IMPORTANT INFORMATION for Pet Parent regarding the use of HAND SANITIZERS AND YOUR PETS.
Today I had a very traumatic experience with my 1 year old Golden Retriever. After our morning walk, I stopped at the grocery store and upon returning to the car I put a large squirt of hand sanitizer on my hands and rubbed them together as a precaution of the corona virus contamination. Immediately after doing that my dog, being a curious 1 year old, started to lick my hands and I said "leave it" but she had already licked the sanitizer from my hands. Right away she started to gag like she wanted to throw up and I was suspicious for I know Isopropyl Alcohol is dangerous to dogs. The writing on the small spray bottle was hard to read but I did see active ingredient of 64% ethyl alcohol. My fur baby kept trying to gag and so I stopped for her to drink some water, but she continued to gag and get really close to me while I was driving. I knew she was afraid and I assumed her mouth and throat were burning for drinking alcohol is dangerous to pets. This was a rather high concentration of 64% which wouldn’t be found in alcohol beverages! As soon as I got home I gave her my food remedies, organic coconut oil & honey, to coat the throat. I use when I have a dog upset because they might have swallowed something that was irritating their throat and digestive tract. I also fed her an entire can of organic solid pack canned pumpkin mixed with some chopped vegetable mixture of parsley and other dark green veggies that I feed them daily. I let her eat what she wanted to get the alcohol diluted in her system. She is a 55 pound dog. After getting the food in her she finally stopped gagging and did settle down. I was fortunate to be rather close to home to feed her food to dilute the alcohol in her throat and digestive tract. My dog is fine now but I want people to be aware of the dangers of the hand sanitizers for I know the main ingredient is alcohol of some form. A hand sanitizer needs to have at least 60% alcohol to kill germs. This particular sanitizer contained 64% ethyl alcohol along with essential oils. It does say for external use only but I never thought my animal would want to lick it from my hands. That is why I am writing this blog so you also can be aware of the dangers of hand sanitizers with your pets since we are using more sanitizers with the concern of the corona virus. I know Isopropyl alcohol should never be in any product used on your pet but ethyl alcohol was even worse since she licked it off my hands. Here is some information on Ethanol which is commonly known as ethyl alcohol, but it also goes by the names pure alcohol, grain alcohol, and drinking alcohol. It can be described as a colorless liquid which can be soluble in water. It also has a slight odor and somewhat sweet when diluted. However, when undiluted or concentrated, it has a very strong taste and leaves a burning aftertaste. Ethyl Alcohol is the alcohol found in alcoholic drinks such as beer, brandy, or whiskey. It is made from the fermentation or chemical breakdown of sugars by yeasts. It is made from plants and grains such as corn, wheat, barley. Ethanol can be produced by milling the grains and then fermenting them with yeast. During the fermentation process, the starches of the grains are turned into alcohol. Then, there is also a distillation process. Pure ethanol will irritate the skin and eyes. Nausea, vomiting, and intoxication are symptoms of ingestion. Long-term use by ingestion can result in serious liver damage. The information on ethyl alcohol is from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethanol#Safety
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“Derived from the resin of the Copaiba tree, native Brazilians used it in traditional health practices. dōTERRA Copaiba oil can support much of the body including, the cardiovascular, immune, digestive, nervous and immune systems. Add 1-2 drops of Copaiba oil to any beverage to support your overall health. Incorporate the oil to your skin care routine to reduce the appearance of blemishes.”
Copaiba is one of my very favorite oils and it is especially useful with our pets also. Two of my three dogs love this oil also and want to lick it off of my hands every evening before bed. I am sure it is the calming affect it has on their nervous system but I am happy they like it also for their overall health and digestive support. Find out more about essential oils for your pets here. Learn about all the versatile benefits dōTERRA Copaiba can offer here. Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) essential oil is steam-distilled from the crushed seeds of this plant. Fennel can be easily identified by its sweet, somewhat spicy, and licorice-like aroma. This essential oil contains the following health properties: cleansing, purifying, germ-destroying, naturally purifying.
