August 2015

How to help your horse detox

Holistic Horsekeeping
How to have a healthy happy horse.
Volume 20, Number 8

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In This Issue:

1. How to help your horse detox
2. Don’t Miss Your Chance!

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1. How to help your horse detox
Toxins are a part of your horse’s life. Dewormers, vaccinations, sedatives, fly sprays, synthetic fertilizers, and herbicides are all toxins your horse has to deal with. Your horse has methods to deal with these toxins but if his own protective measures get overwhelmed then he will have symptoms such as overall body stiffness, sore joints, skin rashes, hoof abscesses and lowered immunity. Knowing just a little about your horse’s natural toxin defense system will help you know how to help your horse detox.

Detoxing
In people there is a phase 1 and phase 2 level of detoxification. Based on my observations I believe horses have a similar system. Most toxins are fat soluble so they want to accumulate in fat cells or in fat rich cell membranes. Phase 1 detoxification takes place in the liver. Liver cells take toxins and enzymatically change them to ready them for phase 2 where they will be made water soluble and be excreted through the urine or manure. Free radicals are produced during phase 1 detoxification and if these are not inactivated they can cause damage to liver cells.

Phase 1
Cofactors that assist in phase 1 detoxification and free radical scavenging include folic acid, B vitamins 3, 6 and 12, Vitamin A and beta carotene, E and C, calcium, Vitamin D3, milk thistle, n – acetyl cysteine, copper, zinc, magnesium and selenium, bitter herbs, citrus bioflavonoids and quercetin. Blue green algae contains all these nutrient s and is a wonderful food to support phase 1 detoxification. Citrus fruits are an excellent source of Vit C and bioflavonoids.

Nutritional support for phase 1 detox
Blue green algae( B vitamins, minerals, chlorophyll and antioxidants)
Milk thistle
Citrus fruits

[Domestic horses have evolved to have many natural enzymes to break down routine toxins. Wild horses may not have had the repeated exposure to toxins and therefore they may not have as many natural phase 1 detox enzymes. I have seen several wild mustangs become very ill after receiving multiple vaccinations and being dewormed. Also horses that are kept in a holistic horsekeeping program may be more affected by drugs than a horse that is on a conventional management program. Phase 1 enzymes decrease with age so older horses may also be more susceptible to toxin overload.]

Phase 2
Phase 2 detoxification may proceed on toxins that have already gone through phase 1 or it may act directly on some toxins. Phase 2 detoxification also occurs in the liver. In phase 2 the liver’s cells add another substance, such as the amino acids, cysteine or glycine or a sulphur molecule to the toxin to render it water soluble so that it can be excreted from the body. The nutrients glycine, glutamine, choline and inositol are also needed for phase 2 detox.

If the nutrients needed for phase 2 detoxification are lacking then free radicals will build up and overwhelm the body’s levels of natural antioxidants. Adequate levels of sulphur containing amino acids such as cysteine and methionine are needed in the diet to support phase 2 detoxification. Glycine is another amino acid that is critical for healthy phase 2 detoxification.

It is much preferred to get the nutrients needed for phase 1 and 2 detox pathways from whole foods. Blue green algae is a very nutrient dense food made up of about 2/3 amino acids and it is also high in B vitamins, minerals and antioxidants such as beta carotene. Seaweeds, such as Irish moss and kelp, contain sulfated polysaccharides that are important for detoxification. Cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli, are high in sulphur. Garlic is also a source of sulphur. MSM is a non-food source of sulphur that can support phase 2 detoxification.

Nutrients to support phase 2 detox
Blue green algae( amino acids)
Cruciferous vegetables
Seaweed
Garlic
MSM

Since the body’s detoxification processes depend on the liver, it makes sense to support this organ as much as possible. Milk thistle seed is a wonderful liver support herb. Chlorophyll found in fresh forage and blue green algae is important for a healthy liver. Nutritional mushrooms are full of nutrients that provide support for proper liver function. While not directly involved in phase 2 detoxification, the free radical scavenger – super oxide dismutase(SOD) – is very important to neutralize any free radicals that have built up during phase 1 detox. Concentrated sprouted grains provide all the nutrients the body needs to produce SOD.

Liver support
Milk Thistle
Chlorophyll containing foods
Nutritional mushrooms
Concentrated sprouted grains (SOD)

Formulated supplements containing inorganic minerals, synthetic vitamins and isolated amino acids will not give your horse the same long term detox support that nutrient dense whole foods provide. Now that you know how to help your horse detox you can save him from many degenerative health conditions and premature aging.

References:
http://www.carahealth.com/health-conditions-a-to-z/digestive-system/detox/365-phase-1-and-2-liver-detoxification-pathways60.html
Healing with Whole Foods, Paul Pitchford
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/leo-galland-md/why-you-need-to-detoxify-_b_706106.html

2. Don’t Miss Your Chance!
Don’t miss out on this unique opportunity to study holistic horse care with Madalyn Ward, DVM. This mentoring program offers you one-on-one time with Dr. Ward to study a variety of holistic topics including:

•    Homeopathy Mentoring Course – Beyond Arnica
•    Horse Nutrition Mentoring Course – Using foods to heal
•    Horse Temperament Mentoring Course – Know your horse

Since this is an individualized program, you can pick one, two or all three topics to study. If you are serious about using holistic horse care with your own horses or your clients’ horses, this is your chance to learn from a leading expert in the field over a six month period. For more information on this unique educational opportunity, see the Mentoring Program on our website.

And don’t forget the Tallgrass online course, ebooks, books, and audios that can help you continue your holistic horse care education. Or if you just need some help typing your horse’s temperament, we have affordable help from certified typologists.

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