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Angela Ardolino, The Pet Cannabis Expert, recently interview Dr. Ava Frick.

She writes “Dr. Ava Frick, a holistic veterinarian, is on a mission to write, speak, and teach about natural methods of healing. She has a long list of successes and it was an honor to welcome her onto ‘A Dog’s Life’ podcast. In the podcast, she explained her tips for finding holistic healing, the various methods of holistic healing, the services she offers, and how those services work.

She stated “this is where podcasts like yours are helping out because there are a lot of people who will look and know there has to be something more to help their pets, similar to the options for people, and they can find podcasts like this to explain other methods of healing. Then, there are other people who will receive an answer in the traditional world, and will go on without knowing the options because they didn’t know there were any other options.”

Read more

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FEEDING with the AYRUVEDIC DOSHA in MIND

Ayruveda means science of life and is a true holistic form of health practices honoring mind-body-spirit. This is the traditional medicine of ancient India and the Hindi culture, based on nature and patterns. It embraces individualism, fosters self-awareness, and focuses on prevention and correcting the underlying reasons why an individual cannot get well. The foundational building blocks look at roughly twenty qualities that combine to create an individual’s constitution or dosha, which is a combination of the Tridosha – Vata, Pitta, and Kapha. One’s constitution never changes; it is like a finger print and is unique to everyone. Throughout life, imbalances occur through change in seasons, diet, viruses, parasites, bacteria, environmental toxins, stress, aging… Utilizing Ayruvedic prinicples is another way to view the qualities of a body and systems and then use them to guide that animal toward health.

VATA
The Vata dosha is represented by air and ether. A Vata constitution lends itself to motion as it governs movement in the mind and body. These individuals often exhibit high energy in short bursts. Breeds fitting predominantly Vata would be Greyhounds, Whippets, Poodles, some terriers, Abyssinian cats, and others with a lean frame and deep chest. Food is not their number one motivator and along with the lean frame are less likely than others to become obese. They can be clever and easy learners but retention may fall short. The air aspect gives them a free spirit yet friendly in nature when all is good but will develop stress and anxiety when out of balance. A Vata enjoys sleep.

Feeding a Vata: Stick to warm and moist meals. Avoid veggies like beans, cauliflower, broccoli, peppers, and potatoes. Instead make their diet about warming foods like beef, carrots, and squashes. Blanch and puree the veggies for better digestion. Avoid lamb, mutton, pork, rabbit, venison, white turkey meat. You can also feed them Ayurvedic kichari made with rice and mung beans, add a little black pepper, cumin, coriander, and pinch of dried or fresh ginger.

PITTA
The Pitta dosha is represented by fire and water. The fire gives them a strong-willed personality and quick to lash out. A Pitta is all about the food. Yes, all mine! This will make them fast eaters and often times food aggressive. They tend to be smart and quick learners who never forget once something is learned. However, can become pushy and easily angered when stressed. Their body is muscled and medium sized. Breeds that fit here are American Staffordshire, German Shepherd dog, some hounds, Siamese cat. There are typical health problems that occur when Pitta is not balanced. A Pitta is already warm inside causing them to be uncomfortable in sun and hot weather as well as a predilection to skin inflammation.

Feeding a Pitta: These breeds do better with cooling foods such as cottage cheese, chicken, river fish, duck, rabbit, turkey, and even tofu if they develop a taste. Limit: Beef, saltwater fish, lamb, pork, salmon, sardines. Blanched and pureed leafy greens work well too. Use a pinch of cumin or coriander with one meal each day.

KAPHA
The Kapha Dosha is represented by water and earth and it maintains body resistance or protection. These individuals have large round soft eyes, thick fur, are easy going, slow paced, affectionate, loving and forgiving. They make the best parents and are very nurturing to others with their calm stable nature. Kapha types typically have a sturdy strong heavier build. Breeds fitting this dosha are Burnese Mountain dogs, Beagles, Golden Retrievers, Persian cats.

Feeding a Kapha: Favor light, energizing foods and relatively dry (like chicken or freshwater fish), as opposed to those that are heavy, oily, or especially dense (such as beef, pork, or duck). Fresh veggies of carrots, squash, and pumpkin. Keep starch, grains, and fats to a minimum. This means a greater meat to mix ratio. A pinch of dried or fresh turmeric can be added to one meal each day.

