Plants have been used in various medicinal cultures for centuries with great results. Ayurvedic and Chinese medical cultures have taken these medicinal plant abilities to another level, but still, the root lies in their ability to impact various medical conditions and improve health. The topic is complex to say the least, but yet, it is basic and known to everyone at a certain level. I discovered the potential of herbal therapy on overall health improvement during my cancer recovery, but after talking with our clients over the years, I realized that this information was being used on a rudimentary level to help improve certain problems. For instance, one client had mentioned to me how she gave her mother Cinnamon to help reduce her blood sugar, which resulted in her ability to stop certain medications. She had always heard that Cinnamon was beneficial, but never understood why. She just did what family tradition dictated.
You have to remember that upwards of 80% of all pharmaceutical medications are derived in some way or form from herbs or plant materials. The reason for this is that scientists realize the potential of plants, but target that activity and try to concentrate it for a perceived higher effect. There are good sides and bad sides to this approach and I, for one, tend to opt for herbs in more chronic cases to avoid the side effects of some medications.
Herbs can impact blood circulation, lower sugar levels, improve cellular energy production, improve digestion, improve cognition, reduce inflammation and mitigate pain. Each herb has its noted abilities and generally, not a single one can improve every condition, but it is more a combination approach that works best. The other beautiful thing about many herbs is that they are wonderful sources of vital nutrients such as protein, vitamins and minerals that help to improve cellular health and encourage repair of tissue. Take for instance Spirulina blue green algae. This herb or actually organism, is a great source of needed protein, vitamins, minerals and has been used in various cultures to improve health and vitality in undernourished individuals or those that are recovering from prolonged illness. Spirulina also has touted anti-inflammatory abilities, detoxifies the blood and can improve cellular energy production. Various mushrooms are also in this same category as being a vital source of nutrients as well as helping to promote a health immune response. Certain mushroom species and their extracts have been used in Chinese medical cultures for centuries to improve recovery and even impact cancer progression. Curcumin or it's parent herb, Turmeric, is yet another heavily researched herb that has shown the ability to impact cardiovascular disease, reduce inflammation and pain as well as impact the progression of various cancers. On another level, we have a grouping of herbs referred to as 'adaptogens', which include Ashwaghanda, Bacopa, Schisandra, Hawthorne and Ginseng. These herbs help the body to cope with stress by reducing cortisol levels and improving cellular health. They have also been shown to improve cardiovascular health and are a vital source of antioxidants to quench free radical damage.
The list goes on and on in terms of the abilities that herbs can offer to improve health, not only for us but for our animal companions as well. They are a part of my everyday life as well as that of our family. I encourage you to explore all options when it comes to your health, as well as that of your animal companion. There are options out there, you just have to find them!
Best Wishes,
Tom Schell, D.V.M.
Friday, December 14, 2012
Thursday, November 29, 2012
The Power of the Mind
Humans and animals encounter very similar disease conditions ranging from arthritis to kidney disease to cancer. Do the conditions themselves vary between the species in terms of manifestation and cause? Possibly on one end, but not the other. After all, a broken bone is a broken bone and a failing kidney is a failing kidney...right?
After 18 years of clinical veterinary practice, it has never ceased to amaze me the conditions that animals tolerate that humans would never endure, at least not without major pharmaceutical intervention. I have been witness to dogs that have been hit by vehicles with pendulous rear limbs due to femoral fractures, but yet they are often times fully ambulatory and wagging their tails. Almost as if they know they have had a mishap in life, but are just looking for a quick fix to get them back into the game. The same often times holds true for other conditions such as arthritis, renal disease, cardiovascular disease and even cancer. In many of these situations, by the time the pet is presented to us, the disease is far advanced and leaves one wondering how in the heck they managed all along based on human standards?
This raises, at least in my eyes, the power of the human mind and how we need to learn from our animal counterparts. I think in many instances, we are often times so consumed in our lives that we become very distraught and lose focus over what is truly important. Our animal companions are focused on the moment, the next treat, the next ball toss and an opportunity to get out and chase the neighbor's cat. They don't worry too much about their next meal, the weather, their jobs or what the neighbor's dog is saying about them, much less about what they are going to wear tomorrow when they go outside. They are focused on the moment and most of the time, that revolves around happiness and what they can do to please us as their caretakers. Now, I know this doesn't hold true for all pets or even horses and some of them do seem to worry about their next meal and whether or not it will be there. Some even get concerned about the weather and express dissatisfaction that they have to go outside when the weather is cold. As veterinarians, we often times see pets that really don't know what the hard surface of the ground is like and prefer to be carried every where they go. Is this normal? Nope, but when you think about it, these behaviors are produced as a result of humans. I don't feel that it is natural for a pet to worry, but it is an inferred trait by their owners. We create these situations, which are manifestations of our own feelings and beliefs.
