The HA! Blog
Get your paws on this: we created a blog so you can learn the basics of holistic medical decisions and start implementing them into your life. Where do you want to start?
How to Optimize Every Aspect of Your Pet’s Environment to Promote Balance, Boost Immunity, and Defend Against Dis-ease
Your pet’s susceptibility to dis-ease, like your own, depends on the degree to which they can maintain their inner balance (what is also called inner terrain) in the face of adverse environmental impacts. A balanced system is a resilient system since balance is expressed as a robust immune...
Confused About Your Pet’s Symptoms, and Maybe Even Your Own? Gain Clarity With a Big Picture Perspective
Why our pets, or ourselves, for that matter, develop health problems can be a trickier question than it might appear. Say, for example, you take your puppy to the vet because you’re seeing symptoms that concern you. (And while we’re at it, let’s imagine that you take yourself to your doctor for...
How to Listen to and Learn From Your Pet’s Symptoms to Take Effective Holistic Action
Learning to view your pet’s symptoms as trustable, intelligible communications that can provide clues to underlying imbalances and guide holistic health interventions is one of the most important things you can do. This is often a difficult task, since almost all of us have been conditioned to...
Faced With Making a Medical Decision for Your Pet? Push “Paws” to Ensure a Fairy Tale Ending
Once upon a time, not so very long ago (in the last year, actually), there was a beautiful, golden-haired girl named Sam. Sam’s energy, enthusiasm, and love of cuddling brought joy to everyone who knew her, especially her parents. Sam’s parents took a holistic approach to caring for her. Not only...
How to Use Clues From Your Animal Companions to Promote Optimal Health
Learning to use your pet’s symptoms* as valuable clues for understanding underlying imbalances and addressing them holistically is one of the most important things you can do. Though your pet’s symptoms can quite naturally cause you concern, they can help you crack the case by guiding you toward...
Is Modern Medicine Doing Justice to Your Pet’s Health? A Brief Introduction to Terrain Theory
Germ Theory: Not the Whole Story What human being has not been warned about germs, those infectious micro-organisms (pathogens) that are too small to be seen by the naked eye? You might even have heard of the famous 19th-century doctor, Louis Pasteur, who is known as the father of “germ theory.”...
Fluffy or Flabby? How to Prevent or Manage Pet Obesity and Optimize Your Dog or Cat’s Nutrition
Meet Susie On a glorious spring afternoon with temperatures nearing 70 degrees and not a cloud in the sky, Susie was finally getting to enjoy her favorite activity: hiking with her family! Susie happily sniffed the ground, dug in the dirt, and chased chipmunks and squirrels. But after only 20...
Do Pets Get Covid-19?
Can My Pet Get the SARS Virus and Develop the Covid-19 Dis-ease? Nowadays, veterinarians are often asked whether pets can get Covid-19. The short answer is yes, they can contract the SARS-CoV-2 virus. However, so far none have developed serious symptoms or died of Covid-19. Regardless, there are...
Fatal Viruses and One Health
The information on this blog is primarily about using HA! for animals. However the same scientific data that is used here for animals can be applied to people.This is the essence of One Health (OH) as described in the prior blog. For example, did you know that there’s nothing “special” about this...
One Way to Re-Connect Nature and Veterinary Medicine
An increasing body of research is showing that pets, people and the planet are all interconnected. This interrelationship is called One Health and helps scientists “translate” vital new information from one field of study in another. Here’s a quote from the One Health roadmap to health:...
Internal Balance and covid?
Have you ever had an intuitive sense that your pet is sick, but your vet says that your pet is fine because the exam and tests are all normal. Regardless, you know that something's wrong. Pet parents know their companions better than anyone, and can sense the earliest stage of dis-ease. Holistic...
mTor
Significance of Signs, Symptoms, mTor, and Quality of Life By Jeff Feinman, VMD Used with permission of the Journal of the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association (JAHVMA) Article first appeared in Volume 56, Fall Issue, 2019Abbreviations BEAM - Behavior, Energy, Appetite, “Mood” LOL -...
Using the Vitality and Balance System in Holistic Veterinary Practice
Using the Vitality and Balance System in Holistic Veterinary Practice By Jeff Feinman, VMD Used with permission of the Journal of the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association (JAHVMA)Article first appeared in Volume 54, Spring Issue, 2019 Abbreviations ASC - Avoid, Support, Cure BEAM -...
Longevity, Vital Capacity, Pranayama, and the Exposotype
By Jeff Feinman, VMD Used with permission of the Journal of the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association (JAHVMA).Article first appeared in Volume 58, Spring Issue, 2020 Abbreviations ME/CFS - Myalgic encephalomyelitis/ chronic fatigue syndrome QOL - Quality of life VC - Vital...
