So, to say that I like things organised, lined up and neat-looking would be about as understated as Donald Trump’s hair. Sadly, as much as I would have loved to be a care-free, easy breezy Rachel, I’m definitely more of an “if it’s not a right angle, it’s a wrong angle” Monica, and that’s just the way it is.

Let me start this post then by sharing with you the binge-worthy Netflix series I’m mildly obsessed with right now. It’s called Get Organized, presented by Clea and Joanne, professional organisers to the stars and owners of Instagram-famous The Home Edit. If you haven’t yet seen it, bought the book or been prompted to re-organise your entire life by it, I’m tempted to believe you’ve been hiding…underneath piles of clothing or unopened mail perhaps. Watch it, love it and get inspired to live a life free of clutter, with everything in Rainbow Order. Check out Jordana Brewster’s fridge below.

In a close second spot, is the other little “series” (Youtube-based) I’m a big fan of, by neat queen Khloe Kardashian, aptly named “Khlo-C-D.” Khloe, a long-time client of The Home Edit, also features in one of Get Organised’s episodes, where her huge garage gets a massive makeover.

So, given my personal love of all things organised, as well as the global stir most recently caused by the Get Organized and its marvellous home makeovers, I thought it apt to share with you some basic ideas to get you started on editing your (own) home and, ultimately, your life. After all, home is where the heart is.

INVEST IN UNIFORM HANGERS

Whether you’re willing to invest in wooden hangers, lighter-weight velvet hangers or want to keep expenses to a minimum with plastic hangers, either way – get rid of all those mix ‘n match hangers in your cupboard & buy a matching set once and for all – same colour, same material. There is nothing that transforms a wardrobe quicker and will make everything in it look that much more beautiful. Take the plunge, your clothes are worth it!

CONTAIN YOUR CLEANING CUPBOARD, CLEARLY

Keep similar items together (“floor & tile cleaners”, “laundry detergent & fabric softeners”, “bin bags”) and contain, contain, contain – in clear stackable bins! It looks better, you’ll find things easier and keeping the house clean (as well as organised) will be less of a chore and more of a pleasure!

BUY A CAR BIN AND NEVER LOOK BACK

I recently bought myself the tiniest but most practical little cup-holder-fitting car bin, and – let me tell you – it’s a life-changer. Why on earth would a person need a car bin, you ask? Well, let me count the things I for one, rather frequently need to dispose of, mid-drive: disposable face masks, empty takeaway coffee cups, parking receipts, naartjie peels or apple cores, gum wrappers…the list goes on. What do use to dispose of it in? You guessed it: my teeny tiny little car bin. I highly recommend.

GIVE YOUR GROCERY BAGS A HOME

Wherever your plastic bags are living (safely assuming you recycle and re-use), if they’re not living in a wall-mounted plastic bag container, they’re not living their best life – and, quite frankly, neither are you. I’m no fan of plastic and try to avoid it as much as possible, but – when receiving something in plastic, I always store, recycle and reuse, as many times as possible. This unit isn’t the prettiest one I’ve seen, but it’s cost-effective and will will give you a good idea of what to look out for.

DECLUTTER YOUR DESKTOP

We spend so much time on our laptops or computers: we use it to communicate, watch things, read & research. If your desktop is littered with a countless number of folder icons – do yourself a favour and clean that s-)*t up! I suggest opening a free Dropbox account and keeping all your folders, currently on your desktop, in there. You can still access it all from your desktop, but when you open up your laptop – instead of being bombarded with a million visual cues of things that are on your to-do list, you’re greeted with a far more calming and uplifting screen saver of your choice: whether it be a photograph of a loved one or an aesthetic wallpaper featuring a saying that inspires you. Life is hectic, full and busy – you don’t need your desktop (often used in the pursuit of getting things done) to be that too!

And, lastly, remember: good things take time. If it’s important to you to clear out your space and make room for things that spark joy, don’t feel overwhelmed. Just start. Somewhere. Remember: CHANGE IS A PROCESS, NOT AN EVENT. Much like life.

x

Love, Clare.

So, let me start by saying that – whilst I am truly thankful for all I have and wholeheartedly believe in keeping an attitude of gratitude – the Naturally Skinny Gene is not really a part of my DNA. As Britney would put it, perhaps rather bluntly but liberatingly honest, nonetheless: if I “want a hot body”, I have to “work b*tch”.

