August 30, 2018 is National Holistic Pet Day. Since
many dog lovers are new to this, we would like to share some information about
what holistic health truly means.
To put it simply, holistic health is an approach to wellness
that incorporates a dog’s body, mind, and spirit. Holistic health is about
living a preventative lifestyle.
Rather than waiting for a condition to happen, the
goal with holistic medicine is to prevent that condition from occurring via
various wellness techniques.
The number of dog lovers who wish to learn about
holistic health is increasing significantly each year.
Once you have made the decision to learn about
holistic health, you can then learn how to strengthen your dog’s food, body,
mind, and spirit.
Let’s Eat Healthy
As you may have already guessed, nutrition plays
a key role in your dog’s health and wellness (and ours, too!). By feeding
your dog a diet that’s natural and organic, you provide your dog with a
potentially much-needed immune boost thereby reducing the risk of developing
health conditions.
Our dog’s body (nor ours) is designed to handle the
dyes, preservatives, or chemicals that are put in all kinds of food each day. Most
dog food (and human food) is overly processed and truly not good for a mammal’s
body.
Feeding a high-quality dog food can also help your dog
fight allergies (one of the main causes of allergies in dogs has to do with
their commercial diet). Not only does high-quality dog food help fight
allergies but also reduce the risk of obesity, diabetes, intestinal problems,
and other food-related health conditions.
If you’re having trouble determining what is best to
feed your dog, you can search for an alternative
veterinarian or holistic veterinarian who has extensive knowledge in this
field.
And, the water. Don’t forget about the water. You know
that water that comes from your city source? You know, the one you probably
drink daily and provide to your dog? That water often contains fluoride,
chlorine, and other chemicals to keep it ‘clean.’
Don’t panic if you have been drinking this and
allowing your pet to drink it. Most people don’t know those chemicals can be
found in city water.
You can keep your dog (and yourself) safe by using
filtered water, never re-use plastic bottles to fill their water bowl (the
plastic bottles really aren’t good either) and be certain to use stainless
steel dog bowls rather than plastic doggy bowls.
Work the Body
When you think of keeping your body healthy, what’s the
first step that usually comes to mind other than diet? YES, exercise. Diet and
exercise go hand-in-hand.
Not only does exercise reduce excess weight, but it
lowers cholesterol levels, reduces anxiety, reduces the risk of heart disease,
reduces the risk of diabetes, and can even help reduce the risk of developing
various types of cancer!
Don’t let exercise get boring, either. Usually, we
start off strong and slowly go back to our normal sedentary lifestyle. Of course, walking is
the most common form of exercise. But, games like fetch also provide your dog
with some healthy fun.
Fleas and Ticks are Terrible
Fleas and ticks are horrible… especially in the
summer. So, what do we do? We grab that flea medicine to place on our dog’s
skin. That absorbs and kills the fleas. Right?
If you want to
take a holistic approach to your dog’s health, those aren’t really labeled
as acceptable. Dog lovers practicing a holistic approach use natural grooming
products. And, natural flea and tick preventatives. Usually, this consists of a
mix of essential oils.
The Mind and Spirit at Peace
We have discussed nutrition and taking care of the
body physically. Now, let’s move on to the mental side of the spectrum.
Mental stimulation
is a crucial puzzle piece in your dog’s wellness puzzle. A healthy,
well-balanced brain is critical. Don’t forget to stimulate those brain cells.
If you take a walk through your local pet store, you
will see there are several toys designed to do just that. Take a look at the
puzzles your local store offers… or take a look on Amazon. This might take some
‘testing.’ Each dog has a different preference as to what they call ‘fun.’
If you grab one puzzle, and your dog isn’t a fan, don’t
give up just yet. That puzzle may not be for her. Try another.
Most dogs also need social interaction with other
dogs. Find a compatible dog and go on a doggy playdate. Or, if none of your
friends have a dog, take a trip to your local dog park. Let your dog play… a
tired dog is a happy dog.
Don’t Overwhelm Yourself
We know that’s a lot of information to take in at one
time. We just discussed literally every aspect of your dog’s well-being. If you
don’t think you can handle all of this at once, take it step by step. Start by
ensuring your dog’s mental health is met and move on to their nutrition… for
example. And, if you need help, don’t forget your veterinarian is there to help
you.