Reducing Uncertainty During Epidemics
We all worry about the future nowadays. Things, like "will we stay healthy despite COVID-19 and what may happen to our businesses". We may consider worry a “negative” emotion, but it is also an important evolutionary adaptation which we are all hard-wired to have. Anxiety, worry, fear, etc. can...
Give Reiki A Chance?
How would you like to be able to help restore balance in your pets' bodies in a free and 100% safe way? That's what Reiki can do. It is a form of medicine that uses your own healing energy and intention guided by the unknown spirit of nature that is all around us. Think of it this way - Reiki...
Got a Case of the COVID Blues? Six Easy, Fun, and Meaningful Ways to Feel Better and Enhance Your Mental and Physical Health
A SPECIAL MESSAGE FROM HOLISTIC ACTIONS! FACULTY: The HA! faculty sends our prayers and best wishes to everyone throughout the world that has been affected by this historic pandemic. Our hope is for a better balance of the world and greater empowerment for all as soon as possible. Here are 4...
Cancer prevention – watch those symptoms
Focus on life, not cancer This post is a part of the ebook that accompanied a Cancer Series at our Holistic Actions! Academy. The ebook was written to help all pet parents, regardless of medical background, reduce the risk of cancer in pets. Basically - cancer prevention. The approach to cancer in...
Discovery of Vitality, Balance and Homeopathy
Graduating from the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine in 1980 at age 30, I was not thinking at all holistically. I had done a two-day animal acupuncture class with the original U.S. founders of IVAS (International Veterinary Acupuncture Society), Dr. Grady Young and Dr. Marvin...
How To Improve Your Dog’s Performance in Agility
Any pet may suffer an injury or develop a problematic symptom. Especially those canine athletes who do activities like agility, flyball, herding, etc. This article applies the Holistic Medical Decision Making (HMDM) protocol to two common scenarios in agility. In both, HMDM was used. HMDM...
Conventional Research
Informational handouts, veterinary anatomy, x-rays, procedure images to enrich your knowledge base by doing more research on your condition.
The Benefit of Vaccinating
This article has been adapted from the introduction to the Holistic Actions! vaccinosis webinar ebook. If you’d like to be notified the next time we have a webinar about vaccination or when the vaccinosis course is released, please sign up below. There's only one benefit from vaccinating. But it's...
How to Help Balance Your Pet’s Hormones
Diabetes, Cushing’s, Addison's, hypo and hyper-thyroidism sound scary. It helps to know that these names and diagnoses are merely descriptions of the symptoms. They are not problems to be overcome. A diagnosis does not dictate what you do. You probably do not treat your friend “Susan” based...
How to Select an Integrative Holistic Veterinarian
Your pet is ill and you want to treat holistically. You want to prevent illness, save money and have your companion live a long life. Who is an integrative veterinarian? She/he is a veterinarian, trained in using conventional drugs and diagnostics. She/he has been trained in one or many different...
What To Do About Vaccinosis Prevention and Treatment
This article has been adapted from the introduction to the Holistic Actions! vaccinosis webinar ebook. If you’d like to be notified the next time we have a webinar about vaccination or when the vaccinosis course is released, please sign up below. Click here to read more about the benefit/risk of...
Is the Food you Feed Helping or Hurting Your Pets?
Food has been used as a safe and effective medicine for thousands of years. Living food is vital and gives our pets the nutrients and energy they need to survive, thrive, and heal. The freshest foods promote wellness and speed this healing. Processed pet foods have most of their vitality removed....
Practicing Proactive Prevention and Treatment to Best Help Our Pets (Brain Tumor Case)
Seemingly without warning, your beloved companion animal develops a life-threatening illness. Sue and Bear’s story can help you decide what to do. Bear is a playful eight year young Bulldog. All of a sudden he started having seizures. His worried guardian brought him to a neurologist who ran...
Size of the Medication Dose Matters. A lot!
In the mid-1990s, I was called out to see Justin, an Irish Wolfhound who was unable to get up. This was a big problem because he weighed 180 pounds. Examination and history strongly suggested Lyme Disease. At that time, anti-biotics were the only Lyme treatment that I knew. When Eva saw the...
Why Routine Diagnostic Tests are so Important
Your nine year young pup or kitty seems fine. But she’s not. The veterinarian just called with the blood test results from her wellness check up: thyroid, liver and kidney markers were abnormal. On top of that, the vet said she has an infection because her white count is very high. Uh oh! What...
Can Nutritional Supplements Hurt Your Pets?
We live in a fast-paced society. We want quick results. Especially when our beloved pets develop scary symptoms. Drugs are designed to eliminate these symptoms. And in many cases, they do this quite effectively. At the same time, many of us have become more holistically-oriented. We prefer to...
Holistically Monitoring Kidney Dis-eases at Home
Problem = possible decreased kidney function.Holistic Action! = monitor for early warning signs and kidney function at home while promoting healing by your pet’s body.Meet HenryHenry is a 6 year old Golden. His mom has been watching him drink much more than usual. Everything else about him is...
