Every day, our feline companions are diagnosed with urinary tract infections, thyroid imbalances, diabetes, dental disease, obesity, skin irritations, cancer and renal failure in epidemic proportions.  Why?

In large part because the food we have been told to feed them is creating a heavy burden on their digestive systems, and thereby on their immunity, longevity and vitality.  Just like human food, pet food has become more and more processed over the years. With the addition of GMO ingredients, veterinarians that don’t understand the healing power of good nutrition, and pet food manufacturers that just don’t care about the health and well being of our animal friends, we end up with food on the shelves that is devoid of vitality and healing properties and loaded with difficult to digest, harmful ingredients.

Yes, some cats seem to crave dry food. It’s designed that way, made attractive to cats, who are very scent-driven, by spraying a coating of “flavoring” on the food (once it has been baked into oblivion). The ingredients in most cat foods are appalling, and any beneficial ingredients are damaged or destroyed by the canning and/or baking process.

What is the ideal diet for a feline?

In the wild, felines derive their energy and most of their required moisture from their prey.  From dental structure to the types of enzymes their bodies produce, cats are designed to digest and metabolize high quality, bio-available protein – not carbohydrates and crunchy, baked food.  Cats are obligate carnivores and must eat meat to thrive.  Feeding raw, lightly cooked or rehydrated whole foods creates health and can resolve many imbalances for our feline friends.

Raw foods that are excellent: Rad Cat , Primal , Poultry Necks , Bravo Raw Diets

Dehydrated foods that cats love: Lamb Lung , or other freeze dried treat, Stella & Chewy’s, and Primal Pet Foods are all excellent and best served rehydrated. ZiwiPeak is a food I keep on hand to use as a treat or a small quick meal.  It’s an air-dried food from New Zealand that has a jerky-like consistency.  My cat loves it.   The canine formulas for all of the above are fine for cats, as most of these formulas consist of 90-95% muscle meat, organ meat and bone, and 5-10% organic sprouts, fruits and vegetables – perfect for a cat!  I serve the canine formulas to my cat, as the feline formulas are more expensive and come in smaller packages.  And, hey, they all contain a high percentage of muscle meat, organ meat and bone – perfect for the obligate carnivore.  Feline formulas almost always contain a taurine supplement, which is evidently what sets them apart from canine fare.  It’s important to note that if you feed even small amounts of raw food to your cat on a regular basis, a taurine supplement will not be needed.

Enzymes, flavonoids, vitamins and minerals are all vital to organ function and the daily cellular repair that takes place in all animals. That’s why I formulated Kitty Greens & B’s – just for felines!  Cats LOVE this supplement! Wheat grass, Barley Grass, Nutritional Yeast, Lecithin and Spirulina supply vital macro and micronutrients for the feline physique.  Many other helpful supplements and enzymes can be found here.

Another way to support our felines at the cellular level is to add a once-a-week dosage of the following vitamins. This once a week schedule works because these vitamins are fat soluable.

400 IU vitamin E
10,000 units of Vitamin A
400 IU Vitamin D

Raw egg yolks are super nourishing for cats, so include several a week if possible. Just the yolk, especially for a cat that is healing. Mix it with food, or try it by itself or with a sprinkle of Kitty Greens.

The Veterinarian’s Guide to Natural Remedies for Cats is a very helpful book to have on hand. I also highly recommend getting a copy of The Encyclopedia of Natural Pet Care.  This super helpful and practical book recommends the following “from scratch” meals for a 10 lb cat:

1/4 lb raw chicken or game hen with bones (include the liver when available)
1 pinch of powdered seaweed (kelp, dulse, etc)
1 tsp – 1 Tbs finely minced fresh wheat grass, collard greens or other greens
1 tsp – 1 Tbs finely minced, pureed or pressed raw carrots, peas, beans or other vegetables

or

1/2 c warm raw milk, yogurt or kefir
1/8 tsp cod liver oil or other oil, or an essential fatty acid supplement
1 Tbs fresh, raw carrot juice

Also recommended:

“Offer raw watermelon, cantaloupe, cucumber, mango, banana, or other raw fruit.  Encourage your cat to eat a variety of fresh, raw foods, no matter how unlikely this may seem.”  Many cats go wild for cantaloupe!

