important nutritional properties I think it is still a good idea to find a good food source and introduce it into our birds’ diet.

Omega 3

Flax Seed

The purpose of Omega 3 is heart health and good brain function. It also helps with the condition of skin, balancing emotions and providing energy to the body. Studies have shown that Omega 3 actually lowers total cholesterol and triglycerides overall, thus reducing the risk of heart-related diseases. Studies have indicated that Omega 3 has decreased the symptoms of Rheumatoid arthritis and Lupus. And research has shown that calcium absorption improves with the intake of Omega 3, thus preventing the onset of Osteoporosis. Macular degeneration is less likely to occur when Omega 3 is consumed on a regular basis. And cancers like breast, colon and prostate cancer are less likely to occur when a diet rich in Omega 3 is consumed.

One of the best sources of Omega 3 is organic flax seed and organic flax seed oil as well as organic hemp seed and organic hemp seed oil.

Omega 6

The purpose of Omega 6 is to stimulate skin and feather growth (hair growth in humans), maintain bone health, regulate metabolism and maintain the reproductive system.

Hemp Seed

Not all Omega 6’s are equal. The “Linoleic” (LA), Omega 6’s have shown to actually cause more damage to the body when consumed in large quantities; they actually increase additional pain and inflammation as in the case of chronic pain syndromes as well as additional cardiovascular problems for heart patients. This is because the American diet consists of so many foods that are too high in Omega 6’s actually cancelling out the benefits of any of the Omega 3’s in a person’s diet.

However, if a diet that is high in the Omega 6, Gamma-linoleic acid, otherwise known as “GLA”, is consumed this is a different matter. GLA is responsible for actually contributing to lowering the total cholesterol level thus contributing to good heart health. GLA is also responsible for reducing inflammation.

The best sources of GLA Omega fatty acids for our birds’ diets are organic hemp seed and organic hemp seed oil.

Macadamia Nuts

Omega 7

It is believed that Palmitoleic acid, Omega 7, plays a significant role in fat oxidation. If so this is vitally important not only in preventing obesity, but also in the production of energy. As previously stated palmitoleic acid is abundant in macadamia nuts.

Omega 9

Oleic acid, Omega 9, is one of the “non-essential” fatty acids, meaning that living bodies synthesize it so food sources do not need to be introduced to metabolize it. However, just as a precaution it may be a good idea to introduce some food sources to make sure this fatty acid is present in the body because it is so important to have available. It’s responsible for lowering overall “lousy” LDL cholesterols and increasing the “healthy” HDL cholesterols.

Foods that are high in Oleic acid are grape seed oil, nuts and seeds. One of the best dietary sources for our companion birds is organic hemp seed and organic hemp seed oil.

How Much Fat Should We Feed To Our Birds?

After years and years of research surrounding wild and captive parrots there is still much debate as to the amount of fat content each species needs in their diet to maintain homeostasis, balanced health and vitality. Obviously a wild parrot will need a higher fat content than a captive parrot simply because of the amount of energy expended. Having stated that fact, we must keep in mind that the quality of fat in a bird’s diet is just as important as the amount of fat in a bird’s diet, all parrots need quality fats in their diets because this is one of the prime nutrients their species thrives upon. Even though a captive parrot may need less in their diet than a wild parrot, they still need quality fats.

We know from our research for human diets that Omega 3 fats are overall healthier than the Omega 6 fats. Therefore we want to make sure we begin by adding foodstuffs that contain these kinds of fats to the base diet for parrots. These would include foods such as leafy greens, nuts and a moderate amount of high-quality seed. We need to be careful how many grains we feed to our birds because grains are high in the Omega 6 fats, and not the good Omega 6’s like the GLA’s. While yes, all of the Omega 6’s are needed in the diet, as previously stated, a diet too high in the Omega 6’s will cancel out the good of the Omega 3’s, therefore we really need to exercise caution in feeding too many grains like corn, wheat, oats, barley, rye and millet.

When we take all of these fats into consideration, it’s no wonder that parrots need to consume a fair amount of quality fats. They need to take in a quantity of fat for energy anyway, and they need to take in enough to cover all of the fatty acids listed here to cover all of their dietary needs.

Remember these are polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats, the good fats. It’s when we feed high amounts of saturated fats (a small amount of saturated fats are good, like the kind found in nuts), or any amount of trans-fats or hydrogenated fats (never, never feed Trans fats or hydrogenated fats) that we have worries attached.

Our post here is just a short post, it doesn’t even begin to cover the broader aspect of dietary fats and what foods to feed to ensure you are feeding the best fats possible to your feathered friend. Please stay tuned for Part 2 of “Dietary Fat-An Overview for Companion Birds“. In addition, I will be going into depth about dietary fats in the book I am writing about companion bird nutrition.

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Tags: bird nutrition, Dietary Fat, Dietary Fat in Companion Bird Diet, Dietary Fat in Parrot Diet, Fat in Bird Diet, Fatty Acid in Bird Diet, Fatty Acids in Bird Diet, Fatty Acids in Parrot Diet, healthy bird food, Omega Fatty Acids in Bird Diet, parrot nutrition

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Grapefruit Seed Extract (GSE) – Its Many Uses

Filed under: XYZ...But REALLY Good Files! — Leave a comment

December 12, 2011

We’ve heard a little bit about grapefruit seed extract, and it is gaining notice, but not enough is being said about all of its wonderful properties. So I want to discuss just how wonderful this product from Nature is and how keeping it in your house at all times should be considered absolutely necessary!

First of all, what is it and where does it come from?

Just like it sounds, it comes from the seed of grapefruits. It was discovered in 1919 by Jacob Harich just coming home from WWII, a Yugoslavian budding scientist who devoted his life in the studies of gynecology and immunology. He bit in to a grapefruit seed, noticed how bitter it was and that’s where it all started.

By 1990 holistic health practitioners began understanding the wonders of this extract and all of the beneficial properties and started using it widely. Then by 1995 scientists began using it as a prophylactic against the HIV Aids virus. Farmers in Europe also began using it as a means to control E. coli in the fish market to keep the fish preserved longer. Now even hospitals use it to sanitize their operating rooms. It’s effective in killing Staph., Strep., Aspergillus, Salmonella and many other pathogenic organisms. Ordinary concentrations are 300ppm, but hospitals typically use a 1% concentration for sanitizing purposes.

Knowing this, we should be using GSE to clean our bird rooms and everything our birds come in contact with such as their cages, their bowls and their toys. This product is an absolutely wonderful sanitizing agent that doesn’t leave any sickening scent or sticky residues behind!

But grapefruit seed extract can be used for so much more. It can be taken internally to boost the immune system. It supplies many vitamins as well as important minerals. Breaking the beneficial properties down even more, it contains bioflavonoids, amino acids, fatty acids, tocopherols and an onslaught of other wonderful nutritional properties.

GSE acts as anti-oxidant fighting free radicals that may cause cancer and it is an anti-fungal as well. In addition it is a natural anti-histamine relieving allergy symptoms. It can help fight candida, sinusitis and giardiasis. And there have been some reports of using it effectively in the treatment of “bumblefoot”.

In order to be taken internally GSE has to be diluted to a minimum. In the case of where I purchase my GSE, Mountain Rose Herbs, I would dilute it to 16 drops to one gallon of purified drinking water for your birds. I purchase my GSE from Mountain Rose Herbs because I believe in the purity of their products. When using their brand of GSE and mixing it as a cleaner for your bird room or your house, you will simply mix 20 drops of GSE to a 32oz bottle. You can see this product goes a long, long way. So to say that it is too expensive to use is a fallacy.

You may be asking at this point why I am not mentioning vinegar, or apple cider vinegar, for cleaning our bird rooms. It’s a natural and organic product, so why not use it? I have a very good answer for you. It’s a “natural histamine” and can actually add to feather plucking and skin mutilation for any bird that may be suffering from “The Mutilation Syndrome” or generalized picking of any kind, or just plain scratching or dry skin. GSE does not add to this problem because grapefruit is a natural anti-histamine. I discovered this years ago when I was working with birds that plucked in my own flock, and dealing with my own “itching disorder”. When I removed the apple cider vinegar from my cleaning regimen and replaced it with the GSE, cleaning time no longer caused me to break out even more with my own acute itching, or my flock members to break out with acute feather plucking attacks! It seems that just the scent of it in the bird room during cleaning time would cause my birds to pluck even more, and me to itch beyond belief during cleaning time.

And regarding using an additive to your cleaning solution, you should be using something as a sanitizer to clean your bird room, otherwise you are just asking for trouble in the case of any kind of bacterial or viral illness breaking out in your bird room. GSE will help prevent this from happening. And adding it to your birds’ water bowls will help fight off any illnesses that may be lurking as well. Besides, with the added benefit of boosting the immune system, supplying vital vitamins, minerals, bioflavonoids and acting as an anti-histamine, you can’t go wrong with this wonderful product Nature has supplied to us! It’s a well-documented fact that birds consume seeds from fruits in the wild anyway. They seem to like these bitter tastes. It’s as if they intrinsically know the health benefits they receive from these bitter seeds. And if that’s the case, and it seems that it is, then it’s time we begin to understand what the birds in the wild are telling us about these bitter seeds they are consuming and use this knowledge to our captive birds’ advantage!

