5 TIPS FOR CARING FOR AN AGING DOG

One day, you’re throwing the tennis ball for your faithful canine and he’s leaping up, catching it with ease, and bounding back to you for round two. The next day, seemingly, he’s slowed down--there’s grey on his muzzle, and he doesn’t get up quite so easily. It’s hard to see your pet get older, but there are ways to help him age gracefully and comfortably.


1. Arthritis affects many dogs as they get older. Joints become stiff and sore, and the condition can be quite painful. They can’t tell us it hurts, so keep a close eye on him. Is he reluctant to sit or lay down on command? Is he slow going up and down stairs or getting up from a nap? Depending on where and how severe the arthritis affects him, there are several treatment options. Talk to your veterinarian about anti-inflammatory medications, joint supplements, laser therapy, or even acupuncture. It’s a treatable condition that will greatly improve his comfort level if dealt with properly.  A proven, safe product is ProCare Hip+Joint Treats for Dogs from Melaleuca, a patented technology product your pet will love!

2. Mobility becomes an issue with older dogs as joints stiffen and they become weaker. It’s important to keep them as fit as possible and prevent muscle atrophy. Ask your veterinarian or rehabilitation veterinarian for some range of motion stretches and strengthening exercises you can do at home with your dog. Slings and harnesses can be used on walks and to help him rise and navigate stairs. Help ‘Em Up Harness (helpemup.com) is a great example of such a harness. A cheaper option is a homemade belly sling--cut a canvas shopping bag lengthwise, slip the strip under his belly, and support him by using the bag’s handles as if you were carrying it. A towel slung under the belly is another quick, impromtu sling. If you have a large breed dog, ramps are also a good idea for transporting him in and out of your car. Booties or dog socks with rubber soles (woodrowwear.com) help give weakened dogs needed traction when moving around on smooth surfaces.

3. Buy him an orthopedic bed. Hard floors and regular dog beds won’t give his stiff joints and old bones the support he needs. An orthopedic bed will ensure he can rest comfortably.

4. Rethink his diet. An older dog will need a low-calorie diet rich in antioxidants and high in fiber. Talk to your veterinarian about the right senior diet for your dog’s breed.

5. Know the signs of cognitive dysfunction, or dementia. Does your dog seem confused or lost in familiar places, like the backyard or around the home? Has he forgotten which way the door opens, or have you found him confused by stairs or corners? Has he begun having accidents in the house? These signs can be upsetting for us as loving owners, but be assured it is not rare. You can help: keep a simple routine with him, minimize stressful situations, and try not to make any major changes to his environment. Visit your veterinarian to have his vision and hearing tested.

Caring for an aging pet isn’t easy, but these tips will help the both of you ease into this golden phase of life. Think of it as your chance to thank him for all his years of unconditional love.

Chronic disease: many trends are on the rise

Note from Linda:  After you read this report and are compelled to learn how to make a change in your home, please contact me @ 608.314.4004 - To a safe, healthy home...always, linda

from: www.saferchemicals.org

Agreement is growing across the political spectrum and among scientists, health professionals, and concerned parents that federal law does not adequately protect Americans from toxic chemicals. The primary law responsible for ensuring chemicals are safe—the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA)—was passed in 1976 and has never been updated. The law is so weak that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has only been able to require testing on less than two percent of the more than 80,000 chemicals that have been on the market at some point since TSCA was adopted.^[1]
Much has changed since TSCA became law decades ago. Scientists have developed a more refined understanding of how some chemicals can cause and contribute to serious illness, including cancer, reproductive and developmental disorders, neurologic diseases, and asthma.
By reforming TSCA, we can reduce our exposure to toxic chemicals, improve our nation’s health, and lower the cost of health care. This report documents some of the scientific findings and economic analysis in support of meaningful TSCA reform.
More than 30 years of environmental health studies have led to a growing consensus that chemicals are playing a role in the incidence and prevalence of many diseases and disorders in the United States, including: 

Chronic disease: many trends are on the rise

• Leukemia, brain cancer, and other childhood cancers, which have increased by more than 20% since 1975.^[2]
• Breast cancer, the incidence of which went up by 40% between 1973 and 1998.^[3] While breast cancer rates have declined in recent years in post-menopausal white women, rates of breast cancer in pre-menopausal white women and post-menopausal black women remain unchanged.^[4][5] A woman’s lifetime risk of breast cancer is now one in eight, up from one in ten in 1973.^[6]
• Asthma, which approximately doubled in prevalence between 1980 and 1995 and has continued to rise. In 2009, nearly 1 in 12 Americans had asthma.^[7][8]
• Difficulty in conceiving and maintaining a pregnancy affected 40% more women in 2002 than in 1982. From 1982 to 1995, the incidence of reported difficulty almost doubled in younger women, ages 18–25.^[9][10]
• The birth defect resulting in undescended testicles (cryptorchidism) increased sharply between 1970 and 1993, with uncertain trends since then.^[11]
• Learning and developmental disabilities, including autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, affect nearly one in six U.S. children, as of 2008.^[12] Between 1997 and 2008, the prevalence of autism increased nearly 300% nationally.^[13]

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 133 million people in the U.S.—almost half of all Americans—are now living with these and other chronic diseases, which account for 70% of deaths and 75% of U.S. health care costs.^[14]
In general, these and other common diseases or disorders are the result of many factors, but many chemicals, by themselves or in combination with other chemical and non-chemical factors, can be harmful to multiple systems in the body, increasing the risk of adverse health outcomes.

The health and economic benefits of reforming chemical policy

Estimates of the proportion of the disease burden that can be attributed to chemicals vary. A recent World Health Organization review conservatively estimates that the global disease burden related to chemicals is more than 8%.^[15] Here in the United States, researchers estimate that 5% of childhood cancer and 30% of childhood asthma are attributable to chemical exposures.^[16][17]
Whatever the actual contribution of chemicals to the overall disease burden or specific diseases, effective chemical policy reform will incorporate the last 30+ years of science to reduce those exposures that contribute to chronic disease and provide incentives to move to safer alternatives. Any decline in the incidence of chronic diseases also can be expected to lower health care costs.
(continued on link)

to read the compete article, click here

Melaleuca Sustain Sport Drink - by Melaleuca products video

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Imagine a head hunter called you today and offered you a position in a 27 year old, INC500, debt free American consumer product manufacturing company.  A job you could work from home, part time. Your job title is a 'Customer Hugger'.  You reach out and touch one someone a day via phone and asked that person to join you on a webinar. If they don't answer the phone, you leave a message and asked them to call you back. That qualifies as a "Touch"… and you would be done for the day. If they say "NO", that also qualifies as a "Touch"… and you would be done for the day. And if you are very good at your One-A-Day Plan, the 27 year history of this company, proves you will earn $60,000+ in the next 12 months, and you will have helped a bunch of people be healthier, safe and save money. I know, it happened to me!

WOULD YOU TAKE THIS JOB?   

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Wonderful World of Fungi!

Amazing what will grow at the roots of a dead elm tree! Earlier we had a bumper crop of morels...and now this amazing fungi! It is beautiful...enjoy the little things today...

Changing the Game!

If you're looking for something legit to invest some time into with a real company, that is not MLM or other creepy thing. Please go to: www.handswithseeds.com … it is our site, a home based biz that we have been paid from every month, since January 2003.

Nothing icky, just very cool. Would love to share details, and you make a decision if you're interested. Especially, watch the video, "Changing the Game" at the bottom of the home page...

Oh, there is one really, really weird thing…you get me as your side-kick partner/mentor! YIKES! hugs, linda

 

Where do your eggs come from?

Here's a terrific video!