In Food Therapy, the goal is to create a balance within the body and in the overall foods given to each pet. It doesn't mean that warming ingredients are not used in Spring and Summer recipes, rather it means we learn to balance the diet so that the pet does not have any negative fall-out from the food choices. For instance, if we opt to use chicken (warming) for its potent digestive tonic effects, then we balance it with a veggie blend that is cooling.
SPRING
For Spring, we move to a place where an overall neutral to cooling thermal nature is optimal. Below are general guidelines. Pets with special needs will need a more tailored approach. Please contact Revitalizing Pet Care to schedule time if you have questions.
MEATS
Occasional use of WARMING meats: chicken
Frequent use of NEUTRAL meats: beef, bison, sardine, rabbit
Frequent use of COOLING meats: grass-fed(GF) beef, GF bison, turkey, white fish
Intermittent and infrequent use of COLD meats: duck
VEGGIES
Decrease root veggies to 40% or less and increase surface veggies to 60% or more
Add in squash, zucchini and a small amount of broccoli for Fluid-building effects
Add spinach into leafy green rotation
Use kale or broccoli sprouts with another green to get maximal effect in liver detoxification
Note: dinosaur kale is my favorite
Celery is great to smooth Liver Qi, which helps to quell itching
GRAINS (for cooked diets only; no more than 5% of diet)
Millet and brown rice are cooling
Quinoa is warming in nature
Millet and quinoa are not truly grains. They are seeds, thus unlike grains, they are not pro-inflammatory and are good to use in skin cases. Combine quinoa with millet or brown rice in the recipe to stay neutral.
Remember the goal is an overall thermal quality of neutral to cooling
AVOID oats! (HOT!)
TREATS
Freeze dried organ meats: LIVER, kidney, and heart. Or use combination organ meat treats
AVOID Pizzles & Bully Sticks, which are HOT!
SmallBatch: (turkey, beef, & pork)
Bites
Sliders
Jerky
BRAVO:
Duck feet, which are perfect chewies for this time of year. (yummy!)
Many other options are available, so READ THE LABELS and determine if it is MADE IN USA and if it meets the criteria for Spring.
SUMMER
Summer Heat affects the body in considerable ways. Our nutritional goal is eliminating the excess heat without sacrificing the digestive Qi. The excess Damp from the Spring created a weaker Digestive Qi this year, so digestive support will play a larger role this year. The challenge is to BALANCE the effects of cooling foods with foods to support digestive Qi without creating more heat.
MEATS
Avoid use of single-source duck, as it is COLD. Though the cold nature might help control the heat, the COLD will exacerbate digestive insufficiency
Use NEUTRAL to COOLING meats like rabbit, salmon, sardine, turkey, GF* beef, GF* bison, emu & whitefish
Avoid HOT meats like lamb and venison
Occasional use of WARM meats like chicken, pheasant, quail & trout
Add organ meat to meals such as heart and kidney; start with lower amounts, as the rich & cloying nature of organ meats may not be as easily digested in a weakened system
*GF=grass-fed
VEGGIES
Mother Nature provides the veggies the body needs when it needs them. If it is off-season for a veggie, don't use it!
Decrease root veggies to 40% or less
Increase surface veggies to 60% or more
Every batch should have celery and greens
Minimal use of sweet veggies – small amounts of carrots and sweet potatoes are preferred over green peas and butternut squash
Add seaweed in each batch --> it is COLD, salty, and tonifies the Kidneys thus will put out the FIRE. However, too much seaweed will promote digestive insufficiency, thus slow, gradual increases are best
Add small amounts cucumbers when Heat Signs are noticed (see Heat Signs). Remember, cucumbers have a detoxifying effect on the intestines, so start low and move slowly
WHOLE GRAINS
Should encompass no more than 5-10% of cooked diets
DO NOT add any grains to raw food!
Cooling grains include brown rice and millet
Can alternate cooling grains with quinoa (warming) for Kidney & allergy benefit
TREATS
In the current climate, the use of Tripe Treats is a must! It is a single ingredient; freeze dried, unbleached tripe, which acts as a potent digestive tonic. Check out Vital Essentials and Tripe Twists from Nature Gnaw s
All pets should receive heart in the Summer. Freeze dried heart works nicely with any type of diet, such as:
Smallbatch (beef, turkey, pork)
BRAVO (turkey)
Momentum (duck & turkey)
Melons may be given away from meat meals, though to a lesser extent in cancer or Diabetes cases.
Cucumber slices may be given as treats or placed in water bowl daily for Cooling.
Many other options are available, so READ THE LABELS and determine if it is MADE IN USA and if it meets the criteria for Summer.
FALL
In the Fall we are continuing the transition to cooler weather. At this time, the goals of food therapy shift toward an overall neutral to warming diet. Protecting and tonifying the digestion provides more nutrients (Ying Qi) for the LU to disperse to the body to bolster the immune system (Wei Qi).