For cats who are out of balance, a whole food diet that includes greens and nutritive herbs can often restore health:

Feeding dry food to your cat can lead to chronic dehydration and constipation.  When the feline body is deprived of moisture, urine becomes concentrated, creating the perfect storm of harmful bacteria in the urinary tract.  This explains the incredibly high incidence of urinary tract issues in cats today.  Think about it! Just feed whole, fresh foods!  LoveMyPet Kidney Bladder Relief is an amazing remedy that works wonders for kidney and bladder imbalances.

For cats who are diagnosed with renal failure, Vetri-Science Renal Essentials for Dogs and Cats can be a life saver.

Vomiting and hairballs are pretty much nonexistent with a raw or whole food diet.  I have a long haired cat, and she has never vomited up a hairball.  I’ve heard the same from others who feed a raw diet.  If your cat is vomiting or has other digestive imbalances, enzymes and probiotics can be very helpful, along with a whole food diet.

Chronic digestive issues cleared up overnight, when one cat was switched from a canned food diet to a combination of freeze dried/rehydrated and raw food. This was a middle aged cat (8 years old) who had been experiencing digestive distress for a number of years (severe diarrhea). Switched overnight to raw chicken, this feline’s digestive issues resolved immediately. The humans in the equation switched back to canned food once the problem resolved, and all the symptoms resurfaced. Thankfully, this cat now eats a whole food diet every single day and is doing very well. I’ve seen the same scenario for many felines.  Adding Animal Essentials Plant Enzymes and Probiotics can be very helpful for digestive support.

Cats with hyperthyroid conditions are using up their nutrients much more rapidly than a normal cat. They are also casting off toxins more intensely as well, thus an oily coat often accompanies this condition.  Nourishing your cat with whole foods and greens while using a natural thyroid formula can be incredibly healing.   Nature’s Herbs for Pets Thyroid Calming formula is an excellent remedy.

Another common feline imbalance, Diabetes, can actually be reversed by simply switching to species-appropriate whole foods and eliminating any dry or canned foods or baked treats. Species appropriate for cats means 80%-90% high quality, bioavailable protein and 10-20% greens.  Remedies I recommend for resolving Diabetes are PetAlive GlucoEnsure and Pet Essences Pancreas Balance – always used in combination with the species appropriate diet.  Diabetes can resolve rather quickly once the diet is adjusted, so be aware and monitor your cat’s progress closely.  I have seen cats whose insulin was discontinued after being fed species appropriate food for just two weeks.

Other factors to consider for feline health and happiness:

Just say NO to vaccinations.  One vaccine for the life of your cat is all that is needed.  Repeated vaccinations can contribute to thyroid imbalances, and cancer is known to develop at injection sites.  Especially for indoor cats, yearly vaccinations are completely unnecessary and often harmful.

Unless your entire neighborhood is completely organic, I recommend keeping your cat inside.   Or build an enclosed “cat-io” where he or she can enjoy the out of doors without being exposed to harmful chemical fertilizers and herbicides.  I see my neighbors using chemicals on their lawns all the time, and I would totally freak out if my cat walked through those yards!

If your cat is demonstrating behavioral issues of any kind, I highly recommend SpiritEssence Flower Essences.   Safe Space for Cats often quickly resolves litter box issues for cats who are peeing outside of the box.  All of these remedies are wonderful and effective.  I’ve seen them work quickly in hundreds of cases.

Cats need playtime and hunting games!  For cats who are finicky about eating new food, having a vigorous hunting game prior to meal time can stimulate their appetite and help with digestion.  Find a lot of cat toys and other fun stuff here.

My cat, Chandra and my little Corgi, Lily adore each other and play well together.  Love them!

