Food Therapy
“Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food”. — Hippocrates
At Crystal Lotus Vet Care, we couldn’t agree with this statement more!
There is an overwhelming trend both in the pet food industry and nutrition curriculum taught in veterinary schools that overly processed, dry kibble diets should be recommended as the “standard of care”.
Chinese food therapy is the study of the energetics of food, and how the ingredients that our pets consume every day can promote health and wellness or in some cases lead to the development or progression of disease.
Dr. Lindsey has pursued advanced education and certification to be able to tailor nutritional recommendations on an individual basis using this idealogy.
The constitution (personality type) of the pets, the diseases that they suffer from, goals for disease prevention, and even what type of environment they are living in are all taken into account when making diet recommendations.
Simple philosophies can be implemented when making diet choices that can have a profound effect on the health and longevity of our pets.
Dr. Lindsey offers food consultations for current patients, as well as for patients that are not currently under her care so that we can all work together to improve the standards of nutrition that we are providing our furry loved ones.
Taking into account your lifestyle, your pet's individual health needs, and even the preferences for what types of food you feel comfortable having present in your household she can help customize a diet that will meet the needs of not only your pet but your family.
Schedule a consultation today if you are ready to offer a customized, health-focused diet to your furry family member.
Frequently asked questions
What foods promote healing in dogs and cats?
This is most accurately answered when making recommendations from a Chinese Food Therapy approach, rather than from a standard conventional nutrition perspective.
Certain organ systems can be fortified or supported by feeding different foods, but these recommendations need to be customized depending on other aspects of the individual patient.
For example, if a pet has a lot of digestive issues the organs are best supported by feeding food items like sweet potato, lean grass-fed beef, chicken, salmon, carrots, beets, and various types of squash.
All of these food items have energetic properties that help to build the Qi (energy) of the organ systems responsible for digestion.
What foods help anxiety in dogs?
Anxiety in TCVM (Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine) is considered a heart/fire disorder.
Examples of foods that help to “cool” the heart (and help resolve anxiety) are turkey, lean pork, brown rice, mushrooms, spinach, blueberries, fish oil, and dates.
What food is good for dogs and cats every day?
The best food to support the health of our pets should be chosen based on the individual needs and concerns that we have for our pet’s health.
Even looking at the same age and breed of a specific animal doesn’t allow enough information to provide the type of custom nutrition that allows them to thrive.
For example, two individual 5-year-old Labrador Retrievers of around the same weight may have very different needs- one may be suffering from skin allergies and itchiness, while the other has joint disease or heart disease.
That is why personalized nutrition consultations provide the best guidance for pet parents that are looking to enrich the health of their pets every day.
Contact us today if you are interested in a customized nutrition plan for your dog or cat!
What homemade food is good for dogs?
A homemade diet that is properly balanced and customized to fit the needs of the individual based on their age, health concerns, activity level, and climate that they live in.
There is no standard recipe available that would be able to provide the best nutrition for every dog, which is why we focus on them as unique beings when crafting recommendations.