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Healthy Living - Only Inches Off the Ground

We take many things for granted living in our upright world. We wear shoes to protect us from the elements we encounter inside and outside the home, and we utilize many chemicals to keep the house clean. Our yards and parks are sprayed with insecticides and lumber is treated to help maintain that well-groomed appearance. But what are the repercussions of this “civilized” lifestyle for our pets?

If you haven’t read Dr. Pitcairn’s Complete Guide to Natural Health, you are missing some very important considerations about protecting your pets, even within the confines of your own home. Our shoes can track in all kinds of pollutants from outside that settle in carpets and on floors. Your pets can pick these up with their nose, pads, and fur. Through their natural grooming instincts they lick themselves clean and can introduce unnatural substances into their tiny systems. Maintaining a clean home may be more important than you’ve realized if you have pets, especially in low-lying areas where they situate. Avoid deep-pile carpets and vacuum or steam clean often. Try not to pet your animals with dirty hands, and avoid storing chemicals or poisons that may leak to the bottom of cabinets and floors. Be especially cautious with poison for ants, snails, or slugs; there are natural ingredients and methods for dealing with these pests. Also, proper ventilation indoors is important for you and your pets, so be sure to open those windows on clear days.

An often overlooked consideration for our pets is their drinking water. Most utilities only test for a fraction of pollutants that have been known to exist in our water supply. Not surprisingly, communities with higher pollution also have higher rates of cancer in the gastrointestinal and urinary organs. Flouride has been the subject of recent controversy and has been banned from water in many European countries. Chlorine is another unnatural additive that isn’t without side effects. It can be irritating to the mucus membranes of the eyes, nose, throat, airways and lungs. Investing in a good home water purifier is a very wise investment, or at least use a good filtered fountain like the Drinkwell for your pets. Their smaller systems are more susceptible to the levels of toxins that we subject ourselves to.

Learn how to protect your pets and clean your home with natural alternatives by reading Dr. Pitcairn’s book, chapter eight, “Creating a Healthier Environment. (click here for details).