Sunday, November 4, 2007

Home Remedies For Dog Constipation

 

There comes a time in everyone's life when constipation rears its ugly head. The same holds true for dogs, unfortunately. Lack of exercise and proper diet can lead to bouts of constipation (sound familiar?). While you may seek a variety of ways to "eliminate" this problem in your own life, let's explore some home remedies for dog constipation which can be utilized in the eventuality it occurs in theirs.

As mentioned earlier, a proper diet and exercise are key components in ensuring your dog has the ability to move his bowels as often as necessary. House dogs usually need to be walked twice a day while maintaining a proper diet. If your dog becomes constipated, one method to alleviate this problem is by adding one to two teaspoons of bran to his meal. This allows for extra moisture in the stool.

Another method to soften the stool would be to add psyllium (Metamucil in the adult world) to his diet. Half a teaspoon twice a day, in addition to drinking plenty of water, will suffice. A third option would be mineral oil. This may be used in cases where there is a large build-up of hard stool. Two teaspoons, twice a day should be added to his meal, but for only a week. There are several other steps you can take to alleviate your dog's constipation. Keep his food moist by adding a bit of water. If your dog is getting on in years, add some raw meat and vegetables to his diet.

There are certain signs which can alert you to potential problems, and for which you can take immediate steps. Long hair on dogs can cause feces to become entangled; therefore, keep your dog properly groomed. Dogs tend to eat everything in sight, ensure no bones or other material has been ingested. Just as we experience constipation due to certain medications, dogs are no exception. Psychological stress is another indicator relating to constipation.

While it has been suggested that all breeds and dogs of any age are prone to constipation, there are other aspects which you may need to consider, and for which many dog owners are culpable. Never feed your dog from the dinner table. While you may indulge the dog with a few scraps here and there, you are contributing to his constipation.

Foods that contain flour, sugar, rice, dairy and high protein are the main source of the problem. Ice cream, cookies, bread, chocolate, or other unhealthy food items can cause your dog unnecessary pain. As mentioned earlier, a lack of fiber and dehydration are common causes. Another cause for concern would be a condition known as mega colon. This simply means your dog has an inflamed colon which prevents the discharge of feces.

The time to visit the vet will become evident when your dog's inability to defecate is hampered by a decreased appetite, passing blood in minimal amounts, and overall lethargy. Keep in mind, contributing to the overall health of your dog should be of the utmost importance. A dog's love is unconditional, therefore, he or she is totally dependent upon you to maintain a healthy and harmonious life. Be ever vigilant to any signs of stress and ensure his diet and exercise regimen is appropriate and on-going.

Concerned about your pet's health? Ethan recommends "boning up" on holistic pet health care right away at: http://www.NaturesHealthyPet.com
 

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Friday, August 31, 2007

Natural smoothie formula to stop constipation and acne

Here is how to build a natural smoothie that can stop constipation, relieve acne, improve your skin and give you more energy. The smoothie base is a liquid slurry that can be used to add more natural ingredients.

The liquid base can be made from various fresh juices or rice, oat, or almond milks. I stay away from milk since milk creates mucus along the gastrointestinal lining. Choose and mix any of the following liquids and pour them into a blender.

Juices apple, pineapple, orange, tangerine
Milks rice dream, oat milk, almond milk

I use a combination of 40% rice dream, 40% almond milk, and 20% apple juice. You can use the combinations you like. Sometimes I might just use all rice dream. Other times I will mix 75% almond milk with 25% fresh apple juice.

All of these juices provide liquid to your colon to help your stop constipation.

Sesame Milk

You can also make sesame milk and use this in your smoothies.

In his book, Blending Magic, Bernard Jensen, Nutritionist, has a real nice recipe for sesame milk.

I believe that sesame seed is one of our best. It is a wonderful drink for gaining weight and for lubricating the intestinal tract. Its nutritional value is beyond compare, as it is high in protein and minerals. This is the seed that is used so much as a basic food in Arabia and East India.

Blend for 1- 1 1/2 minutes to make smooth,

2 cups of distilled water
1/4 cup of Sesame Seed
2 Tablespoons Soy Milk Powder

In place of 2 cups of distilled water use 1 cup of water and 1 cup of low fat rice dream and leave out the 2 tablespoons of soy milk powder. This will make this drink less fattening. I prefer not to give children soymilk or soy products because of their estrogen mimicking characteristics.
Banana Base

Next I always put in a banana. This gives the liquid a bit more thickness. Also bananas are high in potassium and other minerals. They contain little fiber and yet do not create constipation when used with other fiber fruits. Use bananas that are not spotted since at this point they are quite ripe and are more fattening.

I freeze bananas so when I am out of fresh ones I can use frozen ones.
Main Ingredients

Next I choose a fruit that will be the main ingredient. I use strawberries when they are in season, if you have fresh organic fruit, then this is the best way to create your smoothie. What I do is freeze fruit during its season so I can have some of this fruit a bit long than its seasonal run. If the fruit is organic, use the whole fruit without peeling. Whole fruits contain a lot of fiber that will help you stop constipation.

Choose from fruits that are in season.

Avocado
Cantaloupe
Peach, mango, papaya
Pineapple, apricots, apples
Strawberries, blueberries, raspberries
Figs
Dried prunes, peaches, apricots, figs


Nutrients to Add to Your Smoothie Base

Once you have your basic smoothie, you can add other nutrients that will provide you with additional fiber, oil, vitamins, minerals and many other nutrients.

Here is a shortlist of some of the ingredients you can add to your smoothies. Add only 2-3 other ingredients so your smoothie taste doesnt get to complex or unusual. But can experiment with the different nutrients you wish to add.

Almonds
Beet Juice powder
Black strap molasses
Capra mineral whey
Distilled water Ice cubes
Fig Juice syrup
Flaxseed and flax seed oil
Honey, rice syrup
Lecithin granules
Powder vitamin C
Raisins
Rice or oat bran
Sesame seeds
Sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds
Wheat germ

Making smoothies is fun and nutritional. Once you create the base slurry, then you can add many other natural ingredients the will give energy, stop constipation, clear acne, and provide many other health benefits.


Rudy Silva has a degree in Physics and is a Natural Nutritionist. He is the author of Constipation, Acne, Hemorrhoid, and Fatty Acid ebooks. He writes a newsletter called natural-remedies-thatwork.com His information can be seen at http://www.remedies-for-constipation.for--you.info

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