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Tags: Apple cider Vinegar, bird food, bird nutrition, Bird water, Cleaning bird cages, Cleaning bird rooms, feather plucking, foods that contribute to feather plucking, Grape Seed Extract, Grapefruit, Grapefruit Seed Extract, Grapefruitseed Extract, Grapeseed Extract, GSE, healthy bird food, parrot food, parrot nutrition, Vinegar

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Amino Acids: The Building Blocks of “Complete Protein” – Part 2

Filed under: Basic Parrot Nutrition, D) Amino Acids, The Building Blocks - Part 2 — 2 Comments

December 9, 2011

"Willo"

Until fairly recently it was believed that all captive parrots required about the same protein levels in their diet, about 12%-15%, based on poultry protein requirements. Gradually we are beginning to realize that each species may, in fact, require very different protein requirements based not only on their own species and body types, but also based on the regions of the world they originate from as well.

Of course different species require different protein levels in their diet, why would anyone think anything different? How we go about determining this and making sure they receive the proper amount of protein in their packaged food is the great challenge.

Once again I have to tout a diet high in natural, organic whole-foodstuffs. We cannot feed a pelleted diet and expect that our birds will receive adequate nutrition from highly processed, finely ground, “pre-digested” substandard ingredients.

Why do our parrots need protein, and specifically “quality” protein, in their diet and how do their bodies utilize protein once it is ingested? It’s been long understood that a bird’s body has a tough time metabolizing protein because bird’s need essential amino acids introduced into their digestive tracts in order to metabolize protein. In other words, these amino acids, the building blocks of complete protein, aren’t naturally present in a bird’s chemical make-up, they have to be ingested by the bird, in balance, and then synthesized properly in order for the bird’s system to recognize the proteins to metabolize them appropriately.

Many of us think protein is needed for energy. While this is correct to a certain extent, it is mostly false. Protein is used to build muscle mass, regenerate internal organs as well skin, the largest organ of the body. It is also used to regenerate feathers, beaks and talons, although these parts of a bird’s body are mostly made up of the sulfur-containing amino acids like Methionine which converts to Cysteine and Cystine. All of these items are part of the “bulk” of our birds’ bodies, and add to the total weight of our birds. So it stands to reason that while protein is very important, it is not needed in the same quantity as carbohydrates which give our birds energy. Nonetheless protein is needed for a healthy heart, and all of the other organs our birds need for healthy bodies that function like a Swiss clock.

Remember, in the wild, while they need muscle to maneuver the limbs of trees and take off to flight, they don’t need so much body mass that they can’t fly. And as the caregiver of a captive bird, each of us must decide what the proper forms of protein are in order to build and regenerate these parts of our birds, but not to the extent that our birds look like “muscle builders” when they are creatures that live fairly sedate lives in our homes, and much of that time is spent inside their cages.

First let’s look at the ingredients most often used in pelleted diets when their main ingredients are corn, rice, soy or wheat. None of these ingredients are reliable ingredients from which to supply protein. Wheat may be the only ingredient on that list that may contain enough protein to supply a parrot’s dietary need, but honestly pellets don’t normally contain wheat as their primary ingredient. And even if they did, wheat has too many negative factors to be a good source of protein to feed your companion bird, such as gluten, and indigestible protein that has a tendency to cause allergies. Gluten is the causative agent behind Celiac’s Disease in humans. Soy may also be a source high in protein but the problem with soy is that it is very high in phyto-hormones. This can dramatically alter your bird’s natural hormones leaving you with a bird that has ongoing hormonal issues. Research has found that Soy may inhibit endocrine function as well. This not only interrupts the regulation of hormones, but it can cause pancreatic disorders and insulin issues, as in the case of diabetes. Soy, if not processed at high temperatures, that removes most nutrients, contains high levels of phytic acid which inhibits the absorption of many minerals such as calcium, magnesium, copper, iron and zinc. So this source of protein, while it looks great at first glance, really isn’t that great overall. And as far as corn and rice, well they just don’t offer much protein anyway. And for any protein they do have to offer, they add too much sugar which converts to starch, which then converts back to sugar, a simple, and empty carbohydrate that can add to yeast infections and possibly diabetes, and may eventually contribute to fatty liver disease.

Animal Protein

So where do we turn to for quality protein? Well it certainly isn’t meat. Meat is far too difficult for parrots to digest; their delicate digestive system, with its low Ph balance, and the manner in which it is designed, just isn’t designed to break down meat products. And as I have said before in other posts, never, never feed your parrot raw, uncooked meat as it may harbor bacteria that will literally kill your parrot. But even cooked meat is too difficult for your parrot to digest. If you want to feed your parrot “animal protein”, turn to mealworms purchased online and raised on human foodstuffs. Never feed your birds worms you find in your garden as they may have accidentally came across some kind of chemical fertilizers or pesticides, even if it wasn’t in your own yard.

Plant Protein

But our parrots need more than “animal protein” in their basic diet, they need a different kind of protein in their daily diet because they are herbivores, they need “plant” protein. Most of their protein needs to come from reliable plant sources, but not necessarily from grains. Most of the plant protein our parrots would consume in the wild comes from greens like grasses, bushes, leaves and herbs.

They also like seeds and nuts. Seeds are eaten in abundance and nuts are eaten mostly for their fat content which is quickly converted into energy, although they do contain protein. And parrots love nuts. And why not? One of my favorite nuts to feed parrots is almonds. They are naturally high in both protein and calcium and that’s probably why I like them so much. But they are also one of the less fatty nuts too. But we have to be careful with nuts because they are high in Arginine which may lead to plucking and skin mutilation. So be extra careful in the amount of nuts you are feeding to your birds.

Obviously we cannot find and feed the very same bushes and leaves our birds would consume in the wild, but we can find good quality greens to mimic the plant proteins they might find in their natural habitat. One of my very favorite plants to feed is alfalfa. It hovers at about 15% protein on average, but that level of protein is knocked down when combined with foods of a lower protein percentage. Alfalfa is what I call a “balanced” or “complete” plant protein in that it contains balanced amino acid content. This is one of the reasons it is used in the cattle industry and also why you will find horse owners feeding it to their horses in abundance. The amino acids in a whole food constitutes the building blocks of a protein and alfalfa is wonderfully balanced in the Lysine to Arginine ratio, therefore it is also balanced in the Ph ratio, inasmuch that it is not too acidic, nor is it too alkaline. So overall, this whole food is really the foundation from which to build your bird’s entire diet for good nutrition, in my opinion. This wonderful, leafy green really needs to be looked at more in-depth for feeding many of our herbivore pets.

I will lightly mention legumes here, but not because I consider them a good source of quality “plant” protein, only because legumes contain good and fair amounts of protein supplies. Legumes include cooked and dried beans, peas and lentils. But in order to supply nutrients most legumes need to be at least partially cooked before serving, and in doing so some amount of the real nutrition is lost. So in comparison to leafy greens, such as alfalfa that I mentioned above, legumes still don’t provide that raw “whole-food” nutrition I am such an advocate of because they need to be partially cooked in order to release their nutrition to be available for absorption. In addition, legumes are high in Arginine that amino acid that I believe may contribute to The Mutilation Syndrome.

*I wish to add a side note here about different kinds of seaweed and algae proteins. Please, please do not feed these on a regular basis to your birds in hopes of boosting the protein intake of your bird’s overall dietary needs. Our oceans have been permanently putrefied with petro-chemicals and radiation. Gone is the day we can rely on nutrition from ocean products. Besides this fact, many algae products, i.e. the blue-green strains, contain the essential amino acid Phenylalanine which is known to contribute to PKU in humans. I believe this is a leading cause of Toe-tapping and Wing-flipping in parrots. I will write an in-depth post on this later in the future.

Amino Acids Necessary for Complete Protein

How do our birds’ metabolize protein?

Protein is metabolized by an amino acid synthesizing process. In other words there are 10 essential amino acids which must be introduced into the body via the diet in order to have a complete protein, and all of the 20 amino acids must be synthesized by the body either by the food that is ingested, or by the body’s natural synthesizing process. It’s fairly easy to find most of the 10 essential amino acids in any of the foods you would normally feed your bird. But one of the most important essential amino acids needed by our companion birds to metabolize protein is Methionine, and it can be difficult to find this amino acid present in most food sources. It must be introduced to our birds’ diet in order for protein to be broken down into a form for our birds’ systems to utilize the protein they take in. When combined with enough Lysine with other foods that contain Arginine, and all of the other essential amino acids and non-essential amino acids, this constitutes a “complete” protein our birds’ systems recognizes as well as one they can utilize. But Lysine, Arginine and Methionine seem to the major players in this process.

The 10 essential amino acids that must be introduced by food are:

1) Phenylalanine

2) Valine

3) Threonine

4) Tryptophan

5) Isoleucine

6) Methionine

7) Leucine

8) Lysine

9) *Histidine (Considered to be a “conditionally” essential amino acid because it is not normally required in the diet, but must be supplied in the diet to specific species that do not synthesize it.)

