Herb-A-Pet

06/06/2016

Chemicals, additives, chemicals, additives, more chemicals, MORE additives. When is this craziness going to be seriously regulated? Adverse reactions to certain foods are sometimes attributable to additives or preservatives IN the food and NOT to the food itself. These same additives and preservatives are also found in the cosmetics and pharmaceutical arena as well. Poking around some various nutraceutical supplements laying around, I decided to talk about a substance which seems to pop up everywhere. It is in food for consumption, pet foods or treats and cosmetics to name a few. What I want to focus on are the things called dyes. How many times does the substance FDC yellow 5, Red 40 vs FDC Red 40 Lake pop up? What are these things? Why are they used, are they safe and do we really need them?
For simplicity sake, they are colorants; they add the color to certain drinks, pill coatings or foods (if applicable). To begin to understand the differences, one must draw a distinction between a Lake and a dye. They are different with specific uses.
Dyes: They are usually water soluble. This means that they easily dissolve in water. Dyes can be used anywhere to color most any kind of product. Ingesting too much dye can oftentimes color stools or even urine! How many times have our pets had stools that might have been "blood looking" but in all reality, it might not have been blood at all! The fact is, it could be the DYE in the particular pet food causing the issue. The key phrase here is *could*.
Lakes: Lakes are dyes that are complexed with metallic salts. In other words, the dye is chemically attached to a metallic salt whether it be an aluminum derivative, calcium derivative or otherwise. Why would we want dyes to be combined with these salts? Simple. This is done to make the overall dye Insoluble. Why would we want this? Imagine a coating on a pill or a capsule. If the dye itself was soluble, as soon as the capsule, pill, tablet or whatever got wet, the dye would start to dissociate or run off. What a mess that would be! To avoid that, manufacturers use complexed dyes. Complexed dyes would make the color more "resistant" if you will.
Restating, unlike dyes that are water SOLUBLE, Lakes are insoluble. They achieve their tinting properties by dispersion. This property allows them to be used to tint oil based products effectively where such products have minimal moisture to dissolve soluble dyes.
So with all this banter aside, are they safe? Dyes in general (mostly ORGANIC and NATURAL), are safe.
Artificial dyes:
tartrazine (see below)
sunset yellow
Allura
Patent Blue V:
Short and long term issues such as hyperactivity, migraines, asthma ect.

Lakes could cause allergic reactions in people. In particular, Yellow #5 Lake, also known as Tartrazine, has generated some controversy. FDA regulations require that some sort of notice be posted that formulations have Yellow #5 in it.
With all this being said, what is the point? Why do we need these dyes to begin with? To make products pretty and stand out? Do we like having adverse reactions to chemically modified dyes?? Agreed, who wants to eat food or drink a beverage if it looks bland or boring or mundane? Aside from a purely chromatographic (!) perspective, I cannot see any appreciable use in foodstuffs. Critics here? I will stand corrected if someone challenges me.
IF coloration is needed, we can turn to NATURAL (!!) ingredients. Some examples include:
Beet juice powder
Tumeric powder
Paprika
Beta carotene
Saffron
Chlorophyll
By all means, this is NOT a complete list. The purpose of this blog was to point out that several synthetic dyes are included in the foodstuffs we eat. Next time be cognizant when you grab your favorite soda or snack or even a Huge 50lb bag of chow for FIDO. You will be amazed at what is in the ingredient list!
As always, be safe. Be smart: do it the NATURAL way!

