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NHT News. Vol. 5 No. 2 Apr 2009

Denice Moffat

NATURAL HEALTH TECHNIQUES NEWSLETTER

April 2009                Volume 5 Number 2

In This Issue:  

(Please note that full names are never used in this newsletter or on my website without the full consent of the sender or client. Some cases also encompass groupings of cases with similar symptoms and suggestions for healing in an attempt to educate the general public.) 

Trending
Life in Five Short Chapters

Health in the News: The Obama’s are planting an organic kitchen garden at the Whitehouse. WASHINGTON (CNN) — Want to know where the presidential produce comes from? Take a walk past the White House. The answer may be planted right in front of you. First lady Michelle Obama helped break ground on a new White House organic “kitchen garden” Friday. It will be the first working garden at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. since Eleanor Roosevelt planted a so-called “victory garden” at the height of World War II.

This time, however, the enemy is obesity. The first family is hoping to send a clear message to a fast food-driven nation that often seems to be losing the battle of the bulge.

“We’re just hoping that a lot of families look at us and say this is something that they can do and talk to their own kids about and think a little bit critically about the food choices that they make,” said Marian Robinson, the president’s mother-in-law.  Read the full story: https://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/03/20/white.house.garden/?iref=mpstoryview

What’s actually IN a victory garden? I just had to look: Beans, cucumber, lettuce, tomatoes, squash are listed in the Park Seed catalogue in a special package deal for planting a victory garden.  https://www.parkseed.com/gardening/PD/90415  Mostly what I learned was that people planted gardens and grew whatever they could and if they had extra they did cooperative trading or helped feed their neighbors. Vegetables were interspersed with flowers and front yards were replaced. Maybe it was something that warring nations always do as many countries have a history of planting victory gardens. I suspect it was something positive people could focus on in trying times. Seeing life grow. It’s just the best. 

Last year I researched and collected a list of organic and heirloom seed companies suitable for Victory Garden plantings. To review that list, go to that Aug, 2008 newsletter:  /Newsletter/NHTVol4No4Aug08_files/NHTVol4No4Aug08.htm 

Read more about Victory gardens here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victory_garden 

Cocoa mulch is in the news again and a few of you have sent me articles warning dog owners how toxic the theobromine in it is. I wrote about that last year in an In the News section of a newsletter. If you’d like to read up on that topic again go to the August, 2008 Issue. Here’s the link: /Newsletter/NHTVol4No4Aug08_files/NHTVol4No4Aug08.htm 

What’s New on the Website? 

I just spent endless hours in front of the computer this month doing my annual Broken Links update. With over 16,000 links on the site, this project was a real head-banger! Hopefully most all of them work now as that increases the search engine rankings. Those robots like up-to-date things. I’ll be getting back to adding more pages next month as we’re almost caught up here. We have found that we do need to work between bad weather segments though as during rainy, windy or snowy days the internet is really slow! Ouch. 

Case of the Month: Hives in a Horse  

Amy is now a 5 year old Arabian mare who presented to me in May of 2007 for hives which she had suffered with for 8 months. The hives were the worst inside her thighs, on her chest, on her rib cage and on her forelegs. The hives would weep serum—imagine how itchy THAT was! She was also tying up with exercise. She lives in a large, airy, regularly cleaned stall and has two gelding buddies as adjoining companions. There are also two older mares close by on the same property. She is the only horse with hives.

Her owner had consulted two local veterinarians. A local veterinary school had performed a skin biopsy and she had been diagnosed with eosinophilic dermatitis and hypersensitivities. She was giving her daily steroids (triamcinolone) and soaking her hay.

Upon extensive and meticulous consultation about her environment with Jan, Amy’s owner, we found there may be a problem with molds and mildews from a drainage ditch she had been crossing. Pastures were flood irrigated. There were also cattails, walnut and filbert trees close by which were suspect.

Jan had consulted with energy workers, two equine chiropractors and three animal communicators. She had tried herbs, massage, aroma therapy, crystals, Tellington Touch and acupressure and was really attached to Amy.

Here’s what we found and what we treated her with in a two-year period:

Then, in October of 2008 Jan called to ask me to make a special (very expensive) homeopathic mixture specifically designed for Amy. She sent me a list of all the allergens a horse is exposed to which she got from an allergy specialist. Here’s the custom formula we used:

30X Strength of: Bluegrass, Orchard grass, Vernal Grass, Ryegrass, Brome grass, Ragweed, Pigweed, Sheep Sorrel/Dock, Saltbush/Scale, Alder tree, Juniper, Cedar, Elm, Hazelnut, Walnut, Jute/Sisal rope, Culicoides, Deer fly, Horse fly, Corn Pollen and Wheat Pollen.

