Cancer and Your Pet
Simply stated, cancer is abnormal cell growth. Because the cells are a natural part of the body, the immune system fails to recognize abnormal growth as a problem and therefore, does not eliminate it. Healthy immune systems are capable of keeping cell growth in check. Holistically thinking, cancer is the ultimate failure of immune function.
There is no one single cause of cancer. People often ask, “Is it in the food, air, water or soil?” My answer is “yes.” Certainly nutrient-deficient soils grow nutrient-deficient foods. Add into the equation a lifetime of over-processed, inorganic, chemically treated sterile pet food. Over time, the body begins to degenerate and cell replication processes do not function properly. Animals’ immune systems become so depleted that they fail to recognize disease. Genetics also predispose some pets to certain types of cancer. For instance, Boxers get more cancer than any other breed, giant breed dogs tend to have more bone cancer, rats are predisposed to mammary tumors, grey horses are prone to melanomas.
The more carcinogens (or cancer-causing substances) an animal is exposed to, the more likely it is the animal will develop cancer. Some animals are exposed to more toxins than others, including lawn chemicals, chemicals put directly on pets and chemicals ingested in foods. Toxins cause cell damage, which lead to the body producing its own bio-toxins called “free radicals.” These substances cause healthy cells to alter their genetic instructions for normal cell division.
The link between a healthy diet and the prevention of cancer has been proven over and over in the human medical field. There are a whole host of anti-cancer foods and nutrients that have been proven to reduce people’s risks of developing certain types of cancers. We know that a diet full of unprocessed fruits and vegetables, rich in enzymes and antioxidants, can reduce the likelihood of several types of cancers. The human medical field has also demonstrated that certain foods can increase the risks of developing cancer.
The relationship between complex carbohydrates and an accelerated tumor growth rate in people has been established for quite some time. In 1997 the Colorado State School of Veterinary Medicine documented that dogs and cats with cancer had a longer survival time if they were fed a diet high in protein and fat but reduced in carbohydrate. Cancer cells require glucose, derived from carbohydrates, for replication. Cancer cells cannot utilize fat as an energy source, but healthy cells can. Therefore, feeding cancer patients a high fat and protein diet is found to “starve” the cancer cells of the carbohydrates needed for replication.
The well-documented omega 6:3 ratio for fighting cancer in people is 3:1. Veterinary oncologists do not know the exact fatty acid requirements that are best for our pets but many veterinarians are aware that commercial foods are completely devoid of essential fatty acids. Raw foods also contain anti-oxidants, which scavenge free radicals and promote a healthy immune system. A raw food diet contains an abundance of fatty acids and antioxidants beneficial for healthy animals and critical for cancer patients.
To learn more about grain free, raw food diets, read Dr. Becker’s articles on nutrition.
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