06/05/2016

Hello
In the next installment of our "superfoods" journey, we will take a look at another Herb-A-Pet favorite. When most people think of grass, they think of the tedious, time consuming, laborious task of cutting grass and w**d eating. What we DON'T think about is that certain kinds of grass are VERY nutritious and healthy. We agree that the idea of a grass smoothie doesn't sound too appealing. However, feeding your favorite Fido a certain kind of grass can be VERY beneficial to his/her health!
So, to unshroud the mystery, what kind of Supergrass are we referring to? We are making reference to Wheatgrass. What is it? What does it do and WHY should we even add it to our pets diet and IS it safe?
Wheatgrass, as one might expect from the name alone, is derived from the wheat plant. Consuming it in seems to have no ill effects other than the taste might be somewhat unpalatable. How many times have we witnessed dogs eating grass? Yet, they do not die from eating ordinary grass!
Wheatgrass is VERY nutrient dense. It possesses NUMEROUS minerals and amino acids, all of which are wonderful for Fido or his/her owner.
The benefits of wheatgrass run the gamut from boosting the immune system to potentially increasing hemoglobin production. Hemoglobin is the constituent in the blood that binds to, and carries oxygen to the cells of the body. There are claims that state that 30ml (1 Ounce) of wheatgrass contains as many nutrients as 2.2lbs of your favorite fruits and veggies. However, other data proves otherwise.
There are also claims that state that wheatgrass helps with blood disorders. Again, literature is conflicted. More studies need to be conducted to verify the efficacy of the supplement.
So, where does this leave the fate of this wonderful superfood? What it basically boils down to is this: If you want to add a little zest to your favorite smoothie OR give your favorite Fido a nice boost of natural vitamins or minerals, go ahead and give it a try. Many sources claim that it improves the coat of your pet as well as aiding in digestion. In addition, it might help to settle sour or upset stomachs. Again the choice is ultimately yours; we have used wheatgrass in our own pet regimens with great results!
As with everything else, we grow our own FRESH wheatgrass. This way, we are assured of quality and consistency from batch to batch.
If you are still on the fence about using this awesome supplement, do some research; KNOWLEDGE IS POWER!
As always, be safe and do it the smart way: DO IT NATURALLY!

05/18/2016

Hello all!
In our last installment, we made mention of a hot new trend known as "superfoods." What exactly are they, and what sets them apart from ordinary everyday food. In a nutshell, Superfoods contain high concentrations of vitamins or others specialized nutrients. In addition, some possess adaptogenic properties. According to internet sources, an adaptogen is "any substance that helps the body deal with stress or changing situations."
Combining the adaptogenic properties of superfoods with their inherent high vitamin and mineral content, they pack a huge nutritional punch in a small package. Many of these superfoods can be had in herbal shops, the grocery store or online. They can be utilized in a plethora of ways: shakes, smoothies, taken raw, or depending on the herbal, teas. DO remember: be cognizant of where herbals are sourced, as quality can and does differ. Use the primary herb or superfood if at all possible. By this we mean NON-adulterated. For example, if a powder is desired, get the PRIMARY superfood FIRST, THEN grind/pulverize/powder it yourself. This way, purity is guaranteed!
Keeping all this in mind, lets talk superfoods! Many of you probably know of some already, so we will pick a Superfood a day and discuss it. By no means is our list complete; these are OUR favorites and we actually use a lot of these on a daily basis. So without further ado, our first food is....
Microalgaes:
These can be broken down into many sub varieties but our favorite is Spirulina. Spirulina has a VERY high protein content for a plant and is purported to be somewhere in the range of 60%. It also possesses antioxidant properties. Spirulina contains a variety of minerals as well. These include, but are NOT limited to: zinc, copper and manganese.
"Preliminary animal and laboratory testing shows that Spirulina may boost the immune system, help with allergies and even fight infection." As always, more research and testing needs to be done on the efficacy, if any, in humans.
An interesting side note regarding spirulina:
From the University of Maryland website: ".....Spirulina can be contaminated with toxic substances known as microcystins." Please reference Microcystin bacterial blooms for more information. In addition Spirulina "can absorb heavy metals from the water used to grow it."
Despite these unsettling facts, don't shy away from using this fantastic Superfood! IF the source of the supplement is TRUSTED, by all means give it a try! Here at Herb-A-Pet, we can't stress enough the importance of purity in herbals or naturals. Superfoods can be a great addition to a busy, stressful lifestyle. However, if you plan to experiment, KNOW your supplier or better yet, grow it yourself if possible.
Stay tuned for another 'food coming soon. As always, be safe be smart, and above all, do it naturally!

05/12/2016

Stress and anxiety are common in everyday life. Both are negative energies which are detrimental to our health. People often turn to alcohol or pharmaceutical agents to blunt the effects of stress and anxiety. However, as good as these agents may be, they can lend themselves to abuse, tolerance and addiction.
Nature has provided us with many naturally occurring herbals, which can offer stress and anxiety reduction. Instead of the Rx's and the hefty costs and side effects that often come along with them, consider NATURAL!
Our personal favorite calming herbs consist of the following:

1) Chamomile
2) Lemon Balm
3) Passion Flower

Blended together in a tasty little tea, it is very soothing and relaxing. Your favorite Fido might benefit from a taste or to if he or she is a little too energetic!

Here is the recipie that we at Herb-A-Pet like:

Blend a nice decoction of german chamomile, passion flower incarnata and lemon balm together. Flavor with honey and cinnamon. We like to drink cold over crushed ice. It is very refreshing indeed!

