Today I am highlighting carotenoids, pigments found in many brightly colored foods that can help enhance immunity and support health.
Dr. Jocelynn Jacobs, DVM, CVC shares info about a well-known carotenoid, beta-carotene, and its role in canine health.
She shares,
“Many activities we do with our dogs can be stressful … It has been well known for many years that stress can be detrimental to the immune system of both humans and animals. Without a healthy immune system, competitive dogs have a higher risk of contracting various illnesses and potentially becoming noncompetitive. Thus, many breeders and exhibitors are continually looking for ways they can help stimulate or boost their dog’s immune system to combat the effects that stress may have on it. Providing beta-carotene in their diet may be the key to accomplishing that goal.”
This is great advice, Dr. Jacobs! So what foods have beta-carotene? Great sources include pumpkin, sweet potatoes, carrots, cantaloupe and more. Use these healthfully and wisely in your home cooked recipes to support immunity and health.
Visit my Services page for ways I can help you create a nourishing, well rounded diet containing carotenoids and other healthy ingredients.
Please enjoy this graphic on carotenoids, courtesy of Fullscript. Fullscipt is where I have my professional practitioner storefront that offers tons of high quality supplements. And as a practitioner there, I am able to offer discounts and I definitely do that. You will get a 15% discount on anything you order from me there. Here is a link to my store: https://us.fullscript.com/welcome/sarahwhitman
And here is a link to the page on Dr. Jacobs’ website, where she discusses beta-carotene:
Beta-carotene: Boosting Your Dog’s Immune System
Enjoy!
Sarah Whitman, MS
Founder, Dog Food Coach