This was the last step because although we were able to maintain Amy on what we had done and she was quite a bit better, every once in a while she would start to break out in hives again. After two months on this custom homeopathic Amy no longer needs it and appears to be doing great.

She’s still on a handful of supplements and most likely will need spelt the rest of her life, but her allergies are now controlled and she seems to be enjoying life and has regained the will to live. One thing that made this case trickier was that Jan, when she ran out of a supplement, would sometimes get a different brand or add something to the program that Amy didn’t vibrate with. I’d only find out after she took a bit of a dip in health. After a year or so I started asking if there was anything added or changed to the program that was not on my To Do List for her.

So glad to tell you that not all my cases are like this, and I’ve held off writing this newsletter to be able to include Amy in it. Here’s the latest email from Jan: 

Hello Dr. Moffat: Amy is doing so well. Her back seems strong and pain free again; I rode her for short periods three times recently, and she seems to enjoy it. Thanks Jan. 

Product of the Month: Slippery Elm Bark

About Slippery Elm: 

Slippery elm is a neutral/sweet, gentle and effective remedy for mucous membrane irritations on both the outside and inside of the body. Native American Indians have used it as a poultice for wounds, boils, ulcers, inflamed eyes as well as for fevers, cold and bowel complaints. 

What I love most about slippery elm is that it creates huge amounts of mucilage (boogers) that coats and protects the surfaces. Some of my clients who have used it have complained that it dries out and pulls the skin when used as a poultice but I tell them they need to keep it moist and recommend they spray the wrap with distilled water 2-3 times a day to keep it moistened. 

Slippery elm is a native of Canada but lots of it is grown in Michigan, the Appalachian Mountains, Florida and in Texas. It grows on high ground and in dry soil but really likes moist ground as well. These days it’s difficult to find a large specimen tree because they are susceptible to several diseases and harvesting the bark deforms or kills the tree. The inner bark of the trunk and branches are collected in spring. 

Actions and Uses of Slippery Elm: (Primary actions are on the nerves, stomach and lungs.)

Historical Uses of Slippery Elm and How it Works: Slippery elm is used dried and powdered, in decoctions, liquid extracts, ointments, poultices, powders and in tablets. The fine powder is used internally and the more coarse powder is best used externally. 

Internally Slippery Elm Bark has been used for: 

Externally it is used as a poultice, ointment or wash for:

Parts of Slippery Elm Plant Used:

Inner bark is most effective but sometimes this is cut with the less-effective outer bark to extend the volume. The tree and bark have been used to make canoes, baskets, and other household goods. 

I just love this particular herb and wonder if it would be good for the condition called Proud Flesh in horses. If anyone wants to try that for this nasty, long-lasting, expensive to treat disease just slip me and email and I’ll see what I can do for you. 

To read the complete handout on slippery elm bark go to: /Product_information/Herb_Slippery_Elm.htm

And I also wrote a story about Slippery Elm Bark called Are you and Angel? You can read that story here: /Inspiration/are_you_an_angel.htm

I hope you come to love this herb as much as I do. 

Media Reviews: Book Review: Walking a Sacred Path: Rediscovering the Labyrinth as a Spiritual Tool by Dr. Lauren Artress © 1995

Labyrinth made of hedges

 

“A division has emerged in Western culture. We have confused religion with spirituality, the container with the process. Religion is the outward form, the “container,” specifically the liturgy and all the acts of worship that teach, praise, and give thanks to God. Spirituality is the inward activity of growth and maturation that happens in each of us.”  Dr. Lauren Artress 

Lauren Artress is a Canon of Grace Cathedral in San Francisco and author of three books on the labyrinth. Her first book was instrumental in launching what is now known as The Labyrinth Movement.

She founded a non-profit organization named Veriditas, the World-Wide Labyrinth Project in 1996 to “pepper the planet with labyrinths”. Her office is located in The Presidio in San Francisco, California. Lauren is an Episcopal priest, spiritual director and licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in the State of California. She offers Spiritual Direction, Life Coaching and brief psychotherapy in her home office or by phone. She offers couples’ therapy to those in the Bay Area. 

