[nagdu] Allergies and Dog Foods Dog

Mon Jun 15 20:12:09 UTC 2015

Raven,
Excellent job, well-written and spot on. Kudos.
Donna & Hunter

-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Raven Tolliver
via nagdu
Sent: Friday, June 12, 2015 5:24 PM
To: NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users
Cc: Raven Tolliver
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Allergies and Dog Foods Dog

the real reason allergies and auto-immune conditions have run rampid in both
people and their pets is because we have strayed from the foundation of
health, which is diet. A good diet creates good health.
We are not unhealthy because of a medication deficiency. We are unhealthy
because of a nutrient deficiency and an increase in unhealthy substances.
The majority of your immune system is in your gut. Nothing has power over
your gut health like your diet. There is an increasing amount of research on
how the gut microbiome effects the body's overall health.
The microorganisms in your gut effect your skin health, brain health, heart
health, and every area of the body. Your gut controls what substances are
foreign and must be eliminated or isolated, which nutrients should be
absorbed, and determines what your body can and cannot handle internally.
Allergies are a sign that something is being put into the body that the body
cannot absorb. The allergic reaction is your body attempting to fight off
whatever assailant has arrived on the seen. This could be a virus, a toxic
chemical you've inhaled, or a food you've ingested.
The best way to get rid of allergies is to avoid those factors which trigger
the allergic response.
Unfortunately, people don't recognize what these factors are. This is how we
get doctors and vets blaming environmental issues, when really it is the
food you eat, the soap you use on your skin, and the chemicals you clean
with. We have set up our bodies to be allergic organisms because we don't
support our guts, or our immune systems.
Life would be easier if we didn't have to concern ourselves with what we put
in and on our bodies. But those are the things that make the most
difference.
The best ways to support the immune system are to eat a diet free of
processed foods, to only use skin care products that you can eat, and to
clean with nontoxic chemicals. If you eat or use anything processed,
containing additives, preservatives, and synthetic nutrients, fragrances,
and flavorings, you are consuming products that are contributing to ill
health.
Does it cost more to live a healthier lifestyle. Not always, but typically,
yes. But when you don't pay for quality food, you are paying for poor
health. This is not a moral judgment, this is factual.
It would be easier to blame the environment and to believe you don't need to
make such drastic lifestyle changes. It would be nice to rely on a pill or a
quick fix for all your health problems. But the quick fix is a Band-Aid over
the wound, and like Band-aids, they only cover up the problem, they don't
promote healing.

As someone who has experienced the insanity of a highly allergic dog, I can
empathize with everyone going through this experience. My golden use to be
constantly itching, he had a chronic ear infection, and his anal glands
needed to be expressed every 4-6 weeks. He would scratch himself so much, he
had scabs in his fur.
I wanted so badly to follow my vet's advice. But I couldn't keep going to
the vet, keep dropping random crap in my dog's ears with no results, keep
feeding food that was not helping my dog's body heal itself, keep watching
my dog suffer. So I quit. I quit kibble, quit using toxic pesticides, and
quit following the vet's advice. If they really knew what they were talking
about, my dog would not have experienced his symptoms for over a year and a
half.
Instead, I took my dog's health into my own hands. I don't need a degree to
know that what the vets were doing was not working. I don't need to be
certified in anything to understand that Mother Nature knows best, and if
She doesn't get it wrong, I can't go wrong by doing what She does. So yes, I
went gung-ho,  all-natural. And it worked.
That is all I can tell anyone is that my dog is a living testimony to the
benefits of natural-rearing. You cannot imagine what a relief it is that I
don't have to express my dog's anal glands every other month, that he
doesn't deal with any itchiness, and I only have to clean his ears about
once a month, if that.
If you've read this far, I want you to know that health is achieved through
promoting a healthy immune system, not by preventing and treating symptoms.
If you promote health by properly supporting the immune system, those
external factors from the environment that you cannot control will have
little to no impact on your internal health.
We must understand that allergies are not normal. Common, yes. Normal,
absolutely not. Do not fall into the trap of believing that it's the
external environment. Understand that by eating healthy foods and using
nontoxic body care and household products, you can eliminate or mitigate the
allergies you experience each year, along with other chronic health
conditions. Anyone who tells you differently has not learned about how to
create a healthy body.
--
Raven
You are valuable because of your potential, not because of what you have or
what you do.