Now, I am not immune from this as my own horses are accustomed to coming in from pasture at a set time each nite, which I try to keep, but if I am late, they are quick to start pawing at the gate and arguing with one another due to impatience. Did I mean to create this schedule? Did I mean to create a 2000 lb. draft horse monster that is a little peeved that she is 10 minutes late getting to her nightly grain? Nope, but it was created as a manifestation of my own schedule. Guilty as charged!
What I do question is how these animals deal so wonderfully with medical conditions that you, I and many others would never tolerate. How does an aged Golden Retriever deal with severe hip arthritis to the point that radiographically, there is no recognizable hip joint, yet she still goes about her business, wags her tail and never complains? How does a beagle with obvious breast cancer involving a tumor the size of a grapefruit, dragging the ground, still continue to go about her business as if the tumor is only a major hindrance not a systemic disease? And most recently, how does a Coonhound mix go for almost 4 weeks with a broken front leg to the point of nerve impingement, continue to go about life playing with his housemates while dragging his injured limb with no complaints?
I think the answer to all of these questions lies in the mind and how we, as humans, interpret life's events and circumstances. We often times look at our animals companions as being the lesser species, but in fact, we have a lot to learn from them.
Just my thoughts.
Tom Schell, D.V.M.
After 18 years of clinical veterinary practice, it has never ceased to amaze me the conditions that animals tolerate that humans would never endure, at least not without major pharmaceutical intervention. I have been witness to dogs that have been hit by vehicles with pendulous rear limbs due to femoral fractures, but yet they are often times fully ambulatory and wagging their tails. Almost as if they know they have had a mishap in life, but are just looking for a quick fix to get them back into the game. The same often times holds true for other conditions such as arthritis, renal disease, cardiovascular disease and even cancer. In many of these situations, by the time the pet is presented to us, the disease is far advanced and leaves one wondering how in the heck they managed all along based on human standards?
This raises, at least in my eyes, the power of the human mind and how we need to learn from our animal counterparts. I think in many instances, we are often times so consumed in our lives that we become very distraught and lose focus over what is truly important. Our animal companions are focused on the moment, the next treat, the next ball toss and an opportunity to get out and chase the neighbor's cat. They don't worry too much about their next meal, the weather, their jobs or what the neighbor's dog is saying about them, much less about what they are going to wear tomorrow when they go outside. They are focused on the moment and most of the time, that revolves around happiness and what they can do to please us as their caretakers. Now, I know this doesn't hold true for all pets or even horses and some of them do seem to worry about their next meal and whether or not it will be there. Some even get concerned about the weather and express dissatisfaction that they have to go outside when the weather is cold. As veterinarians, we often times see pets that really don't know what the hard surface of the ground is like and prefer to be carried every where they go. Is this normal? Nope, but when you think about it, these behaviors are produced as a result of humans. I don't feel that it is natural for a pet to worry, but it is an inferred trait by their owners. We create these situations, which are manifestations of our own feelings and beliefs.
Now, I am not immune from this as my own horses are accustomed to coming in from pasture at a set time each nite, which I try to keep, but if I am late, they are quick to start pawing at the gate and arguing with one another due to impatience. Did I mean to create this schedule? Did I mean to create a 2000 lb. draft horse monster that is a little peeved that she is 10 minutes late getting to her nightly grain? Nope, but it was created as a manifestation of my own schedule. Guilty as charged!
What I do question is how these animals deal so wonderfully with medical conditions that you, I and many others would never tolerate. How does an aged Golden Retriever deal with severe hip arthritis to the point that radiographically, there is no recognizable hip joint, yet she still goes about her business, wags her tail and never complains? How does a beagle with obvious breast cancer involving a tumor the size of a grapefruit, dragging the ground, still continue to go about her business as if the tumor is only a major hindrance not a systemic disease? And most recently, how does a Coonhound mix go for almost 4 weeks with a broken front leg to the point of nerve impingement, continue to go about life playing with his housemates while dragging his injured limb with no complaints?