Please be sure to know where you source your herbs as purity can be an issue! Always look for "organically grown and cultivated" versus "wildcrafted" if at all possible.

As always, be safe and enjoy!
Once again:
'Do it better......Do it the naturally'

05/10/2016

Just this past week, we have been revisiting and looking hard at the latest rage known as "Superfoods." What are they and what makes them so special? Apparently there are several of these so called "Superfoods" out there, but there are a few on our list that we think are notable and worthy of mention. In future segments we will spotlight a few of our favorites and elucidate their health benefits.
So stay tuned for the Herb-A-Pet "Superfood Symposium" coming soon to a computer near you!

05/10/2016

In our last installment, we discussed carbomers as thickening agents. In this segment, we will discuss another chemical which is widely used in the food and the manufacturing sectors.
How many times have you come across the ingredient Sodium Benzoate on a food or product label? This additive is ubiquitous as it seems to be used everywhere. Curious as to what it is used for or why this agent is included in preparations?
Sodium Benzoate is an antimicrobial preservative. When added to acidic foods, it acts as a bacteriostatic agent inhibiting the growth of bacteria. Aside from all this chemistry talk, WHY is this important you may ask? SIMPLE! Cited directly from a professional source:
"When Sodium Benzoate is combined with vitamin C and then exposed to elevated temperatures or light, the CANCER causing chemical BENZENE may form."
Continuing, "The FDA specifies a maximum level of 0.1% of Sodium Benzoate in food which they deem as safe." Moreover, " ....the maximum concentration of Benzene in drinking water!! is set at 5 parts per billion as a quality standard."
No matter how small the concentration of Benzene is in drinking water OR in drinks as a result of Sodium Benzoate reacting with Vitamin C plus other factors, I surely don't want that compound in my body! Benzene is used in varying degrees in the plastic industry, and is more commonly known as an additive in gasoline! It is also used to make rubber and lubricants. From an notable source, "clinical data link benzene to bone marrow abnormalities such as acute myeloid leukemia, aplastic anemia, chronic myeloid leukemia and acute lymphoblastic leukemia."
Another interesting factoid regarding Sodium Benzoate comes from a discovery from the Mayo Clinic. They noted that "Sodium Benzoate may trigger or exacerbate symptoms or episodes of ADHD."
In addition, I came across a shocking aside while researching some fun data on Sodium Benzoate. Did you know that this chemical is in soda too? Since I am NOT a soda drinker by nature, I was taken by surprise when I saw this.
Cited from an online source, "Coca Cola is in the process of phasing out Sodium Benzoate from its Diet Coke and that it plans to remove it from its other products such as sprite and Fanta, as soon as other satisfactory alternatives are discovered."
So once again, Our take is simple: live healthy: do it naturally if at all possible! I am not knocking science and technology in the least, as technology continues to play an important facet in our everyday lives. However, KNOWLEDGE is POWER; KNOWLEDGE empowers people to know what exactly they are putting IN or ON their body. The choice is yours. Whatever the decision, be informed and above all, be SAFE!

04/20/2016

Did you know that ginger root and ground cinnamon sticks make a great tonic and go well with each other? Cinnamon is well known to ease GI discomfort. It also possesses antiviral and antifungal properties.
Ginger is renowned for helping with motion sickness! So forget those bonine tabs, make a ginger tonic!
Ginger is also useful for PMS and me**es cramping.

The following is a little tasty treat that IS herbal in nature, even though it isnt wholly designed for fido! It IS a tad bitter if you dont add a touch of sugar, BUT if you like the warming feeling and taste of ginger and cinnamon, give it a try!

3 cinnamon sticks ground
3 slivers of ginger root
2 whole oranges peel removed
1 whole lemon peel removed
1 tablespoon of honey
1 container of strawberry dannon yogurt (flavor)
1 teaspoon sugar (optional)
dash of water

Put ingredients in blender on high for 5 minutes. Puree well. Chill and drink! Very filling and healthy!

I may tweak this recipie myself (as I encourage others to do as well) with some licorice root. YES, licorice has medicinal properties as well!

Questions? Comments? post below. Remember to share our page!

