Article by: Dr. Lauri Grietzer, DC., Equine Chiropractor, Paradise, CA
When Equine Allergies Attack!!
Is it just me, or is every one wondering the same thing? What is up with all of the strange allergy symptoms lately? It seems that every other horse you meet is complaining about allergies, itchy skin, flaky skin, fly bites, hives, digestive issues, immune disorders, weight issues. It sounds like the Oprah Show!
This is no small matter. I have seen toy poodles on steroids and draft horses on cortisone! I am not a vet, but I work with horses everyday. I am shocked by Andalusian's with their hair falling out. Or stories about horses at death's door from an "allergic reaction" to a common vaccine. How about the surge in Cushing's Syndrome? Let's not even get started on the ulcers, colic, and insulin resistance. When did being a "good parent" to our companion animals get so complicated and so expensive?
Well, the answer may not be so surprising after all. Turn on the news. Read the research from The World Health Organization. The results are not pretty. It turns out that 80% of chronic diseases are caused by toxins in our environment. Our companion animals, like the old mine canaries, are just one more indicator that our world is not "as it used to be" when our grandparents were young. Our soils are depleted and chemically treated. Our poor bodies (and our horses') are just not getting the nutrients that we used to from food. Plus, we are overloaded with pollutants and toxins that our bodies can't deal with!
So what is at the root of any allergic reaction? An allergic reaction is the body's way of responding to a toxin or contaminant overload. It could be one toxin, such as some people have to a bee sting. Or, it may be to a complex mixture of chemicals that the body can no longer tolerate or eliminate. In other words the body is saying, "No more, please!"
Interestingly, chemical residue buildup in the body may come from both natural and artificial sources. Things like natural or artificial preservatives, fillers, flavorings, environmental pollutants, vaccines, medications, chemical wormers, and contaminated feed and grain supplies.
The good news is that our bodies are up for the fight. They are well designed to perform a daily detoxification; the vital "flushing", cleansing, or removal of toxins. The key organs or systems that perform this vital task everyday are the skin, the digestive tract, the lungs, the blood, the lymphatic system, the kidneys, and the liver. When these areas of the body display an allergic reaction, such as with the skin or immune system; this is a clear indicator that the body needs help! Something is overloading this hard working system. The body is sending out the alarm. Sadly, with our horses, this is sometimes only evident on the outside, after internal health conditions may have persisted for a long time.
What do we do? Most of us just keep switching feeds, hay, or adding more supplements, or more expensive and complicated additives to the diet. If the allergy is caused by just ONE thing this may help. However, with more and more research we see that symptoms may subside initially from the switch, but gradually, the same problems return. The safest, simplest, cheapest solution is often the most successful. No, we can't send our horses to the spa for a lovely detox session. But we can learn how to get back to basics. The organic, natural, detox approach is the best hope for toxin overload. Yes, I said ORGANIC!
The organic approach is surprisingly old fashioned (and CHEAP). Ancient farming methods teach us that using trace minerals or micro minerals to support the body's natural detox abilities is the most gentle and effect way to go. Minerals work together, self-regulating each other to support the weakest areas of the body. Remember the Romans who drank mineral water and soaked in mineral pools to eliminate disease, remove body odor, promote healthy skin, and vibrant health? It isn't magic, IT'S MINERALS!
Granted these guys were not using isolated minerals with 5 or 6 minerals in a pill or in a complicated supplement mixture. These were full spectrum, naturally occurring, balanced minerals. If the minerals are plant sourced and unprocessed, meaning they have not been heated or chemically treated, they remain naturally ionized, as negatively charged particles. In this state, they perform an amazing microscopic task. When ingested and warmed by the body, they attract positively charged waste particles like tiny magnets and help flush them out of the body. They also help cleanse the digestive tract of toxin residue, mucus, and other buildup. The result is a cleaner intestinal tract, less parasites, less odor in manure, and less flies!
It's not rocket science, a clean horse is a healthy horse. A gentle daily detox with micro or trace minerals is simple maintenance and prevention. Once the digestive tract is back into balance, everything just works better. Less toxins, less allergic reactions. Less joint stiffness and inflammation. Less digestive disorders, diarrhea, and ulcers. We save money with improved feed conversion, and nutrient absorption. Noticeable weight and tone improvement. Balanced energy, better attitude, and performance. Sound good? There's more.
Actually, the minerals are doing much more. They are working together to fortify any other weak tissues in the body as well. They dramatically improve hoof, bone, and cartilage. Bring back healthy skin, with an amazing glossy coat, and rich color. Support a healthy immune system, fertility, and birth weight. (I told you it was good news!)
So where do we get some and how much will it cost, you ask? Again, there is good news and bad news. Bad news first; there are only a handful of organic trace minerals out there. Some have a dozen minerals, some have less. Some are mixed with all sorts of flavorings and additives, and some cost more than a Lexus payment per month! The good news is, as American consumers, we are informed and we have choices. Take a look at the following chart and decide for yourself.
