Optimum Connections

Healthy water for less: Multi-Pure® Fast Track special offer

For a limited time get Multi-Pure's popular new Aqua Dome water filter for $100 off the retail price! This is a $180 value filter for only $79 + tax, shipping/handling and a $4 registration fee (to become a distributor). We took advantage of this offer recently and are passing on the word to everyone that wants to drink healthy water for less money. Multi-Pure is a leader in water filtration technology and with this promotion, we were able to afford the purchase of a filter, eliminating trips to the health food store to fill up our 5 gallon bottles with filtered water. See our article on Healthy water for you and your pets to find out why we recommend filtering your water.

For more information, see our Multi-Pure page, e-mail us or call 303-271-1649 or 866-305-2306 (toll-free).

Oil(s) of the month

by Russell Louie

Recently I developed a toothache on a tooth that has had extensive fillings and a crown. The crown is over 30 years old. My dentist sent me to an endodontist for a root canal but I couldn't get an appointment until one week later. I pulled out my essential oils and went to work. I put one drop of clove oil and one drop of Thieves^TM oil on a cotton swab and then wiped the gums around the tooth. I then left the cotton swab in between the gums and my cheek so all the oils would get absorbed into the gums and root of the tooth. (CAUTION: this will feel like burning as these oils are the "hot" spice oils. If you are sensitive, dilute the oil mixture with a suitable carrier oil. One could develop blisters on the inside of the cheek). I also took two drops clove oil and two drops Thieves^TM blend in a gelatin capsule orally twice per day. The only other thing I did was take one 200 mg tablet of ibuprofen 3-4 times per day to reduce the pain to a manageable level and reduce the inflammation. It is one week later now and the pain is almost gone and I can chew on that tooth again. My endodontist appointment is this week so I will wait for the initial exam and his conclusions before I decide whether to have that root canal.

Clove (Syzygium aromaticum)

Product #3524, $13.75/15.92/18.09, 15 ml
Botanical Family: Myrtaceae (myrtle)
Plant Origin: Madagascar, Spice Islands
Extraction Method: Steam distilled from bud and stem.

Key Constituents
Eugenol (75-87%)
Eugenol Acetate (8-15%)
Beta-Carophyllene (2-7%)ORAC: 1,078,700 µTE/100g

Historical Data
The people on the island of Ternate were free from epidemics until the 16th century, when Dutch conquerors destroyed the clove trees that flourished on the islands. Many of the islanders died from the epidemics that followed. Cloves were reputed to be part of the "Marseilles Vinegar" or "Four Thieves Vinegar" used by grave-robbing bandits to protect themselves during the 15th century plague. Clove was listed in Hildegard's Medicine, a compilation of early German medicines by highly-regarded Benedictine herbalist Hildegard of Bingen (1098-1179). Healers in China and India have used clove buds since ancient times as part of their treatments. Eugenol, clove's principal constituent, was used in the dental industry for years to numb gums. Courmont et al. demonstrated that a solution of .05% eugenol from clove oil was sufficient to kill the tuberculosis bacillus (Gattefossé, 1990).

Medical Properties
Anti-aging, antitumoral, antimicrobial, antifungal, antiviral, analgesic/anesthetic, antioxidant, anticoagulant, anti-inflammatory, stomach protectant (ulcers), antiparasitic (worms), anticonvulsant.

Uses
Anti-aging, cardiovascular disease, arthritis/ rheumatism, hepatitis, intestinal parasites/ infections, throat/ sinus/lung infections, cataracts, ulcers, lice, toothache, acne.

Fragrant Influence
A mental stimulant; encourages sleep, stimulates dreams, and creates a sense of protection and courage.
Application: Dilute 1 part EO with 4 parts VO; (1) apply 2-4 drops on location, gums, or mouth, (2) chakras/vitaflex points, (3) diffuse, or (4) take as dietary supplement. For tickling cough, put a drop on back of tongue.

CAUTIONS
Anticoagulant properties can be enhanced when combined with Warfarin, aspirin, etc.

Found In the Following Oil Blends
Abundance, En-R-Gee, ImmuPower, Longevity, Melrose, PanAway, and Thieves^TM.

Selected Research
36 articles too numerous to list. E-mail us for the entire reference list.

