The science of pet food nutrition has progressed by leaps and wags and has given birth to a new study called nutrigenomics. Today what your puppy eats does more than simply fill up her tummy to fuel energetic play. Food has always had the potential to treat health conditions and even reverse diseases, but now there's a "star wars" way nutrition can do this--at the genetic level.
Last month I was one of a dozen pet journalists including my friend Barbara Nefer from PetSupplies.About.com invited to tour the Hill's Pet Nutrition Center and attend lectures on cutting edge science related to nutrition. I already had planned a series on pet food but that visit provided additional insight into the science of nutrition--and I am fascinated by the concept of nutrigenomics.
In fact I wrote about nutrigenomics previously for the Tufts University consumer publications Your Dog and Catnip newsletters. A number of commercial pet food companies as well as human nutritional management are incorporating the science of nutrigenomics in their work. The visit to Hills allowed me to update my information and share with you here--how nutrigenomics influences your puppy's health at the genetic level by "dialing up/dialing down" gene expression. Learn more in the article here.
Image © Barry Fryer/Flickr
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