Good Health & Blessings
To You and Your Cat,

Sarah

Bibliography and Recommended Reading

Belfield, Wendell O., and Martin Zucker. The Very Healthy Cat Book: A Vitamin and Mineral Program for Optimal Feline Health. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1983. Print.

Bernard, Michelle T. Raising Cats Naturally: How to Care for Your Cat the Way Nature Intended. Lincolnton, NC: Blakkatz Pub., 2003. Print.

Frazier, Anitra, Norma Eckroate, and Anitra Frazier. The New Natural Cat: A Complete Guide for Finicky Owners. New York, NY, U.S.A.: Plume, 1990. Print.

“HomeGrown Herbalist.” HomeGrown Herbalist. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Apr. 2014.

Kidd, Randy. Dr. Kidd’s Guide to Herbal Cat Care. Pownal, VT: Storey, 2000. Print.

Pedersen, Mark. Nutritional Herbology: Including the Nutritional Profiles of 106 Commonly Used Herbs and Foods. Bountiful, Utah (P.O. Box 761, Bountiful 84010): Pedersen Pub., 1987. Print.

Puotinen, C. J. The Encyclopedia of Natural Pet Care. Los Angeles: Keats Pub., 2000. Print.

Tilford, Gregory L., Mary Wulff-Tilford, and Mary Wulff-Tilford. Herbs for Pets: The Natural Way to Enhance Your Pet’s Life. Laguna Hills, CA: BowTie, 2009. Print.

Zucker, Martin. The Veterinarians’ Guide to Natural Remedies for Cats: Safe and Effective Alternative Treatments and Healing Techniques from the Nation’s Top Holistic Veterinarians. New York: Three Rivers, 1999. Print.

Greetings!  Time to take a walk through my beautiful, organic Spring garden.

It was a hard winter – for roses and bees.  Normally my crabapple would have been alive and buzzing, but nary a bee did I see this spring.  It’s done blooming now, and I’m just starting to see a few bees here and there – not nearly as many as in past years.  Very sad.  I hope the human race gets a clue before it’s too late!

The old roses and species roses are all leafy and green.  The hybrids are all attempting to leaf out from their very bottom branches and graft points.  Thank Heaven for Rose de Rescht, Darlow’s Enigma, Apothecary Rose and the Rugosas!   Not sure how the others will recover.  Next year I’ll add 12″ of mulch around each rose bush.

Here are images of what is blooming now, in early May, in my gardens:

Pulsatilla is STILL blooming after 3 weeks!
As long as I deadhead, this plant continues to bloom.

An early blooming anemone! Very vigorous. Grows well with Plumbago and Campanula.

From the front sidewalk, you see the Anemone along with Basket of Gold and Catmint. LOVE!

Purple Mullein (Verbascum weidemannianum) – so beautiful!  And Medicinal!

Erodium chrysanthum (Golden Storksbill) – Putting on quite a show this year! LOVE!
Must have very well drained soil, so I added a generous amount of pea gravel to the soil.

Closeup of Erodium. Such a beautiful pale yellow.

Lovely purple Ajuga with Norton’s Gold Oregano.  Later, the oregano greens, then blooms with pink flowers.

I’m considering planting these peach miniature iris next to the Lipstick Fragaria.

The first wave of violets came on quickly this year. LOVE!

Bitter Root in full bloom. Continues for several weeks.
One of my all time favorite plants that requires well-drained soil.

The upper garden is mostly a summer garden.. The exception being this new amazing allium
growing behind the two veronicas and the Iberis sempervirens (Candytuft)

Love these two Veronicas with the Candytuft!

Closeup of these stunning allium. I’m keeping all the seed for myself!

The first Saponaria flowers of the season.
Soon the entire plant will be covered in these little beauties.

The Blue Mallow is just getting started, but still quite large
(That’s my size 7 foot there).