10) *Arginine (Considered to be a “conditionally” essential amino acid because it is not normally required in the diet, but must be supplied in the diet to specific species that do not synthesize it. It is not concretely known if parrots synthesize Arginine. All research is based on poultry who do not synthesize Arginine.)

The 10 non-essential amino acids which will be synthesized by other amino acids are:

1) Alanine

2) Asparagine

3) Cysteine

4) Tyrosine

5) Aspartate

6) Glutamate

7) Glutamine

8) Glycine

9) Proline

10) Syrine

Most foods contain Arginine in high quantities. It is a little more difficult to find foods that naturally contain Lysine and Methionine so I’m going to list some to help you out.

Foods high in Methionine:

Cooked Egg Whites (Do not buy and use powdered egg whites, these contain preservatives.)
Eucalyptus Leaves –Organic if possible (Do not feed if sprayed with insecticides)
Sesame Seed
Sunflower Seed

Foods high in Lysine:

Papaya – However, be careful with papaya because it is a natural histamine, it can cause allergies. Watch to see how your individual bird responds to it.
Beets – However, beets are high in sugar that can lead to yeast infections. So if your individual bird is prone to yeast infections keep a close eye out for any signs of a developing yeast infection. Beets are also a good supply of beta carotene, the precursor to vitamin A.
Mango – This is a good all around ingredient and has no side effects that I am aware of. A good supply of beta carotene too!
Apricot – A little on the sugary side, but not too bad.
Apple – I don’t recommend apples because they are way too high in sugar content for the little amount of nutrition they offer.
Pear – Excellent source.
Alfalfa – Excellent, balanced ratio of Lysine/Arginine which makes this a good base food.
Pineapple – This can be somewhat of an allergen to some birds, so watch your individual bird carefully. Otherwise it is an excellent digestive agent.
Persimmon – A good source.
Peach – A good source.
Plum – A good source.
Green beans – A good source.
Lentil SPROUTS – A good source. (Do NOT feed alfalfa and/or red clover sprouts, these are highly toxic as they contain the amino acid “Canavanine” which is thought to be a carcinogen. However, mature alfalfa is FREE of Canavanine and is safe to feed your parrot.)
Cauliflower – A good source.
Guava – A fair source.
Cinnamon – A fair source.

I cannot stress how important Lysine is to the overall diet. This is the one “limiting amino acid” that Vegans are sure they receive in their diet to accomplish having a complete protein source. “Limiting” means that without it proteins cannot properly be absorbed and metabolized. Lysine is also necessary for calcium absorption.

And finally, Methionine; in reviewing this important amino acid, if it’s not available in the diet through foodstuffs then none of the proteins will be absorbed and metabolized. We must find quality foods that contain Methionine so that our birds’ digestive tracts and metabolic systems will be able to make use of the protein they receive.

Most commercial bird foods have been neglectful in formulating daily diets for our companion birds overall. They have not taken into consideration that a completely balanced protein must consist of including whole-foods that contain both naturally occurring, and equally balanced, Lysine to Arginine amino acids with enough Methionine to properly metabolize the available protein. When we look at the package backs of these processed foods we will be sure to find ingredients that are extremely high in ingredients that contain Arginine. But where are the ingredients that contain Lysine, the all-important amino acid that balances the Arginine in order to make a complete protein? They are virtually non-existent. And how about the Methionine ingredients? Where are they?

Personally, I’m not satisfied if they tell me that they have added the Lysine and Methionine by supplementing them with laboratory-produced, chemical versions because scientists are still debating whether these substances are utilized by a living creature the same way as a natural and organic source is metabolized by a living creature. I would much rather be sure to use the real version, a living version, a whole-food that was made by Nature.

Click for: “Amino Acids: The Building Blocks of Complete Protein – Part 1″

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Hide and Cecum – Your Parrot’s Digestive Tract, Finally Understood!

Filed under: A) Anatomy - Digestive Tract, Specialized Information — Leave a comment

December 6, 2011

Many avian species have “cecum” (plural). But you don’t see many parrot books speak of the “ceca” (singular). My question is “Why?” Well, it’s because it is virtually non-existent in Psittaciformes so there isn’t any reason to bring up the subject. Or is there? After studying the function of the ceca I have come to believe that it is absolutely essential to discuss the function of this important part of the avian anatomy when the daily diets of our beloved parrots are based on poultry that have highly-developed cecum.

For years upon years parrot diets have been based upon poultry dietary needs. Has anyone really ever asked why? Not really. When it comes right down to it, poultry (Galliformes) are completely different from parrots (Psittaciformes) and should be treated as a completely different species when formulating daily diets for our beloved companion birds, and not for the obvious reason you may think, because they live mostly outside as livestock, but rather for a reason that researchers haven’t disclosed to the avian community, the “cecum”.

What is the “cecum”? This almost hidden and ignored part of the digestive tract is largely present in some avian species, moderately present in other avian species (Passeriformes) and virtually non-existent in still other avian species. It is a “tubular blind-ended” sac located at the small intestine.

This is where I become very concerned regarding the formulation of parrot diets because I know, in accordance to research information that is widely available, that most parrot diets have been formulated based on poultry diets. We already know that poultry have quite a different digestive tract than parrots. But do we know just how different they really are? And if so, then why do we continue to base and formulate parrot diets off of poultry diets? It just doesn’t make good scientific sense, let alone good common sense!

Once I found research information that backed up my knowledge about detailed information regarding the extreme difference between poultry and parrot digestive tracts, I could no longer keep this information from the avian community; I had to share it with all of you. Knowledge is strength and should cause all of us to do better.

So here is the thing about the cecum in poultry versus parrots. Poultry have an extensive network of cecum and parrots have absolutely none! [1] And Passeriformes have only small, fairly under-developed cecum. What does this tell us about poultry? What does this tell us about parrots in specific?

Poultry cecum, similar to carnivores, ferment their food and parrots do not. Yes Carnivores have cecum as well. The ceca is a “blind-ended” sac in which fine food particles can be held for longer periods of time than can be held in the small and large intestine. The duty of the ceca is to collect and absorb the small fibers and fluids into itself and push all of it up against its own walls to extract all of the micronutrients and further the fermentation process, get as many nutrients out of the foodstuff as possible, before sending it to the colon for excretion.

But parrots don’t have cecum, so why are we attempting to formulate daily diets for parrots based on poultry diets when research scientists and other professionals supposedly know this critical information? Why are we attempting to feed foodstuffs to parrots that poultry actually need to ferment in order to derive the nutritional benefits?

It would seem to me by feeding foods that need to ferment in order for the species to derive nutritional benefits may be causing a cascade of problems, such as the case with corn for just one example. When corn is allowed to ferment it breaks down into a sugary substance which then converts to starch which then converts back to sugar. Most of us know that once this conversion takes place, if too many starchy, sugary foods are fed, it is very possible that a yeast infection is quite likely to follow.

But, okay, we can argue that parrots don’t have cecum so we don’t need to worry about corn fermenting in the first place. But if no real nutrition can be derived from corn without the fermentation process, the breaking down of this foodstuff in order to derive the nutritional benefit, it boils down to this ingredient passing through the digestive tract in a parrot without the parrot deriving virtually any real nutritional benefit from it. But what does begin to happen in the digestion process of corn is that the outer coating begins to break down into sugar. So our beloved parrots do receive sugars, an empty carbohydrate, void of any real nutrition, at minimum from an ingredient such as corn. Then why feed this ingredient at all? This is exactly one of the reasons our parrots become obese, and are developing fatty liver disease, but malnourished. They eat and eat, but derive no nutritional benefit from their food; they keep eating in an effort to fulfill their nutritional needs. Many of the harder grains take too long to break down and digest in their system, especially since parrots don’t have cecum where the grain can ferment to extract the micronutrients.

The point is we shouldn’t be formulating daily diets for our parrots based off of poultry diets when their digestive tracts are so very different from one another! Knowing that poultry ferment their food in order to derive nutritional benefits from the food they consume, and parrots do not, makes all of the difference in the world. We need to be feeding foodstuffs that offer high quality, quick nutrition to our parrots that don’t take long periods of time to break down and supply the necessary nutrients their physiological design requires. Diets that are formulated for poultry do not offer this kind of nutrition. Most parrots are mainly herbivores with a large palate of individual foods on the list including tender grasses, tender leaves, soft barks, fruits, seeds, pollens, but very little amount of grain in their diet unless no other food sources can be found. Some Psittaciformes will also be found consuming insects which make them a little bit insectivorous, showing us that they might need some amount of “animal protein” in their diet.

But this is the thing, you know the old saying “You eat like a bird”? Well, for birds that don’t have cecum this may very well be more true than we have previously understood. Their food literally passes right through them; there is no “holding tank”, so to speak, because they don’t have cecum. This is why many species consume 80% of their body weight each and every day. And this gives us even more reason why we need to be feeding super-high quality foodstuffs to our companion birds. Their digestive tracts need to be able to extract quality nutrition out of those foods as fast as possible, they need foodstuffs that release nutrients quickly and efficiently, not foodstuffs that hold on to their nutrients and require fermentation before any real nutrition can be obtained from the food.