So what is a Labyrinth and how does it differ from a maze?  

When I asked my brother in Mt. Vernon, Washington if he knew of any labyrinths in the area, he directed me to the local corn maze. Actually I’ve noticed that when I mention the world labyrinth to people without telling them what it is first they think of a maze. Most of my clients don’t even know what one is, so I thought I’d write about it. I’ve found upon researching that there are hundreds of labyrinths all over the place and lots of them are on the grounds of churches. And it doesn’t really matter what kind of religion as almost any church can have a labyrinth. 

The word maze is frequently used interchangeably with the word labyrinth which is confusing. But, as Dr. Artress explains, the term labyrinth has not been in use for approximately 350 years. 

Labyrinths have only one well-defined path that leads to the center and back out again. On the other hand, a maze has dead ends and no intersecting paths with a variety of choices. Mazes also can have many entrances and exits and are often constructed of hedges and materials that are higher than the line of vision. Mazes can make people claustrophobic whereas walking a Labyrinth is more of a spiritual adventure. A labyrinth does not engage our thinking minds but invites our intuition to come forth and is more of a meditative experience.

The earliest labyrinth appeared on a wall at St. Lucca Cathedral in Italy and dates back to the ninth century. This labyrinth was about 18 inches in diameter and designed for people to trace with their fingers before they entered the cathedral. Kind of a way of quieting the mind and mentally preparing to enter the sacred space of the Cathedral. Nice.

To Walk the Labyrinth: Generally there are three stages to the walk after one kind of calms themselves before entering the labyrinth. Often it’s more effective to have a question to ponder about before walking the route as well. These steps are:

  1. Releasing. As one walks into the center the mind stills. Focus on the release of worry and fears of the challenge.
  2. Receiving is focused upon in the center. Some feel this is where you commune with God, listening for the guidance for the question you brought in with you. 
  3. Returning. When you follow the return path back out of the labyrinth, symbolically, and sometimes actually, you are taking back out into the world that which you have received.

The Medieval Labyrinth (also known as the Chartres, cathedral or eleven-path/circuit) is the one we’ll focus on today to describe all the parts. The famous use of this labyrinth at Chartres Cathedral has led many writers to term this particular design the “Chartres” labyrinth.

What Makes Up A Labyrinth?

There are several parts to a labyrinth: The path, center, labyrs, lunations and the invisible 13-pointed star which, when laid out correctly invokes extra special energy to the labyrinth as a whole. 

The Path: This is a singular path and it has eleven concentric circles with the twelfth circle being the center. The path wanders throughout with 34 right-angle and 180 degree turns before reaching the center. Sacred geometry is thought to be very specific in a labyrinth so some of the components include the number 12 and its multiples. Three represents heaven and four represents earth. The labyrinth path which wanders on all four segments of the circle represents creation. 

The Center or Rosette is made of six petals representing a lotus or rose. The rose is a symbol for the Virgin Mary, the Holy Spirit, the earth and sun (or Son), enlightenment, Divine Love and love in all its forms worldwide. The center can also symbolize the evolutionary process of Spirit coming into matter. Each petal symbolizes one of the six stages of planetary evolution. Dr. Artress says that as you enter the labyrinth on your left the first petal is mineral, then vegetable, animal, human, angelic and then unknown. Some people visit each of the petals once they reach the center meditating and asking questions of each. 

The Labyrs: There are ten labyrs in the classical eleven-circuit labyrinth. These are visible in the 180 degree turns and look a little like hour glasses (see picture below). These are traditionally seen as a symbol of women’s power and creativity. When looked at from above they form a large cross. 

The Lunations: There are 28 1/2 lunations on the outer ring of each quarter of the labyrinth. These lunations join to make 113 cusps which look like partial circles or cogs on a wheel and 112 foils (the bowl of the cusp).  The four quadrants of the labyrinth mark each quarter of a year. Some believe that the labyrinth served as a calendar. And finally. . . 

The Invisible Thirteen-Pointed Star: This is the most important part of the labyrinth and one that is not well understood by people trying to recreate a replica of the Chartres labyrinth. Each point of the star connects the outer lunations with the center. Two of the lines of the star intersect directly in the middle of the labyrinth and this point is at the center of the right-handed path. The crossing of these lines determines where the petals will be placed. The number 13 in numerology (which I don’t really know anything about) represents Christ and is also symbolic of 13 moons in a year. Pretty complicated and well thought out stuff. 

