Have you tried Spirulina for your pooch?

All these days we’ve been talking about the benefits of adding different types of meats, a few select vegetables and some other essential ingredients to your dog’s diet.Today we will spend some time talking about Spirulina. This is a microscopic algae that is choc-a-bloc with amazing nutrients that are essential for your dog. The best part is that no other food item – plant, herb, grain or meat – contains such a high concentration of these essential nutrients. It contains more than 60% of all digestible vegetable proteins. Additionally, it has the highest concentration of vitamin B-12, beta-carotene, iron and other trace minerals along with the rare essential fatty acid G.L.A.

Benefits of spirulina in the diet

Spirulina contains several unique phytonutrients, such as polysaccharides, phycocyanin and sulfolipids that work wonders on the immune system, even helping reduce the risk of infections, cancer and other autoimmune diseases. The high levels of natural carotenoid antioxidants present in spirulina encourage cellular health. And lastly, the cleansing property of the chlorophyll present in it helps detoxify bodies against pollution. Let’s look at all the benefits in greater detail:

Spirulina helps strengthen your dog’s immune system

An imbalanced immune system puts pressure on the body’s metabolic energy. Dogs with a stressed immune system will be chronically fatigued and exhibit low energy. Even a small amount of spirulina can help make a difference. It can balance and stabilize the immune system, and free up more metabolic energy for vitality, healing and absorption of essential nutrients. Spirulina can improve the body’s cellular communication process and speed up its ability to repair DNA. Studies have shown that spirulina not only stimulates the immune system function but it actually pushes the body into producing new blood cells. Adding some spirulina has also been seen to increase disease resistance in animals, even when given in very small doses.

Spirulina helps improve digestive health

It has been known to promote digestion and improve bowel function. It helps combat bacteria like e-Coli and candida yeast and encourages the presence of beneficial flora like lactobacillus and bifidobacteria. Healthy flora means your pooch is in good health, can absorb nutrients better and is protected against infections.

Spirulina can enhance detoxification and natural cleansing

Today’s environment, food and drugs that our furry friends consume expose them to pollutants and heavy metals that can cause kidney toxicity. Their bodies are fighting a continuous battle to eliminate these accumulated toxins. Regular consumption of spirulina can help thereby cleansing the body and significantly reducing the effects of these toxic elements on the body.

Spirulina can prevent and treat cancer

Spirulina’s blue-green colour is an indication of its cancer-prevention abilities. The colour is a result of the presence of the blue pigment phycocyanin, which is a biliprotein known to prevent cancer-colony formation. In studies, spirulina has been seen to stimulate natural killer cells and anti-immune components of the immune system to fight cancer cells. It is believed that the chlorophyll present in spirulina helps reduce the risk of contracting skin, stomach, colon and liver cancers. Find ways to include chlorophyll or spirulina supplementing your pooch’s diet, and give its body the power to fight.

Spirulina reduces the onset of allergies

The immune system is unpredictable; what might cause a severe reaction in one dog might leave another one completely unaffected. Spirulina has a balancing effect on the body’s immune variables. This gives your furry companion protection against allergies of all sorts, food even, something that plagues many pet parents.

Using Spirulina

Spirulina is usually sold in powder form or capsules. You can add a ¼ teaspoon per pound weight of your dog daily. It is safe to use daily, but don’t overfeed since it is heavy in nutrients and may cause a digestive upset. What else can you do besides using spirulina, to give your dog a dose of daily good health?

Have you given thought to BARF – Basic Ancestral Raw Food?

The best way to help your dog’s immune system in good shape is to feed your dog a balanced, species-appropriate food. And the best option is raw. A part of the wolf family (yes, even your sweet Lab or lap-sized Apso), your dog needs and will thrive only on a raw diet. Raw food is natural and it contains the exact mix of all the nutrients and goodness that a dog would get if it were in the wild. More importantly, it doesn’t have any of low-quality protein that is not good for your dog. You can make your own raw food in the right proportion or you can buy commercially prepared raw food for your dog. Reduce the intake of processed kibble from your dog’s diet, and watch your furry companion turn into a happy, healthy dog.