We’re all guilty of setting New Year resolutions for ourselves and realizing they are more complicated that we realized. It doesn’t have to be that way for your furry friends! If you’re looking for ways to set your pets up for success in 2020, there are some easy changes you can make to improve yours AND their health.
Why Should I Give My Pet a Resolution?
It’s not just humans who can benefit from a diet improvement or more exercise. First, identify some things that can be worked on. Does it look like they could benefit from a different diet? Could they use more exercise? Do they just need to lose weight? No matter what the goal is, we’re here to help you and your pet meet your goals.
One of the things to consider about your pet’s health are toxins. Toxins can accumulate in your pet’s body over time, causing chronic health issues when the ‘toxic load’ becomes too heavy for their body to manage. Pets are exposed to toxins from a variety of sources including chemical pesticides and household cleaning products, medicines and vaccines, and allergen ingredients in poor-quality pet foods. When these toxins build up in your pet’s body, they can compromise their immune system and lead to a wide range of illnesses including liver and kidney problems, infections, and digestive disorders. All this adds up to needless suffering for your pet – and costly vet bills for you.
Aside from these, you may be noticing that your pet is a bit “fluffier” after a cold winter indoors. Gaining extra weight can start them down a path to a chronic health issue, so get ahead of it if you can!
Pet Resolutions and How to Enforce Them
Feed a Balanced and Nutritious Diet
Take a look at the ingredients on your current pet food. Many commercial pet foods today contain cheap, filler ingredients such as corn and wheat. They also contain artificial colors, flavors, flavor enhancers, and preservatives to extend their shelf life and make them more palatable to pets. These chemical additives are just plain nasty and contribute to toxins in your pet.
Feeding your pet a balanced and nutritious diet will enhance their overall health and wellbeing while reducing their toxic load. Our Solid Gold holistic pet foods are made with whole nutrient-dense superfoods, living probiotics, and omegas to optimize your pet’s immune system and overall gut health. All our holistic pet foods are formulated with no added corn, wheat, or soy. They also contain no artificial flavors or preservatives.
If your pet falls under the “fluffier” category previously mentioned, not to worry! Check out Fit as a Fiddle for cats and Fit and Fabulous for dogs. These recipes are specially formulated for weight loss and will add that pep back to their step in no time.
Increase Water Intake
Just like for humans, water is an important part of any detox regimen because it flushes out toxins and hydrates the body. Water also aids in digestion, helps your pet absorb the nutrients it needs, and helps keep bowel movements regular, so make sure they are getting enough!
Keep in mind that water straight from the faucet may contain traces of heavy metals and chemicals such as fluoride and chlorine. These can actually contribute to your pet’s toxic load – so it’s always better to provide filtered water.
Maintain Regular Exercise
Regardless if your pet is highly active or prefers to lounge on the couch, regular exercise has lots of benefits for them. These benefits include moving waste through the digestive system which reduces buildup of toxins in the gut, improves the circulation of blood, helps joint health, and overall reduces the risk of developing a chronic health issue.
Exercise can also help in terms of behavioral issues. Making sure your pet gets enough positive activity can drastically minimize them chewing or scratching things they shouldn’t, hyperactivity, and other unintentional destructive activities due to their boredom. Plus, taking your pup for a longer walk can also help you get more steps in!
Minimize Exposure to Pollutants and Chemicals
Pollutants both in the home and outside can contribute to your pet’s toxic load. Minimize exposure to toxins around the house by avoiding harsh chemical cleaning products and solvents. It’s also important to keep your home smoke-free and well ventilated.
When outside, keep a close eye on your pet and prevent them from eating plants and grass that are likely to have been treated with chemical pesticides, weed killers, or fertilizers. If you know that an area is heavily treated with chemicals, it’s a good idea to avoid it altogether.
Avoid Overmedication and Consider Natural Supplements
Overmedicating your pet can put a strain on their body with added toxins. Of course, many conventional medicines like antibiotics are necessary to treat illnesses, but try to choose natural alternatives wherever possible (ex: using natural pest preventatives instead of harsh chemical flea and tick treatments).
In addition to avoiding these, adding natural supplements to your pet’s daily routine can support their overall health and help their body detoxify.
Solid Gold SeaMeal is an easy supplement addition and excellent choice for boosting your pet’s immune system. It uses seaweed, Earth’s original superfood, as the main ingredient to deliver transformational health benefits for dogs and cats. SeaMeal has been proven to help pets with digestive issues, as well as issues with their skin & coat. SeaMeal can be used to help treat the source of bad gut health, and also be used as a preventative measure! It’s as easy as sprinkling the powder over their existing food, or feeding the chews as treats.
Solid Gold D-Zyme is another great choice if you’re looking to boost their overall health and wellness. D-Zyme supports healthy digestion and normal bowel function in both dogs and cats, and is as easy as feeding a chew to their regular feeding schedule!