There we have it folks, this is exactly why we need to move away from formulating parrot diets based on poultry nutrition. We need to get away from providing such hard-to-digest ingredients like corn, rice, soy and wheat. And we especially need to stay away from meat products. Our parrots just don’t have the organ necessary to ferment or breakdown these kinds of foods, let alone derive the nutrition from them they have to offer. Poultry has the slow-moving, fermenting digestive tracts needed to break down these foods, parrots absolutely do not.

I will go more in-depth about the ceca in my avian nutrition book I am presently working on. Be sure to stay tuned so you will know when, where and how my book is published!

[1] Mitchell 1896a, At-u; Mitchell 1901, Strigops; Beddard

1911, Nestor.

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Liver and Kidney Disease – Part 2 – Hypervitaminosis A

Filed under: Ailments/Illness/Disease, Liver and Kidney Disease — Leave a comment

December 5, 2011

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In “Liver and Kidney Disease – Part 1 – Protein” we discussed how too much protein, or more accurately, the wrong kind of protein, may contribute to liver and/or kidney disease. In part 2 we will be discussing how hypervitaminosis A, or too much vitamin A, or again, more accurately the wrong kind of vitamin A, may contribute to liver and/or kidney disease. And I really, really want to stress, that I’m talking about the wrong kind of vitamin A more than I am the overdosing of vitamin A. However, the symptoms may very well look like the overdosing of vitamin A, but then the overdosing of vitamin A are very similar to the lack of vitamin A, so one cannot be absolutely sure which situation you are dealing with, the lack of this vitamin, or the overdosing of vitamin A because of feeding the wrong form of this vitamin unless you have your licensed avian veterinarian perform a blood test. Now that being said, let’s continue with our post regarding liver and kidney disease and how hypervitaminosis A contributes to this disease.

We hear so much about how our companion birds are not receiving enough vitamin A, and that is called hypovitaminosis A, or lack of vitamin A in the diet. That condition can very well be true if a diet high in seed and low in fresh produce is being fed.

But what if a diet primarily consisting of highly processed ingredients is being fed and then on top of those processed, or basically “dead” ingredients, a combination of laboratory-produced synthetic vitamin mix of supplements are added to the pressed and shaped pelletized kibble? This removes the need for the bird’s body to synthesize the vitamins from any whole-foods that they would normally ingest if they were being fed whole-foods rich in living digestive enzymes, fatty acids, vitamins and minerals. In other words, when a diet that has already been “pre-digested” and smothered in artificial vitamins, like highly processed pellets, are fed to our birds, the need for our birds’ bodies to function as they were designed to function is removed from the entire digestion process; the need to utilize, synthesize and metabolize all of the digestive enzymes, fatty acids, amino acids, vitamins and minerals they were specifically designed to do all on their own becomes virtually unnecessary! Our birds’ entire digestive systems, endocrine systems, metabolic systems and every other natural bio-synthesis action becomes weak, lethargic, sluggish and lazy. We are taking away Nature’s miraculous built-in processes and actions.

Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin, meaning that it requires the fat in a living creature’s body in order to be metabolized. And where are the fats metabolized? Among many, many of the vast functions of the liver and kidneys, fat metabolism is only one of the functions they perform. When too much “synthetic” vitamin A is introduced to the body, or any fat-soluble vitamin for that matter, the liver and kidneys have to work overtime to metabolize it. If they cannot metabolize all of it, then these organs become over-taxed and disease sets in, especially if the bodily system is already lazy due to the kind of low-quality diet of a highly “pre-digested” diet it may be accustomed to.

There are two kinds of hypervitaminosis A, “acute” and “chronic”. Acute is when too much vitamin A is ingested over a short period of time and chronic is when too much is present in the system over a long period of time. Chronic overdosing is what I am so concerned about when feeding highly processed kibble that has been fortified with synthetic forms of vitamins, like the fat-soluble vitamin A that cannot be so easily thrown off and out of the system like water-soluble nutrients can. When we feed highly processed diets that contain synthetic forms of vitamin A we are constantly introducing and re-introducing this “artificial” source of vitamin A into our bird’s diet on a daily basis, without even knowing if science is correct about the amounts we should be feeding to our birds of this all-too-difficult-to metabolize-synthetic-form of vitamin.

So what actually happens when the liver and/or kidneys become over-taxed with synthetic vitamin A? You may see black spots on the feathers, feather loss, an overgrown beak, or talons, cracking, peeling or itching of the skin, abnormally oily skin, bright green urine, decreased appetite, lethargy, vomiting, and/or hypercalcaemia (too much calcium in the blood), and cataracts. Not all of these conditions need be present in order for your bird to be suffering from hypervitaminosis A. Interestingly enough; these can be the symptoms of hypovitaminosis A as well. But if you witness even one of these symptoms, I strongly encourage you to set up an appointment with your licensed avian veterinarian and have a test performed to check on the blood level of vitamin A in your bird.

Synthetic vitamin A, the kind produced in a laboratory is really a inferior substitute for the real thing, in my opinion, when so many whole-food sources are available for us and our companion animals. If the source of vitamin A listed on your brand of food says “acetate” or “palmitate” the source is synthetic. If the source is not listed, if it just says “vitamin A supplement”, the source is most likely synthetic, not natural. And even if it is natural, remember, because it is “oil-based”, it has to be preserved with something so that it does not go rancid. As I have mentioned many times, scientists, even after years and year of debate, still cannot agree whether synthetic vitamins are readily absorbed and metabolized by any living creature’s body. Therefore we have no concrete evidence that any synthetic vitamin is actually utilized in the very same manner as whole-food nutrition is utilized by a living creature’s body.

So what is the better, more natural approach to fulfilling our bird’s need for vitamin A, how can we be sure our bird is receiving enough vitamin A when all of this talk is going around that our birds are actually suffering a lack of vitamin A? It’s not all as difficult as it is made to sound.

We only need to know how to supply whole-foods, not highly processed foods that contain synthetic forms of nutrients, but whole-foods that supply the body’s need for the precursor to vitamin A, the nutrient that is needed for the body to synthesize vitamin A, so that the body can synthesize what it knows it needs in the proper amount of vitamin A. If that natural and organic nutrient is available in abundance then your bird will have plenty of what is needed to have all of the vitamin A it needs.

What is that nutrient? It is beta-carotene. Foods high in beta-carotene, like mango, apricots, and carrots are what are needed to manufacture vitamin A. These are my first choice of foods because they are also high in the essential amino acid “Lysine”, the other half of the chain of amino acids also necessary to make a complete protein. There are many other foods that contain beta-carotene, but unfortunately they are high in the essential amino acid “Arginine”. Our birds normally receive too much Arginine, the predominant amino acid which makes the other half of the complete protein, so that’s why I always try to get my readers to add foods that contain high amounts of Lysine to their bird’s diet. We want to be sure to introduce foods that are high in Lysine to make sure our birds are receiving complete proteins.

In addition to supplying the foundation to vitamin A, beta-carotene is an anti-oxidant which means that it helps in fighting the free radicals that cause so much harm to our birds’ bodies, like any carcinogenic agents. Beta-carotene helps heal minor skin irritations and wounds, it actually cleanses the liver and helps to excrete fats and bile, helps fight respiratory ailments and illnesses, helps fight anemia, boosts the immune system, and improves eyesight among many other important properties.

At any rate, beta-carotene is fairly harmless in comparison to synthetically produced vitamin A. Because it is a whole-food source, and only a precursor to vitamin A that the body uses to produce its own vitamin A as it needs it, the body can also rid itself of any beta-carotene easier than it can synthetic vitamin A. Don’t get me wrong, you will still need to be watchful about the amount of intake of beta-carotene through whole-food sources, you want to exercise common sense. But overall, vitamin A when synthesized from whole-food sources of beta-carotene, are a much safer form than synthetic vitamin A from laboratory-produced sources found in highly processed foods, especially when we still aren’t absolutely sure what each bird species really needs in their daily diets; we are basically guessing based on poultry diets even with all of the research that has been performed. So all said and done, doesn’t it just make sense to allow our birds’ bodies to decide how much vitamin A they really need and supply the beta-carotene needed to synthesize their own supply? It is my personal opinion it does makes good common sense.