Gosh, I had to copy this verbatim from the book on page 63 because I find it so confusing. I tried to find a picture for you on the net but couldn’t so I’m scanning the picture in. Here it is: 

Labyrinth diagram with 13 Pointed Star

 

I loved Dr. Artress’ style of writing. She really did a good job of looking at all aspects of the labyrinth as a historical tool and how it fits into today’s society. She had a couple of great quotes. For example: Gandhi was once asked, “What do you think of Western Civilization?” He replied, “I think it would be a good idea.” 

She writes that no negative psychological or spiritual upheaval has ever occurred by walking the labyrinth. It has only deepened the insight of the people under stress. 

“It is a place to order the chaos and calm the frightened heart” Dr. Artress summarized after interviewing thousands of people who have walked the labyrinth. 

Michael and I decided to find a labyrinth and walk one after reading the book. So, we went to the Labyrinth locator (https://labyrinthlocator.com) and found a listing for over 90 labyrinths within a 300 mile radius of us, most of which were in Montana. So, I narrowed down the search again and was amazed to find a medieval classical labyrinth in Pullman, WA right on the Washington State University campus at the Trinity Lutheran Church just 30 miles away. 

Although neither of us had a spiritual experience with all the distractions of dorm music playing, wind blowing, truck horns honking and a lack of peaceful habitat, it did give us a few ideas of how to build one here on our property some day. It’s something to look forward to. 

Helpful Links and References:

Ask Dr. Moffat:  

Hello again Dr. Moffat. I just acquired a new horse that is probably about 1/2 of its ideal weight.  Her name is Missy.  She is about 15 hands tall and weighs only 625 lbs.  From her bone structure I would guess that she should weigh at least 1000 lbs.  I am told that she is 23 years old, but she still has a lot of get up and go for her condition so I question that.  She just acts real hungry.  I am afraid of feeding her too much too soon.  I’m sure she needs to be wormed–I have liquid ivermectin for horses.  There may be other internal problem due to not having enough food.  

Some food items that I have on hand are: pasture that’s just now starting to grow, hay, alfalfa pellets, Equis golden senior, and Equis 16 pellets.  I have also put out a block of Se-90 (trace mineral salt w/ selenium). Do you have any other suggestions for helping her?  How much can I feed her to help her start gaining w/out making her sick? I haven’t given her any medications yet, only a few handfuls of the feeds above and put her in a small pasture w/ a bale of hay. 

I’m attaching a list of things that I can get here or order from a catalogue that I have.  The supplements will probably come w/ a measure scoop. Otherwise the feeds I will measure by the cup.  Most of them recommend by weight, but I don’t have any scales to measure weight.  Thank you, Mary C in Kooskia, ID

Dear Mary: All I can do is muscle test for you Mary.  Start with Pyrantel Pamoate then two weeks later give Panacur. She’s not testing strong on Ivomec. Have the local vet check her teeth to see if they need to be floated. I wonder if part of the weight loss is not that. She tests strong on all the feeds that you have. What is Equis senior? Do you feed it in scoops, cups or pounds? I’ll test that out for you when you email me that info. Also add some olive oil—a little less than 1/4 cup/day for three weeks. If she has any hoof pain that should help (it seems that lots of horse lameness cases test they need a little olive oil for a couple weeks. I’ve never figured out why, but she definitely is testing she needs some.) Oils and fats, when taken with the mineral supplements, help draw the minerals into the body as well. 

Thanks for the list of horse supplements Mary. I’ve build a webpage for them to help future cases. Denice

Dr. Moffat, can I place the new drops (Immune System Stimulator) in my horse’s water tank? That application is so much easier since she is turned out all day.  Betsy 

Betsy: Yes, but I do believe they should be put into new water on a daily basis. Also, you don’t want to do that if other horses are drinking from the same bucket. We don’t want to treat all of them, just her. 

Dr. Moffat: How do I use Myrrh Essential Oil for my horse’s hooves? I am always reading natural health information, and I just wanted to say how much I enjoyed your site.  It is very easy to use, easy to read, and the information is interesting.  My question is this – I know that myrrh oil has been used to strengthen horse hooves and is also used in some nail preparations.  Does myrrh oil actually penetrate the nail matrix, or would you suggest mixing it with a lighter carrier oil to make it more “available” to the root of the nail?  Thanks for your time, Cindy from Marriottsville, Maryland 

Dear Cindy: Thanks for reading the site, Cindy. To get to your question, I think it would be more appropriate to mix it with a carrier oil and not use it “neat” (full strength) because it is pretty expensive (although I don’t think it will burn the skin like some of the other essential oils). Let me test for you and your horse (this must be horse month!) . . . 