I think the answer to all of these questions lies in the mind and how we, as humans, interpret life's events and circumstances. We often times look at our animals companions as being the lesser species, but in fact, we have a lot to learn from them.
Just my thoughts.
Tom Schell, D.V.M.
Tuesday, October 2, 2012
Respiratory Disease in the Horse
Anyone that has owned a horse has probably experienced respiratory disease in some shape or fashion. Much the same as humans, horses are prone to developing upper and respiratory infections due to viral and bacterial invasion, but the two most common and troubling conditions affecting horses in today's industry is chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (reactive airway disease) and exercise induced pulmonary hemorrhage (EIPH). Being a veterinarian working on horses for over 18 years, I have certainly encountered my fair share of COPD patients as well as EIPH athletes.
The respiratory tract plays a vital role in health, performance as well as day to day activity. In the horse, air is taken in through the nasal passages, down the trachea and into the lungs were carbon dioxide is exchanged for oxygen to fuel cells. Any problems encountered during this course of airflow can impact oxygen flow to the body and overall performance. Now, you have to understand that despite the ongoing research with these two conditions, we still not know the exact causes and how to best manage COPD or EIPH. What I can say is my personal opinion as a veterinarian as to what I feel is the cause or contributing factors, which are substantiated by research. I feel it is vital that we take a different approach to these conditions, using a combination of therapies to best provide relief.
COPD is an allergic type airway condition in which the horse develops difficulty breathing, usually at set times of the years when allergens are high. The condition can result in coughing, flared nostrils indicating labored respirations as well as decreased performance. In mild cases, the condition can come and go in relation to various allergen levels but in chronic cases, the condition can become persistent with little change in respiratory patterns throughout the year. In many cases, once the condition is diagnosed, therapies include inhaled medications to dilate airways, injectable or oral steroid medications to control inflammation as well as antibiotics to tackle secondary infections. In addition, usually there are changes made to the environment to help reduce allergen load. COPD has been shown to have a dramatic inflammatory component which results in the over response of the immune system to allergens, as well as airway constriction and mucous production which plugs up the airways. The bottom line in my eyes is the inflammatory reaction that is taking place and whether or not we can address this more effectively.
EIPH is a condition in which there is bleeding within the lung tissue, generally associated with higher levels of exertion seen in racing Thoroughbreds and Quarter Horses, but can affect any horse during competition. The bleeding in the airways produces coughing, affects performance and usually results in evident blood in one or both of the nares. The exact cause of the condition is not known but it is theorized that multiple factors play into the problem including changes in airway pressures, high pulmonary blood pressures, upper airway obstruction and small airway disease. Current therapies are essentially targeted at reducing the amount of bleeding and thus improving performance. The most common medication used is a diuretic called Lasix or Salix. Again, just as in COPD, there is plenty of research out there discussing how inflammation is associated with EIPH, which not only can impact air flow due to airflow constriction, but also impact healing of airways with scar tissue formation. Considering the overall impact of inflammation on the body and cellular function, I question what the impact is on the overall health of the cells composing the pulmonary vessels, which may lead to a weakened state and a vessel that is likely to fail under certain conditions resulting in bleeding. It is just a theory in my mind, but seems plausible but needs to be explored.
In my practice, I have conducted several field trials evaluating inflammation and oxidative stress in a variety of conditions affecting horses. What I have found is that in both COPD and EIPH, there is a definite inflammatory component which is also accompanied by oxidative stress. Now, one has to remember that the basics of oxidative stress is that there is an abundance of free radicals generated which can result in cellular damage. In most cases, the free radicals are neutralized per se by the presence of antioxidants. What I feel is occurring is that either these horses are not consuming enough antioxidants or the right combination of antioxidants or they are experiencing an overwhelming level of free radicals that is quickly depleting the stores. I believe that one of the most important aspects of these conditions to address is the inflammation, which I don't feel is being addressed adequately with today's therapies. Race horses are under a tremendous amount of physical and mental strain, which can contribute to inflammation levels. Those horses afflicted by COPD are generally systemically inflammed in my opinion, in which we are just seeing the evidence manifested in the respiratory disease. Today's therapies are helping to control a small percentage of these patients and given this, we must ask what more can be done especially considering the potential side effects of the medications being used. In the race horse industry, medication debates are constantly being raised. We need to seek out other viable options not only in terms of therapies, but to also potentially use as preventative to improve the health of these animals. What we are seeing clinically is a direct manifestation of what is occurring deep within and a sign of imbalance to one degree or another.