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Tags: bird food, bird nutrition, Bird-elicious, Fatty liver disease in parrots, healthy bird food, Hypervitaminosis A in parrots, Hypervitaminosis in parrots, Hypovitaminosis A in parrots, Kidney Disease in Parrots, lack of vtamin A in parrots, Liver Disease in Parrots, parrot disease, parrot diseases, parrot nutrition, Parrots, the best bird food, too much vitamin A in parrots, vitamin A and parrots

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Liver and Kidney Disease in Parrots – Part 1 – Protein

Filed under: Ailments/Illness/Disease, Liver and Kidney Disease — Leave a comment

December 1, 2011

Liver and kidney disease runs rampant among companion birds. One holistic veterinarian, Robert D. Ness, DVM, believes, along with me, that it has to do mostly with the diets we are feeding to our beloved feathered friends. He believes that we need to lower the amount of protein we are feeding to our birds.[1] I personally believe that it may be possible that we are feeding diets too high in protein, but more accurately, we are feeding the wrong kind of proteins, animal protein in many cases. Even more accurately, when we adhere to feeding only plant protein, we still, after all of these years of research, are not feeding a balanced “complete protein” along with the appropriate amino acids, the building blocks of complete proteins, in which to aid the metabolism of those proteins. What happens next is an abnormally heavy burden that taxes both the liver and the kidneys in metabolizing these proteins without any help from the already over-taxed metabolic process, using the naturally occurring enzymes that would be produced by the body’s system if all of the amino acids were present to do the job they were meant to do, work as a team to break the proteins down in a way the body could actually utilize them, and recognize them as a nutritional substance.

Let’s begin with the nutrients being feed to our feathered friends. Normally we are feeding pellets which are virtually void of any real “living” nutrition to begin with. And usually the main ingredients, if you look on the package in order of ingredient listing from most to least, are either corn or sunflower seeds first, and usually soy follows not too far down the list, eventually you may find rice, barley or wheat too. All of these ingredients are high in the amino acid “Arginine”. And the holistic veterinarian I mentioned earlier, Dr. Ness, believes that our feathered friends who are suffering from kidney disease needs to go through kidney detox to remove some of the Arginine overload.[2] Now, I have discussed this amino acid at great length on our blog and I have indicated that because so many formulated bird foods are so heavy-laden with ingredients, lop-sided in containing this amino acid in comparison to its balancing partner “Lysine”, needed to make up a “complete protein”, that I highly suspect this may be one of the factors leading to “The Mutilation Syndrome”. But here we have yet another problem this imbalance of nutrients could be contributing to, liver and/or kidney disease.

And don’t think those of us who don’t feed highly processed foods are going to get off Scott-free! Because if we aren’t performing due-diligence and doing our homework, learning which foods to offer in order to feed a completely balanced diet to our birds, we could very well be causing the same problems that are caused by feeding highly processed foods. As I have indicated before, formulating a well-balanced daily diet isn’t a snap job!

So anyway, here we have diets that are high in “incomplete proteins”, and to add insult to injury we may be feeding animal proteins in addition to these diets that are lacking in the real kind of protein our birds need to thrive. It’s no wonder our birds are ending up with liver and/or kidney disease. Interestingly enough, if a bird has one, say liver disease, it seems that the other follows, kidney disease as well, or vice versa.

So what do we do then when our birds are found to have either or both of these diseases? Well, I’m assuming that if they have been “found” to have either of these diseases you have already had the disease(s) confirmed and diagnosed by your licensed avian veterinarian. And following your vet’s advice is definitely what you should be doing in the case of severe disease. But what can you do homeopathically at home to further aid in the detox your bird’s liver and kidneys?

I have compiled some information for you from a number of resources, one of which is from Dr. Ness himself. I have thoroughly checked out this information to make sure that this information is, I believe to be, reliable, useful and harmless for our birds. But of course, as always I must reiterate, I am not a licensed veterinarian so I cannot claim to diagnose, treat or cure any ailment, disorder, illness or disease in humans, pets or livestock. Any information I offer is purely for use at your own discretion.

*Important Note: Any detox program will deplete your bird’s mineral reserves to some great extent. For this reason I strongly recommend offering your bird freshly juiced fruits and vegetables on a daily basis as adding these juices will reintroduce a new supply of micronutrients consisting of enzymes, fatty acids, vitamins and minerals to your bird’s diet!!! This will also aid in the detox process. When I say “freshly juiced”, I mean using a high quality juicer to actually juice the fruits and vegetables yourself at home, not some juice you buy at the grocery store, those juices have been so overly processed, and have been sitting on the shelves for so long, their real nutrition have been long lost.

Here is a recipe to replenish your bird’s minerals while at the same time detoxing your bird’s kidneys: Please use organic fruits and vegetables, these will always supply the best nutrition and remember, you are attempting to “detox”, that means removing all chemical substances too, like fertilizers and pesticides!

4 cups watermelon (No rind) *If your bird is suffering “The Mutilation Syndrome” do not use this ingredient!

2 tablespoons raspberry *If your bird is suffering “The Mutilation Syndrome” do not use this ingredient!

6 strawberries

1 carrot

½ cucumber (May use skin as long as it is organic)

½ cup parsley

Here is a recipe to replenish your bird’s minerals while at the same time detoxing your bird’s liver:

2 kale leaves

6 spinach leaves

1 beet(you can use the tops too, if you have them

1 dandelion leaf(you can also get this in herbal tincture form)

2 carrots

1 beet (May use leaves)

¼ cup of cranberries

3 apples (Please use the skins)

1 handful of parsley

1 handful of alfalfa

And if your bird has both liver and kidney problems, just combine both recipes together for a wonderful and nutritional, replenishing and supportive juice! Buy only enough fresh, organic produce to last only a few days so that it doesn’t spoil or loose its nutritional content. And after you juice the produce, be sure to keep it in your refrigerator tightly capped so that nutrients don’t leach out. Feed only as much as your bird will consume at one serving and do not allow the juice to remain in open air any longer than say, about ½ hour due to spoilage concerns. Then toss what your bird does not consume.

Secondly, I would begin brewing either organic white or green tea and using it as your bird’s drinking water while taking your bird through the detox program which should last as long as your veterinarian is treating your bird for the specified disease. Organic white teas are the best teas to use for chelation, but they are also more expensive. I prefer to purchase my teas from Silk Road Teas. They literally travel to China and hand picks their teas. I use only their organic teas. Obviously allow the tea to cool to room temperature before serving to your bird. Do not allow the tea to sit openly all day long once your serve it to your bird, but you can allow the tea to sit for a few hours without worry of spoilage. Don’t serve water at the same time; make this the only beverage available so that your bird will be forced to drink it. Most likely your bird will readily drink it as birds actually like the tannins in teas.

Thirdly, combine and feed just a couple to a few pinches of this mixture on top of fresh fruits and vegetables every day. Or, if preferred, mix it in with the fresh juice you are offering:

1/8 tsp of ground Burdock root (Arctium lappa)

1/8 tsp ground Licorice root (Glycyrrhiza glabra)

1/4 tsp part Bupleurum (Bupleurum chinense)

1/4 tsp ground Oregon grape (Mahonia spp.)

1/2 tsp of ground Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale)

3/4 tsp of ground Cilantro (Coriandrum sativum)

3/4 tsp of Chlorella (Chlorella vulgaris)

3/4 tsp of ground Milk Thistle (Silybum marianum)

1/2 tsp of Echinacea purpora root

3/4 tsp of ground Calendula flowers (Eschscholzia californica)

3/4 tsp of ground Cleavers leaves (Galium aparine)

3/4 tsp of Tumeric (Curcuma longa)

Few drops of Gardenia extract (Gardenia jasminosides)

In addition, the kidneys need Omega 3’s in order to flush out the bad fats/cholesterols, the LDL’s. Feeding organic flax seed and/or oil, as well as organic hemp seed and/or oil are good during this time of detox, but in small quantities because again, we don’t want to overburden already stressed kidneys. So offer just a couple to a few drops of each, the flax and hemp oil a couple times a week only depending on the size and species of your bird. And as far as the seed is concerned, probably 1/8 to 1 tsp of the two seeds mixed together, again depending on the size and species of your bird. Obviously a Budgie will only need a drop of oil a couple times a week compared to a Macaw who can consume as much as 5 to 15 drops several times a week when they have already over-taxed liver and kidneys. And again, a Budgie will only need a few sprinkles of the seed mixture a couple of times a week compared to a Macaw who can consume as much as 1-2 tsp per day while it is detoxing. So any species in between these sizes of birds you can kind of estimate in your mind.

Together with the above added detox you can add the following to your list of kidney detoxification regimen: Couch grass (Elymus repens) (aka Dog grass root), Echinacea (Echinacea purpurea) and Marshmallow root (Althaea officinalis). I would combine them in equal parts of ¼ tsp each, ground, and add just a pinch on top of your bird’s fresh fruit and veggie mix, or as above, directly in their fresh juice mix.

Please understand, I’m not discussing the chelation process in regards to heavy metal toxicity, this is a topic I will cover in a blog post further down the road. Although this detox program will help with metal detox to some good extent, this detox program is mainly for general liver and kidney health and vitality in regards to over-taxed organs due to high protein or inaccurate/imbalanced protein intake without the necessary means, the correct amino acid present, to help metabolize the proteins that are being consumed.

It is well passed the time that all of us, bird lovers and avian nutritionists alike, but especially those who formulate daily commercial diets for our feathered friends, to wake up and realize we are not formulating diets for poultry who’s digestive tracts are much different than exotic aves. In addition, if we are really serious about the health and vitality of keeping companion birds in our homes for our pleasure, then we must also be serious about their long term health, not just the short term pleasure we may receive from the time we enjoy their presence in our life span before passing them off to someone else to carry the burden we can no longer carry for whatever reason we had to relinquish them, be it our own illness, death or financial situation. These beautiful creatures deserve the very best we have to offer them because they offer us, without any conditions forced upon us by their nature, their companionship…that’s what “companion” means…companionship. And it is supposed to go both ways, they offer us unconditional companionship, and we offer it back to them as well.