Lots of other herbs and flowers coming on, including Verbascum canadensis, Echinacea paradoxa, E. tennesseensis, E. angustifolia, and E. pallida.  Looking forward to sages, clematis, hollyhocks,geraniums, penstemons, roses, oreganos, skullcap, prunella, passiflora and many others – which I will share with you!

I’m available for garden consults, redesigns, and plant recommendations, and I will be selling my herbs and herbal products on Etsy!

Be well, and happy gardening!

More amazing products and bulk herbs coming soon!

or If Only I Knew Then What I Know Now…

Book Review

The basic premise of this book is simple:  supplying our bodies with the appropriate foods and nutrients can resolve illness, restore health and balance, and maintain vibrant good energy.  This school of thought is referred to as “Orthomolecular Medicine” – a phrase coined by Linus Pauling in 1968 and defined as “the practice of preventing and treating disease by providing the body with optimal amounts of substances which are natural to the body.”

Written in the late 70’s, the information in Feed Your Kids Right offers useful, practical, nutritional solutions for a myriad of common childhood imbalances and nervous system disorders.  This is information that you will rarely, if ever, hear from today’s pediatricians.  A gold mine of information, this book offers very easy to understand guidance that can and will change your life for the better if you give his suggestions a try – children and adults alike.

Dr. Smith’s first chapter describes his “five levels of health” which are referenced and expanded upon throughout the rest of the book.   It becomes obvious as the book progresses how important the beginning stages of life are.  Do you recognize yourself in any of the following?

A Level I infant usually grows into adulthood free of illness.  He came from a stress-free, comfortable, full-term pregnancy and easy delivery.  Laughs and smiles more than cries; Hair and nails are glossy, not brittle; Bowel movements are normal with no bad smell, rarely constipated, rare loose stools; Cuts teeth easily; Handles new situations well; Permanent teeth are free of cavities; Even tempered.

At Level II, there are moments of allergy, discontent, moodiness, sickness throughout childhood and into adulthood; Needs rocking and a favorite stuffed toy at bedtime; Separation anxiety appears around seven or eight months.

Level III is where Dr. Lendon begins to describe my childhood with amazing accuracy:

Level III, “the mother had a stressful pregnancy.”  My mother had a difficult pregnancy (twins), and could only eat a tablespoon of food at any one time in those last few months.  “The baby may have been premature, was slow to breathe, had to go into the incubator…”  I had to stay in an incubator for a while after birth.   My brother and I were put on cow’s milk early on; and evidently we cried a lot as infants – also listed as Level III characteristics.   Level III children are described as touchy, “as if the world is too close.”  Yep.  I also developed asthma and frequent ear and throat infections, and, as a result, was overprotected by my parents.  Level III children are described as terribly shy, having persistent allergies.  Yes again.  It all sounds so familiar.

Level IV and V children are progressively more out of balance and may require medical intervention and/or hospitalization.  All this is just the beginning!

There is so much more amazing info in this book that I decided to site sections  that ring true for me, and that I feel are the most valuable.

In regard to the musculoskeletal system, Dr. Lendon writes:

“The bones, muscles and circulatory system form an infrastructure that is constantly in use.  When these systems get in trouble they have painful ways of letting us know.  Joints ache, muscles cramp, “tired” blood leaves us feeling punk.  Yet – assuming things haven’t gone too far – all of these systems respond marvelously to the preventive approach of good nutrition and stress reduction.”

“Avoid being sedentary.  Get the kind of exercise that uses these systems in a healthy way.  It will help keep the muscles in tone, the bones properly calcified, and the bloodstream unobstructed and elastic.”

“Bones are composed of calcium, phosphorus, magnesium and a few trace elements and are held together with connective tissue that depends on vitamin C.”

“Bone pain and muscle aches are signals that some element is in insufficient supply.  A person thus afflicted would be served better by a sound diet and supplements of bone meal or dolomite and the B complex vitamins than he would by aspirin, which just treats the symptoms.”

What a concept!   We can actually nourish and heal the musculoskeletal system by providing a healthful diet, trace minerals, and vitamins C and B complex.  That means we need to ingest these nutrients in the optimal amounts every single day.

