Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Vitality From Food

Vitality from food, oxygen and exercise is an absolute must in combating chronic conditions. Stress, whether emotional mental or physical, weakens the immune system which can then ripple to other body systems. I did some experimenting on this theory using our pets this past year. (Yes, I do animal test, but only after experimenting on my husband and I first.)

We began renting the downstairs rooms to volunteers that come to Honduras. The change in traffic through our front gate along with whatever volunteers may have handled in the world outside rippled into the lives of our 3 animals. Patch, the rabbit, developed a chronic weepy eye and our cat, Pueo, lost weight and began to groom herself hairless. Even the dog got went off her feed.

There are few small animal vets here; dogs, horses and cows are about the only animals people are willing to spend money on. When I called the vet about our rabbit he recommended some eye drops containing boric acid and zinc from the Ag. store. Weeks of applying the drops brought no improvement. I gave up the process and started an on-line research. What I learned was that my cute, manly,3 year old bunny was considered obese by rabbit standards. Armed with this information I chose to take all sweet, fresh fruit along with the concentrated rabbit pellets from his diet. I replaced these with sprouted lentils and crisp vegetables. Within 10 days the weepy eye was corrected and he was out in the yard playing instead of just lying out around the downstairs patio.

In Pueo the cat’s case, my research brought awareness that my 10-year old feline had been on the same diet for years; canned tuna and dry cat food. Although nutritious, it was dead. The lack of variety in her diet compounded by the lack of fresh enzymes left her unprepared for the stress created by all the changes around her. I started her with liquid Dulse for minerals and coaxed her to eat raw fish and raw, creamy, milk from the dairy across the road. After 2 months on this program she has regained her weight and no longer has gaps in her hair.

If you have a health condition that has been challenging you for a while you might want to look at building your body’s vitality with lots of fresh vegetables, high enzyme foods such as sprouted seeds and grains and lots of friendly bacteria from whole fresh dairy or probiotics. One way to easily add more fresh veggies is to start consuming a popular Honduran food called Chismol. Its a blend of vegetables preserved in lemon juice and apple cider vinegar that you add to your regular meals.


Write me if you’d like the recipe for the Chismol. It is a great summer salsa.