Food and diet play an important role in health. Every day, research in fields such as epidemiology and nutritional biochemistry teach us more about this relationship. Through scientific investigation and effective consumer communication, functional foods are becoming an important tool in promoting health.

According to Health Canada, a functional food is “consumed as part of a usual diet that is similar in appearance to, or may be, a conventional food, and is demonstrated to have physiological benefits and/or reduce the risk of chronic disease beyond basic nutritional functions.”

Functional foods may come from plants or animals. Active ingredients effective in promoting human health include amino acids, fats, dietary fibres, antioxidants, pigments, vitamins and minerals.

If you follow the studies that document the stress put upon our digestive tracts when processed and refined foods are eaten, you will then realize how the body has to respond in a completely unnatural way to digest food matter that the body does not recognize.

Interestingly, when cooked foods are eaten, large amounts of mucus are secreted. Foods that are particularly mucus forming include all processed and refined foods.

When cooked food is eaten, the T-cells, which are so vital to immune function, increase in the gastrointestinal tissue to protect our system from certain foods, which are interpreted as foreign matter. If we consume cooked and processed food day after day without adequately eating raw food and fibrous foods, protective mucus will form in excess and build-up on bowel tissue, similar to the age rings we see in the trunks of trees.

As a result of faulty eating, nature’s protective coating — which was designed for occasional use only — becomes enraged and inadvertently contributes to ill health.

Consequently, the immune system is taxed and the presence of this excess mucus creates a perfect medium for the multiplication of bacteria, viruses, parasites and worms. Autoimmune diseases may develop due to the fact that the immune system has begun to attack the body, rather than invading microorganisms.

Continually eating “lifeless” foods — cooked, refined or processed foods devoid of fibre and enzymes — over-stimulate the immune system in a way that compromises its function. As a result, the animal becomes susceptible to every virus and bacteria.

Raw food is living food. It’s food that has not been processed or heated above 118oC (244oF). It’s food that contains the enzymes necessary for digestion as well as all the natural vitamins and minerals inherent in the specific vegetable or fruit. Raw food is probably the only basis for optimum nutrition. In an article in “Alive” magazine in May of 2000, nutritionist Dr Paavo Airola stated that an optimum diet must be at least 75-per-cent to 95-per-cent raw. And that was a reference to human diets. That would leave little room to doubt that canines and felines should be consuming at least that much raw food.

Dr Edward Howell, author of the definitive book “Enzyme Nutrition” blames the national state of disease on malnutrition due to the consumption of cooked and processed food. This food destroys all enzymes and therefore makes it impossible for the body to metabolize nutrients. More than anything, the raw food revolution is about enzymes.

Jennifer Lennon is an expert on pet diets. Visit TryHealthyPaws.com for information on wholesale cat food and

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Tags: parasites

Westie dogs owners delight in the companionship their dogs give them during long and leisurely walks. But this activity should be one that brings pleasure to both.

How can you ensure that your dog also enjoys these activities? First, you’ll need to get your dog accustomed to having his paws handled and manipulated.

These are important Westie health issues that come under the grooming umbrella.

When your west highland terrier is tolerant of such treatment it would be easier for both you and the veterinarian to carefully scrutinize your dog if there are cuts or bruises on, in and around his paws.

Where should these foot exams take place? Pick a spot that’s comfortable for both of you, and is at the same time well-lit. Here’s how to do it. Put the dog’s paw in your hand. Run your finger around every pad. If you feel lumps, examine it closely to find out what it is.

Keep a pair of tweezers handy, to pull out bits of twig that may be stuck.

If the skin is broken, put anti-bacterial ointment or powder on the sore. Check the next day to ensure it heals completely. Refrain from taking a walk with your dog in the next couple of days, until the healing is completed.

Here’s what you should do if you find a lump in one foot that’s not present in the other foot. Get your dog to the vet. He or she may have an abscess or an interdigital cyst.

Examine and trim the paws regularly.

Regularly trim all the hair that’s out from between the pads. Don’t trim it too tight. If you see a matt of hair sticking out, cut it. Don’t strip or pull the hairs. It’s painful for your dog.

Here’s what to do if your pet’s paws are itchy. Look for these symptoms; the hairs and even the nails are a reddish brown. The pads are swollen. This means yeast and bacteria already be developing in the crevices between the pads and around the nails. Visit your vet so he or she can recommend medication to reduce the swelling and alleviate the itching.

Doing regular examinations on your Westie (Scottish in origin) dog’s paw prior to and after your walks, will make your dog eagerly await each sojourn.

Here are some success tips on how to groom your westie. I am not talking about turning out a show dog. If this is what you want, then go to a groomer. They can be found in every town and city from London to New York to Atlanta.

Most Westies enjoy being groomed. Begin brushing and examining your Westie when it is very young. Be positive, patient and gentle.

Grooming is a part of your Westie’s general health care and hygiene routine. It includes brushing, combing, nail-clipping, ear and dental care, bathing and scissoring, stripping or clipping of hair coats. Regular grooming stimulates circulation, improves appearance and reduces shedding.