Stay tuned for Part 2 of Liver and Kidney Disease in Parrots. I will be covering Vitamin A and how it affects these precious and miraculous organs!

[1]Clinical Avian Medicine – Volume 1 Pg. 361

[2] Clinical Avian Medicine – Volume 1 Pg. 361

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Tags: best bird food, bird food, bird nutrition, Bird-elicious, Birdelicious, Kidney Disease in Parrots, Liver Disease in Parrots, Parrot, parrot disease, parrot diseases, parrot nutrition, Parrots, Proteinuria in parrots, renal disease in parrots, the best bird food

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Safe Bird Toys – It’s ALL About the Safety of Our Birds!

Filed under: Best Bird Toys! — Leave a comment

November 30, 2011

I’ve never been one to make friends in the avian retail products community based on my congeniality with other parrot product retailers…and this post probably will not earn me any additional friends in the industry. Oh well. My main concern is about the birds; I’m about the health, safety and overall well-being of parrots, especially after what I have been through with my business and now, in addition to my business, my brand new future hopes of a non-profit foundation and private trust… Who better to be an outspoken advocate for parrots than someone who has literally gone through the worst of the worst? I figure I’m a pretty good candidate for that position, therefore if anyone wants to be the judge of what I recommend for the well-being of parrots, let them step up and be the first one to throw the first stone when all I have are the best of intentions for these dearly beloved creatures.

Okay, that off of my chest and having been said, let’s get right into what constitutes, in my opinion, the safest of the safest parrot toys for your own beloved feathered friends!

The holiday season is upon us and many of you will be purchasing brand-spanking new toys and enrichment tools for your birds. And just as we are warned on the nightly news about which toys are, and are not, safe for our children and grandchildren, we need someone educating us about bird toys as well. Yes, there are many, many toys on the market that birds absolutely should not have on their gift list this holiday season no matter how much they plead with you and Santa that they want that toy! If you have already purchased that “oh, so much desired bird toy” and you may learn after this post it isn’t all that safe, then return it as soon as you finish reading! It just doesn’t matter how much “Polly” in the picture is seen loving her new toy…if it isn’t safe, it isn’t worth the money you pay for it!

Let’s begin with the hardware because this is where most people think it’s okay to accept second best, and it’s just not “okay” because this can be one of the most deadly decisions you make in choosing your bird’s toy that doesn’t show up until much further down the road. The hardware are the parts that literally hold your bird’s toy together, the chain, the washers, the O-rings, the swivels, the quik links, you know, the nuts and bolts of the toy. Zinc, aluminum, steel (iron), brass, copper, and other metals are completely out of the question, most of us bird lovers know that because they are “heavy metals”. The reason for this is that ingested or even licked they can cause, and most likely will cause, metal toxicity. Have you ever seen a bird with metal toxicity? You don’t want to. It becomes clumsy, even to the point of falling off of its perches, lethargic, looses it’s desire to eat, and eventually dies.

Many people will tell you it’s “acceptable” to use nickel-plated hardware because it’s plated solidly to the steel that’s underneath the nickel and nickel isn’t toxic to our birds. Hold on…did I say it’s plated to steel? Yes I did. That means that there is the possibility of the nickel flaking off at some point down the road. And come on; let’s get really real here, what do birds do with their awesomely strong beaks? They nibble, chew, ply, pull and literally destroy. We can’t see little, tiny bits and pieces that might be flaking off of these coated pieces and getting swallowed, before the bigger chunks begin to alarm us, but be assured, it’s happening. The main reason nickel-plating begins to flake off in the first place is because the metal under it is beginning to rust! That in itself should caution us that using this kind of hardware for our birds is just not worth the risk! As much fluid as our birds’ toys are around, and the slight bit of moisture that the hardware is exposed to from our birds’ mouths and tongues, on a constant basis, is reason enough for me to stay as far away from nickel-plated as I can just in case there is a slight crack in the plating, giving way to moisture seeping in allowing rust to begin, only adding to more flaking of the plating.

So what’s the better, safer choice all around for the hardware? Stainless steel and the highest grade of stainless steel you can find, the harder the stainless steel, the better. You want toys that are constructed with stainless chain, washers, O-rings, S-hooks, swivels, quik links, whatever, you always want to find toys that use only stainless steel for the health and safety of your bird. Will you pay more? Yes, of course, but it’s well worth it when you consider you may literally be saving your bird’s life! And if you are constructing your bird’s toys yourself, my advice is to adhere strictly to stainless steel unless you absolutely cannot find the hardware part you need available in stainless steel. And if that is the case, then you may need to redesign the toy around the hardware.

Secondly, let’s talk about the quality of any woods used in the construction of your bird’s toys. Not all wood is the same. Now, I’m not talking about whether you choose hard woods or soft woods that choice is up to you. Obviously hard woods are going to last longer, and you will pay more for these woods. The thing is about the “kind” of wood being used is that you want to ask that particular question to make sure it’s not a wood that might be poisonous to a bird. But what I’m mainly speaking of is whether the wood is “treated” or “untreated”. Many lumber yards buy wood that has been treated with chemicals to help prevent both fires as well as degradation by fungus, pests and just the plain old aging process. So you want to make absolutely sure the toys you are purchasing are constructed with wood that has not been treated with chemicals of any kind.

Third, what about all of those beautiful and bright colors? We love color don’t we? But have you ever thought about the safety of those colors, those dyes and your birds getting them into their mouths and ultimately their bodily system? There are mainly two kinds of dyes that are used, artificial and natural, or organic. Obviously we want to stay away from the artificial dyes because these are chemically produced and contain an entire laundry list of “FDA” approved chemicals. But as we have come to understand, the FDA approves many, many items that are not necessarily suitable for consumption that we later learn should have never been approved in the first place…we learn that they may cause allergies at minimum and at worst may be highly carcinogenic. But what about the “natural or organic” dyes, are they okay for our birds’ toys? In my own opinion, absolutely not! And I have a two-part answer for you.

First of all, something has to be used to preserve those dyes, otherwise they will spoil. And most likely the preservative of choice, when these dyes are produced on a mass scale, will be a chemical preservative, usually some form of MSG (monosodium glutamate) that can wreak all kinds of havoc in our birds’ delicate system. It is hidden is all sorts of other “ingredients”, I encourage you to click on the previous link to learn more about it. So if you are not purchasing toys that are literally handmade and dyed with organic dyes and preserved with natural preservatives like herbs such as rosemary, then beware!

But there’s a stronger reason you may not want to buy toys with bright and loud colors. And this may come as quite a surprise to many of you, but I assure you the information is well-founded by the research studies I have performed with my very own flock. I am absolutely convinced and because of it I will no longer be supplying colored toys, whether they are wood or acrylic, to any of my personal birds. And that is on the subject of hormonal stimulation. It is fact that birds “display” their color when mating season arrives. You can find this research information, shared with the public, just about anywhere. And one of the main reasons they do this is to stimulate the opposite sex into the desire to mate. In other words it stimulates the hormonal activity in both birds. And when does this breeding behavior occur most in Nature? Usually around the time most plants and flowers are in bloom in their natural origin and location, when everything is in full color. Could it be then, that we are actually stimulating our birds to remain in a type of breeding state during the full calendar year by hanging all of these colors in and around their environment? Even to the point of painting their bird rooms with bright colors? I personally think so. It could be that we are causing our birds to become, and remain, “sexually frustrated” on an ongoing basis by the use of all of these brightly colored objects and painted environments. In my opinion this is just one factor leading to “The Mutilation Syndrome” in so many of our captive companion birds. In order to mimic their surroundings we need to step back and really look at the “normal” environment” they would be living in on a day-to-day” basis, not what they would be living in only during the mating season. For this very strong reason I implore you to purchase toys that are only natural in color, no colored plastic or acrylic parts, and no colored wood, whatsoever.

Now, if after offering you my reason why we should not be offering colored toys to our birds, and adding to that my own personal belief that color is more for “us” and then it is for our birds, you are determined to have colored plastic parts on your bird’s toys, I’m about to help you choose the safest plastic parts to have on those toys. Soft plastic, or even semi-soft plastic, like the plastic chains, contains a lot of zinc, a heavy metal that causes metal toxicity. Zinc is what is used to bind the color to the plastic. Please do not purchase toys with soft or semi-soft plastic parts. The only “plastic” parts that are safe, and it really isn’t plastic at all, is acrylic. This is so hard that you don’t have to worry much about your bird ingesting too much of unwanted material, although birds with really strong beaks, such as Macaws, Cockatoos, African Greys, Amazons and the like, can still get little, tiny pieces off with their mighty beaks.