Opinion, Research, and Information contributed to Ride Magazine by
Dr. Lauri Grietzer, DC., Equine Chiropractor, Paradise, CA
530-877-9333
Copyright 2007
Independent Consumer Comparison
|
Product/Manufacturer |
Mineral Count |
Naturally Occurring Balance/ Full Spectrum |
Natural Detox Support |
Organic Human Grade Plant Sourced |
Avg. Cost Per Day |
|
Farnam Vita Plus www.Farnam.com |
12 |
No |
No |
No |
1.00 |
|
Platinum Osteon www.Platinum.com |
1 |
No |
No |
No |
4.00 |
|
EnviroMin Micro Minerals www.EnviroMin.com |
70 |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
1.00 |
Mineral Balance
It is common knowledge among animal nutritionists and veterinarians that animals need minerals to live. To function at optimal levels of health, they need a balanced intake of these minerals which include calcium, copper, zinc, salt, manganese, selenium and cobalt.
However, new research reveals the vital need for a full spectrum of balanced trace minerals in addition to the macro minerals. EnviroMin minerals contain the more recognized macro minerals like calcium and zinc along with a full spectrum of the less well known, and difficult to source, rare trace minerals, or micro minerals. Research indicates that all of these trace elements are needed in the body, even in minute levels, to provide the building blocks for cells, tissue, and bone. At EnviroMin, our approach is to include as many known beneficial trace minerals as possible. The animals who ingest these enjoy enhanced health, vigor, and wellness.
Soil Depletion
Minerals are ingested by animals through the foods they eat. Research is also showing that in many areas of the country, the mineral content of grains, grasses and hay, is less due to the depletion of soils from over grazing, erosion, and chemicals. Trace minerals are also bound in soils by herbicides and pesticides making them less bio-avaliable even where they are abundant. These lowered mineral levels can have a profound effect on the overall health of animals and is often a significant factor in the difference between a horse that is surviving or one that is thriving and performing at optimum levels.
EnviroMin Micro Minerals are unaltered, non-chemical, and all natural. No chemicals, no preservatives, no additives, no herbicides or pesticides. Sourced from naturally occurring mineral deposits in the United States of America. Their purity is unsurpassed. This rare blend is balanced by nature, not by man.
Micro and macro minerals are vital to good health. In their complete form they modulate one another, enhancing and balancing overall effectiveness of the nutrients necessary for good health. Micro Minerals are fully tested and certified Organic, and as Human Food Grade.
Inflammation, Connective Tissue and Vascular Function
Most research shows that inflammation is a common factor in a wide range of ailmentsthroughout the bodies of mammals, including prominently, bones, joints, the digestive system, and the vascular system. Silicon (Si) provides a vehicle for reducing inflammation and flush toxins that cause inflammation out of the body. As it moves through the body it absorbs toxic substances found in the digestive tract and moves them out of the body.
Silicon dioxide, along with other trace minerals, is important for the structure and functioning of connective tissue and deficiency leads to weakness of this tissue and of bones. The connective tissue of younger mammals always shows a higher silica content which decreases as they age. Micro Minerals contain the highest concentration and purity of silica available.
Silicon dioxide or silica has been shown to lower blood cholesterol concentrations and improve symptoms of vascular disorder. Silica adds elasticity to vascular walls helping them to function well, which almost always improves circulation. Higher silica levels also has a positive influence on all disorders connected to arteriosclerosis.
Mineralization of Bone Structures and Digestion
Micro Minerals seem to have a mineralizing effect over bone structures that have been worn down, and a purifying and detoxifying result, as mentioned above. These benefits can reduce inflammation, inhibit food poisoning, enhance food conversion, and lessen stress symptoms that cause founder. Bones have a 45% mineral content; so feeding the right mineral blend will have a dramatic effect on bone health and hardness, reducing susceptibility to damage. Foundered horses fed Equine Micro Minerals consistently, show a marked improvement in their condition.
Parasite and Fly Control
The EnviroMin Micro Mineral blend is unique and balanced. This combination of minerals, improves digestion by ridding the body of inflammation and bad bacteria. The silica found in our product, is a semi-conductive mineral which, when warmed by body heat, becomes negatively-charged and gives off electrons. This negatively charged mineral attracts the unhealthy microbes, free radicals, and positively charged waste, absorbing them and moving them out, thereby cleaning, purifying the area and improving digestion. The mineral surfaces are relatively hard as well, and interfere with the feeding mechanisms of parasites. This makes the internal environment of the mammal cleaner and healthier while making it unattractive and even physically unlivable for the parasites. As a positive side effect of feeding Micro Minerals; fly larva cannot live in the manure of daily supplemented animals, drastically reducing fly populations around horse barns and arenas.