To the detriment of my close girlfriends, who either get dragged into my laser-focused mania from time to time or have to put up with me on no carbs, no alcohol, no sugar, no fun, I have embarked on many weight loss missions for those once-in-a-lifetime occasions, where I simply felt I  HAD to look my best. This would include, for example, our wedding, any wedding in which I’ve appeared, big birthday celebrations…the list goes on. It was either slim down and shape up or have photos of the occasion haunt me forever in many different but equally traumatising ways (including the annual rotation of my dear mom’s at-home Christmas tree decorations, incorporating archival family photos and proudly displaying them for all to see, dangling  casually amongst glitter bombs and flickering lights). Yes, the Christmas tree decorations will get you, if you don’t watch out.

So, I can honestly say that, in my opinion, there is certainly no “secret” to getting skinny. There is no “magic” way of eating whatever your carb-hungry heart desires and slimming down simultaneously.  Unless, of course you have some sort of thyroid problem or the coveted but rare Naturally Skinny Gene. For the rest of us, there is only one road to success: “work, b*tch.”

Here are my personal top ten tips for shedding some pounds (with the usual disclaimer that I sure ain’t no doctor, nutritionist or shaman):

• The devil’s name is Sugar: diet fads come and go but I have yet to meet an expert who encourages the consumption of the White Beast. My number one rule is to stay far away from sugar, in all its sneakily hidden forms, including simple carbohodrates. The stuff is in fruit juices, fizzy drinks, high-sugar fruit, bread, pasta, muffins, ready-made sauces and condiments including tomato sauce, chocolates, canned or dried fruit, ice cream, frozen yogurt, granola, smoothies & of course sweets. It’s everywhere: simply google high-sugar foods and read food labels to keep track of your intake.
• Keep your blood sugar levels steady throughout the day to aid weight loss: this can be done by sticking to foods low on the glycaemic index (GI), including small snacks in between meals, avoiding caffeine, eating breakfast and avoiding all forms of sugar, as mentioned above, including artificial sweeteners. If you sometimes fall off the wagon by eating a food with a high glycaemic index or load, combine it with low GI foods (like a handful of raw almonds) to help balance the meal.
• Limit alcohol: I have always cut out alcohol when dieting. Not everyone has my A-type German blood though and this rule can be very hard to keep, for some. Not only does alcohol interfere with (or slow down) the way your body burns fat, it messes with your blood sugar levels, lowers your dieting discipline and, somehow, always makes a McDonald’s burger seem like a great midnight snack. If you want to indulge, stick to a glass of red wine, clear liquors like whisky or vodka and stay away from sweet, fizzy mixers. Use fresh lime wedges or cucumber slices with soda, as a healthy mixer option.
• You can’t out-exercise a bad diet. Exercise is great for limited calorie burning, increasing fitness and improving muscle tone (nobody wants to be “fat skinny” after all; we want to be “toned skinny” a la Rachel from FRIENDS). But, if you want to lose weight and become a smaller human, following the correct diet is 85% of the battle. Don’t fool yourself into thinking that 30 minutes on the treadmill “erases” that chocolate brownie or burger & fries. It really, really doesn’t.
• Have your last meal at 6pm and make it a light one. When your body is winding down from the day and going into rest mode, where do you think all the calories you’ve consumed at dinner, go? Yes, that’s right: to your hips (or your stomach). Wherever it goes, the fact is that it’s not being burned. It’s being “stored”.
• DNAlysis and similar companies offer diet-related genetic testing these days, that reveals whether your body burns fat better on a diet high in complex carbohydrates (like oats) or protein (tjoppies and wors). One of my best friends, Moi, did this test, changed her eating and swears it changed her life. By the same token, I can also tell you that I tried the LCHF (low carb high fat) program for six weeks straight and did not shed one kilo. Yes, even with my German Discipline Of Steel. Each body is different and what works for you won’t necessarily work for the next person. Hence, genetic testing (if you can afford it) might be a worthwhile consideration if you’re not sure what works for you.
• Stay hydrated. We often mistake thirst for hunger and overeat this way.
• Plan a weekly cheat meal. It’s easier to plan a cheat than to have a cheat and feel like a cheater. This often causes us to beat ourselves up or throw in the towel. It’s OK to indulge once or twice a week, even whilst on a diet. It keeps things sustainable and will increase your long-term chances of success. A piece of dark chocolate (anything over 70%) is a delicious and relatively guilt-free treat, by the way.
• If you’re curious, try intermittent fasting.  This works like a bomb and is the latest discovery in cutting-edge weight-loss techniques. Intermittent fasting is not a diet. This plan doesn’t require you to change what you eat, you only need to change when you eat. Essentially, intermittent fasting is said to force the body to go into “fat burning mode” during a 14 to 16 hour fasting portion of the day. It’s not as hard as it sounds and carries a whole host of other health & aesthetic benefits. Read more here. All I can say is: I’ve tried it and it works!
• Consult a professional. Last but not least, if you’re after a serious long-term weight management lifestyle (which is obviously more efficient, healthier & more sustainable than a quick burst of panic-induced weight loss mania), consult an expert:
  • Go see a holistic nutrionist (Hannah Kaye in Cape Town is excellent); OR
  • Consult a medical doctor specialising in the latest scientifically proven weight loss programs. We worked closely with the phenomenal Skin Renewal Clinic (they have several branches across South Africa) on our recent televison makeover series, MOOIMAAK. We managed to help a handful of keen candidates lose as much as 13 kilograms in 3 months on Skin Renewal’s medical weight loss program. I kid you not. We were gobsmacked at the results and none of the ladies ever went hungry, got cranky or fell off the wagon. See below for their before and after magic.