COMPARING THE DOSHA FOOD GROUPS – If there is more than one dosha type in the home, here are the common foods in each of the categories that are similar for all three:

  • GRAINS – Oats, Quinoa, Rice either basmati or wild
  • LEGUMES – Red lentils, Mung beans, Mung Dal
  • VEGETABLES – Asparagus, beets, carrots, cilantro, green beans, peas, rutabaga, spinach, winter squash
  • FRUITS – Apples, apricots, berries, cherries, coconut, papaya, plums, prunes
  • OIL – Sunflower
  • HERBS – Basil, cardamom, cinnamon, coriander, cumin, dill, fennel, parsley, peppermint, tarragon, turmeric
VATA PITTA KAPHA
FRUITS
Apples (cooked), Applesauce, Apricots, Bananas (ripe, not green), Berries, Cantaloupe, Cherries, Coconut, Dates (fresh, cooked or soaked), Figs (fresh, cooked or soaked), Grapefruit, Kiwi, Lemon, Lime, Mango, Melons, Oranges, Papaya, Peaches, Pineapple, Plums, Prunes (cooked or soaked), Tamarind Apples (sweet), Applesauce, Apricots (sweet), Berries (sweet), Cherries (sweet), Coconut, Dates, Figs, Limes, Mangos (ripe), Melons, Oranges (sweet), Papaya, Pears, Pineapple (sweet), Plums (sweet), Pomegranates, Prunes, Strawberries, Watermelon Apples (sweet), Applesauce, Apricots (sweet), Berries (sweet), Cherries (sweet), Coconut, Dates, Figs, Limes, Mangos (ripe), Melons, Oranges (sweet), Papaya, Pears, Pineapple (sweet), Plums (sweet), Pomegranates, Prunes, Strawberries, Watermelon
OILS
Almond Oil, Avocado Oil, Castor Oil, Coconut Oil, Ghee, Mustard Oil, Olive Oil, Peanut Oil, Safflower Oil, Sesame Oil, Sunflower Oil Coconut Oil, Flax Seed Oil, Ghee, Olive Oil, Primrose Oil, Sunflower Oil, Walnut Oil Almond Oil, Corn Oil, Flax Seed Oil, Ghee, Sunflower Oil
HERBS
Ajwan, Allspice, Anise, Basil, Bay Leaf, Black Pepper, Caraway, Cardamom, Cinnamon, Cloves, Coriander (seeds or powder), Cumin (seeds or powder), Dill, Fennel, Garlic, Ginger (fresh or dried), Hing (Asafoetida), Mace, Marjoram, Mint, Mustard Seeds, Nutmeg, Oregano, Paprika, Parsley, Peppermint, Pippali, Poppy Seeds, Rosemary, Saffron, Salt, Savory, Tarragon, Thyme, Turmeric, Vanilla Basil (fresh), Black Pepper (small amounts), Cardamom, Cinnamon (small amounts), Coriander (seeds or powder), Cumin (seeds or powder), Dill, Fennel, Ginger (fresh), Mint, Neem Leaves, Orange Peel, Parsley, Peppermint, Saffron, Spearmint, Tarragon, Turmeric, Vanilla Ajwan, Allspice, Anise, Basil, Bay Leaf, Black Pepper, Caraway, Cardamom, Cayenne, Cinnamon, Cloves, Coriander (seeds or powder), Cumin (seeds or powder), Dill, Fennel, Fenugreek, Garlic, Ginger (fresh or dried), Hing (Asafoetida), Mace, Marjoram, Mint, Mustard Seeds, Neem Leaves, Nutmeg, Oregano, Paprika, Parsley, Peppermint, Pippali, Poppy Seeds, Rosemary, Saffron, Savory, Spearmint, Tarragon, Thyme, Trikatu, Turmeric, Vanilla
MEATS
Beef, Buffalo, Chicken (dark), Duck, Eggs, Fish (fresh and salt water), Salmon, Sardines, Seafood, Shrimp, Tuna Fish, Turkey (dark) Duck, Buffalo, Chicken (white), Eggs (white only), Fish (freshwater), Rabbit, Shrimp, Turkey (white), seasonally Venison Chicken (white), Eggs (not fried, and in moderation), Fish (freshwater), Rabbit, Shrimp, Turkey (white), Venison
GRAINS
Durham Flour, Oats; Cooked, Sunflower Pancakes, Quinoa, Rice (all types), Seitan, Wheat Barley, Cereal (dry), Couscous, Crackers, Durham Flour, Granola, Oat Bran, Oats, Sunflower Pancakes, Pasta, Quinoa, Rice (basmati, white, wild), Rice Cakes, Seitan, Spelt, Tapioca, Wheat Bran Barley, Buckwheat, Corn, Couscous, Crackers, Durham Flour, Granola, Millet, Muesli, Oat Bran, Oats (dry), Polenta, Quinoa, Rice (basmati, wild), Rice Cakes, Rye, Seitan, Spelt, Tapioca, Wheat Bran
LEGUMES
Lentils; Red, Miso, Mung Beans, Mung Dal; Split, Tofu (served hot), Toor Dal, Ural Dal Adzuki Beans, Black Beans, Black-Eyed Peas, Garbanzo Beans (Chickpeas), Kidney Beans, Lentils, Lima Beans, Mung Beans, Mung Dal, Navy Beans, Pinto Beans, Split Peas, Tempeh, Tofu, White Beans Adzuki Beans, Black Beans, Black-Eyed Peas, Garbanzo Beans (Chickpeas), Lentils, Lima Beans, Mung Beans, Mung Dal, Navy Beans, Pinto Beans, Split Peas, Tempeh, Tofu (served hot), Toor Dal, White Beans
VEGETABLES
Asparagus, Avocado, Beets, Carrots; cooked, Cilantro, Cucumber, Green Beans, Green Chilies, Mustard Greens, Okra, Olives (black), Onion; cooked, Parsnip, Peas; cooked, Pumpkin, Rutabaga, Spinach; cooked, Squash; summer & winter, Sweet Potatoes, Watercress, Zucchini Avocado, Artichoke, Asparagus, Beets; cooked, Bell Peppers, Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Cabbage, Carrots; Cauliflower, Celery, Cilantro, Collard Greens, Cucumber, Dandelion Greens, Green Beans, Kale, Leafy Greens, Lettuce, Mushrooms, Okra, Onions; cooked, Parsley, Parsnips, Peas, Peppers (sweet), Potatoes, Pumpkin, Rutabaga, Spaghetti Squash, Sprouts, Squash; summer & winter, Spinach (raw), Sweet Potatoes, Watercress, Wheat Grass, Zucchini Artichoke, Asparagus, Beet Greens, Beets, Bell Peppers, Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Burdock Root, Cabbage, Carrots, Cauliflower, Celery, Chilies, Cilantro, Collard Greens, Corn, Daikon Radish, Dandelion Greens, Eggplant, Green Beans, Horseradish, Kale, Kohlrabi, Leafy Greens, Lettuce, Mustard Greens, Okra, Onions, Peas, Peppers; Sweet & Hot, Potatoes; White, Radishes, Rutabaga, Spaghetti Squash, Spinach, Sprouts, Squash; winter, Tomatoes; cooked, Turnips, Watercress, Wheat Grass

