Holistic Dog Care Defined

Holistic Tips
by Dr. Jane Bicks, Lifes Abundance Blog Post, April 21, 2011

The holistic approach to veterinary care has different meanings for different people. Essentially it means just what the name indicates - looking at “the whole” and not the individual parts.

Holistic practitioners consider the whole of a companion animal’s being and how every discrete part works in relation to every other part. Fundamental to this mindset is that everything is interrelated and nothing occurs in isolation.

Furthermore, holistic veterinarians don’t only focus on physical aspects; they also consider the emotional, mental and spiritual elements. Holistic health boils down to balance; imbalance leads to dis-ease. It’s important to remember that physical signs of illness may often be the last to appear, and that mental and emotional imbalance can lead to disease, too.

In the United States, veterinary medicine is usually divided into conventional and holistic medicine. In the conventional tradition, veterinarians focus almost solely on the physical evidence. Holistic medicine, which originated from ancient cultures (such as, Asian, Indian, African and Native American Indian) takes into consideration the mental and spiritual aspects, as well. In the treatment of their patients, holistic practitioners often use herbs, vitamins, minerals, homeopathy, energy medicine and other alternative methods. I believe in an integrative approach, taking the best of all forms of medicine and combining them to produce a modern holistic approach.

In addition to the internal workings of a companion animal’s body, holistic health explores the influence of external factors for their direct or indirect impacts on the body. In the case of companion animals, this includes their shelter, social interactions, levels of exercise and mental stimulation, diet, vaccination history, and any potential exposures to toxins.

A cornerstone of the holistic approach is nutrition, because the quality and type of foods consumed will play a significant role in overall health, on all levels. For example, studies show that an adequate intake of B complex vitamins and omega-3 fatty acids (like those found in fish oil) can help to promote emotional and mental health, for companion animals and humans.

A vital component of holistic care is taking a preventive stance - promoting wellness and balance to prevent illness in all its forms. Maintaining an excellent diet, stimulating the mind for emotional and mental well-being, and exercising appropriately for your pet’s age and body type are all critical to the holistic approach to leading a balanced life.

I advocate these practices beginning as early as possible, so you won’t have to come see a veterinarian for imbalance and illness later in life. If their furry little bodies are in balance, and thus in good health, then the risk of disease is reduced, as is the need for pharmaceuticals.
While conventional medicine is highly valuable, sometimes it doesn’t tell the whole story. Fortunately, increasing numbers of conventional veterinarians are adopting a more integrative approach. Wellness programs and educational outlets (like this blog post) are empowering pet parents to make informed decisions about their health and the health of their beloved companion animals.

The bottom line is that it is possible for you to develop and adopt a preventive care plan for your furry family members. In most cases, I recommend that pet parents work with both a conventional and a holistic veterinarian to foster a balanced life for their companion animals.
In the coming months, I’ll be sharing some of my favorite holistic tips for companion animal care. Look for future posts on this blog to help your whole family achieve a new level of balance, and wellness.

Thank you for all you do to make the world a better place for companion animals,

Dr. Jane Bick,
Lifes Abundance Dog Food Formulator

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Learn more about Dr. Jane's Holistic Dog Products including Lifes Abundance Dog Food, Lifes Abundance Dog Treats, Life's Abundance Wellness Food Supplements for Dogs, Holistic Ear Care Products and more.

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Dogs Do Better as Carnivores

We found the following article on the Internet and thought we would share it with you.

Dog Food Review – Life’s Abundance Dog Food
by Brigitte Smith / February 2, 2008 / www.healthierdogs.com/dog_food/dog-food-review-lifes-abundance-dog-food

Dogs really do function better as carnivores, and should always have plenty of meat protein in their diet. Meat protein provides the building blocks of good dog health.

Certainly, a small to moderate amount of carbohydrates can play a secondary role in a dog’s diet, dogs should be fed only highly digestible carbohydrates such as brown rice. Excessive and/or poorly digestible carbohydrates of the type found in cereal based dog foods that contain only small proportions of meat are not recommended.

Dogs are historically scavengers and of course, primarily meat eaters. In fact, a natural diet for dogs included bones, chunks of carcass, fish guts, animal guts and heads, together with rotten greens and fruits. In the pre-domesticated stage, dogs started to consume discarded human food, which continued until relatively recent times.

Have you ever wondered why many dogs love to go through your garbage can, and will more often than not eat any and everything in there if given the chance? Well look back in history, and you will discover your answer.

In fact, the major contributing factor in the domestication of dogs was their attraction to whatever food was available at human garbage dumps. Eventually, the tamer wolves that were the least threatened by human beings, over tens of thousands of years, became our companions and evolved into the various dog breeds we have today.

It stands to reason, therefore, that your dog’s digestive system is more suited to raw food coupled with some table scraps – natural dog food, than to most of the substandard rubbish that’s passed off as commercial dog food.