I’m getting seven drops Myrrh essential oil per 2 Tablespoons carrier oil. Horses do really well with Olive Oil. I’ve noticed this last year after doing many phone consults for horses. And it’s fairly cheap comparatively speaking. This would be topically massaged into the hoof once a day. 

For this particular horse, I’m testing not to give the Myrrh essential oil orally (or the capsules–this horse doesn’t need them). Just topically on the hooves. 

The oil would also work for rain scald if you are in an area where your horses get that fungus. You can mix 7 drops in 2 ounces of water, shake and spray the oil onto the coat for that. 

Myrrh is a fungicidal product. Strengthening the horse’s hooves most likely involves evaluating the environment (pasture) diet, treats, supplements and wormers. I’ve noticed that some horses do not do well on some wormers, but it is an individual thing. We must look at all the influences. Hope that helps you!

Denice: Molly (Mickey’s caretaker) wanted me to ask you a couple of questions about: 

1)    Should she add salt to his supplements now that winter is here?  She adds salt to her horses daily rations to get them to keep their water intake up because of the cold and the lack of their wanting to drink. Can she/should she do that with Mickey? 

2)    She also adds beet pulp wetted down with warm water to their rations daily.  She does this to give them extra calories to burn with the cold weather. Can Mickey have this too? 

She said she has slowly laid on Mickey’s back and feels like his pain is gone.  She hasn’t been on him as much due to “life”.  She is going to take it slow; because of the mental hesitation he now has to someone mounting him.  He is doing great though. 

Ali is feeling so much better.  She isn’t completely pain free, but is better than she was.  You should see her run in the big pasture.  She is so beautiful when she runs.  It makes me feel good to see her better. Hope all is well, Lisa 

Lisa: No on the salt, yes on the beet pulp (2 ½ cups/day). I’ll email Molly and let her know as well. Thanks for the updates on the horses. Makes me feel good to be able to help them! Denice 

Tips and Tricks for a Healthier Life:

Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides: Ever wonder, if on a budget, which foods you should absolutely buy organic and which you can get by with by just scrubbing with soap and water and rinsing really well or using a vegetable spray? Well, here’s a guide for shopping that will help answer those questions. .

The Dirty Dozen (buy these foods organic because they contain the most amounts of pesticides): Peach, apple, bell pepper, celery, nectarine, strawberries, cherries, kale, lettuce, grapes (imported), carrot and pear.

The Clean 15 (Lowest in pesticides) Onion, Avocado, Sweet corn, pineapple, mango, asparagus, sweet peas, kiwi, cabbage, eggplant, papaya, watermelon, broccoli, tomato and sweet potato. 

You can find a detailed description of the criteria Environmental Working Group (EWG) used to develop these rankings and the complete list of fruits and vegetables tested at their dedicated website, www.foodnews.org.       

Water Softener Salt Bridges: Lorena telephoned with a water question so I referred her to Michael. Glad he knew what to do because the same week this same thing happened at our house. “My water is no longer “soft”. What might be the problem?” 

Hi Lorena, While there are several possible causes for water softener or water conditioner failure; a “Salt bridge” is the most common. Occasionally, a hard crust or salt bridge forms in the brine tank. This condition is usually caused by high humidity. When a salt bridge is formed the salt crystals have attached to each other leaving an empty air space between the water in the bottom of the brine tank and the salt. Because the salt is no longer in contact with the water it cannot make brine. Without brine, the resin bed cannot regenerate and you will have “hard” water. 

Breaking a Salt Bridge: If the brine tank is full or even partially full, the salt is loose on top and the “bridge” is at a deeper level under the loose salt. Use a broom handle or similar tool with wooden or strong plastic handle. Push the handle straight down into the salt. If a hard object is felt prior to reaching the bottom of the brine tank, it is most likely a salt bridge. Carefully push into the bridge in several places to break it up. Often as you push the handle through the salt bridge you will feel a “release” of pressure on the handle until it reaches the bottom of the brine tank. IMPORTANT: DO NOT use a sharp or pointed object to break a salt bridge as you may puncture the tank.