It also enables you to discover lumps, lesions, cuts, scratches or external parasites. Frequent haircuts are even more important for Westies than for humans. Long hair breeds dirt, bacteria and is more prone to matting.

Use the proper grooming tools for the job. Consult your breeder, veterinarian or other Westie professional for guidance.

A full grooming may include a bath. Water for a Westie’s bath should be tepid. Be sure to use a non-skid mat in the tub.

(Disclaimer: Any information contained in this site relating to various medical, health and fitness conditions of Westies or other animals and their treatments is for informational purposes only and is not meant to be a substitute for the advice provided by your own veterinarian. You should not use the information contained herein for diagnosing the health of any animal. You should always consult and check with your own vet or veterinarian.)

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Jeff Cuckson is Author of “Mad About Westies” Find out more on how
you can have the Healthiest and Happiest madaboutwesties.com/westie_dogs.html Westie Dogs

You’ve Always Dreamed Of by going NOW to madaboutwesties.com/ Mad About Westies
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You’ve probably heard about raw dog food and wondered what all the hub-bub is about and if you should feed it to your dog. The truth is that a raw food diet is very good for your dog. This is because their natural diet in the wild was mainly raw meat.

Even when they were domesticated by man to be companions and working dogs, they thrived on healthy scraps that usually included raw off cuts and bones. As our modern diet has deteriorated to be a high sugar, high fat and high processed food diet, so, too, have the diets of our animals. It should therefore be no surprise that the diseases that increasingly afflict us have also spiraled to near epidemic levels in dogs.

Canine diabetes is one such example of a modern illness that has seriously impacted dogs. The incidence of cancer in dogs is even higher. Domestic pets are dependent upon their owners to feed them and care for them and the majority of dog owners have blithely trusted modern marketing and modern thinking and fed their animals a diabetes inducing diet. Combined with lack of exercise, this modern, processed diet has led to our dog’s sharing in our illnesses. Feeding your dog raw dog food along with vegetable scraps, crushed egg shells, sardines for the essential fatty acids and the occasional cooked whole grains (complex carbohydrates) sets your dog up for the best possible health.

Here are three good reasons to feed your pet raw dog food:

1. Dogs thrive on a raw dog food diet. Scientific studies have been conducted to show the difference in health between dogs given a raw dog food diet with some healthful additions and those fed cooked meat as well as the same nutritional additions. These studies were not even comparing commercial dog foods with a raw dog food diet. The studies found that dogs on a raw dog food diet had stronger immune systems, did not experience illness, were less likely to be infected by worms and parasites and had lower incidence of fleas. Some of these results were surprising to say the least. However, they indicate the benefit of sticking to a natural diet for dogs as much as possible.

2. Three are no harmful additives. We live in a sea of chemicals. We breathe them, we drink them and we eat them. The more processed our diet, the more chemicals we ingest and this is the same for our pets. We can’t do much as individuals about the air we breathe or even the water we drink, unless we buy a high quality purifier or trust suppliers of pure water, but we can certainly reduce our exposure to chemicals in our diets. Commercial dog foods rely on preservatives, artificial colors and flavors, and flavor enhancers such as sodium. By giving our dogs a raw dog food diet, we are protecting them against harmful chemicals as best we can.

3. Raw dog food is environmentally friendly. A raw dog food diet is a part of the natural process and ends up back in the ground to rot. Every time we use a can of commercial dog food, we are adding to the global non-biodegradable waste problem. Commercial manufacturing is ruining the earth in the quest for markets and profits. Commercial dog food is one unnecessary market and the product is not the best food for dogs. If enough people made the simple decision to feed their dogs a raw dog food diet, the benefits would be significant, not only for their pet but also for the wider community.

Our dogs are very dependent upon us to make the best decisions for them. We need to use wisdom and not just follow the common wisdom. After all, this common wisdom isn’t really very wise.

Lee Dobbins writes for dogbreeds123.com Dog Breeds 123 where you can learn more about different dog breeds and their care including more about different types of dogbreeds123.com/dogfood/dogfoodarticles.html dog food.

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The healthcare available today in the country for pets is varied and very up-to-date. Most veterinarians operate in a backdrop of chrome and glass, with the latest hi-tech gadgets, and offer the latest procedures.

Intestinal parasites are a common affliction. Pets have a tendency to get infected so a course of prevention once or twice every year would be a good idea. A fecal check quickly determines whether your pet is infected or not. The most common worms are tapeworms, whipworms, roundworms, and hookworms. One sign that your pet is infected is a change in behavior - he could stop eating, have loose motions, or maybe just look poorly. Once the type of worm has been identified, specific treatment can begin immediately.

Pets could also be infected with toxoplasmosis, giardiasis, or amebiosis. These abdominal afflictions could be very weakening. A cause for concern could be salmonella, strep throat, cat scratch fever, or scabies, as these could be transmitted to humans as well. Sometimes, both pets and owners need to be treated together to prevent recurrence.

