A Way of Life

About us

Holistic health is a way of life, not a last ditch effort we turn to when the traditional ways have failed us. This is a lifestyle, an approach to life in which we put aside our expectations, human feelings, and misunderstandings of animals. Dogs and cats speak a different language, are genetically equipped to eat different foods, are instinctually driven to different behaviors, all of which a traditional human animal relationship suppresses. Dog's especially speak so much to us with their bodies and we so often misunderstand or apply human communication to it instead of trying to simply understand their language. They speak so much in whispers where we as humans so often wait for shouting.

The holistic approach aims to instead use our knowledge of these animals to meet them on their level of communication, offer them food that heals rather than hinders, and find outlets for biologically driven behaviors instead of using aversive actions or training to suppress their nature.

With species appropriate, whole food nutrition, we aim to allow the body to do what we know it is capable of doing; maintaining homeostasis and healing itself when necessary. Every system of the body is connected, so keeping stock of how our animals are moving and communicating with us is key to determining imbalances before they become deeply rooted chronic issues.

Holistic Health means aiming to achieve balance, homeostasis, within the body. Balance among nutritional, mental, physical, and biological needs is the key to true health. Much of the healing wisdom we seek rests not in science and technology but within the ancient healing traditions of nature itself. Healing is not something that is given or received between caregiver and patient, it is instead part of a continuous circle that is shared among all entities involved in the maintenance of health, beginning with reconnecting with nature, as it is, not as we want it to be.

Health is the balance of the body, mind, spirit, environment. None of our body systems work on their own, everything is connected. By suppressing symptoms of an issue but neglecting its cause, we can send the body further into a disease state. This is the basis of traditional medicine. Allopathic medicine treats conditions with a checklist, and a band aid approach, never getting to the root cause. It aims to suppress symptoms quickly, so we can continue on with life as though nothing is wrong. This may not seem so bad, but inside, our bodies are falling into further imbalance, and suppression is a dangerous band aid, as it can cause conditions to find other avenues to cause problems. Meanwhile, drugs and surgery are often prescribed without looking for the root cause, with a myriad of often irreversible side effects, nutrient depletions, and suppression of the condition, or actually keeping the body in a disease state by changing how the body functions.

Holistically, we understand that every individual expresses disease uniquely, although common symptoms may be present. Symptoms are not the disease, they only represent it. The body works as one fluent system, everything is connected. If we suppress the symptoms of disease state where the body first expresses them, we can send the disease deeper into the body. We instead hope to bring balance to the vital force within us with the help of nutrition, exercise, and natural remedies.

Nutrition is always the basis of achieving this balance. It is the foundation of holistic health and wellness, without which, all other attempts at healing will be suboptimal. Different species of animals are biologically designed to eat specific foods. It is up to us to understand those biological needs to give species appropriate, whole foods, to offer our companion what he or she needs to nourish and heal.

To give any body the ability to heal starts with balanced whole food nutrition, the crux of holistic healing. Processed, chemically treated foods, nutrient deficiencies, and foods animals have no nutritional need for all contribute to imbalance. Vaccinations, chemical pest prevention, medicines, genetic issues, and environmental toxins contribute to imbalances as well.

Holistic health aims to find the root cause of issues, and work to bring the body back into balance. Herbs are wonderful healing plants that work on entire bodily systems rather than single symptoms, they nourish and restore balance in the body to bring organs in disharmony back to balance. When a plant is taken into the body, it is recognized on a cellular level.

There is no substitute for a proper diet. Nothing can work around that, which is why it is so important to invest the time to understand the animal in front of us and what they should be eating on a biological level. Without complete nutrition, the body lacks the necessary tools and building blocks to make repairs and correct imbalances that come up from time to time. If nutrition is balanced, and these imbalances occur, we can offer it a helping hand from healing plants to bridge the gap between complete nutrition and the occasional boost the body may need to maintain balance.

For example, herbs can help in healing the gut microbiome but cannot substitute a species appropriate diet and will only be hindered by continuing a processed, carb rich diet.

However, if the diet has been optimized for the dog or cat in front of us, with whole food, balanced nutrition, and we give the herb, it will do more good in the body because it is not being hindered by a poor diet.