At first glance the digestive system appears to have a very simple task of taking in food, digesting it, absorbing nutrients, and then excreting the waste, and while everything is in good working order, we never even give it a second thought.
Read moreEmotions and the Gut
The gut is very sensitive to emotions, and I am sure we have all experienced the butterflies in the stomach, stomach cramps, that tight feeling in our guts, or acid indigestion which can come on in a split second when we are nervous, excited, fearful or anticipating a particular event. And our dogs are just the same.
Read moreDigest and Rest
Digest & Rest is the perfect blend for tummy troubles, managing reflux and to aid in anal gland issues.
Read moreSimple Ways to Improve your Dogs Diet
Adding fresh food to your dogs meals can give huge health benefits and help in the prevention of many serious diseases .
Not everyone wants to feed raw or home cooked food and the vast majority of dogs still eat tinned food or kibble. When manufacturing kibble or muesli type food it requires a very high temperature and many of the nutrients are lost in the cooking process which are then replaced with synthetic vitamin and mineral supplements.
Adding a few of the following fresh foods at least 3 times a week will supply the dog with vitamins, minerals, omega 3 fatty acids, anti-oxidants, amino acids, glucosamine and micro nutrients that they can easy absorb and utilise within their body.
Here are a few ideas of simple ways to increase the nutritional value of any meals and add variation:
Bone Broth: Packed full of glucosamine, chondroition, hyaluronic acid, amino acid & minerals. Great for joint and gut health.
Tinned Pilchards or Sardines : Omega 3 fatty acids & DHA for coat and skin health and anti-inflammatory effects. Choose the ones in tomato juice or spring water
Eggs: Either raw or very lightly cooked, high quality protein and fat good source of biotin
Medicinal Mushrooms: Such as Reishi, Chaga, Turkey tail, Shiitake etc have an abundance of health giving qualities and are believed to help in cancer prevention and to boost the immunity
Dandelion leaves: Contain vitamin C, B6, thiamin, calcium, iron, potassium, manganese, copper and a flavonoid called zeaxanthin which is crucial for protecting the retina and an effective anti-oxidant. Pick from areas free from chemical sprays & pollution.
Berries: Blackberries when in season, blueberries and raspberries are packed full of vitamin C and rich in anti-oxidants
Fresh leafy greens: Either lightly steam or as I prefer, making vegetable smoothies for the dogs is a great way to add an abundance of vitamins, minerals and anti-oxidants to their meals. It has also been proven to reduce the risk of some cancers just by adding a small amount of vegetables to processed food. Avoid the starchy veg and go for kale, broccoli, spinach, beet tops, dandelion leaves, Parsley, courgette etc plus a few berries.
Herbal Blends: Feeding a high quality herbal blend such as Greens, Seeds & Superfoods provides lots of nutrients in a form the body can fully utilise. Containing, Organic Wheatgrass, Kale, Chlorella, Dandelion, Nettle and pumpkin seeds, it is a convenient and easy way to boost nutritional value of any food it is added to https://www.hedgerowhounds.co.uk/products/greens-seeds
Natures Bounty is not only created to naturally repel fleas & ticks but also contains an organic seaweed which is nutrient dense and can be combined with the other blends or used as part of the seasonal rotation with the Spring and Autumn blend when they become available in the year https://www.hedgerowhounds.co.uk/products/natures-bounty
www.hedgerowhounds.co.uk
A Dogs Digestive System- Immunity, Emotions and Microbiome
The more the gut is studied the more we realise the vital role it plays in achieving optimum health, disease prevention and stabilising our dogs emotional state.
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