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FEED FOR INDIVIDUAL METABOLIC RATE

Another tool to help guide you in finding an optimal diet that better matches the needs of your cat or dog is done by assessing the oxidation rate in a hair tissue mineral analysis. Oxidation is the amount of time it takes for a body to convert the food eaten (fats, carbohydrates, protein) into energy or fuel for that body. This is an area of expertise that I can help you with. Look at that section of this website. Basically, each of us falls into either a fast, slow, or mixed oxidation rate. Both fast and slow oxidizers suffer from inefficient energy production, but for opposite biochemical reasons. Fast oxidizers burn their food quickly and slow oxidizers are the opposite. Each dog or cat will find optimal digestion by being fed the recommendations that have been established based on each individual’s metabolism type.

Fast oxidizers have greater caloric needs. Fats provide more calories and longer-lasting energy. In contrast, sugars burn too fast, provide fewer calories and often further enhance the oxidation rate. For this reason, fast oxidizers should avoid starches and carbohydrates as they convert to sugars. Even complex carbohydrates are recommended only in small amounts.

Slow oxidizers require more protein and less fat in their diets. Protein with every meal is most important to maintain their blood sugar level and support adequate adrenal and thyroid gland activity. Animal protein is important because it provides nutrients such as zinc, alpha lipoic acid, sulfur-containing amino acids and L-carnitine. Meats also provide other less-known nutrients that the slow oxidizer requires. Digestive enzymes are often helpful to help to obtain all the nutrition from their food. Keep in mind that processed meats (extruded, dry food diets) are no longer the “real” meat.

Mixed Oxidizers can be fed a blend of the recommendations for a Fast or Slow oxidizer.  As this animal is in transition, it will find one of the other rates soon.  Hedge toward the stronger of the two based on TMA ratios, the animal’s appearance, digestion, and any other symptomatology that is pertinent.  Trying a little bit of each until you find out right where the animal does the best would also be a good way to determine what to feed.

A too fast or too slow oxidative rate creates body duress of some type, lowered resistance to infections, gall bladder and liver problems, and being over or under weight.

SPEED pH Activity Appetite Fat metabolism Carbohydrate metabolism Protein type
FAST acid hyper voracious good moderate High purine
SLOW alkaline hypo picky poor poor Low purine

OPTIMAL DIET FOR A FAST OXIDIXER:

This is the type most commonly seen in dogs.
Can include raw, freeze dried, dehydrated, canned, and/or home cooked foods. Avoid any extruded kibble due to its inflammatory stimulus (like putting another log on the camp fire). Small amount of baked kibble for treats may be used.

PROTEINS: High to moderate purine. For very fast oxidizers I try to keep them on cool to neutral energetic meats until the sodium and inflammation is lowered.
FATS: Butter, oils, fatty meats, avocado (no pits or skins), and peanut butter (if not allergic and no sweeteners). High fat content dairy products like cheese and cream (if not allergic).
CARBOHYDRATES: Cauliflower, beans, peas, lentils, broccoli, barley, sprouted grains (sprouting destroys the phytates that bind calcium and block zinc absorption).