Wishing you all a body-happy (and, more importantly, a generally happy) festive season! One final word of advice: don’t start any diets in December or else you’ll give new meaning to the term “silly season”. Enjoy the Christmas cake, the New Year’s bubbly and perhaps one sneaky helping of a midnight McDonald’s. Rather, set your sights on 2018 and let January be the time to”work b*itch”.

With (low-glycaemic) love,

Clare.

A little bit about leaky gut (it’s not as gross as it sounds)

If you’re at all interested in holistic health or modern approaches to wellbeing, you will no doubt have heard or read about the term, “leaky gut syndrome”. Essentially, leaky gut syndrome (or “intestinal hyperpermeability”) is a common condition that develops as a consequence of intestinal tight junction malfunction. These “tight junctions” are the gateway between your intestines and what is allowed to pass into your blood stream.  Your tight junctions are there to keep nasty things out like toxins, microbes and undigested food particles.

Having a leaky gut is pretty much like having the gates of your intestines broken, allowing many of these particles that are not supposed to be let through, to enter your blood stream.  When this happens, it causes inflammation throughout your body leading to all kinds of minor and more serious diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis, autoimmune disorders (like thyroid disease), allergies, food intolerances, IBS, acne, eczema, psoriasis, depression, anxiety and other neurological disorders. Up to 70 to 80 percent of your immune system is situated in your digestive tract. As the father of modern medicine, Hippocrates, said himself: “all disease begins in the gut.”

As most of us in the modern world are affected by poor diet choices, chronic stress, toxic overload and bacterial imbalances (caused by inter alia the widespread use of antibiotics), the prevalence of leaky gut has reached epidemic proportions.

Disclaimer 

Before I go any further, please note: I am not a doctor, a medical expert, a nutritionist, reiki master or sangoma, for that matter. What I am, though, is a very curious girl, extremely passionate about health and the undeniable relationship between mind, body and soul; I am someone who continually asks questions, wants to undestand “why” and seeks answers from the world’s leading experts. My write-up here is thus simply to be understood as relaying my own experience with leaky gut syndrome with the honest hope that it might be able to help someone else or, at least, make some of you want to know more or ask more questions.

My experience

I came to learn about the overarching importance of a healthy gut when I found out, accidentally, a few years ago that my thyroid antibodies were abnormally high. In a nutshell, what this meant was that my body was in a state of autoimmunity (with my thyroid antibodies attacking my thyroid). The thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland in one’s neck, just above the collarbone. It is one of the endocrine glands, which produce hormones. Thyroid hormones control the rate of many essential bodily activities, including how fast we burn calories and how fast our hearts beat.

I visited one top endocrinlogist after the other, only to be told that “most doctors don’t usually test for thryoid antibodies, they only look at thyroid functions. Yours is still functioning, so just ignore the antibodies for now.” I was informed that there was in any event nothing that could be done to bring down these antibodies and it would be a “wait and see” game. I was told that it is only once your thryoid eventually becomes diseased, by being overactive or underactive (as a result of the antibodies), that you can be “treated”. Treatment involves surgically removing or chemically destroying the thyroid gland and/or prescribing lifetime hormone replacement medication. Neither the “wait and see” approach nor the eventual treatment options sounded particularly appealing to me and, if I had to pinpoint one moment in time when I started questioning conventional or “pill-popping” medical strategies, and becoming more curious about preventative or functional health, this would have been it.

