e reasons/excuses abound why our pets are obese. As we get fatter, so do our pets. We work harder and longer, no time for walks. Yadda, yadda, yadda. The real reason is: We feed them too much. They eat their food. We give them treats. Then they eat our scraps. So, they get fat, and we end up shelling out hard earned cash after they develop health issues like diabetes, cardiovascular disease, joint issues, and others. My advice for owners of overweight dogs: go green with the Green Bean Diet. It’s easy, inexpensive, and it works. Green beans add fiber and to dogs’ diets and make them feel full without having the extra calories. Here’s what you need to know: 1.) Buy frozen green beans. Avoid canned green beans with salt since they’re loaded with sodium. Get French cut or regular cut, not whole green beans—they’re easier to measure and no cutting. 2.) Halve the regular amount of dog food that you feed your dog. Substitute green beans for the other half. For example, when my Bichon Frise, Scout, got a little tubby from all my counter-top droppings, he got ¼ cup of dry dog food and ¼ of green beans twice a day, once in the morning and once in the evening. But will dogs actually eat green beans? Most do. If not, try baby carrots, but they’re pricier. Some pet owners start with less than half green beans to get them used to the change, but all thn the cellular structure because they have been grown in a poison environment. “We think what’s happening to apples is more pesticides and fungicides are being applied after the harvest so the fruit can have a longer shelf life,” Sonya Lunder, EWG senior analyst told USA Today. In their 2011 Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce, the EWG evaluated 53 fruits and vegetables and ranked them based on their pesticide residue. These are the fruits and vegetables you must buy organic because of their high levels of poison. The Dirty Dozen 1. Apples 2. Celery 3. Strawberries 4. Peaches 5. Spinach 6. Nectarines (imported) 7. Grapes (imported) 8. Sweet bell peppers 9. Potatoes 10. Blueberries (domestic) 11. Lettuce 12. Kale/collard greens (A complete list of all 53 fruits and vegetables tested is available at www.ewg.org/foodnews/list/ ) If you are routinely buying your family these conventionally-grown produce then you are probably putting a lot of pesticides on their plate. For years there has been growing concerns about repeated exposures and the cumulative effect of poisonous pesticides – even in small amounts – and their impact on human health, especially the health of young children. Studies have suggested a possible association between pesticide exposure and numerous serious conditions including cancer, neurological problems and endocrine system disruption. A recent study published in the journal Pediatrics, researchers found even modest exposure to certain pesticides during pregnancy can influence an infant’s size and birth weight. These are all good reasons for switching to organic fruits and vegetables. Too often I hear people complain that organics are more expensive than conventionally-grown produce. Ok, how expensive is that supersized chemically flavored, genetically modified, popcorn and soda served up with the latest blockbus