ALLOWED IN MODERATION: Root vegetables (carrots, beets, yams, potatoes), lettuce, green peppers, cabbages, cucumbers, and tomatoes.
AVOID: White rice, grain flours, and any treats or snacks containing sugars, glucose, maltose, fruit juices, honey, and corn syrup
OPTIMAL DIET FOR A SLOW OXIDIXER: May include some baked kibble, canned or dehydrated formulas or home cooked.

PROTEINS: Low purine variety
CARBOHYDRATES:  Vegetables, some unrefined like organic whole oatmeal
FATS: low
ALLOWED IN MODERATION: Fruits, lean beef, lamb

HIGH PURINE PROTEIN MODERATE PURINE PROTEIN LOW PURINE PROTEIN
Red meat, beef, lamb, venison, salmon, tuna, herring, anchovies, brains, liver, caviar, artichoke hearts Meat, shellfish (clams, crabs, lobster, oysters, shrimp), asparagus, cauliflower, spinach, lentils, yeast, whole grains and cereals, beans, peas, mushrooms, peanuts, lentils, cauliflower, spinach, and asparagus Fish, chicken, turkey, eggs, low fat dairy
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FEED FOR THE BREED

Selecting ingredients that are similar to what the breed ate in their country of origin may lead to better compatibility based on genetics. The following table is an example of this feeding method. Other considerations regarding current food allergens would need to be taken into account.

Feeding for a Breed Type

  • Welsh Corgi: Welsh Highlands
  • Cabbage, potato, oats carrots, beef, rabbit, fish
  • Beagle: England
  • Beets, potato, lamb, rabbit, poultry
  • Chihuahua: Mexico
  • Mango, avocado, poultry, rice
  • Keeshond: Holland
  • Fish, poultry, dairy, rice, beets
  • Shiba Inu: Japan
  • Sweet potato, green vegetables, cabbage, rice, poultry, lamb, fish
  • Malamute: Alaska
  • Saltwater and freshwater fish, poultry, lamb, rice
  • Lhasa Apso: Himalayas
  • Lamb, goat, poultry, fish, rice
  • Basset Hound: France
  • Venison, rabbit, poultry, lamb, beets
  • Greyhound: Egypt
  • Poultry, lamb, dried fruits (dates, figs), nuts (almonds), barley, rice
  • Labrador Retriever: England
  • Fish, poultry, lamb, dairy, olive oil, green vegetables
  • Weimaraner: Germany
  • Pork, poultry, beef, lamb, potato, cabbage, alfalfa, barley
  • St. Bernard: Switzerland
  • Dairy, lamb, poultry, roots, green vegetables
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FEED MORE OF AN ANCESTRAL TYPE DIET

There is much debate between veterinarians, owners, scientists, and nutritionists as to what the actual diet of our modern-day dog’s ancestors was. What can be agreed upon is that the diets of wild canids did not resemble what most dogs are eating today. Diets of our dogs’ ancestors varied tremendously by location, time of year, sex, health status, availability of prey and other foods, and many other factors. Today, most owners just open a bag and dump the food in the bowl. This is not to say that there aren’t foods available to the public that can promote health but public awareness about them and economics can become limiting factors for pet parents. For those that are willing to improve the nutritive value and follow a specialized nutritional balancing program, home prepared recipes can be an option.

Steve Brown, diet formulator for Steve’s Real Food® for Pets, nutrition consultant for Darwin’s Natural Pet Products, has spent many years researching and educating veterinary professionals and pet parents on the benefits of feeding whole foods to dogs. His book Unlocking the Canine Ancestral Diet ©2010 Steve Brown, highlights the three weaknesses of many modern dog foods.

According to Brown, most dog foods come up short in comparison to the canine ancestral diet in three major ways:

  1. Not enough protein
  2. Unbalanced and incomplete fats
  3. Can’t be nutritionally balanced without some fresh foods

A quick comparison of natural nutrient selection vs AAFCO vs a popular brand of dry dog food will show us how far away from the ancestral diet we have come.

Protein % Fat % Carbohydrate %
Ancestral Diet 49 44 6
Typical Dry Food 25 32 43
High Protein Dry Food 37 43 20
Typical Premium-Brand canned food 29 50 21
95% meat canned food 31 68 1
Typical frozen commercial raw 36 59 5
Typical homemade raw 36 59 5

Looking at this you can see that processed dry dog food has a way to go to be nutritionally sound for the dog or cat to optimally survive. Since 2005 the introduction to the veterinary market of other food types has grown dramatically. These include commercially prepared raw diets, dehydrated, freeze dried, air dried, baked, improved quality of canned formulas and minimally processed products.

LASTLY, I want to leave you with a list of food ingredients from which you can select when creating a home-cooked recipe. Variety is key. Don’t get stuck in one menu plan. That is where nutrient deficiencies will arise. If your dog is not allergen sensitive to the food items, then you have more latitude. But if not, select from ones that do work and go from there. Have two or three recipes that you rotate between. Changing the protein and vegetable ingredients. Follow some of the above suggestions for seasonal and breed feeding as well. For cats, being carnivores, they are all about the meat! They need meat and bones to gnaw on. Raw and real food is the way to go. Adding a vitamin/mineral supplement that is appropriate for your feline friend. A weekend project in the kitchen will go a long way to achieve Healthy, Happy, and Naturally Rejuvenated Animals.