Concerning the digestive system and metabolism:

“The digestive tube is no alchemist or magician; it cannot make human energy, human protein, or human bone if the raw materials are not put into it in the first place.”

“It is nonsense to believe we are supposed to get sick.  Our bodies give us clues all the time that some biochemical pathway is being improperly nourished.”

“. . . if a baby comes from a mother who has had a stressful or poorly nourished pregnancy, he will be likely to suffer milk allergy or other problems.”

To summarize, we can nourish ourselves by consuming whole, vital foods and supplements on a daily basis.  We can avoid becoming ill and have the ability to create health for future generations by learning how to nourish ourselves in the present.

Dr. Lendon on the Nervous System, Limbic System and Neocortex:

“Understanding the roles played by the limbic system and the neocortex gives us some insight into human behavior.  By keeping the neocortex well nourished we can keep the behavioral balance on the side of rational response to incoming stimuli.  All this gives hope for the treatment of nervous disorders.”

“…if the child is anemic or does not eat properly, the brain will be unable to function optimally.  If the body is under stress, the blood glucose will fall.  If the person consumes sugar, he may produce too much insulin, and the blood sugar will fall, depriving the brain of its energy source.”

“Enzymes require vitamin C and the B complex vitamins and some minerals plus a constant energy supply for the production of the brain chemicals that permit nerve functions.  The neocortex is the part most vulnerable to these deprivations.  When it goes, the next layer to take over is the limbic system – the devil in all of us.  Depending on genetic influences, learned patterns of response, age, previous insults, and the environment, a particular person will react in his own particular way.  Some get tired, some develop headaches, migraines, epilepsy, asthma, stomach-aches, incontinence, dizziness, tics, twitches, hives, arthritis, depression and a host of psychosomatic disorders that can be explained by the failure of the neocortex to run smoothly.”

“If the Prevention Diet and Stress Formula are not allowing [the child] to laugh and smile more than he cries and frowns, then a food-allergy elimination series should be attempted.  Usually the food that is craved is the offender; if he loves milk and must have it every day, it is probably the milk that makes him feel out of sorts and unable to cope with stress.”

Speaking as someone who had an unrecognized intolerance to dairy for most of my life (more than 50 years!), I can tell you that continued consumption of said allergen definitely contributes to emotional dysfunction, such as feelings of helplessness and a state of mind that is always on edge.  Continual intake of a food allergen combined with a lack of nutrients = a recipe for disaster, or at least a pretty miserable life.

On Orthomolecular Medicine:

“…orthomolecular doctors practice on the theory that if all the cells of the body are nourished properly, the body should be able to withstand a rather hostile environment – that is, stress and all its subdivisions, including infections, injuries, emotional traumata, and (up to a point) nutritional deprivations.”

 Dr. Smith on “anti-nutrients”:

“It is, however, useless to attempt to try specific supplements when a brief review of the patient’s eating habits reveals that he is consuming large quantities of anti-nutrients.  What’s an anti-nutrient?  It is a substance that, when consumed, in and of itself increases the body’s need for more nutrients.  Examples: refined sugar, excessive carbohydrates, artificial additives.  Many times the  mere elimination of the anti-nutrients will be all the help the body needs to raise it from one level to the next higher level (assuming that the anti-nutrients are replaced by wholesome food).”

Other foods that often act as anti-nutrients in the body are dairy, eggs, wheat and damaged oils.  Eliminating these damaging foods can improve health dramatically, while continued consumption often leads to a life-long downward spiral, frequent illness, inflammation, chronic disease, emotional unrest and unpleasant aging.

It’s time to get on board the Health Train!  Healing is possible at any age, although the earlier we begin to nourish our families and ourselves, the better.  Whole, organic foods in the proper balance, supplementing with the appropriate fluids and nutrients every day, getting exercise and rest, and leading a life as free of stress as possible all lead to good health through all stages of growth and maturity.  If you started out life at Level III or higher, you will have to be more vigilant in your efforts to maintain vibrant health, but it can be done.

