Health Reform Lessons from My Dog
Dear Humans,
As I struggled with the grief over the imminent loss of my pet/furry daughter to cancer, I worked to give her the best final days she could have. 738 days later, I reflect on our family’s Health Reform, with a warm furry head in my lap and healthy ears to scratch. My dog is old, slow and happy. And alive.
By the time the dog was 2, I got tired of struggling to heal the nasty rash on her belly from playing in the yard. What dog can’t play outside?! Alarm bell, wake up call… Stopped using all pesticides and herbicides. We humans scratched a lot less when we played in the yard. Looking back on it, I used poison on my grass to keep this plant green and weed free, because that’s what I learned to do. Once I started thinking of it as poison that my barefoot family walked through daily, it was an easy decision. Dog’s clear belly was evidence of our healthy new step.
She continued on with her clear belly but would get ear infections a couple times a year. Ugh. Now what? Remember the poisons outside? We were using harsh chemicals to clean the floors inside the house. When you have kids and a dog, you want the floor clean, right?! Reading the warnings on the “cleaner”, I no longer think of poison residue on my floor as clean. Yes, I do like a clean floor. I do as much as I can with a steam mop. Yep, heated water. Not so bad for us. When I need soap, I have chosen a non-toxic cleaner. I kept all the harsh cleaners in the garage, just in case. Can tell you, there’s very little instances when you need to kill germs with poison. Have you seen the studies on the cleaners? Amazing that any agency would think it’s ok to have those toxins in our homes. But, again, as a consumer, I didn’t think of it. If it’s sold in the store, it should be ok. No? No. Our result? The humans stopped the annual ear and throat infections.
As life got busier, our dog got less walks. When we found out she only had a couple weeks to live, we made the time to take her down the block - not once, but two or three times a day. She doesn’t need to go too far. She enjoys her stroll-n-sniff. Sophie Doggie perks up as soon as she realizes it’s time to sniff nature and get some exercise, preferably with a squirrel or bunny to chase. When we started the extra walks, I thought she’d get slower and weaker as her cancer progressed. She got stronger. Hmmm…. I’ve had a bout of slower activity due to a neck injury, but my dog has taught me that easing into the exercise, especially one involving nature, will make me stronger. We’re both happy.
After the initial diagnosis, her mouth tumor grew so large she couldn’t open her mouth too wide. So, I found a healthy roll of beef, bison, spinach and blueberries that I could cut into pieces small enough to get in her mouth, with hand-feeding. I thought I had been feeding her (and my family) well. This food is more natural and less processed than the kibble she had been getting. She got stronger, and I reevaluated all aspects of health for my entire family. I have been reading research and studies and listening to doctors on podcasts, and I took my family’s eating to a much healthier level than I ever considered was possible. We’re up to 90% pure micronutrients, but we still have normal, occasional tendencies for treats. Anyway, as my cooking evolved for the family, the dog wanted in. She loves our way of eating and now gets half healthy dog food and half her nutrition from our meals. The dog loves Brussel sprouts! Craziest thing, my husband (who didn’t touch vegetables until recently) also loves Brussel sprouts. Win!
When I suspect Sophie starts an infection, I feed her organic lemon, in capsules, and dab Young Living Purification and Frankincense oils behind her ears. We haven’t been back to the vet yet, since we’ve been able to manage her health at home. As soon as we humans are exposed to someone’s illness (just go to a common store in winter), we do the same. My annual bronchitis is long gone.
Important note: when Sophie was diagnosed at the vet, I remained in control of her health. I asked questions of two different doctors at two different clinics until I was comfortable with my understanding, so I could make the best decisions. Never relinquish your power over your health.
I have been making conscious choices for good health for almost 20 years. My beautiful furry daughter having a fast-growing cancer has kicked up our family’s health to a level of Health Reform.
Enjoy nature. Take walks. Sniff the flowers. Exercise at your own pace. Eat for healing nutrients. Clean to get rid of toxins and germs. Sleep well. Ask for a cuddle when you need one. Share your love.
Here’s to your good health.
Leslie Ambrose
