The Benefits of Nutritional Yeast

Nutritional Yeast is made from the same type of yeast as brewer's yeast, but the difference is that brewer's yeast holds some of the bitter beer flavour. Nutritional yeast is very popular with vegetarians. It's produced by culturing and fermenting the yeast grown on cane and beet molasses, it is fortified with vitamin B during the growing process, then it is harvested, washed, pasteurized, cooled and dried. It is available in the form of flakes, or powder and contains no active or live enzymes, so we don't have to worry about the intestinal problems related to yeast. Nutritional yeast and Candida go hand in hand, adequate consumption will prevent the occurrence of candidias. It is a rich source of amino acids and minerals. High levels of B-complex vitamins found in nutritional yeast.

Parmesan cheese or wheat germ can be used as a similar substitute but doesn't really match nutritional yeast.

Also, you should note that Brewers Yeast can be harmful to dogs in large doses. At least that's what I've been reading and may be a leading cause of chronic ear infections.

The Complete Guide to Natural Health for Dogs and Cats by Dr. Pitcairn and Susan Hubble recommend you add this to each meal. Recommended dosage is 1 tsp to each meal.

Healthy Powder

2 cups nutritional yeast
1 cup lecithin granules
¼ cup kelp powder
¼ cup bonemeal
1,000 mg vitamin C (ground)
Mix together and keep refrigerated.

As there is a controversy about the uses of bonemeal and toxic lead amounts in this product, a good alternative and the alternative I use is ground egg shells.  Egg shells are approximately 95% calcium without the major effects of phosphorous as found in bonemeal.
 
As always, please seek professional guidance or do your homework before changing your pet's diet.  Their lives depend on you!

Alfalfa: The helpful Little Rascal!

Alfalfa when it's literally translated means "the father of all foods".  To be quite honest, when I was a kid I really thought it was just the name of a Little Rascal.  Truth be told, I wasn't all that "holistic" growing up so Alfalfa remained a mystery to me until my 20 somethings, well ok...30 somethings...

This green food is reported to contain all of the vitamins, minerals and trace elements known to be needed for humans and animals.

Chinese herbalists use Alfalfa to treat fluid retention, swelling and kidney stones.  It's great for urinary tract infections and has great detoxyifying properties. 

It has a high Vitamin K content and is good for helping with bleeding disorders that can result from long-term use of antibiotics.

As with any supplement I blog about, dispense with caution.  Vitamin K has been linked to cases of  Heinz-body anemia if it is taken in large quantities.


I feed Alfalfa sprouts to my dog, but intermittently. 

You can grow your own Alfalfa sprouts at home.  Here's a link of instructions:
http://www.backyardnature.net/simple/alf-spr.htm

Is Your Dog Dehydrated?

Your dog is made up of about 75 percent water.  If your dog was out in the wild, eating prey such as a bird or a mouse or even a rabbit, they would be feeding on other animals whose bodies are also about 75 percent water.  Well, since the average house dog doesn't feed in the wild and is often restricted to kibble, it might surprise you to know that those dogs are only getting about 10 percent moisture into their systems.  Dry foods couldn't be any more Un-natural! 

In order for your dog to compensate for the lack of water it isn't getting from it's kibble diet, your dog would have to drink an exceeding amount of water just to flush out the toxins, hydrate their organs and aid in their normal elimination.

Considering a more holistic diet for your dog is something to think about. 

I will be posting a separate section on holistic cooked foods for your dog including tips and delicious recipes. 

Eggscellent Decision!

Eggs can be a very valuable addition to a home cooded diet for dogs because they offer complete proteins. But you need to remember that just as the quality of meat and produce can vary depending on the source, so too can the quality of the eggs you buy.

If you are considering adding eggs to your dog\s diet, consider where you get them.  Find a source of fresh eggs and buy those rather than the store bought ones from your grocer.  They will not only be fresher tasting, but they will be from free-range chickens and thus cleaner.  Commercially raised chickens are caged chickens, piled on atop the other so that the urine and feces drain down on the birds below them.

Also, please remember not to limit your dog to just chicken eggs.  You can also experiment with quail, duck, goose and turkey eggs.