Through weeks of intensive research, refusing to let my state of autoimmunity be a ticking time bomb, desperately wanting to hold on to my functioning thyroid gland (without taking hormone pills for the rest of my life), I ended up at the offices of Dr Susan Blum, a New York-based functional medicine leader. I had come across her best-selling book The Immune System Recovery Plan wherein she explains the link between gut disease (“leaky gut”) and autoimmunity.

I immediately started a gut health recovery program, which involved inter alia cutting out gluten, dairy and sugar (three rather frequently consumed foods which can significantly contribute  to intestinal permeability).

Whilst healing a leaky gut is a multifactorial process (involving dietary changes as well as taking digestive supplements, reducting chronic stress and repairing the gut lining), something dramatic happened when I took the first step and simply cut out gluten, sugar and dairy.  And, yes, in case you’re wondering, I have the blood tests to prove it. The gut repair process is not yet complete for me, but things are sure looking positive.

Thryoid peroxidase antibodies (they are supposed to be under 10):

• July 2015 | 200.3
• August 2016 | 92.3

I showed the blood tests in question to one of my doctors here in Cape Town and, let’s just say, he was surprised (to put it mildly) that, somehow, my autoimmunity was slowly but surely being “reversed” by a mere change in diet. (Bear in mind that once your thyroid has already been diagnosed as over- or under-active, it’s a different ball game and the damage has been done. I was lucky to have caught the high antibodies in time, albeit by accident, before it irreperably harmed my thyroid.)

Anyway, further to what I said before, this post is not here to serve as a comprehensive textbook on leaky gut syndrome (its causes, signs, symptoms and effects) or a guide on “how to cure whatever illnesses are plaguing you by cutting out gluten, dairy and sugar”. Instead, I am simply sharing a powerful, life-changing series of events that opened my eyes to the very real significance of gut health, beginning with the time when I saw my very own thyroid antibodies drop after a few months of cutting out inflammatory foods.

If you suspect that you might have a leaky gut and are keen to learn more about its effect on your health, I suggest you visit a holistic health expert (either a functional medical practicioner or nutrionist) to help diagnose it and guide you through an extensive gut repair program.

Read more

• Functional medical expert Dr Mark Hyman has written several, very intersting articles on the subject;
• Functional medical expert Dr Josh Axe has written an easy to understand article outlining the causes, symptoms and treatment options for leaky gut syndrome;
• Read more about the fascinating gut-brain connection and how a leaky gut can affect your brain.

See a gut repair expert & get healing

• I have found a South African version of Susan;) in the form of integrative health expert Hannah Kaye, who lives and practises as a nutritionist (with a very similar approach to Susan’s) in Cape Town;
• The doctors at Skin Renewal are very holistically-minded and suggested, to my great delight, a full gut repair program for one of our makeover candidates, Bianca, who has been battling acne for years. I cannot recommend them highly enough.

With (non-leaky) love,

Clare.

So, it’s been a while since I’ve posted anything – in fact, it’s been a whole year. I’ve decided it’s high time to post something again and, in the spirit of Christmas, I wanted to share some advice with those of you that love your pets as much as I do; advice that could hopefully change the quality of your dog’s life and, in so doing, make your life a little easier too.

Meet Kimbey: my ten-year old Maltese Boomer (50% Maltese, 25% West Highland Terrier and 25% Pure Heaven). (I could go on here about her insanely cute and intelligent personality, all the special little things she does and how crazily in love I am with her, but – if you are reading this – you probably feel exactly the same about your dog, so you ‘get it’).

Kimbey, like most dogs with white or light skin, in her later years developed a chronic kind of skin problem. The technical term for it is ‘atopic dermatitis’ which basically refers to an allergic skin disease. Earlier in this year, the problem became worse and worse and, despite top veterinarian care, it got to a point where I wondered whether she was enjoying life at all anymore. It was heartbreaking and frustrating to the highest degrees: she was scratching non-stop, making herself bleed in certain hot spots, the hair around her eyes and around her bum was falling out leaving her with bald little patches, her skin was excessively oily giving off a bad smell and, the worst part was, she had lost all of her trademark lust for life. She was clearly incredibly frustrated and sad.

