Traditional Chinese Medicine diets
- Thread starter wrknnwf
- Start date
victoria1140
Active member
Any reason for a Chinese style diet?
Is he ok
Can't help on the diet but interested in the reasons why
Is he ok
Can't help on the diet but interested in the reasons why
Angela
Super Moderator
Yes, why that diet?
The Chinese theory maintains that different foods are either hot (yang), cold (yin), or neutral and that a variety of conditions from physical health to behavior can be controlled by feeding foods selected from one of those groups.
Using Frank, as an example, the vet thinks he needs a cold yin diet because his coat could be shinier and have less dandruff. And she thinks it will keep his ears from getting yeasty, plus control allergies. We both think he might have minor allergies and he does have a minor ear infection which is being treated with an otic gel. We also tested him for hypothyroidism, since he's a tiny bit pudgy and has a dry coat. He's right in the middle normal range so this is why she is leaning towards changing his food.
So using a chart, I'm supposed to select from a list of certain proteins, grains and beans, and vegetables and fruit that fall into the yin category.
The diets are really more suited to feeding raw, but I don't want to do that for a variety of reasons, so I'm trying to find kibble that has only yin ingredients from the chart she gave me. And I'm not finding one.
The other problem I'm running into is that, depending on the source, one TCM (traditional chinese medicine) practitioner may have a food listed as yin, while another has that same food listed on the yang side. There is lots of information online about TCM diets, but since some of it is contradictory, I'm going to point that out when we see the vet on Thursday for his second ear treatment. I'm really trying to remain open to this idea, but finding it less credible as I go.
And since I don't want to cook for my dogs, except in extreme circumstances (such as when Hugo was in liver failure and I used Jean Dodds liver cleansing diet to help cure him), its going to be impossible to adhere completely to the TCM theory using kibble.
Frank was eating half and half Purina Pro Plan chicken and their salmon flavors, but I can afford a better quality food for him, so I want to change and get him off the chicken (which everyone agrees is a yang food). Over the years, the brand I've had the best luck with is Taste of the Wild. But their regular flavors all have proteins that are in both the yin and yang categories. And the protein is what she is mainly concerned with I think.
I have looked at limited ingredient foods that contain only one source of protein along with 2 to 3 other ingredients, but each has ingredients that fall into the yang group. So it sort of looks like I'm going to just try different kibbles based on the main protein. I plan to take a list of possible candidates to the vet for discussion. It should be interesting.
Using Frank, as an example, the vet thinks he needs a cold yin diet because his coat could be shinier and have less dandruff. And she thinks it will keep his ears from getting yeasty, plus control allergies. We both think he might have minor allergies and he does have a minor ear infection which is being treated with an otic gel. We also tested him for hypothyroidism, since he's a tiny bit pudgy and has a dry coat. He's right in the middle normal range so this is why she is leaning towards changing his food.
So using a chart, I'm supposed to select from a list of certain proteins, grains and beans, and vegetables and fruit that fall into the yin category.
The diets are really more suited to feeding raw, but I don't want to do that for a variety of reasons, so I'm trying to find kibble that has only yin ingredients from the chart she gave me. And I'm not finding one.
The other problem I'm running into is that, depending on the source, one TCM (traditional chinese medicine) practitioner may have a food listed as yin, while another has that same food listed on the yang side. There is lots of information online about TCM diets, but since some of it is contradictory, I'm going to point that out when we see the vet on Thursday for his second ear treatment. I'm really trying to remain open to this idea, but finding it less credible as I go.
And since I don't want to cook for my dogs, except in extreme circumstances (such as when Hugo was in liver failure and I used Jean Dodds liver cleansing diet to help cure him), its going to be impossible to adhere completely to the TCM theory using kibble.
Frank was eating half and half Purina Pro Plan chicken and their salmon flavors, but I can afford a better quality food for him, so I want to change and get him off the chicken (which everyone agrees is a yang food). Over the years, the brand I've had the best luck with is Taste of the Wild. But their regular flavors all have proteins that are in both the yin and yang categories. And the protein is what she is mainly concerned with I think.
I have looked at limited ingredient foods that contain only one source of protein along with 2 to 3 other ingredients, but each has ingredients that fall into the yang group. So it sort of looks like I'm going to just try different kibbles based on the main protein. I plan to take a list of possible candidates to the vet for discussion. It should be interesting.
shellyk
New member
Have you ever looked at Ziwi Peak dog food from New Zealand? It is an air dried raw food that feeds like kibble. It is densely packed with protein/calories so it seems more expensive than it is - you don't feed the same amount as regular kibble. They have limited high quality ingredients. Both our cats and dogs like it.
Newfs Forever
New member
Let us know what you find out, Jane, please.
R Taft
Active member
Just from my experience with dog diets and I feed RAW only.... Dogs with dandruff and ear issues should not have any grains at all.... Annabelle was the dog with ear problems and I always still fed raw oats... When I stopped that and no treats from friendly people that had grain she was much better.
You also have to try and find preservative and food colouring free food, all those numbers. So maybe you can find a kibble in that category...
You also have to try and find preservative and food colouring free food, all those numbers. So maybe you can find a kibble in that category...
Yes. I was giving that as treats. But far too expensive for food here. I can only find it at one store for $20. for a 1 lb bag. Also, it contains lamb which is a hot protein. Frank is supposed to eat cold.
I always feed grain free, high quality kibble. He's been eating a lower qualitly food with grain, so hoping the change in his diet will help. His ears are not bad, just very minor yeast. And his dandruff may be from not getting shampoo out. Since he's been kenneled, I'm not sure how much grooming he's gotten until just before I picked him up.
It's early in the game, so it may take several tries before I get this right.