A slightly different post to usual and I want to point out that I’m not a healthcare professional so this is just my own anecdotal story about using turmeric as an anti-inflammatory – along with an algal (or fish) oil.
I did some research on Kit’s lineage (Scottish deerhound x lurcher) because they only tend to live to ten. He turned ten earlier this year and had started to struggle getting up on the bed and getting out of bed in the mornings with his dodgy hips. Much of the evidence points to keeping older hounds active with good off-lead walks every day, having a younger hound around to chase and play with (Bonnie!), exercise that works on maintaining hind-leg muscle tone, not letting them get overweight, adding scraps to a kibble diet (I home-cook all the hounds’ food now), and adding fish oils.
Their diet is now a variety of: rice/potatoes/sweet potatoes, with green lentils/kidney beans/white beans/chickpeas/etc.., plus cooked veggies such as carrot/broccoli/carrot/celery etc… in this they also have tinned sardines (including the oil). The change unexpectedly made a huge difference – although of course now I think about it, how many processes must any food go through to become a biscuit? Of course no living being should live solely on that. Kit’s mobility improved within two weeks, and his eyes which had begun to cloud, cleared. Bonnie’s coat is so shiny she looks like polished marble. They both lost fat and gained muscle tone. As an aside – if you have an obese dog do not come @ me with ‘your hounds are so skinny’ ?.
Still Kit’s hind legs sometimes give him grief – and a friend recommended making a turmeric paste. After some intensive research I began to make this blend of Turmeric, olive oil and black pepper: 1/2 cup turmeric heated gently in a pan with 1 cup water until makes a thick paste, remove from heat and add 1/4 cup olive oil and 2tsp ground black pepper. Put in jar in fridge once cooled. Kit has one teaspoon stirred into his food twice a day. I know turmeric is a powerful anti-inflammatory but honestly I had no expectations of anything except the smallest change. One month in and the difference in his mobility is quite astounding – he’s jumping around like a puppy again.
I was so amazed at this I ordered a load of hi-strength turmeric & black pepper capsules, as well as some vegan algal oil capsules, for Andy as his elbow joint has been causing pain lately. About 10 days in and he’s experiencing a huge improvement.
Neither Kit or Andy are fully healed – these things are not miracle cures, but for joint pain and inflammation I’m just blown away by the difference a change in diet and the right supplements can make (mainly because I’m a huge sceptic of this arm of the wellness industry). I am not saying this is amazing cure for everyone, I’m also not inviting judgement, I’m just passing on information as this situation has unfolded in case it might help someone.
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