The vets, sharing my frustration, told me that this was a very difficult problem to treat seeing as Kimbey is such an allergic dog (we had special lab tests done in the USA to determine all of her allergies, which include grass, many meats, house dust mites, feathers, washing powder etc.) The situation felt almost helpless. The only relief that seemed viable at the time was in the form of cortisone, which, although it brings temporary alleviation of symptoms, suppresses the dog’s immune system and – in the end – can cause all sorts of horrific effects including cancer and a shortening of life span.

So, given the dire situation and a resolute feeling that there must be a solution, I went on a mad research tangent, googled myself silly, tried every single piece of advice out there and even got on the phone to a specialist US veterinarian homeopath (which cost me a pretty penny, but – of course – I was desperate).

I am extremely proud to say that, in the end, with the help of two amazing vets, I managed to swing Kimbey’s ‘impossible’ skin condition around by 180 degrees. Her skin has never looked better, her fur is shiny, soft and smells beautiful, the hair around her eyes and her bum have grown back beautifully, the scratching (which used to wake me up as many as 5 times a night) is virtually gone and she has ALL of her bouncy, mischievous and joyful personality back!

So, here is what worked for little Kimbey (please check with your veterinarian before following this advice, as I am certainly not a qualified vet, I am simply sharing what worked for me, in the hopes that you may reap the same benefits):

1. Breaking The Initial Cycle If the scratching is at a point where the dog is making him/herself bleed and the situation is clearly out of control, you first need to break the cycle. The more the dog scratches, the more histamine is released and the more they feel the incessant urge to scratch. To break Kimbey’s cycle, we had no choice but to administer low levels of cortisone, injected at a dose recommended by our vet. Do not administer cortisone other than through your vet. Your vet might also recommend a tranquilliser of some sorts to get the dog to sleep through the night. I strongly recommend Dr Reena Cotton, Vet Point, Sea Point, Cape Town (http://findplace.co.za/Western-Cape/Cape-Town/Vetpoint-Dr-Reena-Cotton) or Dr Barry Hindmarch, CAMC, Kenilworth, Cape Town. A natural alternative for calming your dog down is Rescue Remedy, available at any pharmacy (but be sure to use the alcohol-free tablet form, not the drops),

2. Washing/Bathing This is a tricky one. Too much bathing can strip the skin of its natural oils and cause an increase in oil production which causes a bad smell. Too little bathing is also problematic as, when the skin gets too dirty, this increases the itchiness and of course also causes a bad smell. We found for Kimbey what worked was one to two times a week. Again, ask your vet about how often you should bathe your dog. Very important: use a calming, natural oatmeal shampoo (completely avoid anything with a fragrance in it) or ask your vet for a medicated anti-itch shampoo (Dr Reena Cotton, Vet Point, Sea Point, Cape Town). Make sure you dry your dog off completely after bathing, using either a hair dryer with cool air or a towel. If your dog has an ear infection too, make sure to wipe the ears out softly with a cotton pad so that they are completely dry. Be sure to get the ear infection under control as well: your vet should be able to recommend ear drops.

3. Avoidance of Allergens This is incredibly important, especially in the beginning phase when your dog’s system is still very weak and needs time to build up some strength again. It’s no use trying to control the allergic reaction if you are not avoiding the allergy-causing substances in the first place. If you can afford it and are willing to spend the money, ask your vet about blood allergy testing (Cape Animal Medical Health Centre, Kenilworth, Cape Town, Dr Barry Hindmarch). You will have to be vigilant, especially at first. For instance, if your dog is allergic to grass, you will have to wipe their paws off with luke warm water when they come inside. Don’t spray perfumes or household sprays near your dog.

4. Pet Clothing This might seem silly and spoiled, but I found this incredibly helpful. Kimbey seems to scratch a lot less when she is wearing one of her little pet t-shirts or tops (make sure it’s a good quality one, though, made of cotton and not synthetic material). I reckon it protects the skin from environmental allergens, but it also puts a barrier between the skin and the dog’s nails and teeth, when it tries to scratch or bite itself. Just make sure, in summer, to use light-weight clothing (you don’t want the skin to heat up). Wash their clothes with a non-chemical laundry detergent.