CARBOHYDRATE RESTRICTED DIET for DOGS

50% to 70% of diet should be protein: It is fine to leave meat in large chunks. This allows it to stay in stomach longer and get properly treated by enzymes and acids before moving into the short gut.

MEATS: Beef, chicken, turkey, fish, venison, rabbit, duck, lamb, pork, buffalo, goat, goose. Cooked and kept with the grease. They need the fats for energy source.

This should be at least half of the protein total.

ORGAN MEATS: Liver, kidney, heart.

These can be substituted for ¼ of the protein portion.

OTHER PROTEIN SOURCES: Lentils, navy or kidney beans, Mung beans, eggs, cottage cheese, yogurt.

These can be used in a quantity up to ¼ th of the total protein base.

30 to 50% of diet should be veggies: Steam lightly, run through blender, mix with meat, or can be blended all together so that it appears like canned dog food.

VEGGIES/FRUITS: Broccoli, zucchini, green beans, carrots, celery, cucumber, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, beets, tomatoes, apples, blueberries, banana, pears, swiss chard, kale, spinach, okra, mustard greens, eggplant.

STARCHES: Choose one of: sweet potato, white potato, pumpkin, squash, peas, couscous, quinoa, tapioca

SPICES: Garlic powder, rosemary, parsley, oregano, fennel, ginger, celery seed, dill, turmeric, thyme
Oils: walnut oil ½ tsp. / 30 # per meal

Oils: walnut oil ½ tsp. / 30 # per meal

Mix meat and steamed veggies and starches, add spices and oil. If your dog does not pick out parts you can feed it that way. Otherwise run it all through a blender so it is impossible to find an unpalatable texture. Then feed in portions similar to what would be on canned food labels. The moisture content will require a larger volume than what you would be feeding with kibble in order to keep the caloric content high enough. Unless your pup needs to lose some weight, then reduce the volume and watch the pounds gradually disappear, forever!

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Step Three: LifeExtend Method Nutrition

STEP THREE

How can we reverse the dwindling spiral? Start feeding REAL food. I call REAL food anything that is less cooked, purchased at a grocery store, and still bears a resemblance of its former self. That means not processed. Saying that, I understand that everyone’s life may not allow the time needed to do home cooking, or the money to buy good packaged raw or dehydrated food. Then where does that leave you? Shopping for a BAKED kibble or good ingredient list of canned food.

I will stroll with you through some basic information that can help you in making better choices. One thing to keep in mind. The money you don’t spend now on good food you will spend later on veterinary bills. Why? Because you love your animals. And when that time of illness arises, you will spend mega dollars to try to save his or her life. So, let’s do that starting NOW!

AVOID PROCESSED DOG FOOD

The majority of kibble (dry food) is cooked through an extrusion method. Similar to the microwave, the extrusion process greatly reduces the nutritional value of the food. It cooks at a high temperature and steam for a short period of time in what is called an expander. Then the dough is forced or “extruded” though small holes called “die” which cut it into kibble pieces. This has to be done while the dough is still compact from the high pressure – otherwise the dough would puff up (like puffed cereal).
After the pieces are cut, they are dried, after which an enrobing process applies a fat/oil and then sprays on synthetic nutrients to replace those lost in the processing.

The early stages of this process are the same for baked dog foods. The ingredients for the food are mixed together. However, baked dog food does not use an expander and it is not cooked with steam or under pressure. Pet foods that are oven baked are typically baked more slowly in an oven. They are cooked for a longer period of time than extruded pet foods. They do not use steam or high temperatures.

Pet Food Processing – Transformations in Starch during Extrusion and Baking

This research article lays out why extruded diets (all kibble except where label explicitly says “baked”) add to the inflammatory state of dogs and cats. I have summarized it here but encourage you to read the entire article.

Summary:

Gelatinization is an exothermic reaction of starch that occurs when it is exposed to heat and moisture at time intervals. This reaction causes a disruption of the crystalline structure, absorption of water, swelling, and raises the accessibility for digestion by enzymes like amylase. This increases starch digestibility but when eaten also raises glucose in the blood. This can be a factor as to why dogs and cats fed diets in this form over years, especially in excess, become obese and diabetic.

There is a unique phenomenon that occurs with the cooking or processing of starch that makes it potentially indigestible and it is called Amylose-Lipid Complexation (A-LC). The A-LC is a function of heat, moisture, content, type of starch, type of lipid, and degree of gelatinization. In processing, amylose traps lipids. Starch gelatinization traps lipids to amylose, reducing free fat availability. This can be good for the product, as it lowers rancidity and extends the shelf life, but not for the body.