Thieves^TM

Product #3423, $29.50/34.16/38.82, 15 ml

A blend of highly antiviral, antiseptic, antibacterial, anti-infectious essential oils. Thieves^TM was created from research of a group of 15th-century thieves who rubbed oils on themselves to avoid contracting the plague while they robbed the bodies of the dead and dying. When apprehended, these thieves disclosed the formula of herbs, spices, and oils they used to protect themselves in exchange for more lenient punishment. Studies conducted at Weber State University (Ogden, UT) during 1997 demonstrating its killing power against airborne microorganisms. One analysis showed a 90 percent reduction in the number of gram positive Micrococcus luteus organisms after diffusing for 12 minutes. After 20 minutes of diffusing, the kill-rate jumped to 99.3 percent. Another study against the gram negative Pseudomonas aeruginosa showed a kill rate of 99.96 percent after just 12 minutes of diffusion.

Ingredients

• Clove (Syzygium aromaticum) is one of the most antimicrobial and antiseptic of all essential oils. It is antifungal, antiviral, anti-infectious.
• Lemon (Citrus limon) has antiseptic-like properties and contains compounds that amplify immunity. It promotes circulation, leukocyte formation, and lymphatic function.
• Cinnamon Bark (Cinnamomum verum) is one of the most powerful antiseptics known. It is strongly antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal.
• Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus radiata) is anti-infectious, antibacterial, antiviral, and anti-inflammatory.
• Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis CT cineol) is antiseptic and antimicrobial. It is high in cineol a key ingredient in antiseptic drugs.

Application
Dilute 1 part essential oil to 4 parts vegetable oil. Possible sun/skin sensitivity. Diffuse for 15 to 30 minutes every 3 to 4 hours. Apply to bottom of feet, throat, stomach, or abdomen. Dilute 1:15 in vegetable oil and massage over thymus. For headaches put 1 drop on tongue and push against roof of mouth. Dilute 1:15 with vegetable oil for body massage. Put 4-8 drops on cotton ball and locate on vents. Add 2 drops to a wet cloth and put in clothes dryer.

©2005 Essential Science Publishing. The information in this article is from the Essential Oils Desk Reference, which can be ordered here:
Essential Science Publishing, 1216 South 1580 West, Orem, Utah 84058, (800) 336-6308, www.essentialscience.net.

To order

Click here to order on our Young Living World Essential Oils website. Click on Product Catalog, then go to Essential Oils/Singles A-M/Clove or go to Essential Oils/Blends M-Z/Thieves, or call us at (303) 271-1649 or (866) 305-2306 (toll-free).

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

An ounce of prevention

by Margaret Auld-Louie

Many pet owners assume that if their pet is free of symptoms, it must be healthy and what they're feeding is supporting its health. They see no reason to spend money on a more expensive "premium" food or add superfoods and other supplements to their pet's diet. And their pet seems to be moving perfectly fine so why take it to the chiropractor, massage provider or acupuncturist? Then a year or 5 years or 10 years down the road, their pet gets cancer or kidney disease or diabetes or some other degenerative disease. Or maybe their pet gets injured or has arthritis and requires surgery. Now they are searching for answers and are willing to spend whatever it takes to get their beloved companion well. Unfortunately, sometimes it is "too little, too late" at this point. Their pet's body has been so damaged that they cannot be cured. The best that can be done is to improve the quality of life remaining. How can you prevent this unfortunate occurrence in your pet's life?  As the saying goes, "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure". Taking steps now to keep your pet healthy will help prevent expensive problems later as your pet ages.

According to holistic vets, cancer and other degenerative diseases are increasing in our pets, and it is not due to their living longer. Actually, since the advent of commercial pet foods 40-50 years ago, pets are living shorter lives, not longer. It was not uncommon decades ago for Labrador Retrievers to live to 15-20. Now that would be almost unheard of and they are elderly at 10. Cancer has become epidemic in pets, with 63% of Golden Retrievers dying of it. Our pets are also beset by thyroid imbalances, diabetes, chronic kidney disease, allergies, digestive problems, arthritis and liver problems. Some breeds are also prone to genetic health problems or injuries (such as hip dysplasia or torn knee ligaments). Also, behavioral problems are common in pets, such as thunderstorm phobia, separation anxiety, obsessive/compulsive disorder, etc. Could these behavioral issues have a physical component?