Did I mention I purchased this as a used book on Amazon for $.01?  Just checked, and there are other copies available at the same price.  Add the $3.99 shipping, and you just paid $4.00 for an amazing book!

Wishing you good health and continued awareness.   You can create health for yourself!

One of my favorite books about nutrition is How to Have a Healthier Dog by Wendell Belfield, DVM.  Dr. Belfield bucked the conventional veterinary system by using high doses of Vitamin C  (thousands of milligrams) to successfully  treat “incurable” diseases, or to help those animals for whom conventional approaches were not working.  I consider Dr. Belfield a hero, because he went outside the scope of his training to treat the true cause of disease – nutritional deficiency.  Vitamin C was one of the nutrients that he used often and with great success to treat difficult conditions such as distemper (for which the textbook still says there is no successful treatment) and musculoskeletal conditions that had been labeled as “genetic.”   He saved many dogs from death, unnecessary surgery, and a lifetime of pain by administering and prescribing vitamin C.  Dr. Belfield says of Vitamin C:

“In my opinion, Vitamin C is the star of the team.  Before I began using other vitamins and minerals, I found vitamin C by itself was a real do-it-all.  It protected the bitch during pregnancy and the offspring during puppyhood.  It cleared up skin problems you might normally associate with a deficiency of Vitamin A.  It improved spinal problems.  It prevented and cured so many conditions that indeed I began regarding it as a panacea even though all my medical training told me there is no such thing.”

And,

“I believe that supplementation of vitamin C is perhaps the single most important thing you can do for the health of your pet.”

He himself developed a very painful case of tennis elbow from lifting heavy dogs in his examination room.  Dr. Belfield began taking as much as ten grams of vitamin C daily, and in two weeks the pain was gone and never returned.  His book is a treasure trove of helpful information.

Vitamin C is crucial for collagen production and joint repair.
It is antitoxin, antihistamine, antiviral and antidepressant.

 Another amazing book is Doctor Yourself by Andrew Saul, Ph.D.  It was Dr. Saul’s enthusiasm, research and experience regarding the use of Vitamin C that made me want to experience it for myself.  Here is an important observation by Dr. Saul:

“Due to the fact that all toxins, toxic effects, substantial allergic reactions, and induced immune compromise have the final common denominator of causing and/or resulting in the oxidation of vital biomolecules, the antioxidant vitamin C has proven to be the ultimate non-specific antidote to whatever toxin or excess oxidative stress might be present.”

Andrew Saul has written extensively about the specifics of using vitamin C to support immune function and resolve illness.  I have provided several of the most informative links in the bibliography below.  His entire book is available on line!

From Curing the Incurable, Vitamin C, Infectious Diseases, and Toxins by Thomas E. Levy, MD, JD:

“A greater amount of vitamin C in the body enhances the flow of electricity in the body, thereby optimizing the ability of the cells to maintain their health-sustaining communications.”

“It is long, long overdue that vitamin C is given its proper recognition and utilization in mainstream medicine.  Furthermore, vitamin C needs to be recognized not in the micro doses that have been typically researched for some 65 years, but in the much larger, optimal doses used by Frederick R. Klenner, M.D. and a few other noteworthy clinicians and researchers.  Optimal vitamin C dosing should drastically reduce the use of many antibiotics and other medicines.  Properly dosed vitamin C would prevent a large amount of needless disease and suffering.”

“Yes, vitamin C has been shown to cure, reverse and/or prevent many infectious diseases considered to be incurable and largely untreatable, except for some relief of associated symptoms.  Yes, many viral infectious diseases have been cured and can continue to be cured by the proper administration of vitamin C.  Yes, the vaccinations for these treatable infectious diseases are completely unnecessary when one has the access to proper treatment with vitamin C.  And, yes, all of the side effects of vaccinations, whether you consider them to be many or few, are also completely unnecessary since the vaccinations do not have to be given in the first place with the availability of properly dosed vitamin C.”

