Guest article by Donia Alawi of Organics USA, Inc.

This month instead of our usual look at nutrition and health for ourselves, I’d like to share this article from Donia that addresses the health concerns of some of our best friends – namely our dogs.

Your Dog’s Daily Anti-inflammatory Diet
by Donia Alawi of Organics USA, Inc.

If your dog is suffering from a chronic inflammatory condition such as arthritis, colitis, etc., you might want to try giving your dog the following anti-inflammatory diet. This diet is helpful in regenerating healthy cells in the digestive system. When the digestive system is supported through this simple nourishing diet, inflammation will subside and healing can begin.

This strict diet is for the first 30 days. Feed in unlimited amounts whenever your dog is asking for food. Hopefully most of these foods can be purchased from organic sources.

• Yam or sweet potatoes-steamed (for energy and protein).
• Green and yellow vegetables either steamed or raw (ideal) but must be pulverized in a food processor if raw (for vitamins and minerals) (zucchini and celery are the best).
• Non-citrus fruits (for vitamins, minerals and fiber like bananas and apples).
• Ripe avocados.
• Goat yogurt and raw goat milk.
• Potato peel broth for drinking. Simmer potato peel from organic potatoes and only give the broth to your dog.
• Bone or liver broth. Pick bones that have marrow in them and boil to make broth. Lamb liver and bones will be better than cow. Use the broth on the steamed sweet potatoes and the raw veggies.
• Raw coconut meat and water from Thai young coconuts sold in Whole Foods or buy just the raw water from a brand in Whole Foods called Harmless Harvest.
• Make this tea for your dog which will help calm the nerves in your dog’s gut: Add to some spring water a teaspoon of fennel, anise, caraway seeds and a few pieces of fresh organic ginger. Boil for five minutes and when the tea is warm not hot, give to your dog. Use a syringe to help get this tea into your dog or add to your dog’s food. Fennel treats gas and spasms of the digestive tract. Caraway and anise are sweet herbs that reduce spasms in the gastrointestinal tract. You can keep the seeds in the fridge after you pour the water for the tea in order to make a second tea with the same seeds. 4 to 5 tablespoons a day is sufficient.

Reconstruct the diet after 30 days with “safe” foods. You can add steamed cod fish and see how your dog will react to it. Wait 3 days and if all is well, then add some organic raw chicken meat. Keep adding other foods such as hemp oil, organic lamb meat, different organic meats, bones, raw organic egg yellow, different vegetables and fruits….etc.

It is a good idea to add one food at a time, every three days. You need to observe carefully any effects on your dog while keeping a food diary to record their body’s reaction (if any) to each single reintroduced food. Note any food that incites pain, mucous and inflammation or other adverse bodily reactions within 3 days. As the list of “safe foods” grows, base the dog’s daily meal choices on foods that cause no problems and that makes your pet feel good.

Make sure to include digestive enzymes with all cooked foods. Also the probiotics and organic blue green algae are very important as supplements that help reduce inflammation.

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