The last topic I wish to discuss with you is the overall safety of the toy. No matter how safe we try to make bird toys, there is always some amount of harm that can come from any toy, it just goes with the territory. Birds can get their feet or their beak tangled up in rope, leather strands, chain, raffia, grasses, all shreddable materials, this is the mischievous nature of birds, and they are naturally curious creatures. And any tiny parts that can be popped off, or accidently broken, can be easily swallowed, this is why you don’t want these parts to be cheap metal, or colored with dyes that are chemically derived or preserved, or made of plastic that contains zinc as a binder. A number of “accidents” can happen during your bird’s play time fun and what was meant for an enriching experience can all of a sudden turn deadly. It is important to carefully watch our birds as they play with their toys, just as we would with a human child, to make sure they remain safe at all times.

Please understand, I don’t mean to put a damper on your bird’s activities, or your holiday gift-giving, I just simply want to help you choose the safest toys and tools possible to help eliminate most of the dangers in your bird’s environment! The main idea though is to watch with an attentive eye when your birds are most active and see what fascinates them the most. Many times this will be exactly what you need to make sure is the safest part of the toy!

With all of this in mind, may you and your flock have a happy and SAFE holiday season!

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Well, we are seriously thinking of bringing all of our SAFE natural, organic toys back to market for your birds to enjoy! Obviously our end desire is to bring all of our foods back to market, but we need to fund our capital in order to accomplish that goal. Beginning with the toys would provide a foundation for that end goal.

So what do you think? Give us your opinion.Your vote is completely confidential.

“I look forward to getting more toys from you. Yours ARE the best!“ Nancy H. of CA on 12.12.11

Thank you for sharing your opinion!

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Tags: Beakery, Best Bird Toys, Bird toys, BirD-elicius! bird toys, colored bird toys, dyes and bird toys, feather destruction behavior, feather plucking, metal toxicity in birds, metal toxicity in parrots, plastic and bird toys, Rain Forest Foragers, safe bird toys, skin mutilation in parrots, skin mutilation syndrome in parrots, Stainless steel and bird toys, wood and bird toys, zinc and bird toys

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Amino Acids: The Building Blocks of “Complete Protein” – Part 1

Filed under: Basic Parrot Nutrition, D) Amino Acids, The Building Blocks - Part 1 — Leave a comment

November 29, 2011

We don’t often think of amino acids in relationship to the protein requirements of our companion birds when we pick up a package of food for them at our local pet shop, we simply may look at the protein percentage on the back of the package and think, “Hmmm…okay, this looks okay” and be on our merry way. But what actually goes into formulating that protein percentage? What has to be mixed and calculated to arrive at that number in order to make sure our feathered friend is receiving the “complete protein” it needs to not only survive, but thrive?

“Complete proteins” are what is needed in order for any living creature to survive. But complete quality proteins are what is needed for a living creature to thrive. Any food manufacturer can throw ingredients together and force the protein percentages to come out to a level that meets the criteria equaling the amount necessary for survival for the particular animal species they desire to sell to the consumer purchasing the food for their beloved pet. But it takes a nutritionist who is passionate about the health of animals, and one that really has the animal’s best interest at heart to formulate a food that not only meets the protein percentage criteria, but also combines the amino acids in a balanced manner that they complement each other in a symbiotic way that actually forms an actual “complete protein” in every aspect of the true nature of the definition.

The absolute best way to provide complete protein to an overall diet is to combine a vast array of fresh, organic whole-foods.

The only way to come close to producing minimally processed, and still high-potency food, is to produce it by hand, using minimal equipment, and only stainless steel equipment at that so as not to introduce metal toxicity, and leave most of the ingredients whole, or semi-whole and gently dehydrate as the means of preservation. Dehydration is the oldest method of preservation known to civilization and is still being used by present-day naturalists.

But back to the amino acids and building a complete protein for our birds’ daily diets. Amino acids are the “building blocks” of proteins in a living creature’s dietary needs, as well as within their very bodily make up, they provide the fiber of a living being’s physical existence!

There are two main amino acids we need to take into consideration when building the complete protein profile in which our birds need in order to thrive. Unfortunately here again, most commercial bird foods do not provide, in a balanced manner, these two essential amino acids in the ingredients they include in their packaged foods. The reason most manufacturers do not include ingredients that contain both amino acids is because the price is more costly for the more balanced foods that contain both amino acids, and plus some of the foods are more difficult to produce, and therefore obtain in mass quantity.

The term “essential” amino acid means that it is not synthesized by the body itself. In other words, it must be introduced into the body by other means, hopefully by whole-food sources rather than a laboratory-produced supplement. The body recognizes whole-food sources, in my opinion, more efficiently than it does laboratory-produced substances. This is a topic of long-debate by scientists spanning the entire globe. Still no concrete decisions have been made on this issue.

The two most essential amino acids we need to take into consideration when building our birds’ daily diet are Lysine and Arginine and they must be balanced in order to provide the complete protein your bird needs to thrive, not just survive. Too much of either and your bird will, eventually, begin to suffer some kind of ailment, disorder, illness or disease, mark my word.

In addition to those two amino acids your bird needs another essential acid, in a more limited amount, but essential nonetheless, Methionine, in order to metabolize the proteins, because first of all birds do not synthesize methionine on their own; neither do they metabolize proteins very well.

What does all of this boil down to? Well if you are going to be feeding your bird(s) fresh, organic, whole foods yourself, without any commercially packaged foods, you need to know how to go about providing a “complete protein” source for your bird’s daily diet. Otherwise you’re only guessing at what your bird needs in the way of a total diet.

And complete protein isn’t the only dietary need you should be taking into consideration. You have to take into consideration your bird’s fat requirements, calcium and other mineral needs, and make sure your bird isn’t receiving too much iron in its diet that could lead to “Iron Storage Disease”. When it comes right down to it, formulating a complete and total diet for your bird just isn’t a snap! And if you are feeding a commercial food that contains synthetic vitamins, or you are feeding synthetic vitamins yourself, you need to be really careful because you can easily overdose your bird and cause hypervitaminosis, a case of too much synthetic nutrition, which your bird’s system, primarily the liver and kidneys, just cannot metabolize. This is usually due to overdosing of “oil-soluble” vitamins, those which cannot be thrown off the system by the dilution of water-soluble body fluids, they need to be metabolized by the liver and kidneys. This can lead to an enlarged liver, fatty liver or liver and/or kidney disease. Many commercial bird foods contain these types of vitamins in them.

And if you are feeding, or you decide to feed, a commercial diet to your bird(s), please find one that is as close to organic, whole-food, minimally processed without synthetic vitamin supplements as you can possibly find. I know that’s a tall order considering what’s on the market today, but please try. Optimum health for your bird begins with optimum nutrition. It’s all about using food as a natural, holistic medicine, the first line of defense against all ailments, disorders, illness and disease.

Stay tuned for Part 2 of “The Building Blocks of Complete Protein“!

I’ll be discussing the importance of amino acids in more detail in my upcoming book, so be sure to stay tuned to learn how, when and where I’ll be publishing my first volume of avian nutritional information!

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Tags: amino acids, Amino acids and Complete Protein, Amino acids and Parrots, Arginine and Parrots, best bird food, bird food, bird nutrition, Bird-elicious, Complete Protein, complete proteins and parrots, healthy bird food, Lysine and Parrots, Methonine and Parrots, Parrot, parrot nutrition, Parrots, the best bird food

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Movie Suggestion: “Food Matters”

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November 27, 2011

I watched a very interesting movie tonight and I want to share it with all of you.

It touches on about everything that I believe about nutrition, whole-food, fresh fruits and vegetables and including all of the necessary vitamins, minerals and necessary amino acids in our diets while excluding processed foods.

This movie, Food Matters, speaks of the “Gerson Therapy” which I am in the process of learning about. I am finding I am highly interested in learning more about the “Gerson Therapy” for curing many disorders and illnesses in place of Western Medicine.

The movie is geared towards human diets, but it provides a good basis for understanding just how important a fresh, whole-food diet is to a living creature’s body. This information is highly important for our birds’ well-being, and it doesn’t hurt for us to partake of this type of diet for our own well-being as well.

The one topic you will need to keep in mind while viewing this movie that I do not necessarily support in relation to birds is the consumption of laboratory-produced vitamins in their diet. In my opinion this just is not necessary for our birds if you are feeding a diet high in whole-food nutrition of the right, and balanced, foods.

Also, they recommend spirulina as a good protein source…I do not. The protein in spirulina is bound in such a way that it is not readily available for metabolism. Plus spirulina contains a particular amino acid that I believe induces toe-tapping and wing-flipping (to be discussed in a later post).

But notice, corn, wheat and soy are not recommended as nutritional foods and should not be consumed…the very foods I do not include in our BirD-elicious! formulas.

Also, vitamin C is highly recommended by the speakers, in high doses. I am a strong advocate of the use of vitamin C for many reasons. It is a natural anti-histamine, and also a wonderful anti-oxidant. But listen to what the speakers have to say about it, you will be amazed!

Again, the name of the movie is Food Matters and I highly recommend watching it. I found it on Netflix.

