Healthy Choices For Your Furry Friends....

I know that you love your furry friend so why wouldn’t you give the best quality foods possible? Do you know that most generic brands of food contains meat bi-products from overseas, GMO corn, BHA & BHT preservatives, artificial flavoring and color dyes? For a few dollars more than the grocery store brand pet food you can buy whole grain, organic vegetable and human consumption quality meat. By changing your pet’s food and adding some small additional supplements you can extend the quality and lifespan of your pet.

There are many books and online resources to find specific needs for your pets however this post will help you with an outline of every day healthy diet. This blog is for you to know that your pet’s food alone is not enough. Your pet needs vitamins and minerals as part of their everyday diet in low but constant concentrations. Its important to include an everyday multi-vitamin that has a well rounded range of essential vitamins and minerals such as A,D,E,K,B6, calcium, magnesium and more. Omega 3 is also important for your pet as it helps promote a healthy coat and helps joint function. This is extremely important for older pets to get proper lubrication for arthritic and aging joints.

Currently this is what I use for my pets:

They receive dried food twice a day and that is typically Wellness brand Whitefish and Sweet Potato Blend. This combination has proved to be effective with my Boston’s sensitive stomach. Wellness uses high quality ingredients and includes a nice blend of ingredients that is called 5 for Life and has added antioxidants, omega 3 & 6 and probiotics. There are many other high quality brands available at specialty pet food stores and natural health stores. Be sure to read the ingredients and that is does not contain any synthetic fillers or animal bi-products.

My Boston Terrier Lily has a very sensitive stomach and I have added a digestive enzyme powder to her diet to help her break down her meals. This power is called Pet Digest. Taken from the www.enzymedica.com website:

 Studies have shown, however, that animals, just like people, suffer from digestive issues when they eat a diet that is processed, cooked and devoid of essential nutrients and enzymes. Among other health issues, poor digestion can cause pets to suffer from constipation, diarrhea, itchy skin, and excess shedding. Adding Pet Digest,  digestive enzyme formula, to your pet's food not only promotes healthy absorption and digestion but may also strengthen their immune system. Pet Digest contains enzymes such as protease to digest protein, lipase to digest fats, and amylase to digest carbohydrates which are imperative for proper absorption and assimilation of nutrients vital to good health. 

My Boston Terrier/Beagle mix, Chloe is very sensitive emotionally and is easily affected by loud noises. I have supplemented Bachs Rescue Remedy Flower Essences specially made for pets. Its a unique combination of homeopathic flower essences that work on the emotional level of your pet. I put a couple drops in her water daily and this has seemed to help calm her nerves. This is a safe option for any emotional furry friend…I used to use it on my pet rats!

They both get a few teaspoons of green powder added into their food daily to get some whole food, raw and those beneficial living enzymes for overall wellness. The powder is called Amazing Grass Greens.

I also supplement them with a  ¼ tsp a day of Nordic Naturals Cod Liver Oil for healthy coat, gums and joints. Cod liver oil is known for the nourishing and healing benefits of omega-3 fatty acids DHA and EPA and the naturally occurring vitamins A and D.

Last but not least I add a high quality multi-vitamin in their food called Canine plus from Vetri-Science of Vermont. They are small beef flavored wafers that offer a well rounded balance of vitamins, minerals, and enzymes to enhance the physical and mental well-being.

If you know of any supplements that have helped your pets, feel free to share below.  Be sure to check out an awesome animal specific blog that has lots of healthy wellness alternatives for your pet. Her name is Dr. Becker and she is an integrative wellness veterinarian. http://healthypets.mercola.com/

A sample comparison chart of dog food brands

Quote:"Until one has loved an animal, a part of one's soul remains unawakened. " (Anatole France)

This Trace Mineral Packs a Punch Aganist Free Radicals...

That mineral is Selenium.....

It is one of the families of trace minerals and as such, the body only needs a small amount. Nevertheless, the Selenium mineral is an essential mineral which the body requires on a daily basis. It’s a key trace mineral that is an important nutrient to fight heart disease, cancer and even dandruff. This mineral is essential to our body especially in kidneys, liver, spleen, pancreas and testes. It’s found that in almost half of male bodies selenium concentrate is in the testicles, therefore being even more important to make sure you have healthy levels of this mineral. One of the most important characteristics of selenium is that it acts as an antioxidant by protecting the cells inside the body from the damaging and potentially dangerous effects of free radicals. Cell membranes are responsible for the passage of vital nutrients into and out of all cells. Over time, damaged cells can lead to the development of many illnesses and diseases including heart disease and cancer.

Selenium detoxifies toxic metals that are present in the body like arsenic and mercury. They also have the ability to restore youthful elasticity in the tissues, support a healthy anti-inflammatory properties, healthy heart, cancer support and prevention, help women with hot flashes and menopause, help with viral infections, dandruff, arthritis, sperm production and more.

Raw Brazil Nuts

There are many natural sources of selenium, the most popular being Brazil Nuts. Selenium is also found in oats, brown rice, garlic, wheat germ, mushrooms, grapes, sesame seeds, broccoli and more. Although I don’t support the animal bi-product sources for other reasons you can find them in shellfish, liver, fish, eggs and various meats.

The guidelines for the consumption of Selenium vary from 50-200mcg a day. After 600mcg it can be considered toxic and there are some serious side effects. As with any supplement its my belief that its better to take whole food vitamins and supplements as opposed to synthetic isolates. I currently consume one tablet a day of New Chapters Organic Whole Food Selenium.

There are others out there as well, but this one has a blend of active pro-biotic selenium as well as 9 free-radical herbs such as cinnamon, oregano, rosemary, ginger and turmeric.

Excerpts:

The statistics for breast cancer are particularly striking. "The higher the selenium, the lower the breast cancer," said Prof. Ladas. Similar associations have been found with leukemia, as well as cancers of the intestines, rectum, ovary, prostate, lung, pancreas, skin and bladder. In Yugoslavia, scientists studied 33 patients with breast cancer. These women had selenium levels in their bloodstream only half those of healthy volunteers.
Cancer Therapy by Ralph W Moss PhD, page 112

The safest antioxidants are vitamin C, vitamin E, selenium, and beta-carotene. Together, they block the chemical reactions that create free radicals, which can damage DNA and promote a variety of degenerative changes in cells. Chemotherapy and radiation generate free radicals; that is how they kill dividing cells.
Ask Dr Weil by Andrew Weil MD, page 47


Quote:"Every human being is the author of his own health or disease."- Sivanada