Basic Tenets for Fall Food Therapy:
Use fewer cooling vegetables
Eliminate cold meats (i.e., duck) and cold veggies (i.e., cucumber)
Increase warming, qi-tonic root veggies
Use steamed or slow-cooked veggies
Raw food diets - add Zypan (Betaine HCl & Pepsin) to warm digestion and increase digestibility
AVOID phlegm-forming foods such as pork and dairy products
Cook using less water and lower heats for longer periods
Add whole food Vitamin C or Canine Immune Support during the transition to cooler weather for immune boosting effect
MEATS
Incorporate the following:
WARM meats, such as chicken, pheasant, grain-fed beef, grain-fed buffalo and trout
NEUTRAL meats frequently such as salmon and rabbit
Occasional use of HOT meats such as venison and lamb
Occasional use of COOL meats such as: turkey, emu, grass-fed beef, grass-fed buffalo
AVOID using cold meats like duck
VEGETABLES
In general, surface veggies are neutral to cooling and root veggies are warming
Make changes gradually to help body transition more easily
Increase root veggies slowly to 50% of veggie blend
Incorporate turnips, parsnips or winter squashes
Use kale, Swiss chard, turnip greens more often and spinach less frequently.
A variety of 4-5 veggies is always best!
For cooked diets, steaming is best method followed by slow-cooking.
Add digestive enzymes with raw veggie mashes
GRAINS
In cooked food diets, use small amounts (5%) grain
Quinoa is a perfect "whole grain" to use in cooked diets for the Fall and Winter, as it tonifies KI yang. This can be alternated with a cooling grain, such as brown rice or millet.
Remember, grains are not used in raw food diets
TREATS
Use dry roasted or freeze-dried meats or organ meat treats
Smallbatch
BRAVO
Stella & Chewy's
Northwest Naturals
Vital Essentials
Real meat Dog Food (great used as treats!)
Many other options are available, so READ THE LABELS and determine if it is MADE IN USA and if it meets the criteria for Fall.
WINTER
The goals for Food Therapy (FT) of fall continue into winter with a few additions. As the Kidney (KI) meridian is the root of the body, it is important to utilize foods and food combinations to balance the KI Yin and KI Yang.
Basic Tenets:
Winter leafy greens are your best friend's best friend, like kale, red kale, Swiss chard, turnip greens, etc
A small amount of seaweed can be added. Nori, or sushi seaweed, is readily available at most markets. Crumble a ½ sheet into the steeping phase of your cooked diet or use it in raw veggie mashes as described below
In Texas, overall thermal nature should be neutral to warming. Individual needs may vary a bit.
Cooked foods longer at lower temperatures - slow cooking is the best method
Organ meat supplementation is critical!
MEATS
Incorporate the following:
WARM meats such as chicken, pheasant, grain-fed beef, grain-fed buffalo and trout
NEUTRAL meats such as salmon & rabbit
Periodic use of HOT meats in Texas, though can use more frequently in colder climates, such as lamb and venison
Occasional use of COOLING meats such as turkey, emu, grass-fed beef, grass-fed buffalo
Incorporate ORGAN MEATS, such as heart, liver, kidney and gizzards. (Warning: cooked kidney is quite odiferous!)
AVOID COLD meats such as duck as a stand-alone protein.
VEGETABLES
Maintain 50:50 root to surface vegetable ratio
Use lesser amounts of sweet veggies such as carrots, sweet potatoes and butternut squash
Incorporate turnips, parsnips and winter squashes if not already done so
Use MORE dark, leafy greens such as kale, red kale, Swiss chard, turnip greens, collard greens, etc
Seaweed can be added in small amounts to all diets. Options include nori (as used for sushi) or other dried seaweeds
GRAINS
Quinoa millet are the 2 most useful "grains: to use in cooked diets for the winter. Quinoa has a warming thermal nature and tonifies KI yang, while millet has cooling thermal nature. Both of these "grains" are not really grains at all. They are seeds. Thus, any concerns in using true grains in various diets are not applicable here
Other true grain use includes:
Occasional use of cooling brown rice
Occasional & minimal use of hot oats
REMEMBER: Grain is limited to very small amounts (~5-10%) in dogs, AVOIDED in kitty foods and raw food diets.
TREATS
Use dry roasted or freeze-dried meats or organ meat treats
Smallbatch
BRAVO
Stella & Chewy's
Northwest Naturals
Vital Essentials
Real meat Dog Food (great used as treats!)
Many other options are available, so READ THE LABELS and determine if it is MADE IN USA and if it meets the criteria for Winter.
Rotation
When feeding whole foods, a rotation of approved foods ensures a higher nutrient exposure. Please check with your veterinary health care provider for options for your pet.
Please note: These guidelines are for overall healthy individuals. Specific diseases may require slightly differing protocols. Please contact your holistic veterinarian if your pet has special needs to be addressed.
