#EANF#

Nutritional Immunology is good for your health. How? By teaching you what our ancestors knew through trial and error. There is a close relationship between what we eat and how healthy we are. All ancient cultures knew this. Healers in every culture knew how to heal using plants and herbs long before the advent of modern science. Even Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine said, “Let food be your medicine and your medicine food”.We ignored the wisdom of our ancestors. We began eating what we liked rather than what was good for us. Our diets became high in salt, sugar and fats and low in fruits and vegetables causing dietary imbalances resulting in malfunctioning immune systems. We began to suffer from chronic illnesses and we wondered why?A recent science called Nutritional Immunology (NI) began to study the link between nutrition and the human immune system. It explored how good nutrition improves the health of the human immune system. In simplistic terms, the immune system has four major functions in the body: defending the body (army), monitoring the body (policeman), cleaning the body (garbageman) and repairing the body (repairman). When one or more of these functions breaks down, illness occurs.Food is the raw material we use to replace, rebuild and replenish over 200 million cells daily and to keep our immune system strong. Through Nutritional Immunology, we discover the benefits of disease-fighting nutrients such as phytochemicals, antioxidants and polysaccharides in plant foods. We learn that foods such as berries, broccoli, cabbage, brussels sprouts are high in phytochemicals. We learn that foods such as grape seeds, tomatoes, rose hips are high in antioxidants and that foods such as mushrooms (shitake, ganoderma, maitake) are high in polysaccharides. We learn to use these foods in the right combinations to give us the maximum nutrition in our diets.For example, Nutritional Immunology’s scientific research discovered that grape seeds have 20 times more Vitamin C and 50 times more Vitamin E than oranges while Rosehips contain 50 times more Vitamin C than lemons. By knowing this, we can adjust our diets to maximize our health benefits.Good nutrition is very important for our health. Learning what to eat, what contains more nutrients than others and what food combinations are more powerful is an important aspect of education in nutritional immunology. The science of nutritional immunology can help you make the difference through prevention. Prevention is much easier and faster than cure.

Dog nutrition must be complete and balanced, but it’s also important to switch dog food brands now and then. This might sound like a trivial point and merely a tactic to appease our human desire for food variety. However, there’s more to dog nutrition and switching that you should know.When your dog receives the same dog food month after month, year after year, you are exposing him or her to any problems that might exist with that particular brand. Had pet owners switched their dog food brands prior to the recent dog food recalls, they could have avoided the dangers posed.For instance, giving your dog one brand for a few weeks or months means he will be constantly exposed to those dangers. By switching, the concentration is diluted, thereby preventing a build-up of exposure which can result in an eventual weakening of your dog’s ability to ward off the danger.Dog nutrition is never guaranteed, despite all the efforts made by dog food manufacturers to provide quality products. There are circumstances beyond their control that can significantly reduce the actual nutritional value. In addition, problems with the ingredients can arise that were previously unknown.Several steps along the way between product development and the retail store can present an issue that affects the dog food’s nutritional value.Research into dog nutrition is an ongoing science. Lab experts are revealing problems that once didn’t exist. As scientists study the nutritional needs of dogs, they discover facts and issues that must be addressed to assure dog health.As well, they are constantly learning about the true nutritional value of the dog food ingredients. As environmental factors change, so does the quality of the food being produced. For instance, if soil loses its nutritional value through overuse and other factors, the food grown in that soil loses it’s nutritional qualities. Scientists continually discover problems in this area.Dog nutrition relies on products outside the control of the dog food manufacturer. Some ingredients are provided from outside sources. Brand manufacturers have no control over the quality or safety of those ingredients.Despite all their efforts to produce quality dog food, brand manufacturers can and do slip up now and then. Tests are missed and levels of important nutrients like calcium and magnesium don’t always meet the required amounts for ideal dog nutrition.On the other hand, vitamin and mineral supplements are sometimes added in higher quantities than the dog requires. Or the required nutrients become diluted or otherwise weakened during the manufacturing and storing process. Over time, stored foods will lose their nutritional value.These are just some of the reasons you would be wise to considering switching the brand of food you are feeding your dog. While one manufacturer is missing some points along the dog nutrition trail, others will take up the slack.It’s more than just providing your dog with variety to stimulate his taste buds. Switching brands will help alleviate finicky eating which can happen when a dog gets the same food every day for months on end.Seek out quality foods by reading the labels to ensure the proper nutrients are included and filler is at a bare minimum. Look for quality products at the top of the list, like chicken and beef. Choose several excellent brands and alternate between them every month or so. This will help you to avoid any dangers accidentally posed by one brand while ensuring that your pet receives the absolute best dog nutrition.