Yet another area that needs looking into is dental care. More than three-fourths of the dog and cat pet population have infected teeth by the age of three. Unfortunately, dental disease can lead to life-threatening diseases of the lungs, heart, and kidney. At pet dental clinics, veterinarians do oral examinations as well as cleanings, and a host of services are provided to ensure your pet’s teeth stay in peak condition from treating periodontal disease to surgery after making sure your pet is fine with the anesthetic procedures and from scaling and polishing to fluoride treatment and barrier sealants.

Available in the market today is a host of products for every conceivable ailment your pet could have from energy-boosting tonics and glucobalance capsules to a pining and grief formula and gas prevention. There are remedies for the heart, the liver, muscles, joints, and circulation.

To ensure that your pet gets the best in healthcare make sure he has the best insurance plan going. Like you, he’s going to need it in today’s new-age healthcare environment.

e-PetHealth.com Pet Health provides detailed information on Pet Health, Pet Health Insurance, Pet Health Care, Pet Health Advice and more. Pet Health is affiliated with e-PetCare.com Pet Care Products.

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While disease and illness is expected and even forgiven in fellow humans, we often try to close our eyes to the possibility of our pets getting sick. And if they ever fall sick, we conveniently forget that a little timely care and treatment would have saved us the problem in the first place. First of all, let’s do away with the myth that we can catch all kinds of diseases from a pet. While some diseases are communicable, most others are infectious only among pets.

Basics of cat diseases:
You can pick up fleas or ticks from a pet that is not kept clean. But diseases like cancer, diabetes and cystitis are non-communicable. Even diseases that come too close for comfort like Feline Leukemia and Feline Immunodeficiency Virus can affect cats and ONLY cats! Also, your cat’s runny nose, cold and sneezing will not get passed to you, or vice versa.

Cats have a reputation of being cleaner than most other pets. So, it’s easy to see why people tend to overlook symptoms and signs till matters get worse. Some of the most common diseases that cats ail from include:

Upper respiratory diseases: We know this as the common cold and cats are subject to different kinds of ‘cold’ viruses, just like humans. Signs include severely inflamed eyes, high fever, sneezing, snotty noses, excessive tearing, depression and difficulty in breathing and swallowing. Secondary infections like pneumonia may set in if the cat’s resistance is lowered and the disease is not treated soon.

Parasitical infections: Cats can get infected with internal and external parasites. External parasites include ticks, fleas, mites, and lice. These parasites can cause pesky itching problems which may lead to secondary infections and skin rashes. Coats, ears and eyes have to be kept clean and infected cats will have to be treated with chemicals or medicine. Among the most common internal parasites, roundworms and tapeworms cause the most harm. Diagnosis can be made by inspecting the feces. Cats have to be de-wormed periodically to keep such parasites away.

Some other common problems seen in cats are Feline Urological Syndrome (infecting the urinary system), Abscesses (caused due to trauma to the skin) and ringworm. Ringworm is contagious and can pass on to humans.

Basics of dog diseases:
Just because you are feeding him well and exercising him regularly, don’t think that your dog is immune to diseases. Dogs are vulnerable to a number of common diseases. Some varieties of dogs also carry strains of inherited disorders that will surface as they grow older. While there is nothing much you can do about inherited diseases, you can help effect speedy recovery in other cases. As always, early detection is the key to good health. Some of the common diseases in dogs are:

Diarrhea: This is more often seen in pups than adult dogs and may be triggered by stress, a sudden change in food or a viral or bacterial attack. Diarrhea is deadly because it can lead to death due to dehydration. Older dogs may suffer from bloat and occurrence increases with age.

Upper respiratory infections: Discharge from the eyes/nose, coughing or sneezing is indicative of respiratory diseases. Airborne viruses and bacteria transfer the disease which is highly contagious between dogs. “Kennel Cough’ is a respiratory disorder that can be prevented through vaccinations.

Other common ailments like rabies, distemper and parvovirus can be prevented through timely vaccinations and booster doses. Just like cats, dogs also play hosts to a number of internal and external parasites. Good grooming and proper treatment can help prevent damage. Dogs also suffer from periodontal diseases as they grow older. Proper dental hygiene is the only way to prevent this.

Pet birds also suffer from a number of diseases; the most common among these is the Proventricular Dilatation Disease also called the ‘Macaw Wasting Disease’. This causes seizures, weight loss and regurgitation. ‘Parrot Fever’ or ‘Psittacosis’ is another common bird disease which can infect people too.

Most pet owners love their pets to distraction, and when disease strikes, they feel helpless and unsure. Take your sick pet to the vet as early as possible. Always be vigilant and try to catch symptoms as soon as they appear. Since your pet cannot tell you about its headaches, tummy disorders or toothaches, you have to be extra careful.

Our pets have become family members. When they die we grieve and we look for ways to remember them.

memorial-urns.com/pet_urns.html” target=”_blank Pet urns and memorial-urns.com/cremation_jewelry.html” target=”_blank pet cremation jewelry are both affordable and highly customizable ways to remember your companions.

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Tags: cat diseases, groom, parasites