MIRACULOUS SPICE THERAPY FOR YOUR CANINES
A dog loves you more than he loves himself. Well, the underlying feelings in this quote can be understood by all the pet lovers. Dogs are our perfect buddies with just one fault, i.e. they have a very short lifespan. Time flies and before one gets to know it’s time to say good bye. On a positive note, would you believe me if I told that a commonly used spice in our kitchen cabinet can not only improve the quality of life of your pooches but also add on their life spans? Many scientific researches and studies have claimed that turmeric contains a magical compound called curcumin which is a powerhouse of many activities like anti-viral, anti- inflammatory and anti- cancer.
I am an avid dog lover and had a golden retriever as my best friend for good 12 years. Bozzo was diagnosed with last stage of spleen cancer. It came as a huge surprise for us as we had taken really good care of him through the years. Painful rounds of chemotherapy and blood transfusions began. Not all stories have a happy ending. Bozzo crossed over the rainbow bridge after three months of treatment, leaving a hollow space in our hearts.
Had I known about the benefits of curcumin and tumerone found in turmeric earlier, a few more years would have been added to Bozzo’s life. Apart from cancer, there are many other ailments like arthritis, tick fever, intestinal parasites, kidney failure, dilated cardiomyapathy and skin infections that can affect the quality of life of the dogs. Let me explain the benefits of curcumin in treating many such health concerns by stating the following points:
- Anti- inflammatory- We often associate inflammation with joint disease but latest studies have shown that chronic inflammation acts as a root cause of several diseases. Curcumin is one of the best anti-inflammatory agents. A 2004 study on oncogenes (cancer causing genes) found that curcumin is more efficient than aspirin and ibuprofen as anti- inflammatory drugs.
- Pain reliever- Many breeds of dogs, especially the giant ones like Great Dane suffer from arthritis which can be extremely painful and debilitating. Curcumin can reduce the pain caused due to arthritis, injuries and degenerative disc disease. Moreover, the intake of curcumin does not have any gastrointestinal side effects as caused by regular NSAIDs.
- Anti cancer- Since curcumin and turmerone are potent anti-oxidants, they can prevent the precancerous cells from becoming malignant and spreading to various parts of the body. The American Cancer Society claims that curcumin can also reduce the size of the tumour cells, thus stopping the growth of cancer cells in dogs already suffering from cancer.
- Promotes cardiovascular health- Curcumin aids in improving the functioning of the heart as it acts as a blood thinner and reduces the risk of blood clots. It also helps the body get rid of excess of cholesterol and enhances the functioning of the endothelium which the lining of the blood vessels.
- Improved digestion- Liver is an important organ which needs to function properly for better digestion. It produces bile that breaks down fat. Curcumin seems to stimulate bile production, thus improving digestion.
- Healthy brain- Turmerone and curcumin reduce inflammation as well as oxidative damage which clears amyloid plaques in the brain causing dementia along with other neurodegenerative diseases.
- Relief from skin infections- There could be many reasons for skin infections in dogs like exposure to allergens, seasonal changes, infection due to fleas/ticks and certain inappropriate immune responses. Since curcumin acts as an anti-bacterial agent, it can inhibit the growth of various strains of bacteria, fungi and viruses some of which can cause skin infection in dogs. It can also help in a plethora of skin ailments in dogs like atopic dermatitis, leishmaniasis, sebaceous adentitis etc. Turmerone has been proved to be beneficial in wound healing and replacement of damaged skin.
- Suppression of allergic reactions- Immune cells called mast cells produced in response to allergy release histamine which gives rise to a full blown allergic reaction characterised by boils, redness, swelling and extensive itching. Curcumin has the ability to suppress the production of mast cells and inhibiting the activity of proteins that stimulate itching, thereby providing relief from the symptoms of an allergic reaction in dogs.
- Immunomodulatory effects- Immunomodulation means increasing the immune response in case of an infection or suppress the response to unwanted inflammation. Pododermatitis is an autoimmune skin disorder in dogs whereby the body recognizes one of its own proteins as foreign and triggers an immune response against it. In such cases, curcumin acts as an immunosuppressant providing relief from the swelling, redness and loss of fur from the site of infection.
I have truly started to believe that curcumin and tumerone are indeed nothing less than a magical potion from dear Mother Nature. One concern that I have always had in my mind is the purity of the veggies and herbs grown these days. I wouldn’t want anything less for my pet so my recommendation would be to use Barkumin, a turmeric based product made exclusively for our fur balls. A produce of Bagdara Farms, curcumin used in this product in free from any kind of chemical pesticides which makes it absolutely safe for the gentle bodies of dogs.
The surreal golden paste for dogs can be made in a jiffy using Barkumin. All one needs to do is boil ½ cup Barkumin, 70 ml of olive or coconut oil, 1 tsp ginger powder, 1 tsp cinnamon powder, 1tsp black pepper and 1 cup of water. It is suggested that to start off with small quantities and follow the recommended dosages as given below:
- For small dog: ¼ tsp
- For medium sized dogs: ½ tsp
- For a large dog: ¾ tsp
- For a giant dog: 1 tsp
Follow these links for scientific study updates:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19594223
Give your pet a healthy life with Barkumin and shower him with love. That’s the least we can do for their unconditional love!