Life’s Abundance Dog Food – from Fresh!
But if you don’t fancy feeding your dog raw food, then at least ditch the commercial dog food and feed your loved companion a quality, premium dog food that has the healthy goodness of a home cooked meal. Life’s Abundance dog food is made using only fresh, human-quality ingredients such as premium all natural chicken and top quality catfish with the best fresh fruit such as tree ripened applies, vegetables like crisp fresh carrots, and select farm foods such as eggs.

Life’s Abundance dog food also contains a superior blend of vitamins, minerals, bacteria cultures that assist digestion, and antioxidants. There are no artificial flavors, colors, sugars, or chemical preservatives – common ingredients in most commercial dog foods.

Dr Jane Bicks is responsible for product formulation and development of Life’s Abundance dog food – and cat food. Dr Bicks is a highly respected and nationally recognized holistic veterinarian. She is the author of three national books on pet care and nutrition and has served on professional boards including the Cornell Feline Health Center.

Not all veterinarians have much idea on good nutrition for dogs, in fact most don’t. Conventional vets get most of their information from commercial pet food manufacturers. But if you’re fortunate enough to find a good holistic vet, you’re much more likely to learn the truth about healthy dog food.

Life’s Abundance Dog Food is Premium Dog Food!

Life’s Abundance dog food is a premium health food for your dog. Apart from the ingredients in the dog food you select, you should also be concerned about the cooking process used. Commercial pet foods are extruded at extremely high temperatures which effectively destroy any semblance of nutrition that may have been in the ingredients.

Life’s Abundance dog food, on the other hand, is cooked in small batches using an exclusive “fast-cook” process that uses less heat to gently lock in more of the natural goodness and fresh taste of real food.

And they even go a step further to ensure the nutritional quality of Life’s Abundance pet food with their revolutionary reclosable, oxygen resistant packaging that ensures all the flavor, vitamins and natural nutrients from Life’s Abundance remains. So no preservatives of any kind are necessary – natural dog food at its best. In fact, this food is said to be just as natural and deliciously wholesome as if you’d made it yourself.

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Life’s Abundance Dog Food

Lifes Abundance Dog Food

Your dog would do anything for you. Your dog loves you so much that he or she would even give their life for you. With an unconditional love like that, you owe it to your precious companion to keep her healthy and happy for years to come. One way to do that is to feed a superior food.

Lifes Abundance Dog Food is a wholesome, superior food that is recommended by Vets

Lifes Abundance Dog Food sets a Higher Standard for Pet Nutrition

Lifes Abundance Dog Food was created to provide your companion animal with a nutritional advantage.

Life’s Abundance Premium Health Food for Puppies & Adult Dogs is made with select ingredients to help your dog achieve and maintain optimum health.

Formulated by Dr. Jane Bicks, one of the nation’s leading holistic veterinarians, this superior food addresses the needs of the whole body.

Every ingredient is carefully chosen based upon its positive effects on a dog’s physiology, to promote the long-term health of canines.

Loved by both puppies and adult dogs of all breeds and sizes, this delicious recipe features an antioxidant system to support dogs throughout their life cycle. Also figuring prominently are omega fatty acids to promote healthy skin and a glossy coat, and complex carbohydrates from oat groats for sustained energy.

Another highlight of this food is our proprietary blend of vitamins and minerals to supply dogs with the nutrients that help them to thrive, regardless of their age.

This Life’s Abundance recipe furnishes the body with optimal protein levels, to help puppies grow strong and adults to maintain muscle mass. Additionally, we have added a balanced blend of calcium and phosphorous to support both developing and aging bones.

The naturally-flavored kibbles come complete with dietary fiber to promote digestive health.

In addition, this formula contains no artificial colors or flavors, no corn, no wheat and no glutens.

Life’s Abundance is nutritionally-dense, which means that you won’t have to feed your dog as much food as other brands. That can translate into savings you can count on, meal after meal, year after year. Not only that, but smaller meals and concentrated nutrition means less mess to clean up outside.

When you try Life’s Abundance, you’ll know why people say it’s what pet food should be.

Life's Abundance Premium Health Food is veterinarian-formulated with select ingredients to help your dog achieve and maintain optimum health. A "fast-cook" process is used to help preserve the nutritional value of each and every wholesome ingredient. Strict inventory controls are maintained to ensure the quality and safety of the foods. With Life’s Abundance, you can be confident that you’re feeding your dog advanced nutrition.

Life's Abundance Dog Food is made with the finest ingredients, including:

- a proprietary blend of vitamins and minerals
- High-quality protein from chicken meal for strong muscles
- An antioxidant system including vitamins A, C and E
- A selection of nutritious vegetables and fruits
- Omega 3 Fatty Acids for healthy skin and a shiny coat
- Calcium and phosphorus for healthy teeth and strong bones
- Dietary fiber to help maintain a healthy digestive tract

Since only wholesome ingredients are used, this formula contains:

- No artificial flavors
- No artificial colors
- No corn or corn gluten
- No wheat or wheal gluten

For free samples and information, visit Life's Abundance Dog Food Free Sample

Click to Order Lifes Abundance Dog Food