Holistic Help for Dogs and Cats With Cystitis Symptoms
The problem? Cystitis (Urinary Tract “Infection” or UTI). Solution and take home? An easy process to resolve and prevent it.
5 Easy Holistic Actions! That Stop Cats From Urinating Outside the Litterbox
Your kitty has started urinating (or pooping) on the living room rug. What can you do? You went to the veterinarian. Examination and diagnostic testing was all normal. But clearly something is wrong. What could it be? Now’s a great time to look at the symptoms in detail. Put them into the context...
What You Can Do For Your Dog or Cat Having Seizures
Homeopathic treatment can help any named dis-ease. As long as sufficient vitality exists. Animals have convulsions for various reasons. What can you do if your pet has a seizure? And is already being treated with homeopathy. Homeopathic Remedies In my homeopathic practice, here's what we do. Often...
Flower Essences for Lame and Arthritic Pets
Flower Essences (FE) can help your pets with both physical and emotional health challenges. They are great for lame, stiff and arthritic pets. Unlike supplements that act like natural drugs, FE are 100% safe. They are made by putting specially chosen flowers in water and exposing to sunlight. Most...
Should You Use Supplements for Your Lame and Arthritic Pets?
The Problem: Increasing lameness, stiffness and arthritic problems in our pets. The Solution: Individualized treatment while supporting your pet's body while it heals. By optimizing lifestyle and using nutritional supplements (if needed). We all love our animal companions and we don’t want them...
Arnica is Safer and Often More Effective Than Rimadyl
What to do after injury? A frequent question I get from community members is what to do right after an injury. Whether the injury was from a bad turn during agility to being t-boned by another dog during play. Here's how you can help right away (without anti-inflammatories like Rimadyl): Get the...
What Molecular Biology, the MTHFR Gene and Your Pet’s Brain Have in Common
Our companion animals give us unconditional love and support. They deserve the best that we can give them. Unfortunately many of them are living shorter lives. They’re also suffering from more serious and stubborn dis-eases. Things that just keep coming back and getting worse over time. Dogs and...
How Your Pet’s Behavior is Related to Brain Dis-eases Like Seizures
Some of you have asked, how behavior problems and brain dis-eases (“dis-ease” is another way of saying imbalance) are connected. That’s an easy one! All parts of your pet’s body work together as a system. Not like a car made up of separate parts. A car may function normally with a broken tail...
Holistic Actions When You Have an Emergency with Your Pet
Here's what you can do if you see emergency symptoms in your animal: Safety first. If an animal is in pain, she may bite you. Even if she loves you dearly and is a super sweet dog or cat. Covering her head with a towel or wrapping a leash or soft cord around her mouth is helpful . Assess her...
Heal Your Pet With a Hug
While researching the connection between wellness and vitality, I came across an article with the intriguing title of: "Therapeutic Touch Affects DNA Synthesis and Mineralization of Human Osteoblasts in Culture" This is not some woo-woo research. It's from a conventional medical center published...
The Case of Razz’s Disappearing Mouth Tumor
Meet Razz Razz has a great life! He gets to run with his guardian almost every day, loves playing, training and competing with other dogs. He is so well-adjusted ("Bombproof" as Patti, Razz's guardian says) because he has been holistically and homeopathically treated since he was a puppy....
The 6 Ps That Help Keep Your Pets Healthy
Learning to communicate with your companion animal using her symptom language can greatly improve her health and your choices of care. You’ll become better at keeping her well by identifying early hints of internal imbalance. Your pet’s symptom language will also help you manage her health challenges. Learning how is simple and easy. You don’t even to know the meaning of the “words” to get started.
You Can Learn Your Pet’s Language
Nature can be seen expressing herself just by looking. Symptoms are the natural language of your pet's body. It seems intuitive to work with nature and in accord with the body. So why don't more people listen to symptoms and work with them? Once we learn about the exquisite effectiveness and...
Treating Symptoms Like Weeds In Your Garden
Some quick thoughts while weeding my garden this morning. Improving health is like gardening. We know that contact with soil is healthful. For various reasons. You'll also have healthier animals when you work along with mother nature. Not against her. Many of our pet's health challenges come from...
More About Using Your Pet’s Symptoms to Help Health Challenges
Understanding and Describing Symptoms Will Help Your Pets Have Better Lives
Main take home message:Acute symptoms reflect internal health. How you treat them really matters. Let’s look at one of the very best ways to help your companion animals today while improving their overall health. That is - understanding signs and symptoms. You do not need to be a doctor to do...
Understand Symptoms To Help Your Pets Have Better Lives
Chi is a 16 year young kitty. He’s a purring machine who loves everyone! One morning, he woke up sneezing and discharging from his nose. That’s it. He was fine in all other ways. There was nothing abnormal about any of his B.E.A.M. (Behavior, Energy, Appetite, Mood) symptoms. What should you do to...