And, lastly, from Dead Doctors Don’t Lie by Joel Wallach, ND, DVM:

“Lynus Pauling, the gentlemen with 2 Nobel Prizes, says if you want to prevent and treat Cancer with vitamin C you have to use 10,000 mg a day. All the doctors who used to argue with him 35 years ago are all dead, and today Lynus Pauling, still 94, works 14 hours a day, 7 days a week, in his ranch in the Big Sur in California, and teaches at the University of California, San Francisco. So you have to make up your mind whether to listen to the dead doctors or Lynus Pauling.  Your choice.”

How can you can begin using Vitamin C to improve your health?

First, the form of Vitamin C is important.  If it’s not buffered with a mineral of some kind, it can irritate the digestive system.  I have tried Magnesium Ascorbate, Sodium Ascorbate, Calcium Ascorbate and a few others.  My favorite is Sodium Ascorbate – this is the form of Vitamin C that Dr. Belfield recommends for dogs and cats.   I use the NOW brand powder.  I find it dissolves very easily in water or other beverage with only a very mild, almost unnoticeable, salty flavor.  No stomach irritation whatsoever.  This form is super convenient to add to drinking water or smoothies.  Don’t add it to hot food, as that will damage the nutrient.

 My experience:  A few months back, I had a seriously bad cold with a lot of major aches and pains.  It was so painful, I couldn’t sleep and was actually considering taking an Ibuprofen.  For some reason, even in my groggy and irritable state, I decided I would give Vitamin C a try.   I stirred 1/2 tsp NOW sodium ascorbate (1600 mg Vitamin C) into an 8 oz glass of water and drank it down.   I also refilled my bedside bottle of water (1 quart), adding 1 tsp of NOW sodium ascorbate (3200 mg Vitamin C), and took a few swigs.   I hobbled back to bed, hoping I would be able to sleep.

Within 10 minutes of getting back into bed, I felt the achey, painful inflammation begin to steadily decrease, accompanied by a pleasant tingling sensation where the inflammation had once been.  Not kidding!  So simple and easy!!  I’ve used it since then for inflammation flare ups, headaches, and general malaise.  I find it’s very helpful for creating a deep, restful sleep.  My daily dose is around 3,000 mg mixed into a quart of water.  My little dog gets a sprinkle on most meals.

My mother in law has a lot of musculoskeletal pain.  A few weeks ago, I got her started on Sodium Ascorbate – she adds it to her water each day.  Last week, she ordered a 3 lb jar of sodium ascorbate from Amazon, as she feels so much better when she takes it!    Did I mention that vitamin C is fundamental for the production of collagen in the body?  And has anti-inflammatory properties?  It really works – you just need to take enough and you need to find the form of vitamin C that works for you.

My husband is a big fan of Vitamin C, as well.  If he happens to get sick, he puts about 6,000 mg of sodium ascorbate or calcium ascorbate in a quart bottle of water and drinks it pretty quickly (within 30 minutes) until he reaches bowel tolerance.  He finds that it acts like a bulldozer for the cold or flu, meaning it reduces symptoms significantly, as well as duration.  On a daily basis, he takes a maintenance dose of 3,000 mg in his afternoon/evening quart of water.  The benefit of this, he finds, is that he has eliminated that “dry throat” sensation and coughing at night.  If he feels like he might be getting a sore throat or cold, he adds an extra 2,000 mg vitamin C in his evening quart of water, drinks it all night, and symptoms are gone by morning.

What I recommend for all adults, especially if you have chronic inflammation, are prone to catch colds, or feel tired a lot of the time, is to increase your intake by adding 2,000 – 6,000 mg sodium ascorbate to your drinking water every day for two weeks.  Drink throughout the day – not all at once.  I think you will notice an improvement in the way you feel.  Divided doses throughout the day yield the most benefit.  This type of inflammation relief supports all the systems in the body, and addresses the fundamental cause of pain.  Unlike non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs that suppress the body’s inflammatory response and deplete many stored nutrients, including vitamin C, in the process.