What can we do to prevent these health and behavioral problems in our pets? We are told by animal health experts that "preventive care" for our pets consists of taking them yearly to the vet for checkups and annual vaccines and feeding them an AAFCO-approved balanced commercial pet food. We agree that yearly vet visits are important, to assess our pets' health and detect problems early. However, holistic vets would disagree with the annual vaccine recommendations and the dietary recommendations of conventional vets. If you ask holistic vets what is causing the current epidemic of degenerative diseases in our pets, they would include the following: over-vaccination, poor diet, environmental toxins, stress and poor breeding. We will consider each of these factors below.

Over-vaccination

Giving our pets "annual vaccinations" is something that we have been told is a cornerstone of good health care, to prevent them dying from infectious diseases. If we don't do this, we're told we are "bad" pet owners. However, according to current research and the recommendations now coming out of all the U.S. veterinary schools, annual re-vaccinations are unnecessary. The current recommendations are for every 3 years, though it is thought that many vaccines last much longer than that. The premier vaccine researcher in the country, Dr. Ronald Schultz, DVM, Professor and Chair, Department of Pathobiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, states that once the maternal immunity has worn off, vaccines given to puppies will protect them for life. What is wrong with vaccinating yearly "just to be sure" our pets are protected? Many holistic vets state that while initial vaccinations are important, that re-vaccinating yearly after that is harmful, damaging the immune system and contributing to degenerative diseases later in life. Dr. Martin Goldstein, DVM, specializing in holistic treatment of cancer, feels that the current epidemic of cancer in pets is due in large part to over-vaccination. Some vaccines may contribute to specific degenerative diseases, such as the feline distemper vaccine which is grown on feline kidney cells. This could set up an auto-immune reaction leading to kidney disease later in life (chronic kidney failure is a leading killer of elderly cats). While we would not suggest you go against your vet's advice regarding vaccinations, we do suggest that you educate yourself on this topic and work with a holistic vet who is aware of the current vaccination protocols. As is true in many areas of medical practice, it can take years for the recommendations from researchers to be put into common practice by practitioners.

Poor diet

What role does diet play in your pet's health? If your pet is young and healthy and appears to be thriving on an AAFCO-approved dry kibble food, isn't that adequate? Well, that's what I thought until I learned better. I grew up with a dog, Salty, that was fed commercial dog foods from the grocery store like Alpo, Gaines Burgers and dry kibble. When Salty died of hepatitis at age 11, we were told that was "normal" and it was "old age hepatitis". Then we got a cat, Midnight, and fed her kibble and canned food from the grocery store. She died at age 12, which again was considered "normal". These pets went to the vet every year for their annual vaccinations.

When I grew up and got my own cat, Tigger, I was young and poor so I fed her generic kibble (literally--this was the kibble that came in black & white bags with no brand name, back in the 1980's). Later, Tigger was upgraded to brand name kibbles like Purina or Friskies. Like a "good" pet owner, I took her to the vet yearly and she got all her vaccinations. She was never sick and had no symptoms, so I thought she was healthy. So, you can imagine my surprise when I started working at a health food store, put her on a premium kibble and saw an improvement in her personality (she had been very shy and nervous). All of Tigger's young life, she was free of physical symptoms and seemed in perfect health. But obviously her diet was not good enough to provide her with the level of nutrition that her brain and nervous system needed to function optimally.

When Tigger turned 9, the run of "perfect health" ended. She started vomiting frequently. I took her to a chiropractor and after being adjusted, she would stop vomiting, but only temporarily. As I learned more about pet nutrition and started going to a holistic vet, I upgraded her to better brands of premium kibble. Later she got chronic kidney failure and died of that at age 17. While that is a relatively long life for a cat, a healthy cat can live to 20-25. I think Tigger made it that long because of the improved diet and cessation of vaccines later in her life. She also had in her favor the fact that in the 1980's, our pets had not had as many generations on processed foods and excessive vaccinations. Now, in the year 2006, we are reaping the results of generations of pets that have been fed poor-quality commercial pet foods, exposed to environmental toxins, been poorly bred and over-vaccinated. With each generation, our pets get sicker.

