Issue link: http://cp.revolio.com/i/1129210
Page 18 | Abby's Magazine - www.AbbysMag.com Since the beginning of recorded me, man and animals led an ac ve life. They all had to hunt for resources and "catch" their food. They fought to defend their territory. They lived outside where they were exposed to temperature extremes and they had adap ve mechanisms to ensure their survival. These adap ve mechanisms, called Hormesis, triggered metabolic pathways to turn on or off, depending on what was needed for the body to maximize func on. Though I doubt our ancestors would describe their lifestyle as "exercise", they and the animals of that me had to lead an ac ve lifestyle for survival. Many mes a day they experienced the horme c stressor of "high intensity exercise," all out, full thro le movement for short bursts of me. Today most people lead sedentary lifestyles with li le to no high intensity movement. Indoor pets have virtually no exercise, let alone high intensity. Walking to and from the food bowl or taking a walk around the neighborhood to po y does not resemble the ac ve lifestyle of their ancestors. Another horme c stressor people and animals of the past were exposed to was extreme temperature. In the winter, they got really cold, and in the summer, they got really hot! In our modern mes, most people live in temperature controlled environments. Thermostats at home, the car, at work keep the environmental temperature between 68 degrees and 78 degrees year round. Indoor pets have lost the horme c stressor of temperature as well. Food consump on is a horme c stressor. Ancient people and animals experienced many episodes of fas ng (though in ancient mes they called it starva on!) In ancient mes, people and animals did not eat all day long and snack between meals. Animals were driven by hunger to eat at dawn and dusk. There was no food bowl le out to graze on while the hunters and gatherers were out collec ng food. Wild animals didn't drag their fresh kill to a kibble processor or canning plant to store reserves for the winter. Carnivores (dogs and cats) ate fresh meat, fat, organ meat and bones from the animal they killed at the me they killed it. The herbivores they feasted on had been ea ng nutrient rich, no pes cide and GMO grasses, providing the carnivore with a diet rich in essen al nutrients. Giving the body me to rest and digest is a cri cal factor in maintaining healthy diges on. In our modern lifestyle, we eat from the me we get up un l the me we go to sleep. We have been condi oned to eat 3 meals a day plus snacks in between. Many pet parents think they are being loving to their pets by feeding free range (the food bowl is filled 24/7) and giving snacks throughout the day. Intermi ent fas ng is the "new craze". Isn't it interes ng that intermi ent fas ng was part of the normal lifestyle for our ancestors. Many religions incorporate fas ng in their ceremonial prac ces. As a modern society, we have become glu onous with the abundance of food available, and sadly, much of that food is devoid of nutri on, leading to the health challenges of our mes. As we take in the global picture, loss of horme c stressors combined with species inappropriate diet and massive amounts of toxins, is there really any surprise that we are seeing astronomical rises in cancer, obesity, chronic degenera ve diseases, autoimmune condi ons and decreased lifespans for pets as compared to 20 years ago? Solu ons: 1. Get your pets moving! In a previous Abby's ar cle I discussed many healthy ways to exercise pets. See the link below: h p://cp.revolio.com/i/771993-volume-5-issue-1/23?m4= 2. Ozone! Can be given intravenously by a veterinarian or rectally. Home ozone units are available for a very reasonable cost. Ozone acts as a pro-oxidant, s mula ng the produc on of Nrf2 proteins The Role of Exercise & Nutrition in Pet Health