Bob Church wrote:
>I am getting a lot of hate mail, spurred by recent comments on the FML
>(I know they were spurred because FML posts are quoted).  People have
>suggested caloric restriction is hazardous for several reasons, or,
>because of their own emotional background, they would never subject
>an animal to DR/CR, suggesting it would be painful.  It has even been
>suggested I am creating a dangerous situation...
>
>I am not trying to convince anyone of anything: I'm just trying to
>explain current scientific advances on dietary restriction and how
>they may apply to ferret health....
 
i ADD:
I have not seen this whole series, but can see where this reasoning may
come from.  In terms of human health, we often restrict diets.  The
thinking being as follows: Human digestion and assimilation of food takes
a lot of energy.  The human body works in 3 cycles:
 
Appropriation:  12 noon to 8 p.m.
Assimilation:    8 p.m. to 4 a.m.
Elimination:     4 a.m. to 12 noon
 
Assimilation, which involves a ton of energy, takes place at the end of
the day when we tend to rest.  Elimination takes place when the body
awakes from rest and has a lot of energy to support this task.
 
My point is that some of our bodily tasks take a lot of energy.  When
humans are sick we do not have the appropriate energy to do these tasks.
So to ask our bodies to add assimilation and digestion tasks to a
depleted body is not healthy.  I would generalize this to be true of our
animals also.  When I treat a client with a serious illness, I completely
change their diets to easier foods rich in nutritive and mineral value.
We give herbal soups and stews, fruits, etc.  I ease up on digestion,
which eases up on assimilation, which eases up on elimination.  This
allows the body to take in nutrients, minerals, and herbs I am
prescribing and turn it's attention to healing.
 
A note about RDAs.  RDAs which are called "recommended daily allowances"
are given for folks who are 'healthy.' When one is sick we throw those
figures out the window and increase all of the minerals and nutrients we
give.  There is a movement on to eliminate RDAs (as they are too low for
today's society), and to replace them with new figures.
 
Just my slant on the subject ~
Mary
Herbalist
The Conley Farm - organic herbs
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[Posted in FML issue 3969]