In 1996 I adopted my parent's cat, Tabitha, when she was 11 and my father had to get rid of her due to his wife's allergies. Prior to that, she was mainly fed grocery store kibble and canned food and received a full complement of vaccines every year. When I got her, I switched her to premium kibble and ceased vaccinating her . She also died at 17 of kidney failure. I think she lived that long due to the improved diet and reduced vaccines late in her life.

How long could these cats have lived if they had an optimal diet their entire life and minimal vaccines? Well, we are starting to get an answer to that with our remaining cat, Connie (and my third black cat). She is a stray we adopted around 1990. We think she is 20-21 years old now. She was on premium kibble all her life--no grocery store brands and we only vaccinated her once for rabies (the neighbors fully vaccinated her before we adopted her). The one problem she did have was obesity, common in cats free-fed kibble, as she was.

A few years ago, we learned about the importance of a natural raw diet for dogs and cats, that more closely approximates what they would eat in the wild (raw meat, bones and organs). We also learned that kibble is too high in carbohydrates for cats, because they are pure carnivores with no need for carbs. In fact, one holistic vet calls dry cat kibble "diabetes in a bag". The lack of water in kibble is also thought to contribute to kidney disease in cats. And free-feeding kibble is not good for cats as they do not eat constantly in the wild. So, we switched Connie to a twice a day canned & raw diet, as well as adding BioSuperfood and BioPreparation algae to her diet. At her advanced age now, her only serious health problem is arthritis. This is most likely due to her obesity, probably causing a ruptured ligament in her knee, leading to severe arthritis (so if you think it is "cute" that your dog or cat is fat, realize that you will likely pay a price for it later with severe and/or early onset of arthritis). Her arthritis is so severe that we finally gave up on holistic remedies and tried drugs for it, resulting in damage to her kidneys. However, this is drug-induced and not diet- or vaccine-induced kidney failure, as with our previous cats. She has also tested both hypo- and  hyperthyroid at times but we have managed to control that with supplements and diet. (Hyperthyroid is a common degenerative diseases in elderly cats, normally requiring surgery, drugs or radiation to treat it).

So, with Connie, who had fewer vaccines and a better diet than our previous cats, we are seeing a longer life with fewer health problems in her old age. If we had fed her canned & raw food her whole life and kept her weight normal, then she would likely be free of health problems now, at her advanced age (and our vet bills would be a lot lower). Our experience shows us that diet and frequency of vaccinations are very important factors in the health of our pets. Most holistic vets recommend a home-cooked or raw diet for both dogs and cats. Numerous brands of pre-made, balanced frozen raw diets are now available at natural pet stores. If feeding raw food is not possible, there are now some very good super premium pet foods on the market, available at natural pet stores. As my experience with my first cat showed, diet is also an important factor affecting our pets' behavior. If your pet has behavioral problems or you have difficulty training your dog, take a look at their diet. Don't just try to change the behavior with different training methods or flower remedies. Maybe their brain isn't getting the nutrients it needs to function properly. For more information on diet, see: www.optimumchoices.com/July_2005.htm#Nutrition.

Environmental toxins

Our environment is full of toxins now, even in formerly pristine environments like the arctic. Some experts blame a decline of polar bears in the arctic to environmental toxins (and if you have seen the recent movie An Inconvenient Truth, you will learn they are also in danger of death by drowning as the arctic ice cap melts). Our pets are exposed to higher levels of toxins than us, since they walk and lie on the ground or floor and then lick themselves. Also, pet food that is not made with "human grade" ingredients has higher levels of toxins in it. Some vets feel environmental toxins are a major factor contributing to cancer in our pets.

Michael W. Fox, MRCVS, has done research on endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) that he feels is the primary cause of what he calls Endocrine Disruption Syndrome (Fox, MRCVS, Michael W., "Endocrine Disruption Syndrome," Journal of the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association, Oct.-Dec. 2005, pp. 33-35). These endocrine disrupting compounds are so prevalent in our environment they are even found in human breast milk and arctic seals. EDCs can be found not only in industrial pollutants, chemical fertilizers, and untreated sewage but also in common household products such as plastics, clothing, floor material and the lining of food cans. Dr. Fox believes these EDCs make their way into animal's food and water and then disrupt the animal's entire endocrine and immune systems function causing the same epidemic symptoms as discovered by Dr. Alfred Plechner (see www.optimumchoices.com/Silent_epidemic.htm).