To treat a cold, flu or other inflammatory imbalance, a saturation of Vitamin C can resolve the symptoms.  Follow up with high maintenance dosing to resolve the illness and protect from environmental exposure.  To achieve saturation, begin taking 4,000 mg in 4 – 8 oz of water every 10 minutes until bowel tolerance is reached (you feel like you are about to get diarrhea).  At this point, you can cut your dosage by half.  For some people, reaching bowel tolerance can require as much as 50,000 mg of vitamin C!  As you get well, you will find that the amount of Vitamin C your body can hold automatically decreases.

Keep track of how much you take to reach that threshold.  The NOW brand Sodium Ascorbate label shows that 1/2 teaspoon of the powder equals 1,600 mg of Vitamin C.  So I know that adding 1 teaspoon to my drinking water = 3200 mg of Vitamin C.

This approach is also effective for children who get chicken pox, measles or mumps.  The dosage would be lower (based on body weight), and the important part is to give it in divided doses every 15-30 minutes until symptoms begin to resolve.  For babies, 100 mg per day per month of age in divided doses, for toddlers, 1,000 mg per day in divided doses for the 1 year old, 2,000 mg/day for a 2 year old, and so on up to 5,000 mg per day for the five year old, which is a good dose to take on a daily basis for everyone. (From Doctor Yourself by Andrew Saul, Ph.D.)

There are many other therapeutic applications of vitamin C, and there is a lot of information available – you just have to look for it (see bibliography below).   I’ve had so much less inflammation, so much more comfort since increasing my daily intake of Vitamin C.  I hope you will have the same benefit. 

A delicious anti-inflammatory dessert-like drink that I enjoy almost daily –

I like to call it My Magic Cherry Soda

In a 16 oz glass, pour 1 oz of Knudsen Tart Cherry Juice
Stir in 1/2 – 1 tsp sodium ascorbate and 5 drops vanilla stevia
Fill the glass 3/4 full with bubbly water
Top off with coconut milk

ENJOY!

Recommended Reading List 

Belfield, Wendell O., and Martin Zucker. How to Have a Healthier Dog: The Benefits of Vitamins and Minerals for Your Dog’s Life Cycles. Garden City, NY: Doubleday, 1981. Print.

“DoctorYourself.com – Colds& Flu.” DoctorYourself.com – Colds& Flu. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Jan. 2014.

“DoctorYourself.com – Dosage Table for Vitamin C.” DoctorYourself.com – Dosage Table for Vitamin C. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Jan. 2014.

“DoctorYourself.com – Megavitamins for Kids: Lendon H. Smith, M.D.” DoctorYourself.com – Megavitamins for Kids: Lendon H. Smith, M.D. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Jan. 2014.

Klenner, Frederick R., Lendon H. Smith, and Frederick R. Klenner. Clinical Guide to the Use of Vitamin C: The Clinical Experiences of Frederick R. Klenner, M.D. Tacoma, Wash.?: Life Sciences, 1991. Print.

Levy, Thomas E. Curing the Incurable: Vitamin C, Infectious Diseases, and Toxins. Henderson, NV: Livon, 2002. Print.

Pauling, Linus. How to Live Longer and Feel Better. New York: W.H. Freeman, 1986. Print.

Saul, Andrew W. Doctor Yourself: Natural Healing That Works. North Bergen, NJ: Basic Health Publications, 2003. Print.

Wallach, Joel D., and Ma Lan. Dead Doctors Don’t Lie. Franklin, TN: Legacy Communications Group, 1999. Print.

Wallach, Joel D., and Ma Lan. God Bless America!: Dr. Wallach’s Nutritional, Health and Survival Epiphany! Bonita, CA: Wellness Publication, 2002. Print.

“Wallach Wisdom®:   The “WellnessWithWallach®”  Encyclopedia® By   “SYMPTOM or ILLNESS”” Wallach Wisdom Encyclopedia. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Jan. 2014.