When fresh meat versus meat meal is used in the food there is a much lower the A-LC score. Fresh meat will produce only 0-20% A-LC. Un-rendered fresh meat may be protected from thermal and mechanical conditioning, thereby preventing A-LC formation.

The extrusion process of making kibble raises the A-LC 90-100%, while baked kibble tested was less than 60%.

Diets high in starch are a nutritional problem for our pets. Excess starch erodes a pet’s health in subtle ways, including blood sugar spikes, digestion issues & dermatitis.

“Grain free” kibble can also have starch. Kibble using pea protein, sweet potato and quinoa may be termed “grain-free” but can also have high starch content. Raw diets and freeze-dried raw are one-sixth the starch content of kibble.

All but less than 10 brands of bagged dog food use what is called EXTRUSION processing. This type of food does several less than optimal things:

  • The high carbohydrate starch content drives obesity
  • The easily emulsified stomach gruel changes the normal digestive signals to liver, gall bladder, stomach, and intestines, altering absorption, intestinal lining continuity, and the microbiome
  • Many ingredients have been exposed to glyphosate. Here is a brief synopsis about round-up. [INSERT – Glyphosate in the Food Chain]. Shopping for organic ingredients will help reduce the presence of this chemical.
  • The end results are potential to become obese, develop pancreatic malfunction, endocrine disruption, indigestion, diarrhea, gas, leaky gut, immune dysfunction, inflammatory conditions, allergies, skin issues – over and over again

Sound like any pet you have known? If you are still certain that kibble is right for you and your dog, here are the 2020 top baked food brands. Not in any order but I have used and sold the first two.

  1. Lotus Oven-Baked Dry Food
  2. Stella & Chewy’s
  3. AvoDerm Oven-Baked Original Formula
  4. Leonard Powell Signature Series Oven-Baked Dinner
  5. Evolve Lamb & Rice Maintenance
  6. Cloud Star WellMade Baked Chicken Meal, Peas, & Lentils Recipe
  7. I and Love and You Baked & Saucy Beef & Sweet Potatoes
  8. Wellness TruFoods Baked Blends Adult 

HOME COOKED – THE BEST YET!

The benefits of home cooking is key to those pets with digestive, immune, and skin problems. Eliminating additives, preservatives, chemicals, natural flavorings, reducing potential allergens, and selecting the ingredients you like to shop for can be the FIRST step toward a healthier body. Often reducing the need to use chemical drugs to abate a body reaction.

I can customize balanced recipes for your dog or cat. I can test for food allergens and you select from those safe ingredients which you know your pet likes best. There are many sites on the internet where you can find recipes as well. But in looking, some are good and others not so good, often leaving out the importance of an oil and a good multi-vitamin-mineral supplement. For those reasons I have included here a link to a veterinarian who has a great method of providing home cooked preparation meals.

Introducing…

The Original CrockPET Diet

https://drruthroberts.com/the-original-crockpet-diet/

What’s behind the science of The Original CrockPET Diet?

There are so many reasons homemade dog food and cat food is the healthiest option, the most important being that you know exactly what your pet is eating. The basis of your pet’s health begins with the food they eat, and ingredients truly matter. Controlling the ingredients of your pet’s food not only assures the quality of their diet, but their health as well.

While the importance of which ingredients go into your pet’s food is of the highest priority, it’s also vital to keep certain things out of their bowls. And it’s not just mysterious ingredients you’re protecting them from, it’s harmful chemicals, bacteria and other dangerous contaminants. Home cooking guarantees that you know what is in your pet’s food, but also what is not.

The food our pets eat can be the very best medicine, or a slow poison. Changing an animal’s diet can bring about a significantly positive change in their health, and their overall quality of life. Homemade pet food can actually function as true food therapy, and allows pet parents the opportunity to activate this healing lifestyle for their pets, right from their own home.<.
If you don’t have time to cook and are uncomfortable with raw, but would like the benefits that they offer there are several companies now providing home delivery on dry ice of whole food prepared diets, ready to serve. One company I like serving human-grade ingredients, lightly cooked then frozen so you can serve fresh, is www.RaisedRightPets.com/IVE. They offer some coupons and discounts for first time orders. Look for the brand

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Step One: LifeExtend Method Nutrition

STEP ONE

Nutritionally we want to start with the water. Sounds simple. Fill the water bowl daily with fresh water from the faucet. Spoiler alert! If you didn’t already know, that water is contaminated. A friend of mine has dedicated his life to researching water all over the world. Please take some time to visit www.idealearthwater.com and www.environmentalrescuealliance.org. The bottom line here is get a water purification system, not reverse osmosis and get better, safer hydration.

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Electroceuticals

Electroceuticals

Increasingly, treatment for a host of conditions and ailments is based on electroceuticals rather than pharmaceuticals. Instead of prescriptions for chemical molecules, some doctors are prescribing specific frequencies, waveforms, and amplitudes for their patients. This is not science fiction—it’s happening right now.

