Recommended Article #29Sept22
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This recommended article "The Health Benefits Of Spirulina For Dogs" is curated and sourced from Dogs Naturally Magazine. If you loved this article, please do feel free to share it around.
The Health Benefits Of Spirulina For Dogs
Spirulina is a microscopic algae, of a perfect spiral coil shape, containing the most remarkable concentration of nutrients known in any food, plant, grain or herb. It is the highest protein food - over 60% all digestible vegetable protein. It also has a very high concentration of beta carotene, vitamins B1, 2 and 3, iron, trace minerals and the rare essential fatty acid gamma linolenic acid (GLA).
Spirulina Nutrition
Spirulina contains a number of unique phytonutrients like phycocyanin, polysaccharides and sulfolipids that enhance the immune system, and possibly reduces the risk of infection, cancer and autoimmune disease. Rich in natural carotenoid antioxidants, it promotes cellular health and reduce the risk of cancer. It also has cleansing chlorophyll that helps detoxify the body of ever present pollution.
Benefits
Scientific studies and animal based research have suggested that spirulina may help:
- Aid in detoxification
- Help allergies
- Improve gastrointestinal health
- Strengthen the immune system
- Reduce the rate of cancer
Enhance Detoxification and Natural Cleansing
Japanese researches found that spirulina significantly reduced kidney toxicity caused by the heavy metal mercury and three pharmaceutical drugs. Other researchers found that rats consuming spirulina or chlorella algae had seven times the elimination of the dangerous chemical dioxin, as compared to a control diet.
In 1994, a Russian Patent was awarded for spirulina as a medical food to reduce allergic reactions from radiation sickness. 270 children of Chernobyl consuming 5 grams a day for 45 days (donated by Earthrise Farms), had lowered radionucleides by 50%, and normalized allergic sensitivities.
Today, our dogs are subjected to an onslaught of toxic chemicals in our air, water, food and drugs. Their bodies need to continually eliminate these accumulated toxins. Spirulina has a completely unique combination of phytonutrients, including chlorophyll, phycocyanin and polysaccharides, which could help cleanse the body.
Reduce Allergies
Clinical research points to broad basis for the anti-allergic activity of this functional food. A published trial in August 2008 demonstrated an immune-modulating effect in people who were administered spirulina for 16 weeks. Significant reductions in IL-6 (interleukin-6) were noted, sugggesting a balancing effect on “immune variables”. Other experiments performed in “test tubes”, animals and humans, support these prior findings and suggest that the effect of spirulina may even afford protection to those with food allergies. These test results are important because allergic reactions are partially brought about by inappropriate responses by the immune system. This is why one dog could be severely reactive to a certain flower pollen or a common food and another in the same circumstance feels completely fine.
Improve Gastrointestinal And Digestive Health
Spirulina promotes digestion and bowel function, and also suppresses bad bacteria like Escherichia coli (E.coli) and Candida yeast while stimulating beneficial flora like Lactobacillus and Bifidobacteria. Healthy flora is the foundation of good health as it increases nutrient absorption from food eaten, and helps protect against infection.
Strengthen The Immune System
When the immune system is stressed or suffering, it draws on the body’s metabolic energy. Dogs with immune system imbalance often feel chronic fatigue and low energy. Small amounts of spirulina can help balance and stabilize the immune system, which in turn free up more metabolic energy for vitality, healing and assimilation of nutrients. It enhances the body’s cellular communication process and its ability to read and repair deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), like a kind of cellular tune up. All around the world, scientists are discovering how and why spirulina is so effective for human and animal health, revealing how spirulina and its unique phytonutrients boost the immune system and improve health.
Studies confirm spirulina improves immune system function. Aside from stimulating the immune system, it actually enhances the body’s ability to generate new blood cells. Important parts of the immune system – bone marrow stem cells, macrophages, T-cells and natural killer cells, spleen and thymus glands – all show enhanced activity. Science observations have showed that macrophages increase in number, become activated and more effective at killing germs. Since spirulina increases disease resistance in animals, even in very small doses, the animal feed industry is studying its use as a new probiotic to help replace overused antibiotic drugs in animal feeds.
Prevent and Treat Cancer
More than just a pretty facade, Spirulina’s blue-green color is also the source of much of its cancer-prevention abilities. In Healing with Whole Foods, Paul Pitchford writes, “Important to note in the area of prevention, spirulina is richly supplied with the blue pigment phycocyanin, a biliprotein which has been shown to inhibit cancer-colony formation.”
In animal studies, spirulina and its extracts have been shown to have anticancer activity. Spirulina stimulates natural killer cells and similar anti-immune components of the immune system that help fight cancer cells. Spirulina polysaccharides in laboratory studies have also been seen to repair genetic material that has been damaged from toxins or radiation.
In an Oregon State University study, laboratory animals that were exposed to a potent cancer-causing substance found that those given a chlorophyll supplement prior to exposure developed far fewer tumors than the ones not given the supplement. Researchers believe that chlorophyll may reduce the risk of developing skin, stomach, colon, and liver cancers.
Using Spirulina
Spirulina is often sold in powder form, but it is also available in capsules and other natural products, even juices. Herbalist, Greg Tilford, relates that spirulina is safe for daily use, though it could cause diarrhea and digestive upset if fed too much as it is a dense nutrient.
According to Tilford, a daily amount of 1/4 teaspoon per pound of food is generally safe for dogs, while cats would only require about 1/2 teaspoon.
Try giving your dog spirulina as part of its daily supplementation. You just might notice a shinier, more lustrous coat, fresher breath, and a better overall physical condition.
"Spirulina: Health Benefits for Dogs" curated and sourced from Dogs Naturally Magazine is written by :
Dana Scott
Dana Scott is the Founder and Editor in Chief of Dogs Naturally Magazine, and CEO of Four Leaf Rover, a high end natural supplement company. She also breeds award winning Labrador Retrievers under the Fallriver prefix. She is a sought after speaker and outspoken advocate for natural health care for dogs and people, and has been a raw feeding, natural rearing breeder since the nineties. Dana also works tirelessly to educate pet owners so they could influence veterinary medicine and change current vaccine, food and preventive health practices.
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This blog first appeared on the Dogs Naturally Magazine website, where this article "The Health Benefits Of Spirulina For Dogs" was curated and sourced from.
Original source: https://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/benefits-of-spirulina/
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