For more information on avoiding toxins, see the section on environmental toxins here: www.optimumchoices.com/January_2006.htm#Resolutions. Also, drinking tap water adds to the toxic load on our pets' bodies. The chlorine in drinking water can combine with organic material to form cancer-causing organic chemicals. The chlorine could also depress thyroid function. For more information about providing clean water for your pet, see www.optimumchoices.com/March_2006.htm#Article.

Stress & exercise

You might think our pets' lives are stress-free because they don't have to go to work and they get to lounge at home all day. However, for dogs in particular, being home alone is very stressful for a pack animal. They are not designed to stay by themselves for long periods of time but are often forced to, because their owners must go to work. Even cats can get lonely and depressed when left alone. Also, our pets often don't get sufficient daily exercise, which is stressful and health-depleting. Studies with humans show that exercise alleviates depression and fatigue and it no doubt has similar benefits for our animal companions. Exercise also helps reduce obesity, which is epidemic in our pets, as in humans (see New York Times article on pet obesity by Jane Brody). People who exercise regularly are less prone to degenerative diseases later in life and the same is probably true for our pets. And obesity carries with it many health risks for our pets, just as it does for humans. Part of the "ounce of prevention" for our pets includes making time or finding the money to provide adequate exercise and socialization for our pets. So, you can meet these needs now or pay later for the health and behavioral problems created when these needs are unmet. For more information, see: www.optimumchoices.com/January_2006.htm#Resolutions.

Poor breeding

What can you do about the poor genetics/breeding that contributes to our pets' poor health? The number one thing is don't buy your pets at a pet store! The vast majority of these animals come from puppy mills where the dogs are bred with no regard for health or genetic issues, are raised in filthy conditions and are not adequately socialized. The cats at pet stores are not responsibly bred, either. You are just setting yourself up for an animal with lifelong behavioral and health problems if you get an animal at a store. You may never be able to fully resolve these problems, no matter how much holistic care and training you provide. (For more information, see www.optimumchoices.com/December_2005.htm#Doggy). If you want a healthy purebred animal, go to a breeder who breeds responsibly and, ideally, feeds a raw diet. Breeders of dogs and cats that feed a raw diet will tell you their animals live much longer than "typical", even giant breeds like Newfoundlands. Although it costs more initially to buy an animal from a responsible breeder, it will usually save you in health care costs later. If you do get your pet from somewhere other than a responsible breeder (such as an animal shelter or rescue group), then providing your pet with an optimal diet from the beginning, even if they are young and seem perfectly healthy, is critical to maintaining their health as they age, as well as helping to resolve and prevent behavioral problems.

Conclusion

If you find it overwhelming to put into practice everything we have suggested, just do what you can. Every little step helps, as I found out when I fed my first cat a better kibble and saw improvement in her health. Diet is one of the most important components of health--animals fed a healthy diet can more successfully cope with stress, toxins and exposure to disease. And any improvement in diet is helpful; it doesn't have to be perfect. Adding superfoods like BioPreparation to a less than perfect diet can be very health-promoting. To learn more about preventive care for your pets, read our past newsletters, which you can find online here: www.optimumchoices.com/newsletters.htm. For more in-depth knowledge on holistic care for animals, read some of the books we have featured here: www.optimumchoices.com/holistic_health-B.htm and here: www.optimumchoices.com/nutrition-animal-B.htm. 

Book of the month

Animal Reiki: Using Energy to Heal the Animals in Your Life
by Elizabeth Fulton and Kathleen Prasad

ISBN 1569755280

review by Margaret Auld-Louie

Contact us

Click here to give your pet the fountain of youth today!

E-mail

General Information: Russell@OptimumChoices.com
Webmaster: Webmaster@OptimumChoices.com
Newsletter Editor, Margaret Auld-Louie: Editor@OptimumChoices.com

Telephone

303-271-1649
866-305-2306 (toll-free)
Normal office hours are 11:00 AM – 7:00 PM Mountain Time (U.S.). If you would like a return call outside those hours, please specify what days and times are best.

Location (call first for appointment)

416 Plateau Pky
Golden, CO 80403-1533
U.S.A.

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