It’s not really a stretch to see how this can be. Every day, car engines are started and doors are opened from a distance using a fob. This is made possible by matching frequency signals (waves) that are programmed to initiate a ligand–receptor type of reaction, allowing people to enter a warm space and be on their way. Photos and messages are relayed daily by the millions from one phone to another. Images and videos (waves, frequencies) travel through space, not getting crossed with others and reaching their intended destinations intact.

What Are Electroceuticals?

Simply, electroceuticals, which are sometimes called bioelectronics, are electric waveforms that stimulate the nervous system electronically and modify bodily functions. Waveforms, frequencies, and microamperes—collectively called microcurrent electrical therapy (MET) and cranial electrotherapy stimulation (CES)—are being used to stimulate cell regeneration and treat injuries, acute and chronic pain, anxiety, depression, and insomnia.1-6

MET and CES work because the nervous system and tissues function electrochemically and can be modulated readily by electrical intervention. Low-frequency current effectively targets cell receptors, activating them through frequency matching in a manner similar to that of chemical ligands.

The Pioneers

Robert O. Becker, MD, an orthopedic surgeon known as the father of electromedicine and electrochemically induced cellular regeneration, began studying electric current therapy in 1970. Fifteen years later, he demonstrated that electric current is the trigger that stimulates healing, growth, and regeneration in all living organisms. Signals come from an electric control system that he called the current of injury, which is conducted through Schwann cells and the myelin surrounding neurons.7

In 1980, Candace Pert, PhD, published her research on ligand–receptor binding, providing a new understanding of cellular physiology and the connection between mind and body.8 Bjorn Nordenstrom, MD, proposed a model of biologically closed electric circuits analogous to closed circuits in electronic technology. He postulated in 1998 that mechanical blood circulation is closely integrated anatomically and physiologically with a controlling bioelectric system.9

Taking the research findings of these and other pioneers, neurobiologist Daniel L. Kirsch, PhD, DAAPM, FAIS—whose mentor was Dr. Becker—patented a unique waveform. He collaborated with engineer Raymond Chan to design medical devices for implementing pain and stress control technologies into clinical systems. His Alpha-Stim technology was the first dual electromedical device (MET and CES) to be cleared by the Food and Drug Administration to market in 1981. Dr. Kirsch remains at the forefront of research in this field.2 Today, the Alpha-Stim and Fisher Wallace Stimulator (formerly Liss Cranial Stimulator) are the primary electroceutical devices on the market.

How Electroceuticals Work

Cells throughout the body manufacture peptides that act as ligands to surface receptors on other remote cells, communicating via the extracellular fluid and circulatory system. Cells within a specific organ or tissue system communicate through specific frequencies in the microamperage range, activating the current of injury and causing the system to tend toward homeostasis. Neuromodulation imparts an electric signal with a frequency that perfectly matches the receptors in the body to resonate and activate intracellular responses.

MET can act similarly to ligands in activating receptors to send their messages into cells and produce effects resembling a wide range of chemical messengers. MET can be viewed as a catalyst in initiating and sustaining the numerous chemical and electrical reactions that occur in the healing process. An effective biphasic, squared, long-pulse-width waveform in the microamperage range (1000 times less than that of a transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation device and below sensation threshold) will use resonant frequencies to activate central pain modulatory mechanisms.

Early Research

As for many drugs, early research on MET and CES was conducted using animals. Once safety was established, the focus turned to human studies and clinical trials. Because the current is subsensory, it lends itself well to double-blind placebo-controlled crossover studies.

Animal studies in neurophysiology and electromedicine continue to yield new discoveries on the efficacy of this therapeutic approach. Measurements have shown that CES current across the head sends electric impulses through every area of the brain. CES directly stimulates the brain’s neuromatrix, including the limbic area, or emotion center, of the brain.10,11

Results of an experimental study in rats with CES documented as much as a 3-fold increase in beta-endorphins after only a single CES treatment.12 Results of a double-blind study looking at 33 behavioral traits in horses treated with CES showed that all the changes were highly intercorrelated and strongly indicated a reduction in the horses’ state of arousal following CES treatment that was not noted in the sham treatments (Box).13

Neurosurgeon C. Norman Shealy, MD, assessed beta-endorphin and serotonin levels in plasma and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) following a 20-minute session of CES and found that beta-endorphins measured 98% higher in plasma and 219% higher in CSF. Serotonin levels were 15% to 40% higher in plasma and 50% to 200% higher in CSF.14

Results from further research have shown the effectiveness of CES in treating fibromyalgia, posttraumatic stress disorder, spinal cord injury, cancer pain, and dental anxiety in humans.15-17 Results of low-resolution electromagnetic tomography and functional magnetic resonance imaging studies have shown that select waveforms can reach most cortical and subcortical areas of the brain, thereby altering the brain’s emotional centers (ie, thalamus, hypothalamus, basal ganglia, reticular activating system, cerebral cortex, and limbic system) where the amygdala controls the strength of emotional responses, especially for fear and anger.11

The sensation of pain is transmitted through the body along billions of nerve cells that are designed specifically to transmit messages through electrochemical signals. Physics controls chemical reactions in the body, and most bodily functions can be normalized electrically. It is the application protocol that affects the peripheral pain site directly and accesses the central nervous system by directing the current through the spine. Combining MET and CES addresses all 4 pain pathways: transduction, transmission, modulation, and perception.