Dear Dr. Moffat: Since we have unopened bottles of Nutribiotic’s Grapefruit Seed Extract, what do you recommend using the extract for?

Dear Melanie: Well, dilute it appropriately and wash your fruits/veggies for one. You can also apply it to warts as it has been known to kill viruses. Or add it to your water. One thing’s for sure though, you want to be careful of the dose and what you mix it with or it can burn the body. 

I used it early on in my career as a yeast treatment. Now, it said right on the bottle not to mix it with orange juice or anything acid but I didn’t read the bottle. Took my drops and that delayed reaction was . . .Whoa! You don’t want to do that. Here’s a website that gives you all kinds of ideas on where to use it around your house: https://www.nutriteam.com/dosage.htm 

Can’t please some people no matter what? Sometimes I have a client that no matter what I tell them they immediately find a problem with it. Usually they have a pointed chin and if I know that ahead of time I don’t take it personally. Well, Michael ran across one of those at a Home and Garden Show this month so he honed up on that facial trait and emailed me the tip for you all to have:

A pointed chin tells me you tend to automatically resist when you are told what to do. You need an explanation first. The more you are pushed the more you dig in your heels. You can be stubborn. You are focused on your ideas and staying in control. You have the ability to get your own way. Accomplishing your goals is important. You tend to keep things bottled up inside even though you appear to be handling the situation. This stress can lead to ulcers, shingles or cause one break out in a rash. 

(Michael finally did a face reading on me this weekend after all these years. Very accurate. I highly recommend him.) 

Client Testimonials:  

Hello Dr. Moffat:. . .I wanted to let you know that on the Tuesday after our telephone session, I placed my hand on Chauncey’s chest and I told him I loved him and he whipped his head around as if he had been struck by lightning and just looked me straight in the eyes.  It was a pretty amazing feeling. That’s all the news from our end! Katrina 

Dr. Moffat, we’re Excited! No more sole abscesses, she actually squeals when she runs now. The feet have almost gone back to the normal shape and are hardening. The other day I was picking her feet and thought there was a rock in the sole but then realized that her hoof was getting harder again and now she is self cleaning her hooves like the other horses. She and her pasture mate barrel up the hill and I wonder if they are going to stop before they get to me to have their grazing muzzles removed every day. Thanks SO much! You’ve given her life back. MJ in Oregon. 

One year later: I am so happy to report that she hasn’t had a sole abscess for over a year in spite of our very wet weather this winter.  She is actually being a “horse,” out on pasture during the day w/her buddy. I am hoping you might be able to help my itchy cat.  MJ in Oregon. 

Hi there – just wanted to update you on the patient, Cheyanne – as of tonight there was no belly kicking at the usual time, nor was there any laying down belly rubbing or biting when I was around for the 2 hours she normally had been doing that since the pellets – I think or feel that we are over the hump/worst now and on the right track. I am keeping an eye on her, and now that I am soaking the pellets and the beet pulp. She sucks that down as if it were a malt!  I can only imagine the back log of dried pellets in her gut that had wanted to move out and her poor intestinal tract must have had pockets of the dry stuff moving along. Anyway, the other two are also enjoying the soaked pellets and everyone’s manure is good! I received your box today and will get Meg and Smoky going on their stuff and then will have another phone consult with you in another week or so for my other three dogs. Lynne 

One day later. . .

Dr. D. It is amazing the difference one day makes – she did bite at her side instead of under her belly, and she did run down to where she likes to lay down and “scratch” her belly, but it was only for a slight moment, more habit then anything I think, and no belly kicking either – she was running, and jumping and playing like she hasn’t for a couple weeks. I am so glad this has been caught in time and figured out!  Will let you know how this continues to go. Thanks for today. Lynne from Sunny California

Horses and humans—it doesn’t matter, after all. . .cells are cells!

Hi Denice, I want to pay for a consult and supplements for my friend’s horse Chico. Chico is having some soreness and the meds are expensive for her to get from the vet right now.  I was thinking that maybe with a tweak in her diet (like you did for my three) we might be able to help the horse and save her some money. Thank you. 