5. Diet Everyone has and it entitled to their own opinion, but I, personally, do not believe in feeding your dog pellets or dry food. Quite simply, it’s not real food and if you take the time to read up on exactly what’s in it, you will probably be shocked and very quickly discover for yourself why so many people stay far away from it. Of course, feeding your dog real food is costly and time-consuming. For an allergic dog, however, this makes a big difference. The skin is one of the organs your dog’s body uses to try to get rid of toxins. If you clog up that system by feeding your dog undesirable food, of course the already-burdened skin is going to suffer even more. If you are able to obtain blood allergy test results to determine which foods to stay away from, obviously use that as a guide.

What made a tremendous amount of difference to Kimbey’s health was changing her diet to one that consists of vegetables and protein. Personally, I strongly believe in the raw food diet for dogs, as advocated by leading holistic veterinarian Dr Richard Pitcairn. His best-selling book, Dr. Pitcairn’s Complete Guide to Natural Health for Dogs & Cats, is truly fantastic and offers holistic health advice for a whole range of symptoms and illnesses (not only skin-related issues).

I feed Kimbey steamed vegetables (mostly broccoli, cauliflower, pumpkin, butternut and gem squash) with either raw protein (minced lamb or other meat) or cooked fish (cooked in a tiny amount of coconut oil), twice a day. Some people are concerned about parasites in raw meat, but I sprinkle a bit of diatomaceous earth (a natural anti-parasite product, available at most pet stores) on her food and Kimbey has never had a parasite problem. Dogs’ stomachs are a lot stronger than that of humans. If you don’t have time to cook and prepare food for your dog, try Vondi’s Pet Store in Sea Point, Cape Town. They sell ready-made healthy meal options.

Note: some ‘human’ foods are highly toxic to dogs (e.g. xylitol, chocolate, macadamia nuts, avocado, onions, garlic, grapes, raisins, dairy produts etc) so read up on this and avoid giving these to your dog under any circumstances.

5. Supplements We add a small amount of coconut oil to Kimbey’s food (it’s excellent for their general health and for any skin-related disorders) and we also add a special fish oil blend to each meal (specifically formulated to reduce the symptoms of skin diseases) available at Vet Point. In all the research that I came across, fish oil and coconut oil are the two supplements that kept being mentioned for dogs with itchy, scratchy skin. Bear in mind that it could take a few weeks for the effects of these supplements to start showing, but be patient, they will.

6. Anti-histamines Last but definitely not least, we have put Kimbey onto a daily dose of anti-histamines. It took 2-3 weeks to build up in her system and start showing proper results, but – when it did – she became a completely different dog. Check with your veterinarian which anti-histamines and what dosage, is recommended. We use a combination of Allergex and Phenergan, which really has worked wonders. Kimbey was on another antihistamine before and it certainly did not work half as well as this combination. Finding the right antihistamine or antihistamine combination can make all the difference. Again, I cannot stress this enough, do not self-medicate your dog. Speak to your vet (I recommend Dr Reena Cotton, Vet Point, Sea Point, Cape Town).

Since Kimbey’s skin has settled so nicely now, I am going to try wean her off the Allergex and get her started on Allex (a natural Patrick Holford product) since this is probably something she will have to take chronically to keep her skin in check. This is available from Dr Barry Hindmarch, CAMC (link above) or Wellness Warehouse.

7. Homeopathy This is an excellent treatment option as well, if none of the above works for you or if you feel you want to start here. Homeopathy seeks to address the underlying causes of any illness and, in so doing, help the body heal itself. I obtained the details of one of the leading veterinarian homeopaths in the world from Dr Richard Pitcairn himself. Her name is Dr Wendy Jensen and her email address is jensenhvp@gmail.com. She practises in the USA but is available for international Skype consultations.

8. Classical Music This seems to be very soothing and comforting to them, especially during the acute phase and if you have a particularly musical dog (Kimbey enjoys singing along to the piano, when I play).

9. Regular Exercise This is a no-brainer and of course helps to maintain the general health of your dog and assist the body in flushing out toxins. It also distracts them for their discomfort a bit.

DISCLAIMER I re-iterate that I am not a qualified vet and my advice is given simply from research and practical experience i.e. what has worked for me and Kimbey. I strongly suggest that, in treating your pet, you seek the advice and supervision of your vet. If the first vet you try is not able to help, go for a second opinion or even a third.

Finally, please don’t get despondent and don’t give up hope. Seeing your furry loved ones  suffer from something out of their control, is absolutely heartbreaking. I know. However, when it comes to atopic dermatitis, there are solutions and there most certainly are ways of dealing with it or lessening their and your discomfort.

Feel free to email me at clarewiese82@gmail.com if you have any questions at all.