Fennel was historically used by the ancient Egyptians and Romans when they awarded victorious warriors with garlands of fennel as a sign of praise. They believed that fennel would bestow these warriors with strength, courage, and longevity. Common uses of fennel essential oil include cleansing, purifying, germ-destroy, bruises, digestive system support, kidney stones, lactation, pancreas support, unwanted pathogens, environmental threats, skin revitalizing, tissue cleansing, and wrinkles. This essential oil primarily affects the digestive and hormonal systems. Other possible uses of fennel essential oil include intestinal gas, stimulating the cardiovascular system, constipation, digestion (supports the liver), balancing hormones, nausea, obesity, PMS, and stimulating the sympathetic nervous system. Topical Application: This oil can be applied neat (with no dilution), or dilute 1:1 (1 drop essential oil to at least 1 drop carrier oil) for children and for those with sensitive skin. Apply directly to the area of concern or to reflex points. Aromatic Application: Fennel increases and influences longevity, courage, and purification. Diffuse, or inhale the aroma directly. Internal Application: Fennel oil is recognized by the FDA as safe for human consumption and serves as a powerful flavoring agent. Safety Data: Repeated topical use may lead to contact sensitization. Use with caution if susceptible to epilepsy. Use with caution during pregnancy. This oil should not be taken internally by children under 6 years old, and should be used with caution and in greater dilution for children ages 6 and older. Ways to Use Fennel Essential Oil: 1. Digestive Problems Fennel essential oil has beneficial digestive properties. It can quickly alleviate bloating, gas/flatulence, and diarrhea. Combine 5 drops fennel essential oil with 1 tsp. (5 ml) carrier oil in a 5 ml roll-on bottle, and apply over your stomach as needed. 2. Cooking Fennel has a strong licorice-like flavor and serves as a valuable ingredient in many spices and other recipes. It can be strong, so start small when adding it to your recipes; you can always add more later. Here are a few recipes using fennel essential oil! 3. Bath Oil This essential oil is known for its ability to revitalize the skin, cleanse tissue, and smooth wrinkles. For this reason, fennel makes a beneficial addition to bath oils and soaps. For a silky-smooth feel after your bath, combine 8 drops jasmine, 8 drops fennel, and 2 Tbsp. (25 ml) jojoba oil in the palm of your hand, and hold under warm running bathwater. Swish the water around with your hand to disperse the oils. 4. Diffuser Blends With its strong aromatic influence, fennel can serve as a nice addition to a diffuser blend. Its sweet yet spicy aroma can uplift you and fill you with courage. Here are a couple blends for you to try out. 5. Air Freshening Spray Air fresheners should not only smell great, but also be emotionally uplifting. Combine 10 drops fennel, 8 drops lemon, and 6 drops juniper berry with 1 tsp. (5 ml) carrier oil in a 1 oz. spray bottle. Fill the remainder of the bottle with distilled water, and shake to combine. Spray the mixture around the room, and breathe in the emotional support. Sources: Modern Essentials: The Complete Guide to the Therapeutic Use of Essential Oils, 9th Edition, pp. 63–64. Aromatherapy Blends & Remedies by Franzesca Watson 6 Tips to a Better Night's Sleep
If you or your pet suffers from seasonal threats I have help for you. Our Triease®
Seasonal Blend along with other essential oils can be a great help for you and your pets. The essential oils have been very beneficial for both me, my pets and others. Check out these top four reasons why your dog might need sunscreen, plus, better, natural solutions to protect him from the sun’s rays! We have a recipe for a dog's sunscreen on the recipe page.
1. Your dog is an outdoor enthusiast If this is your dog, she likes spending the entire day at the beach, in the pool or hiking the trails. 2. A clean, close shave Does your dog have naturally short hair? Are you a fan of the “summer shave?” If either answer is yes, than you might want to pay attention to how much time your pup stays in the sun. Shorthaired dogs have a higher occurrence of sunburn compared to their furry counterparts. 3. The dreaded bald spot Surgery incisions, balding and bare bellies are three reasons your dog will need sunscreen if they’re staying in the sun for more than 15 minutes. 