Oh and Jennifer, my teenage daughter is doing better with her headaches and stomach aches.  She is off walnuts all together and really watching her wheat intake.  She is drinking lots more fluids and reluctantly taking her pills! I wormed her three days ago and today she said she felt really good.  Just a little bit of tummy upset, but that was it.  She said it was the first day in a really, really long time she has felt like her old self.  Does it work that fast?  (I apologize if this is too much information, but I am curious)  She had a bowel movement last night that was the strangest looking thing.  It was a lot and it was this long, long, long thing when she was done.  Was this the worms, or something that has to do with them?  

After reading about them on your website it sounds like a regular deworming for us isn’t such a bad idea.  Do people do that?

Dear Leslie: Good for Jennifer! Actually the Pyrantel pamoate wormer actually does work that fast (the company says within 20 minutes) and that sounds like a great BM. Supposedly, unless the worm load is just really big, you won’t see worms pass because they have been partially digested. I worm myself a time or two each year on a routine basis. Actually everyone in the house gets wormed at some time each year including the dog, cat, humans and chickens with the same stuff, Pyrantel pamoate.  Our cats get Cestex for tapeworms as needed.

It’s kind of interesting that Jennifer was eating those black walnuts on her own as they are a natural wormer. Did you know that? When I first was aware I had worms I was craving cloves. I put cloves in everything I baked–and lots of it! After I realized what was happening I wormed myself and the clove craving went away. That’s one reason why I ask people if they have any kind of cravings. It’s kind of weird what things come up sometimes.

(Note: I found Walnuts and Wheat as part of the core cause of Jennifer’s headaches. Leslie said she wasn’t eating any walnuts and wondered why that had come up but emailed me the next day to tell me her daughter had been collecting them off the ground and eating them on her own!)

Denice: I got great feedback from my Ferrier I thought you’d like to hear. Stan threw a shoe last week and Matt came out yesterday to put it back on.  He told me when he was done that he is extremely optimistic about Stan’s recovery.  He feels that we can get him close to normal, maybe in regular shoes someday! I was excited to hear that. Talk with you soon, Lisa from California. 

Dear Dr. Denice: Remember that horse my horse Marvel was worried about (you found when I consulted you about him)? I checked her over today in the pasture and she was off on one hind leg, which was swollen in the fetlock area, and she didn’t want to put weight on it. I called the barn manager (son of the ranch owner) to let him know. Still curious about the problem with where she’s sleeping, but I figure I’ll just monitor the situation as much as I can (out of curiosity more than anything else). Cheers, Anne 

Denice’s Note: Anne had called me one day because Marvel seemed jumpy and wasn’t acting the same during training. I muscle-tested that he was worried about another horse in the pasture and since Anne knew all the names of the 20 horses or so we were able to determine which horse it was and Anne followed up on that input. Marvel is a good horse! 

Healthy Recipes:  

It’s that time of the year where many of my clients need more selenium and extra trace minerals in their diets and often they test they need lots of mushrooms as an immune enhancer food. Now some people actually like eating mushrooms (and I have capsules for those that don’t) but how do you eat a cup a day in some cases? We become inventive around here.  I make this recipe for the occasional social event I force myself to go to and they go over quite well. 

Baby Bella Stuffed Mushrooms 

Directions:   

Turn the oven on to 350 degrees then clean the mushrooms, pop the stems off and toss the stems and any defective caps into a food processor or mince fine. I add any defective caps to the stems because usually you’ll need a bit more mushroom in the stuffing to heap it into the cap. 

Whir or mince the stems and pieces then add the bread crumbs, pesto, and olive oil and mix thoroughly. It should be creamy in texture. 

Take a teaspoon and fill the caps with the stuffing.  Set the stuffed mushrooms in a foil-lined 9 x 13 inch cake pan. You may have to stack a couple but that’s fine. Now clean up your dishes and by that time the oven will have preheated. Pop them in the oven and cook until golden brown on top—about 40 minutes.  Drain the juice after they come out of the oven and add that to some kind of soup for those extra minerals. Serve hot or cold. 

Inspiration & Perspective:  

I received a few great links for videos this month. I put them under the heading “Too Good to Pass Up.” Take a few minutes and watch them. They’ll make your day exceptionally wonderful.

Thanks for picking the best of the best to brighten my day you all!

I Hate My Job!  (A little vet humor here—sometimes we have a sick sense of humor, but my brother Don, a technical writer, sent it to me so maybe it’s genetic. . . Of course I had to include it in the horse newsletter because in vet school we always had to be really careful that the thermometer wasn’t sucked into the rectum or we’d have to go in and get it. Ewwh!)

