The other day I was watching tv, which I rarely do. I was surprised to see so many commercials for prescription medication. It was one after another, after another. “Do you have this problem? Try X.” Followed by, “Are you suffering from this issue? Try Y.”
After countless prescription commercials, one came on about eczema (a skin condition). “Do you have eczema? Try this medication and you will be happy again!”. Then a commercial came on for pets with skin conditions. It was a similar message to start, “Does your pet have skin issues?”, but the solution was far from what I saw in the previous commercials.
And what was the resolution in this commercial? A medication, like what was promoted for the human?
No! The solution was to change their food!
What would it be like if human conditions were treated like pet conditions?
If you have a pet, you may have seen an adverse reaction to a food at some point. What do you do when your fur-baby gets itchy skin from their kibble? You change their food!
So, if humans are having an adverse reaction of some sort and it manifests as a skin condition, let's try changing the food! Did you know that your skin is another organ? If the digestive system is being triggered and wants to get the triggering ingredient out of the body quickly, it may choose to push it out through the skin, and that's when skin issues like eczema can develop. Adjusting diet could clear up the problem without the need for a monthly prescription. Why not avoid that if possible?
For example, a grain-free diet can be a great healing alternative for pets. Would you have thought that this could be a solution for humans as well? Some pets and humans have issues digesting grains. For those with sensitivities and intolerances, eating grains can lead to skin issues, inflammation (like joint pain) and digestive symptoms such as bloating, constipation, and gas.
Often people think eating grain-free means they cannot enjoy the foods they love anymore. That is not the case! While eating grain-free means you eliminate all grains, including wheat, barley, rye, rice, and oats, you can eat pseudocereals (technically seeds but used as grains), such as quinoa, amaranth, and buckwheat. Plus, these days you can find many breads, crackers and treats that are grain-free and delicious!
Another example of how we support our pets' health is that vets will recommend supplementing with omega-3s or probiotics. Omega 3s are anti-inflammatory and probiotics help support a healthy digestive tract. Sounds useful for the human body too, right?
So, let's look into addressing the root cause of our own symptoms, and take care of ourselves as we would our pets.