The resultant central and peripheral effects of CES include calmness, relaxation, reduced agitation and aggression, stabilized mood, improved sleep, and reduced pain. Results will vary with the exact technology used, the pathology of the disease being treated, the overall health and hydration of the patient, and owner compliance. Patient history, prior medical interventions, previous injuries, and surgical scars can affect overall outcome as well.

Waveforms can be used effectively to activate the body’s natural electric impulses.

Use In Animals

CES and MET have been used extensively in the clinical setting for nearly 2 decades to initiate cellular regeneration and control not only acute and chronic pain situations, such as arthritis, spinal injury, nerve conduction deficiencies, cancer, sprains, strains, wounds, and surgical pain, but also such stress-related conditions as anxiety, insomnia, cognitive dysfunction states, noise phobia, and depression. Prescription MET and CES devices are long lasting, cumulative, safe, effective, easy to use, portable, and nonaddictive, and have no known tolerance concerns. Adverse effects are minor and self-limiting, primarily consisting of skin irritation.

Treatments can be applied in clinic by the technical team, and devices can be prescribed for use at home with a short in-clinic training session. Initially, the best results will be achieved when treatments are applied twice a day, but in-clinic treatments administered 2 to 3 times per week will also be beneficial. Follow-up patient assessment includes clinical observation, range of motion, change in posture, use of extremities, calmness, improved sleep, appetite, attitude, and behavior.

Conclusion

As an aid to endogenous bioelectric currents, electroceuticals can accomplish miraculous things. They may in fact work better in the absence of any interference from factors based on our previous, limited, chemical-dominant view of physiology. Today and in the future, disorders of both the body and mind might be better treated using a range of frequencies that have the potential to treat a variety of pathologies effectively without the risk of harmful adverse effects.

Dr. Frick is a leading authority in the application of microcurrent therapy for animals. Her focus on physiotherapy has spanned over 20 years and her research has been published in the Journal of Equine Veterinary Science, Innovative Veterinary Care Journal, and the Journal of the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association.

References: 

  1. Frick A, McCauley D. Microcurrent electrical therapy. J Equine Vet Sci. 2005:418-422.
  2. Kirsch DL, Marksberry JA. The evolution of cranial electrotherapy stimulation for anxiety, insomnia, depression, and pain and its potential for other indications. In: Rosch P, ed.  Bioelectromagnetic and Subtle Energy Medicine. 2nd ed. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press; 2015: 189-211.
  3. Tan G, Rintala D, Jensen M, et al. Efficacy of cranial electrotherapy stimulation for neuropathic pain following spinal cord injury: a multi-site randomized controlled trial with a secondary 6-month open-label phase. J Spinal Cord Med. 2011;34(3):285-296.
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  8. Pert CB. Molecules of Emotion: The Science Behind Mind-body Medicine. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster; 1999.
  9. Nordenstrom BEW. Exploring BCEC-Systems (Biologically Closed Electric Circuits). Stockholm: Nordic Medical Publications; 1998.
  10. Jarzembski WB, Larson SJ, Sances Jr A. Evaluation of specific cerebral impedance and cerebral current density. Ann NY Acad Sci. 1970;170:476-490.
  11. Feusner JD, Madsen S, Moody TD, et al. Effects of cranial electrotherapy stimulation on resting state brain activity. Brain Behav.2012;2(3):211-220. doi: 10.1002/brb3.45.
  12. Krupisky EM, Katznelson YaS, Lebedev VP, et al. Transcranial electrostimulation (TES) of brain opioid structures (BOS): experimental treatment of alcohol withdrawal syndrome (AWS) and clinical application. Presented at: Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting; November 10-15, 1991; New Orleans, LA.
  13. Clark N, Mills D, Marchant J. Evaluation of the potential efficacy of the Alpha-Stim SCS in the horse. Lincolnshire, UK; 2000. https://www.alpha-stim.com/wp-content/uploads/CES_Research/clark-evaluation.pdf
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  15. Kolesos ON, Osionwo HO, Akkhigbe KO. The role of relaxation therapy and cranial electrotherapy stimulation in the management of dental anxiety in Nigeria. ISOR J Dent Med Sci. 2013;10(4): 51-57.
  16. Yennurajalingam S, Kang D-H, Hwu W-J, et al. Cranial electrotherapy stimulation for the management of depression, anxiety, sleep disturbance, and pain in patients with advanced cancer: a preliminary study. J Pain Symptom Manag. 2018;55(2):198-206.
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