When you have an “I Hate My Job” day, try this—I hope this helps!

On your way home from work, stop at your pharmacy and go to the thermometer section and purchase a rectal thermometer made by Johnson & Johnson. Be very sure you get this brand. 

When you get home, lock your doors, draw the curtains and disconnect the phone so you will not be disturbed. Change into very comfortable clothing and sit in your favorite chair. 

Open the package and remove the thermometer. Now, carefully place it on a table or a surface so that it will not become chipped or broken. Now the fun part begins. Take out the literature from the box and read it carefully. You will notice that in small print there is a statement:

“Every Rectal Thermometer made by Johnson & Johnson is personally tested and then sanitized.”

Now, close your eyes and repeat out loud five times, “I am so glad I do not work in the thermometer quality control at Johnson & Johnson.” 

No Saddle, Bridle, Bit or Spurs? Many of my horse clients use clicker training but for those of you who know horses, watching Stacy Westfall ride her horse with nothing but her body communicating with the horse is incredible. What she is able to do here is almost impossible to do with all the mentioned aids!  Proof that we (humans), don’t know as much as we might think about animals and their sense of communication. Stacy’s ride was a tribute to her father who had passed over close to the time of the competition: It’s a must-see video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dEaMI5PkLIM To read more about Stacy and the way she trains horses go to her website at: www.westfallhorsemanship.com

My new favorite daily: Jessica Lynn, a horse client from California and owner of Earthsong Ranch producing natural food supplements for horses (https://www.earthsongranch.com) sent me a link to a daily inspirational I’ve really been enjoying. It’s called Tut’s Adventurers Club. Sign up at www.tut.com Here’s and example of what I get in my inbox every weekday morning:

“Ever notice how, when someone dreams of happiness, abundance, health, romance, or friendship, they never have to wonder if it’s in their best interest? But when someone dreams of a specific house, employer, love interest, deadline, dollar amount, or diet fad, they often end up contradicting themselves? Keep your “end results” general, . Everything else is just a how. To the big picture, The Universe”

Then at the very end of the email: “Save the glorious details for visualizing and getting excited about the big picture of your life, , yet don’t attach to those details or mistake them for what you really want. BTW – I really want you.”

What’s New at Our House? 

Michael and I have discovered www.paperbackswap.com and we’re having a lot of fun posting our less-used books and trading them for books we think look interesting to read. It works like this: 

When you post 10 books to start you get a free credit to use and when someone wants one of your books you mail it to them media mail at your cost. 

Each time they receive one of their books they let the swap know and you get another credit. Then, when you want a book you go onto the site and search by title, author, genre or keyword and choose one of the over 3 million books they have listed and when you find one you like you order it. The person owning the book then mails it to you at their cost. 

The books are free. It’s great. And you also get a credit for referring a client so if you haven’t heard of it before check it out and tell them I sent you. Lord knows I can always use a few thousand more books around here. . . 

And we purchased a used 22 x 96 foot hoop house. We had planted a garden last year but were frozen out three times. It actually frosted here in July. I was disgusted. After spending 20-40 hours a week digging up and preparing beds plus weeding and watering we got 50 pounds of carrots. Sheesh. I can buy 50 pounds of organic carrots at Costco! 

So we got a copy of Four Season Harvest by Eliot Coleman and are going to try growing 11 months worth of vegetables in a hoop house using row covers when it gets too cold out. We need to clear some trees though on the south side of the property and grade it a bit to set up the hoop house. And I have my eye on a huge pile of horse poop that I’m going to go ask for once I get the newsletter out this month. Life is good. 

Local Events:

Earth Day — April 22-24, 2008 

Feral Cat Clinics at the Moscow Fairgrounds June 22, 2009  and Oct 19, 2009. If you have feral cats and you would like to attend a clinic, they must be registered with Trina Pickett in advance.  Please contact Trina at (509) 334-7099 or sphinxagain@yahoo.com.  They have limited space and cats that are not registered in advance will not be accepted. If you’d like to volunteer contact:    Cynthia Burnham at cdburnham@vetmed.wsu.edu Any help would be greatly accepted. 

That’s it for this Month!

Be Healthy.  Denice

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Dr. Denice Moffat is a practicing naturopath, medical intuitive, and veterinarian working on the family unit (which includes humans and animals) through her phone consultation practice established in 1993. She has a content-rich website at www.NaturalHealthTechniques.com and free newsletter.

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