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The benefits of Detoxification - Part 1
A clean and healthy blood supply ensures a healthy body, which is very true for both people and their pets.
The body is continuously eliminating waste products, but if these wastes are being consumed or absorbed faster than the body can eliminate them, they will start to accumulate in the liver, kidneys, fatty tissues and throughout the entire system. This is when disease develops and when detoxification is most needed.
Toxins come from consuming poor quality food such as dried, canned and processed rolls, preservatives, colourings and artificial additives, all drugs and medications, pesticides, herbicides, chemical and industrial pollutants, exhaust fumes, cigarette smoke, etc, etc. So it is quite common for most domestic dogs to suffer from some forms of toxicity overload.
There are many reasons why your dog will benefit from some form of detoxification, the most common being:
To cleanse the body of built up waste products
Improve quality of coat and ensure healthy skin
Reduce excess body odour and smelly breath (if caused from digestive disturbances)
Eliminate parasites and cleanse the bowels
Improve nutrient intake and digestive function
Remove toxins from liver and kidneys
Allows for cell repair and restoration
Enhance immune function
Improve overall health and disease resistance
Overcome allergies and many other disease conditions
Fasting is one of the most effective methods of detoxification and healing. It enhances the body's ability to expel waste products that may have been accumulating for many years. By withholding all food, the body's vital energies can shift from the process of digestion to that of detoxification. Most animals periodically fast in the wild when insufficient food is available, or during illness.
During a fast the body will endeavour to burn up unnecessary fat deposits (large amounts of toxins are stored in the fatty tissues), excess mucous and deeply embedded toxins such as tumours, cysts, etc.
Many people mistakenly believe that fasting and starving are the same, but they are very different indeed. Starvation takes it to the point when the body is forced to utilise healthy tissue to survive. For anyone who has experienced the benefits to mind body and spirit, fasting can be a truly enlightening experience when carried out correctly.
Most adult dogs & cats can benefit from a one-day fast each week, or you can feed a light meat-free meal consisting of one of the following:
Ripe juicy fruits and bananas (most dogs love sweet fruits, experiment and see what they like)
Meat or fish broth
Large bone to chew on (or smaller bones for cats)
Rolled oats soaked in meat broth until softened (overnight)
Soaked rolled oats with a little natural yoghurt & mashed banana and softened prunes (our dogs love this!)
Fasting should not be seen as a punishment for your animal, and it is a good time for you to do something special together. Go for walks (nothing too strenuous) or to the beach or park, give extra cuddles and just spend quality time together. Offer broth or juices at regular meal times and be positive about it. It is no good putting the bowl down thinking 'you're not going to like this', because they probably won't if you believe that.
Offer it with positive thoughts and you may be pleasantly surprised. A healthy adult dog can safely be fasted for one to two days but for any with a history of ill health or those suffering from disease please seek professional advice beforehand.
Extended fasts of five to seven days or longer can be extremely beneficial in reversing symptoms of many health conditions, but it is best to seek the advice of a holistic animal therapist to find out the best treatment approach for your dog's condition. Animals suffering from diseases such as diabetes, cancer, advanced kidney disease, pancreatitis, and malnutrition should not be fasted, so please seek professional advice before using fasting therapy on dog's with any serious illness.
During illness animals will generally go off their food anyway and this is a good time to fast them to help provide a speedier recovery. All dogs or cats showing signs of vomiting, diarrhoea or fever should be fasted until the temperature returns to normal or the condition clears. (Professional supervision should be sought in these cases also).
Feeding an animal with fever can lead to more serious complications developing. Another good time to fast, is when changing them from a processed food diet, to a natural raw food diet. If they refuse the new food, then follow the guidelines under fasting and offer a fresh meal at the next meal time, if it is refused then remove the food and wait until the following meal time to try again.
This Web site is intended for Australian residents and is not a substitute for independent professional advice. Information and interactions contained in this Web site are for information purposes only and are not intended to be used to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Further, the accuracy, currency and completeness of the information available on this Web site cannot be guaranteed. Lifestyle Home Services, Its Affiliates or agents do not accept any liability for any injury, loss or damage incurred by use of or reliance on the information made available via or through this Website whether arising from negligence or otherwise.
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