4. The nose knows Dogs with light noses are basically asking for it. Light noses need extra protection against sun worshiping. So, how can I naturally protect my dog from the sun? We will get to that shortly but first … The dreadful truth about sunscreen … Efficacy and SPF measurability of natural oils are a constant debate. Yes, skin cancer is on the rise but so are environmental toxicity and malnutrition. There’s a myriad of toxic ingredients found in commercial sunscreens. This toxicity is a big deal for dogs because they lick their skin and fur. Many FDA compliant, “dog approved” sunscreens boast all-natural ingredients that are safe to lick and ingest. I would disagree. As I discuss later, all natural is just that, natural. Read your labels! A good place to start your research is with the Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep Chemical Database. They even have an app you can download to your phone so you can check ingredients while you shop. Here are some dangerous ingredients in two popular “dog safe” sunscreens on the market… INGREDIENTS: Distilled Water, DMDM Hydantoin, Glyceryl Trioctanoate, Propolene Glycol, Dicaprylate Dicaprate. PROBLEM: DMDM Hydantoin has a high toxicity rating; Propylene Glycol is a skin irritant and, with repeated exposure, an organ toxin. INGREDIENTS: Octonoxate, Oxybenzone Carnuba wax, corn starch, Ethylhexyl Stearate, hydrogenated caster oil, ozokerite, Castor Seed Oil, Mongongo kernel oil, silica, Sorbitan Sesquioleate and talc. PROBLEM: Octonoxate and Oxybenzone score 6 and an 8 on the toxicity scale. The biggest concern I have with Octonoxate is that it can interrupt thyroid function. Oxybenzone absorbs quickly and acts like estrogen in the body. Both substances are dermal allergens along with Sorbitan Sesquioleate. So what can you do? … The Five-fold Path To Simple Sun Protection
You can’t get more natural than veggies and greens. Whole foods can help protect against UV radiation by boosting the antioxidant levels of the skin. While these foods can’t replace sunscreen for extended sun exposure, they can become part of your dog’s summer diet rotation. Raw meat Unprocessed meat contains higher amounts of the amino acide histidine, which helps the skin protect itself from molecular damage through the production of urocanic acid. Essential Oil Sunscreen Protection I have an essential oils sunscreen spray on my website that is SPF 4 but it is a good start and the oils are fine if they are ingested so your dog can lick them and it is safe. Super Spirulina Benefits It’s blue-green, absurdly healthy but often overlooked or misunderstood; Spirulina may not be from Pandora, but it grows in our version of that magical moon, Hawaii, along with other exotic locations around the globe. This blue-green algae is a freshwater plant that is now one of the most researched, and alongside its cousin chlorella, most talked about superfoods today. Grown around the world from Mexico to Africa to even Hawaii, spirulina is renowned for its intense flavor and even more powerful nutrition profile! While you may have only seen it as an ingredient in your green superfood beverages, energy bars and natural supplements, spiralina benefits are so amazing that taken on a daily basis they could restore and revitalize your health! To date, there are nearly 1,200 peer-reviewed scientific articles evaluating its health benefits. (1) Top 10 Proven Spirulina Benefits Not everyone can get their hands on the Hawaiian variety, but fortunately spirulina that’s regularly produced also includes some pretty unbelievable health benefits for people who regularly consume it. 1. Detoxes Heavy Metals (especially Arsenic) Affecting people all over the globe, chronic arsenic toxicity is a problem. According to the World Health Organization, the United States is one of the countries affected by inorganic arsenic that is naturally present at high levels. Arsenic toxicity is an even bigger problem in the Far East. In the words of Bangladeshi researchers, “Millions of people in Bangladesh, India, Taiwan and Chile are consuming high concentration of arsenic through drinking water, and thousands of them have already developed chronic arsenic poisoning.” (2) In fact, up to 3% of the entire nation of Bangladesh showed clinical signs of arsenic poisoning alone! (3) As Bangladeshi researchers pointed out, “there is no specific treatment” for arsenic poisoning, which is why they evaluated alternatives like blue-green algae. After giving 24 patients affected by chronic arsenic poisoning spirulina extract (250 mg) plus zinc (2 mg) twice daily, they compared the results with 17 patients who took a placebo and found that the spirulina-zinc combination worked wonderfully. Ultimately, the participants experienced a 47% decrease of arsenic in their body! 2. Eliminates Candida According to researchers, “Candida species belong to the normal microbiota of an individual’s mucosal oral cavity, gastrointestinal tract and vagina.” (4) What does that mean?! Well, without a healthy microflora balance in our body, we are simply much more susceptible to sickness and disease. In fact, leaky gut syndrome and improper digestion are directly connected to microfloral imbalance. Not only is invasive candidiasis the leading cause of mycosis-related death in the United States, candida overgrowth has become the hallmark sign for most autoimmune diseases today. (5) Because of our shift toward a diet rich in sugar and unnatural ingredients, antimicrobial resistance and ineffective antifungal drugs, we have seen a significant rise in yeast infections since the 1980s. Thankfully, spirulina can help. Several animal studies have shown that it’s an effective anti-microbial agent, particularly for candida. (6, 7, 8) Specifically, spirulina benefits have been shown to promote the growth of healthy bacterial flora in the intestines, which in turn inhibits Candida from thriving. Additionally, the immune-strengthening properties of spirulina will help the body eliminate Candida cells. (9) 3. Improves HIV/AIDS Up until recently, epidemiologists have been puzzled trying to understand why people in Japan, Korea and Chad have relatively low HIV/AIDS rates. One possible explanation, revealed in a 2012 study published in the Journal of Applied Phycology, may be the amount of algae people in these areas regularly consume! When researchers took 11 HIV patients who have never taken antiretrovirals, they split the participants into three groups: one that was assigned to eat 5 g of brown seaweed every day, one that was to eat 5 g of spirulina, and one that ate a combination of both. (10) After the three-month trial period was complete, two key findings were discovered:
4. Helps Prevent Cancer
According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, “A number of animal and test tube studies suggest that spirulina increases production of antibodies, infection-fighting proteins, and other cells that improve immunity and help ward off infection and chronic illnesses such as cancer.” (11) This doesn’t come as a surprise as more than 70 peer-reviewed articles have been published in the scientific literature evaluating spirulina’s ability to effect cancer cells! (12) In an article published this past April, Czech Republic scientists pointed out that, in addition to its ability to control blood cholesterol levels, “Spirulina is also rich in tetrapyrrolic compounds closely related to bilirubin molecule, a potent antioxidant and anti-proliferative agent.” (13) When tested on human pancreatic cells, these researchers discovered that, “Compared to untreated cells, experimental therapeutics significantly decreased proliferation of human pancreatic cancer cell lines in vitro in a dose-dependent manner.” Essentially, this proves that consuming spirulina can help prevent developing various cancers! 5. Lowers Blood Pressure Phycocyanin is a pigment found in the spirulina that scientists have discovered possesses antihypertensive effects (it lowers blood pressure). (14) Japanese researchers claim that this is because consuming the blue-green algae reverses endothelial dysfunction in metabolic syndrome. I find this extremely promising for Americans because metabolic syndrome has rapidly become one of the main causes of preventable disease today, as it raises one’s risk of developing heart disease, diabetes and stroke. (15) 6. Reduces Cholesterol Along those same lines, spirulina benefits have also been shown to prevent atherosclerosis and reduce elevated blood cholesterol levels. A recent animal study published in The Journal of Nutritional Science and Vitaminology took rabbits, fed them a high cholesterol diet (HCD) containing 0.5% cholesterol for four weeks, and then fed them a HCD with 1% or 5% spirulina for an additional eight weeks. (16) After the eight-week trial was complete, LDL levels decreased by 26% in the group eating 1% of spirulina and 41% in the group eating 5% spirulina, which heavily suggests that the more we eat the more benefits we will receive! Serum triglycerides and total cholesterol were also significantly reduced. 7. Lowers Chance of Stroke In the study above, researchers also discovered that the spirulina supplementation lowered intimal aorta surface by 33% to 48%, which suggests that it can prevent atherosclerosis and subsequent stroke. (17) It’s important to remember that this clinical trial was conducted on animals that were still eating a HCD, and it highlights that regular spirulina consumption can literally reverse the damage done by eating a poor diet. You can only imagine the heart health benefits that would be experienced in those individuals who have a balanced diet! 8. Boosts Energy When you look at the chemical composition of spirulina, it’s no wonder that people who regularly consume it have an abundance of energy. Dr. Oz recommends combining 1 tsp spirulina powder with 12 oz lime juice and freezing the mixture in ice cube trays for a healthy boost. According to Dr. Oz, spirulina and lime enhance energy performance because they unlock sugar from our cells and, when frozen, the cold from the ice boosts metabolic energy while giving our bodies a “wake-up call.” (18) 9. Speeds Up Weight Loss Diets high in nutrient-dense protein-rich foods like spirulina promote weight loss and low-fat stores through a variety of mechanisms. Because it takes more energy to metabolize, for example, eating protein helps maintain lean tissue and contributes to fat burning. It can also curb hunger and overweight people seem to benefit the most. (19) To maximize this benefit, try eating your high protein spirulina in the morning or during midday instead of at night. 10. Alleviates Sinus Issues Known as allergic rhinitis, spirulina benefits the body by reducing the inflammation that causes people to experience sinus problems, according to numerous studies. (20) Compared to placebo trials, spirulina is effective at reducing itching, nasal discharge, nasal congestion and sneezing. |
AuthorI am a Subtle Energy Animal Practitioner & Healing Touch for Animals Practitioner. I am P4EO Certified in using Essential Oils with animals. Archives
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