04/19/2016

http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/ingredient/701088/CARBOMER/

Function(s): Emulsion Stabilizer; Viscosity Increasing Agent - Aqueous; EMULSION STABILISING; GEL FORMING; VISCOSITY CONTROLLING

04/19/2016

Hello all
In this installment, we will be talking about a class of compounds known as carbomers. Carbomers are widely used in the cosmetic field. The term "Carbomer" is a generic one; it doesnt refer to any particular molecule. However, carbomers *can be* irritating to the skin and eyes.

Carbomer:
used mostly as a thickening agent or emulsifier. Emulsifiers suspend an insoluble compound such as oil, in water.
Carbomers have varying pH. pH is a measure of acidity of alkalinity. Most people who have pools are familiar with pH's and pH testing. The pH needs to be in the proper range otherwise it can be harmful. Carbomers need to have neutral (neither acidic or basic) pH to do the thickening. As such, additional "neutralizing" agents are added TO the cosmetic formulation ALONG WITH the carbomers.

SO, where is all this chemistry talk going? SIMPLE! Why use OTC formulations that have ingredients like carbomers and neutralizing agents in them, when a SIMILAR effect can be achieved with a natural remedy?

Nature provides us with MANY MANY "w**ds" that act as powerful remedies for the most common everyday ailments! Interested in learning more? Drop us a line or comment below. Remember to like and share the page with friends.

Stay tuned for more info!

04/16/2016

Do you know the difference between:
creams vs lotions vs ointments vs gels? In this installment, we will be discussing the highlights of each type.
1) Ointments
Most often formulated with white
or yellow petrolatum such as
vaseline. Aquaphor is another
example. These products
possess strong emollient
properties: good for dry cracked
skin. They form a protective
barrier and are occlusive.
Preservatives are rarely used
because the formulations have
minimal water.
2) Gels
Gels tend to be drying due to
the fact that there is usually an
alcohol component involved. The
alcohol moeity evaporates once
on the skin, and a thin film of
drug or active ingredient is left
behind. Gels, unlike ointments,
are good for hairy areas.
3) Creams
They are classified as either
cold creams or vanishing creams.
The biggest difference between
them lies in what is dissolved in
what. if OIL is dissolved IN
WATER, then the product is a
vanishing cream: easily spreads.
IF WATER is dissolved IN OIL,
then the product is a cold cream:
greasy and occlusive. Both kinds
of creams are emulsions. For
example, they
operate on same principle as
mayonnaise: oil IN water. Creams
contain preservatives because
of the water component.
The preservatives *may*
cause contact allergies.
4) Lotions
Lotions are a generic term for OIL
in WATER formulations. Alcohol
might be added, so lotions might
be drying. Lotions contain
preservatives as well.

Now that the basics were fleshed out, over the next few posts, we will be looking at several OTC topicals that have numerous preservatives in them. We will be discussing these preservatives in some detail. The thought process behind these tutorials is simple: once one understands preservatives and the sheer amount of them IN a single product, THEN maybe the whole idea of NATURAL remedies looks enticing! Stay tuned!

04/11/2016

In our first installment, we are going to discuss the basic differences between herbal preparations. This is a very skant overview, so should you feel the need to learn more, do some research!
With this in mind, do you know the differences between:

Herbal decoctions
vs
Herbal infusions
vs
Herbal tinctures
vs
Herbal liniments
vs
Herbal poultices

At the most fundamental level, here are the basic differences:

1) Herbal decoctions are prepared by using the hard parts of the plant in question. These include the bark, seeds or root. The constituents are boiled to extract the valuable compounds. However, excessive heat may destroy or denature the sought after compound, so proceed with caution

2) Herbal infusion are akin to throwing a Lipton teabag in hot water to "steep". Infusions are often made with the softer plant material.

3) Herbal tinctures are created by adding a volatile solvent like alcohol, to the actual herb. Tinctures can also be made with vinegar or glycerin.

4) Herbal liniments are TOPICAL preparations ONLY. They are designed to deliver to active herbal ingredient to the exterior skin.

5) Herbal Poultices are an old fashioned remedy that still has validity today. A wet paste of herbals are crushed and mashed, and are either placed directly on the affected skin or they are wrapped in a cotton gauze THEN placed on the skin. Poultices are sometimes referred to as "drawing" agents.

We hope that this information was helpful. Feel free to leave questions or comments below. Your feedback is important!

04/11/2016

At this time, we want to thank everyone so far who has shown an active interest in our page. Starting next week, we will be posting random various informational pieces related to herbals and herbal remedies. Stay tuned! Please share our page if you like what you see.

"A w**d is a plant whose virtues have not yet been discovered."
~~Ralph Waldo Emerson