Naturally-reared guide dogs
https://groups.google.com/d/forum/nrguidedogs

On 6/12/15, Daryl Marie via nagdu <nagdu at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> Sandra,
> Thanks for the info! I switched Jenny to a grain-free food because she
> was getting pimple-like growths on her face. I never did get them
> checked out by the vet because by the time I could get in, they would
> accidentally pop. I had contemplated switching her food for a while
> but when she kept getting the pimples, I figured it couldn't hurt...
> since the switch, no more pimples!
>
> Jenny thankfully doesn't seem to have the itching in the ears/eyes
> themselves, but more on the skin, particularly the face. Whether
> allergies are the cause or the result of the yeast, I'm not sure, but
> she's pretty uncomfortable.
>
> I figured I would send the list a link to the Omega 3s I am giving
> her, in case anyone would like them. I like them because based on her
> size, even on a therapeutic dose, it's 1 tablet once a day; on a
> maintenance dose it's 1 tablet twice a week... no more complicated
> math! This bottle would last six months on the therapeutic dose, and
> much longer on the maintenance dose :)
>
> http://www.amazon.com/Trusted-Nutrients-Omega-Fishoil-Supplement/dp/B0
> 0GMPBTZ2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1434135974&sr=8-1&keywords=Trusted+Nut
> rients+Omega
>
> I think at the end of the day, the important thing is to do what you
> can, research research research, question EVERYTHING, and find out
> what works for you.
> And as for allergy symptoms, here it's so dry that it's hard to tell
> where allergies end and just plain dry skin begins!
>
> Daryl
> ----- Original Message ----- From: S L Johnson via nagdu
> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
> To: nagdu at nfbnet.org Cc: S L Johnson <SLJohnson25 at comcast.net> Sent:
> Fri, 12 Jun 2015 12:57:00 -0600 (MDT) Subject: [nagdu] Allergies and
> Dog Foods Dog
> Hello: Yesterday we were discussing allergies. I said Eva would be
> seeing the vet again today. Her yeast infection in both ears looks
> better but the ears are still a bit red and irritated. She will be
> getting the ear drops for another ten days. She is also getting eye
> drops twice a day. The vet could see some irritation in the eyes. She
> noticed missing hair around the eyes from Eva rubbing them. Eva will still
take antihistamines twice a day.
> She will continue to take daily omega 3 capsules. The vet said their
> practice is seeing a lot of allergies this year. She said it is the
> reality of living in hot humid central Indiana where all the dogs and
> humans are suffering from allergies. I asked the vet about a regular
> diet verses a grain free diet. The vet said that the grain free trend
> has not been scientifically proven to be effective for pets anymore
> then it has for humans. She said it is just the latest craze with no
> real benefits to your dog's health. The vet said any good quality
> commercial dry food is fine. The only time to consider grain free is
> if the dog has digestive issues due to the foods.  She said that
> changing the diet really doesn't effect seasonal allergies. With
> seasonal allergies the dog is reacting to things in the environment,
> not what it is eating. She went on to say that there is a lot of hype and
misinformation about pet diets just as there is for human diets.
> There is a lot of discussion on this list about foods and supplements.
> I read posts about not using omega 3s sold in stores but insisting on
> all natural. I've read that only natural dog foods should be used. I
> am not knocking those of you who choose to feed very expensive foods
> or raw diets that claim to be better for your dog. However, I do want
> to reassure those who cannot afford this that their dogs will do fine
> on any of the name brand supplements and dog foods sold in grocery,
department or pet stores.
> Sometimes people try to make us feel that we are not taking care of
> our dogs if we feed commercial dog foods. The reality is, many of us
> are on very low incomes and cannot afford the fancy trendy foods that
> are two to three times more expensive. A guide dog is an expensive
> responsibility without putting the guilt trip on those with limited
> incomes. If commercial foods are approved by the guide dog schools and
> most vets, then I feel confident to feed them to my dog. I can't
> afford it and , I don't jump on the health food craze for humans and I
> don't intend on doing it for my dog. It is just the current trend and
> not medically proven to be beneficial. Sandra and Eva
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