Just my thoughts.
Tom Schell, D.V.M.
The respiratory tract plays a vital role in health, performance as well as day to day activity. In the horse, air is taken in through the nasal passages, down the trachea and into the lungs were carbon dioxide is exchanged for oxygen to fuel cells. Any problems encountered during this course of airflow can impact oxygen flow to the body and overall performance. Now, you have to understand that despite the ongoing research with these two conditions, we still not know the exact causes and how to best manage COPD or EIPH. What I can say is my personal opinion as a veterinarian as to what I feel is the cause or contributing factors, which are substantiated by research. I feel it is vital that we take a different approach to these conditions, using a combination of therapies to best provide relief.
COPD is an allergic type airway condition in which the horse develops difficulty breathing, usually at set times of the years when allergens are high. The condition can result in coughing, flared nostrils indicating labored respirations as well as decreased performance. In mild cases, the condition can come and go in relation to various allergen levels but in chronic cases, the condition can become persistent with little change in respiratory patterns throughout the year. In many cases, once the condition is diagnosed, therapies include inhaled medications to dilate airways, injectable or oral steroid medications to control inflammation as well as antibiotics to tackle secondary infections. In addition, usually there are changes made to the environment to help reduce allergen load. COPD has been shown to have a dramatic inflammatory component which results in the over response of the immune system to allergens, as well as airway constriction and mucous production which plugs up the airways. The bottom line in my eyes is the inflammatory reaction that is taking place and whether or not we can address this more effectively.
EIPH is a condition in which there is bleeding within the lung tissue, generally associated with higher levels of exertion seen in racing Thoroughbreds and Quarter Horses, but can affect any horse during competition. The bleeding in the airways produces coughing, affects performance and usually results in evident blood in one or both of the nares. The exact cause of the condition is not known but it is theorized that multiple factors play into the problem including changes in airway pressures, high pulmonary blood pressures, upper airway obstruction and small airway disease. Current therapies are essentially targeted at reducing the amount of bleeding and thus improving performance. The most common medication used is a diuretic called Lasix or Salix. Again, just as in COPD, there is plenty of research out there discussing how inflammation is associated with EIPH, which not only can impact air flow due to airflow constriction, but also impact healing of airways with scar tissue formation. Considering the overall impact of inflammation on the body and cellular function, I question what the impact is on the overall health of the cells composing the pulmonary vessels, which may lead to a weakened state and a vessel that is likely to fail under certain conditions resulting in bleeding. It is just a theory in my mind, but seems plausible but needs to be explored.
In my practice, I have conducted several field trials evaluating inflammation and oxidative stress in a variety of conditions affecting horses. What I have found is that in both COPD and EIPH, there is a definite inflammatory component which is also accompanied by oxidative stress. Now, one has to remember that the basics of oxidative stress is that there is an abundance of free radicals generated which can result in cellular damage. In most cases, the free radicals are neutralized per se by the presence of antioxidants. What I feel is occurring is that either these horses are not consuming enough antioxidants or the right combination of antioxidants or they are experiencing an overwhelming level of free radicals that is quickly depleting the stores. I believe that one of the most important aspects of these conditions to address is the inflammation, which I don't feel is being addressed adequately with today's therapies. Race horses are under a tremendous amount of physical and mental strain, which can contribute to inflammation levels. Those horses afflicted by COPD are generally systemically inflammed in my opinion, in which we are just seeing the evidence manifested in the respiratory disease. Today's therapies are helping to control a small percentage of these patients and given this, we must ask what more can be done especially considering the potential side effects of the medications being used. In the race horse industry, medication debates are constantly being raised. We need to seek out other viable options not only in terms of therapies, but to also potentially use as preventative to improve the health of these animals. What we are seeing clinically is a direct manifestation of what is occurring deep within and a sign of imbalance to one degree or another.
Just my thoughts.
Tom Schell, D.V.M.
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