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Dangerous Sprouting: Amino Acid “Canavanine”

Filed under: Sprouting — Leave a comment

November 27, 2011

What may not be all that lethal to a human being could, potentially be deadly to our fine feathered friends in even small quantities because their systems are so much more delicate than ours. Maybe that’s why we see them consuming “dirt” at the all-famous clay licks in Peru and other such sources around the world in their natural habitats.

Recently I came across research regarding a discreet little amino acid that not very many people know about, let alone talk about, “Canavanine”. It is a non-essential amino acid, which basically means that a living creature does not need it introduced into its system, it is synthesized by other food substances that are introduced into the body’s system.

This unfamiliar amino acid is akin to Arginine, the essential amino acid we have been discussing so broadly on our blog recently, attributing to the possibility of “The Mutilation Syndrome“. Canavanine is a non-protein amino acid and actually inhibits the protein metabolism. In addition scientists believe it could also be an attribute to immune depression and dysfunction causing allergy-like symptoms as well as Lupus-like illnesses. Tremors and other nervous system disorders (itching…plucking and mutilating?) can be the result of Canavanine in the system of unsuspecting victims. Lethargy and/or apathy may be present as well. It may also be carcinogenic because it acts as a “pesticide” during the growing process in alfalfa and red clover sprouts to protect the plant in their early stages of growth.

This is where my concern enters regarding sprouting for our birds. I know many of us believe in sprouting for our beloved companion birds because sprouts are so high in nutrition, and in fact, they are high in nutrition. So this post is not intended to cause you stop sprouting for your birds, but only to further your knowledge on what kind of sprouts are healthy to sprout for your birds. So it looks like alfalfa and red clover are NOT healthy sprouts because of the amino acid Canavanine contained in them, it is potentially highly toxic for all living creatures, but especially a bird’s delicate system.

If you have fed your bird(s) alfalfa and/or red clover sprouts and had no side affects, you might still want to reconsider and at least offer CA-Montmorillonite Clay (not the white benzonite version, but the tan/brown version is best from California Earth Minerals – TerraMin) to detoxify their system. Or, even better, just stop sprouting the alfalfa and/or red clover all together and sprout all of the other vast array of seeds/legumes. Evidentally these two varieties are the only two that contain high amounts of Canavanine, so all of the other seeds/legumes are safe as long as you are following safe sprouting methods.

Now, I need to say something about mature alfalfa, it does NOT contain Canavanine. Once the plant matures past sprout age it loses the lethal amino acid Canavanine and becomes a balanced complete protein and that’s why I recommend it as the base food to feed your bird in the daily diet.

As always, as soon as I find any reliable nutritional research information that may benefit the avian community I will pass it on to you!

Better health to all!

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Tags: amino acids, Bird-elicious, California Earth Minerals, Canavanine, complete proteins and parrots, healthy bird food, parrot food, parrot nutrition, Parrots, Sprouting, Sprouting for birds, Sprouting for parrots, TerraMin, the best bird food

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Seed to Combat “The Mutilation Syndrome”

Filed under: Mutilation Syndrome (AKA Feather Destruction) — 7 Comments

November 22, 2011

Lately we have been discussing some of the possible causes of “The Mutilation Syndrome“, one of which is the imbalance of the amino acid ratio of Lysine to Arginine in manufactured foods the pet food industry produces for your beloved birds. We are learning just how vitally important it is for you to educate yourself regarding each of the ingredients in your bird’s daily diet.

I have been attempting to help you learn how to properly judge those ingredients from the wholesomeness of those foods, to the vitamin content, the fatty acids, and now we are talking about the amino acid content which make up the protein and whether the protein is balanced and constitutes a “complete protein”. It is my belief that if your bird is not consuming a complete protein it is highly possible this may be one of the causes of “The Mutilation Syndrome“.

But what if your bird already has “The Mutilation Syndrome” and you are attempting to counter it? Then you need foods to balance the system. I have been searching for foods that will help you accomplish that task and I have been posting them on our blog as I complete the research.

Today I want to add a few seeds to our list of foods you can feed that are high in Lysine, the amino acid you want to feed to your plucking, mutilating bird. These seeds should not add to the problem, but instead help deter your bird away from this harassing disorder if it is, indeed, a physiological problem.

Amaranth, Buckwheat and Quinoa are all seeds (some people categorize them as grains) that are high in Lysine, the amino acid that counters Arginine. While Lysine is only half of the protein needed for a “complete protein”, if your bird is already consuming too much Arginine from all of the other foods it is consuming, adding these seeds to your bird’s diet will help balance the Arginine/Lysine ratio.

And don’t worry about “Buckwheat” containing wheat, it contains no wheat at all, and therefore no gluten, that indigestible protein that Celiacs cannot consume.

Okay, so for this reason, I am adding these seeds to our “do feed” list of ingredients for daily diets as well as the diet for “The Mutilation Syndrome“.

*Word of caution: Millet is high in Arginine, as well as Phenylalanine, (an amino acid we will be discussing further down the road when we discuss the issue of toe-tapping and wing-flipping), therefore I will be adding this seed to the list of “Do Not Feed” for birds suffering from “The Mutilation Syndrome”.

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Tags: bird food, bird nutrition, Bird-elicious, feather destruction, feather destruction behavior, feather mutilation, feather mutilation syndrome, feather picking, feather plucking, foods that contribute to feather plucking, healthy bird food, Parrot, parrot food, parrot nutrition, Parrots, the best bird food

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Bee Pollen and “The Mutilation Syndrome”

Filed under: Mutilation Syndrome (AKA Feather Destruction) — Leave a comment

November 21, 2011

Bee Pollen is naturally high in Lysine, and almost balanced in ratio with the amino acid Arginine. This makes it a wonderful source to add to your bird’s daily diet!

Our mission is always to provide a complete protein source for our birds. Knowing that birds have a predisposition in difficulty to absorbing and metabolizing proteins, it is absolutely necessary to provide the best possible proteins for their consumption we can find.

Not only does bee pollen offer a good ratio of Lysine to Arginine, it also contains a fair supply of Methionine, the amino acid necessary for the metabolism of protein.

In addition, bee pollen contains many, many natural vitamins and minerals not found in other food sources, making this food source an almost perfect food completely standing on its own.

One might say that a living creature could, if absolutely necessary, survive on bee pollen alone if desperate times called for it.

For these reasons I am adding bee pollen to our ever-growing list of foods “to feed”, not only for daily diets in general, but for birds suffering from “The Mutilation Syndrome“.

Be sure to visit our “forum” on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Parrots-The-BEST-Bird-Food/169623509768097

Tags: bird food, bird nutrition, feather destruction, feather destruction behavior, feather mutilation, feather mutilation syndrome, feather picking, feather plucking, foods that contribute to feather plucking, healthy bird food, parrot food, parrot nutrition, the best bird food

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A short quote by Dr. Bruce Fife, ND. I believe this is one of the best explanations of how MCTs (medium chain triglycerides/good fats) "work" in a living body:

"MCTs are processed differently. When we eat a fat containing MCTs, such as coconut oil, it travels through the stomach and into the small intestine. But since MCTs digest quickly, by the time they leave the stomach and enter the intestinal tract they are already broken down into individual fatty acids (MCFAs). Therefore, they do not need pancreatic enzymes or bile for digestion. Since they are already reduced to fatty acids as they enter the small intestine, they are immediately absorbed into the portal vein and sent straight to the liver. In the liver they are preferentially used as a source of fuel to produce energy. MCFAs bypass the lipoprotein stage in the intestinal wall and in the liver. They do not circulate in the bloodstream to the degree that other fats do. Therefore, they do not supply the fat that collects in fat cells nor do they supply the fat that collects in artery walls. MCFAs are used to produce energy, not body fat and not arterial plaque." You can read more from Dr. Fife at OfSpirit.com
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Remembering BirD-elicious! Foods…

Carbohydrates: Choosing the Right Carbs for Our Companion Birds

“SHI”:Seasonal Hormonal Irregularity- Understanding and Comforting Your Bird

GMO/GE Foods and How They May Affect BirD-elicious!

Amino Acids: The Building Blocks of “Complete Protein” – Malnutrition

Fatty Liver Disease and the Use of Dietary Fats for Companion Birds (Hepatic Lipidosis)

When NOT to Use Apple Cider Vinegar

Dietary Oils: A Multi-Part Series – Flax Seed Oil

Dietary Fat: An Overview for Companion Birds – Part 2

Dietary Fat: An Overview for Companion Birds – Part 1

Grapefruit Seed Extract (GSE) – Its Many Uses

Amino Acids: The Building Blocks of “Complete Protein” – Part 2

Hide and Cecum – Your Parrot’s Digestive Tract, Finally Understood!

Liver and Kidney Disease – Part 2 – Hypervitaminosis A

Liver and Kidney Disease in Parrots – Part 1 – Protein

Safe Bird Toys – It’s ALL About the Safety of Our Birds!

Amino Acids: The Building Blocks of “Complete Protein” – Part 1

Movie Suggestion: “Food Matters”

Dangerous Sprouting: Amino Acid “Canavanine”

Seed to Combat “The Mutilation Syndrome”

Bee Pollen and “The Mutilation Syndrome”

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