Results Time Line:
Please note that while concrete results can be seen in as little as 2 weeks, Micro Minerals are a supplement to regular nutrition. For the best effectiveness consistency over time is necessary. Nutritional imbalances, such as a deficiency in chromium or vanadium, are improved in small segments each day with results most measurable after several weeks to 6 months of consistent use.
Silicon deprivation decreases collagen formation in wounds and bone, and ornithine transaminase enzyme activity in liver.
Seaborn CD, Nielsen FH.
University of Wisconsin-Stout, Menomonie, WI, USA.
We have shown that silicon (Si) deprivation decreases the collagen concentration in bone of 9-wk-old rats. Finding that Si deprivation also affects collagen at different stages in bone development, collagen-forming enzymes, or collagen deposition in other tissues would have
implications that Si is important for both wound healing and bone formation. Therefore, 42 rats in experiment 1 and 24 rats in experiment 2 were fed a basal diet containing 2 or 2.6 micro Si/g, respectively, based on ground corn and casein, and supplemented with either 0 or
10 microg Si/g as sodium meta silicate. At 3 wk, the femur was removed from 18 of the 42 rats in experiment 1 for hydroxyproline analysis. A polyvinyl sponge was implanted beneath the skin of the upper back of each of the 24 remaining rats. Sixteen hours before termination and 2 wk after the sponge had been implanted, each rat was given an oral dose of 14C-proline (1.8 microCi/100 g body wt). The total amount of hydroxyproline was significantly lower in the tibia and sponges taken from Si-deficient animals than Si-supplemented rats. The disintegrations per minute of 14C-proline were significantly higher in sponge extracts from Si- deficient rats than Si-
supplemented rats. Additional evidence of aberrations in proline metabolism with Si deprivation was that liver ornithine aminotransferase was significantly decreased in Si-deprived animals in experiment 2. Findings of an increased accumulation of 14C-proline and decreased total hydroxyproline in implanted sponges and decreased activity of a key enzyme in proline synthesis (liver ornithine aminotransferase) in Si-deprived animals indicates an aberration in the formation of collagen from proline in sites other than bone that is corrected by Si. This suggests that Si is a nutrient of concern in wound healing as well as bone formation.
PMID: 12462748 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
Dietary silicon and arginine affect mineral element composition of rat femur and vertebra.
Seaborn CD, Nielsen FH.
University of Wisconsin-Stout, Menomonie, WI, USA.
Both arginine and silicon affect collagen formation and bone mineralization. Thus, an experiment was designed to determine if dietary arginine would alter the effect of dietary silicon on bone mineralization and vice versa. Male weanling Sprague-Dawley rats were assigned to groups of 12 in a 2 x 2 factorially arranged experiment. Supplemented to a ground corn/casein basal diet containing 2.3 microg Si/g and adequate arginine were silicon as sodium metasilicate at 0 or 35 microg/g diet and arginine at 0 or 5 mg/g diet. The rats were fed ad libitum deionized water and their respective diets for 8 wk. Body weight, liver weight/body weight ratio, and plasma silicon were decreased, and plasma alkaline phosphatase activity was increased by silicon deprivation. Silicon deprivation also decreased femoral calcium, copper, potassium, and zinc concentrations, but increased the femoral manganese concentration. Arginine supplementation decreased femoral molybdenum concentration but increased the femoral manganese concentration. Vertebral concentrations of phosphorus, sodium, potassium, copper, manganese, and zinc were decreased by silicon deprivation. Arginine supplementation increased vertebral concentrations of sodium, potassium, manganese, zinc, and iron. The arginine effects were more marked in the
silicon-deprived animals, especially in the vertebra. Germanium concentrations of the femur and vertebra were affected by an interaction between silicon and arginine; the concentrations were decreased by silicon deprivation in those animals not fed supplemental arginine. The change in germanium is consistent with a previous finding by us suggesting that this element may be physiologically important, especially as related to bone DNA concentrations. The femoral and vertebral mineral findings support the contention that silicon has a physiological role in bone formation and that arginine intake can affect that role. PMID: 12462747 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
The action of excessive, inorganic silicon (Si) on the mineral metabolism of calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg).
Najda J, Gminski J, Drozdz M, Danch A.
Department of Biochemistry and Chemistry, Silesian Medical Academy, Katowice, Poland.
The influence of silicon treatment on the levels of calcium and magnesium in blood serum and tissues was studied in rats. The concentrations of both elements were estimated in samples of sera and tissues of rats receiving per os a soluble, inorganic silicon compound--sodium metasilicate nonahydrate (Na2SiO3.9H2O (REACHIM, USSR)), dissolved in the animals' drinking water. A decrease of magnesium concentration in serum was observed with accompanying elevation of registered calcemia. Moreover, a reduction of tissue calcium levels was found with a simultaneous increase of magnesium tissue pool. The results provide evidence for silicon involvement in mineral metabolism. It could result in a modification of pathological processes concerning bone tissue.
PMID: 7688524 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
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