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Nutrition as Therapy
(general to all species)
“Let food
be thy medicine and medicine thy food”
Hippocrates (circa 460 - 357 B.C.)
Al patients at the
AVMC are offered advice on feeding natural
fresh diets, as the basis of a health programme (nutritional therapy). This is
because there is no clear boundary between nutrition and medicine. The same
principles apply, whatever the species.
What is it?
We have a very simplistic view, at the
AVMC. Ideal
nutrition is a fresh, varied and preferably organic diet, in keeping with the
evolved needs of each species (i.e. species suitable). Anything other than this will be detrimental, to
varying degrees. Healing depends upon nutrition as the safe foundation and we believe
there is no such thing as good medicine without good nutrition. This is positive
health and, when a case is cured, it is good preventive health. We practise
holistic veterinary medicine; nutrition is an integral part of that approach.
The logic is, of course, that feeding such diets,
before illnesses occur, makes good common-sense health preservation. An added
bonus is that we find that older animals, who have consistently been fed in this
way and not over-vaccinated or over-drugged, seem to find a natural, gentle and
dignified way out of this world, in the time, place and manner of their own
choosing. It seems that they are better able to order their own existence and
function.
Manufacturers hold a different view, because there is
no money to be made from fresh food diets, sourced and prepared by the owner.
They wish to push 'product' (equine compound feeds, canned
pet food or freeze-dried complete diets), with its huge ‘add-on’ value, advertising in such
a way as to make owners feel inadequate and fearful to do anything but feed
manufactured products. The price that can be obtained depends on the perception
of value created by advertising, marketing and promotion.
This engineered cultural block leads to a mental
inconsistency. Owners often feel that they
and their families would be better on a wholesome, organic diet, yet many do not make
the same connection in the case of their animals. Manufactured feeds generally
suffer loss of quality in safety and nutrition, during the heavy processing
involved, besides the possibility of inclusion of unsuitable ingredients.
Practical Application
"Suffice it to
say that my two dogs have now made the change to ‘real’ food and seem to be
enjoying it. B----’s crusty nose is looking blacker and shinier than it ever
has, if that is anything to go by. L--- is slowly beginning to look a bit less
spherical, so it’s worth the effort."
The simple rationale to follow is to look at
a wild equivalent species and study its diet. Broadly speaking, such a diet or
similar is likely to be healthy for our domestic species. This clearly cuts out
animal or fish products from a herbivore’s diet, despite the fact that many
commercial feeds and supplements fly in the face of this simple wisdom. Added
sugar, commonly in the form of molasses, also has an adverse effect on the bowel
flora of horses, hence on digestion and metabolism and thereby on
behaviour and physical health (horses are primarily fibre digesters). Grazing
should be on traditional pasture, not adulterated with agro-chemicals. It also implies that the chewing of large chunks of raw meat
and gnawing on bones is healthiest for dogs, in addition to their other fresh
dietary components e.g. vegetables (dogs have no nutritional requirement for
grain starch).
Wholesome fresh vegetables in a supermarket
Tooth health is critically affected by diet.
Manufactured foods for dogs and cats permit or encourage plaque and tartar
formation, resulting in gingivitis, gum recession and eventual tooth loss.
Sugars in horse diets lead to enamel weakness and concentrate feeding can lead
to tartar and to incorrect tooth wear - Teeth (Horses
& Ponies) : Teeth & Teething (Dogs & Cats).
Whether feeding dogs, feeding cats or
feeding horses, the principles are the same. Only the special needs,
susceptibilities and capabilities of each species have to be considered. Feeding animals is not difficult, until it comes to
production animals, who have increased demand for certain critical nutrients.
Particularly in the case of dairy cows, dairy sheep or dairy goats, production
animals can live on a knife-edge. For this reason, I have studied the nutrition of farm species, allowing a full
dietary appraisal for health, as a crucial part of health management on the
farm. I studied the Agricultural Sciences Tripos, at Cambridge. In the 70’s and 80’s, when I ran a very busy farm practice, in
addition to treating other species, I was personally examining 600 cows per week on
routine visits. The health of these cows was mostly achieved through diet, with
homeopathic medication for fertility and such-like problems, on an individual basis
when needed. Good nutrition work would, however, mostly remove the need for
medication.
The AVMC's service for farm clients includes the option of in-depth
nutrition and diet
input, as part of an integrated programme. There is a discount for Soil
Association members (organic).
Other Pages of related interest:
Pasture Management
Artificial Nitrogen Fertiliser
Products
Feeds & Supplements
Diets
Poisonous Plants
Food Poisoning
Positive Health
Teeth (Horses & Ponies)
Teeth & Teething (Dogs & Cats)
Organics
Farm Management & Nutrition
Dietary Issues
Recipes
Obesity
Nutraceuticals
Natural Feeding (article)
Feeding Dogs (article) (& see picture)
Books by Christopher Day:
Christopher Day has written a book(let), 'Feeding
Dogs the Natural Way' - Chinham Publications, available from the
AVMC (see address etc. below).
He has also written a book(let), 'Feeding
Horses the Natural Way' - Chinham Publications, which can be ordered from
the AVMC (see address etc. below) [Not yet
in print].
Other books:
Books by Tom Lonsdale 'Raw Meaty Bones'
and Ian Billingshurst 'The BARF Diet' (bones and raw food) have been
recommended to us and have a great following but we have not yet read them (so
cannot comment).
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Holistic, Alternative,
Natural or Complementary?
Copyright © AVMC March 2007
Associated websites:
http://chris-day.blogware.com/ -
www.holistic-vet.co.uk -www.veterinary-holistic.co.uk
-
www.alternativeveterinarymedicine.co.uk -
www.alternativeveterinarymedicinecentre.co.uk -
www.avmc.co.uk -
www.naturalfeeding.co.uk -
www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~avmc
- www.chinhampublications.co.uk
- www.any-uk-vet.co.uk/day -
http://vetontheweb.co.uk/vet-directory-detail.asp?id=3946 -
http://www.vetclick.com/referral-practices/view_detail.php?PracticeId=2508&ReferralId=1
holistic feeding - holistic diet - holistic
diets - natural feeding - natural diet - natural diets - organic feeding -
organic diet - organic diets - fresh food - fresh feeding - fresh diet - fresh
diets - natural food - organic food - holistic food
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