Here's a quote from a well-respected dog trainer, Jane Fink:
>>It is very difficult to get through to people sometimes about fasting because we have been so programmed to equate food with health when actually the opposite is true.
The whole concept of fasting is to give the digestive system, brain and other vital organs a rest. Food is our fuel, it is what we need to survive but our body needs a break from food in order to cleanse the system. The very act of digestion can hinder wellness. Why does nature equip us with the ability to fast when we are ill? Ever been so sick that you didn't feel like eating? Ever have an animal so sick it didn't feel like eating? Why is that? Well, because digestion requires a lot of energy. As the body attempts to heal itself, the appetite is turned off so that every bit of energy can go into healing rather than digesting food. It is impossible for an animal to starve to death on a one day fast, and in fact, during the fast, the animal will appear more alert, free of joint stiffness, and generally healthier.
Fasting doesn't mean to withdraw sustenance entirely. A fast can be a juice fast, broth fast, yogurt fast, or just water.
Without the burden of heavy digestion, the body is then able to address healing. We are all suffering from chronic disease it's just that we don't really know what it feels like to truly feel well so we assume we feel fine all the time. A one day fast can begin to show you what it really like to feel well.<<
Jane Fink
Greyfaire Westies
Anderson, SC
www.westiewisdom.com
www.arf4westies.info
Hope this helps. I know my dog is more alert, doesn't suffer at all with a fast of a day or two, and it's been very healthy for his overal condition. He has had issues with digestion in the past, and fasting has been the best treatment for him to date!
Blessings,
Belinda