>Nutritional health and well being depends on the diet (those total
>nutrients taken in and digested in a 24 hour period) as a whole.
>This is why I advise against supplements.  Supplement only adds a
>few nutrients and not a balance of any
 
Hi Sukie ~
 
Dr. Willard makes a very good point.  But there are a few things I would
like to add, if I may.  First of all for supplementation (which includes
vitamins), there was something called the RDA (Recommended Daily
Allowance) which was a format to be a guide only.  There is now a
movement to change the title and the amount recommended for daily
consumption.  However, it was never pointed out that the RDAs listed
on packages and such were for those who were "healthy."  If one was sick
and found lacking in certain nutrients supplementation was then used to
bring the body back to homeostasis or balance.  Much of alternative
medicine seeks to restore balance to the body.
 
The key to this treatment is testing -- testing of blood levels for
necessary mineral and vitamin levels.  I usua;;y do a hair analysis,
rather than take blood.  Since the body can turn some foods into the
necessary levels, it was thought that proper diet would suffice.  But
our foods, especially in America today are not healthy, infused with
antibiotics, excessive sugar, growth hormones, etc.  For instance the
chicken industry feeds it's animals many antibiotics and human growth
hormones.  Their feed, given to over 90% of chickens today contain
arsenic compounds (pg. 65 John Robbins work*).  In our food chain, this
is passed onto the consumers of these chickens.  So we do blood and urine
tests and do supplementation.  We follow-up and usually only have to
adjust down on the supplementation until homeostasis has been adhieved.
But I cannot emphasize enough that one must never supplement without
proper testing first, and supervision.
 
The field of veternary medicine is still new to using alternative
methods, and each animal is so different.  In my area we only have one
holistic vet, and I live in Montgomery County.  I have had, so far, only
2 vets in my summer course for using herbs with pets, but both have gone
onto add herbs into their practice.  I do feel that herbal medicine has
a valuable place in the future, and supplementation with proper testing
and supervision isn't a bad thing.
 
Again it is up to each of us to choose the proper diet and health regime
for our pets.  Careful watching their physical being and their signals
can lead us to solve their mysteries of health and illness.
 
* - Robbins, John.  Diet for a New America.  New Hampshire:  Stillpoint
Publishing, 1987, pp. 63-72.  Stillpoint can be reached at 1-800-847-4014.
 
Warmly ~
 
Mary L. Conley, ND, Herbalist
Conley Farm Organic Herbs
Online Classes ~ Summer classes forming
Private Consultations
[Posted in FML issue 4156]