Three Pillars of Health : optimise a healthy start to 2025
In my practice offering wellness advice to ‘pet parents’, my focus is to highlight the three pillars of health, how they interrelate, and why an integrative approach boosts natural health.
In 2009 when Molly, my first Miniature Bull Terrier became sick aged only eight years, I opted to treat her with functional, proactive and preventative healthcare.
To help Molly and to learn how to help others, in my study with The College of Integrated Veterinary Therapies (CIVT) I took on board the positive symbiosis between the three pillars of health: the immune system, the physical frame and the nutrition pillar.
The principle of holistic healthcare relies on keeping each pillar strong so they support your pet’s health. It’s the positive symbiotic relationship between them that’s critical.
With nutrition forming a third of the equation. When a diet is species appropriate, balanced, with nutritionally functional ingredients it fuels and nourishes the immune system’s complex pillar and the physical pillar by maintaining robust cellular energy.
The adage: “you are what you eat’ sums it up nicely. It’s not a new concept. Centuries ago in ancient Greece, Hippocrates famously stated: “Let medicine be thy food, and food be thy medicine’.
The pillar of nutrition helps maintain a robust immune system without which our pets can be prone to disease. Comprising a complex network of cells, tissues, organs and a fleet of white blood cells that bravely fights pathogens; the immune system is like an internal knight in shining armour.
Despite its powerful natural healing abilities, overtime the immune system is vulnerable to wear and tear from everyday ‘stressors’.
Our modern world with its exhaust fumes, overly processed foods, unfiltered water, insecticides, over-vaccination and over medication with anti-inflammatories, antibiotics or steroids, all impact negatively overtime, weakening the body’s natural ability to fight disease.
Keeping this internal ‘engine’ well nourished isn’t dissimilar from putting a good oil into your car. An awareness of supplements and functional foods that support the immune system and balance any negative effects from environmental stressors is recommended.
Compromised immune systems can affect the Physical Pillar ‘of health’. As joints, muscles begin to deteriorate overtime from ‘wear and tear’ this is often exacerbated by a lack of cellular energy. Obesity for example is a state of constant inflammation, which may be reason why one in three dogs suffer from Oesteoarthritis is inflammation of the joints. When you consider over half the dog population is carrying too much weight, this will put pressure on the physical frame especially if the dog’s immune system is already depleted.
Nobody wants to think of their dog in any pain physically as age-related inflammatory arthritis sets in. What if the inflammation is prevented through achieving an ideal weight, feeding a functional appropriate diet and enjoying mindful exercise?
By balancing any injuries with physical therapies including massage, hydrotherapy, acupuncture and Photo Therapy, the impact of strained muscles, wear and tear, accident prone pooches can be minimised, even prevented.
Adding the age-old remedy called Bone Broth has recently been proved to serve as a huge boost to dogs’ gut health and for nurturing the elusive microbiome. It increases the good bacteria (Bifido) populations whilst reducing the bad bacteria (Clostridium) populations, to naturally restore homeostasis.
In 2014 when Molly was 12 I discovered a new device which had just been launched called Photizo Vetcare. Animal Physiotherapist, Sherry Scott MBE, introduced me to the power of Red Light, Blue Light and Ultra Sound as being used on Molly’s problematic paws.
The effect of Photizo Vetcare was nothing less than miraculous!! Designed for use at home, it uses LED light that’s safe for your eyes, unlike a laser. Having spent thousands at Vets on Molly’s feet over the years, this was a game changer and taught me about the power of light to heal.
When Prudence (Molly’s successor) was young, she was ridiculously accident prone. One of her self-inflicted injuries, a luxating patella, continues to benefit from massage, acupuncture and Photizo treatments, meaning we’ve not needed any anti-inflammatories.
Mr Binks my ETT suffers from Legg Calves Perthes disease. His left hip joint was removed at nine months (before I re-homed him) 11 years ago.
Through diet and physical treatments his back left leg is now barely noticeably different now from his right. As a geriatric (a word I really don’t like), we’re working on age just being a number!
Proof indeed that proactive preventative care, combined with an understanding of the three pillars of health, can empower everyone to promote natural vibrant health.
