DEAR READERS: Through various religious, spiritual rituals, and our communion in nature, we of the Earth community may gain the understanding needed to heal ourselves and the planet. Chief Black Elk of the Oglala Lakota people put it this way: "Nothing can live well except in a manner that is suited to the way the sacred Power of the World lives and moves."
Black Elk witnessed and suffered the genocide of his people, just as many people today are suffering as they witness the ecocide and extinction of many species due to human incursion and mass extermination. As he foresaw, we must either evolve or perish as a species.
As the late Dr. Albert Schweitzer advised, "Until he extends the circle of his compassion to all living things, man will not himself find peace." Reverential respect for all life is the foundation of One Health in recognition of the interdependence of human and nonhuman, animal, plant and microorganism life; of a global democracy; of justice and rule of law; and of a viable and sustainable economy. The Gaia Hypothesis, proposed by the late British scientist James Lovelock in 1972, is based on the fact that living organisms on the planet interact with their surrounding inorganic environment to form a synergetic and self-regulating system that created, and now maintains, the climate and biochemical conditions that make life on Earth possible. Respect for all life is therefore enlightened self-interest.
PROGRESS IN PET FOOD NUTRITION: ECO-FRIENDLY SUSTAINABLE AND HEALTHFUL FOOD RESOURCES
For an excellent video presentation on pet foods and proper nutrition, see the presentation by Dr. Bob Goldstein at vimeo.com/744411904/9518763fa1.
Readers can also sign up at holisticactions.com to join the Holistic Actions community.
DEAR DR. FOX: Please resolve an issue about cleaning out our dog's food and water bowls. I say we should do this every day. My husband says, just add fresh water as needed, and the dog licks the food bowl clean, so there's no need to clean it. What is your opinion? -- G.F., Trenton, New Jersey
DEAR G.F.: Clean them both daily. The water bowl will develop a biofilm of bacteria overnight, which needs to be cleaned out. Use filtered rather than tap water, which is not safe in many municipalities. I use a ZeroWater filter for our family.
Food bowls should be cleaned daily because pet foods can contain potentially harmful bacteria which could proliferate and could make your pet and other family members sick.
(Send all mail to animaldocfox@gmail.com or to Dr. Michael Fox in care of Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106. The volume of mail received prohibits personal replies, but questions and comments of general interest will be discussed in future columns.
Visit Dr. Fox’s website at DrFoxOneHealth.com.)