Evolution-based nutrition in other words, what pets were meant to eat.
Did you ever wonder what’s really in your pet’s processed kibble or canned food? Most pet caregivers really do not want to know – but I’m going to spill the beans anyway. Just as you can’t judge a book by its cover, there is no way to know what’s in pet food by reading the […]
A recent study found that blueberries worked better than Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) to calm the brains of rats that were put through a process to simulate Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). This research is important for dog caregivers because SSRIs are sometimes used for separation anxiety, storm phobia and other behavior problems. When you […]
Vitamin D is just one more way your cat’s food may be killing her. Recently Rachael Ray Nourish wet cat food was recalled over elevated Vitamin D levels. This coincided with a conversation I just had with a veterinary nutritionist about study regarding Vitamin D in cats. A study published May 13, 2015 found that […]
The canine influenza virus has been making a run lately. It started in the Chicago area and has now spread to more than a dozen states. With the mobility of our society and our desire to bring our dogs along, vacation season means the canine flu will most likely continue to spread. Here are a […]
Processed pet foods are touted as nutritious and healthful for dogs and cats. The truth is that commercial diets are made from unnatural ingredients of questionable origin. The high-temperature processing destroys vital nutrients and creates toxins. Then some synthetic vitamins are sprinkled in to make them “complete and balanced.” The sins of the pet food […]
In my last article I wrote about Chinese food therapy and how foods have innate warming, cooling, or neutral effects on the body. We can use these food properties to balance an animal’s energy system. “Hot” pets (those who seek coolness, overheat easily, are experiencing inflammation, or are in a hot climate) can be fed […]
For the ancient Chinese, the maintenance of health was of supreme importance so much so that healthcare was not something they went to a doctor to get; it was a way of life. These wise people meditated, used massage, herbs and acupuncture, and did tai chi on a regular basis not just to treat disease, […]
I am all for natural care for the body, mind, and spirit. Unfortunately the word “natural,” especially when applied to all things related to pet diet and health, has become a bit of a meaningless buzzword. We have natural pet foods with natural ingredients like natural flavors. There are also natural supplements, natural shampoos, and […]
Nutritional supplements can be very beneficial to our pets because most pet foods are deficient in certain nutritional factors. Conventional pet foods are especially devoid of nutrients because the high-heat processing destroys most of the vitamins, enzymes, and phytochemicals foods naturally contain. The synthetic vitamin/mineral mix that pet food manufacturers add back is a poor […]
On February 22, I gave a day of lectures on traditional Chinese veterinary medicine and food therapy at the Midwest Veterinary Conference in Columbus, Ohio. While I was at the conference I went to a lecture on “Unconventional Diets” given by one of the nutritionists at the OSU vet school. The term unconventional diets refers […]