Why is my dog shivering?

Why Is My Dog Shivering?

Shivering, tremors, or shaking in dogs can occur throughout the healing process. Learn why and when we should be concerned.

There are a few common reasons why dogs tend to shiver:

  1. They are excited or nervous or have excess energy to burn off
  2. They are in pain. Typically there will be other signs of pain to go along with this.
  3. They are cold.

Dogs Shiver from excitement

Shivering from excitement or an excess of energy is the most common reason that dogs will shiver, especially among toy breeds and smaller dogs. Shivering can become a trained behavior with toy breeds and smaller dogs. For example, they might get excited about food and then start shivering whenever they think they will get fed. Or they might shiver around one person in the family due to excitement or nervousness but not shiver around others. If your dog is shivering frequently, it is most likely a learned behavior; some training can help correct this. If you have recently changed your dog’s diet to the natural canine diet it is very common for them to have a lot more energy and not know how to burn off this excess energy, so shivering becomes a way that they burn off the excess energy. Giving your dog a longer walk or more play sessions can correct this excess energy issue.

Dogs can shiver when they are in pain

Dogs can also shiver if they feel discomfort. So if we see our dog shivering and it’s not obviously due to excitement then we should check them over. Check their teeth, paw pads, and ensure they don’t have a thorn in the foot or a bramble, etc. Check their mouth for injury if you can do so safely. Check their walk to make sure they are not limping and check their tummy to see if they have gas or bloating.

Shivering could also be due to stomach upset if they are not digesting food well. If they have gas and are shivering then it’s very likely that their meals are too large or you are combining too many ingredients leading to fermentation and gas. If you think this is the case you should decrease the portions or simplify the meals. Sometimes as their digestion heals we need to start them off with smaller meals and slowly increase the meals over time. If you have noticed any gas, bloating, lip licking, scooting, or loose stool then adjust their meals to smaller portions which will improve digestion and avoid any gas or fermentation from undigested foods.

Dogs can shiver when cold

If the weather has turned colder, or you have the air conditioning on in your house your dog might simply be cold. Try putting on a sweater, giving them a blanket or a heated bed or dog safe heated pad to lay on.

If your dog has recently lost some weight this can cause them to shiver as the loss of body fat means a loss of insulation. It can take a little time for the body to adjust and the thyroid to maintain temperature more effectively, so sometimes when dogs lose weight they can shiver until their body adjusts to their new weight and is able to better manage their temperature.

Shivering can also result from eating cold food. If you are currently feeding their fruit or meat meals out of the fridge you might try warming them on the counter or in a zip top bag submersed in warm water. Feeding right from the fridge can be another cause of shivering.

Shivering as a result of detox

When the body is healing, sometimes our animals will go through periods of discomfort, just like when we humans experience a cold or a flu detox healing event. Just like a cold or flu puts our body in a state of discomfort while it cleans and heals our body, when our dogs and cats are healing they can go through periods of mild to moderate discomfort. When this happens they may sometimes shiver. This type of shivering is usually accompanied by some level of fatigue as well as other detox symptoms like itchy skin, mucus, coughing, sneezing, or lack of or limited appetite, or picky eating. If you notice growing fatigue then this would be a good time to fast so the body can focus all of its energy on the healing processes.

Have more questions? Want to get answers about your dog or cat’s specific health issues or concerns? I offer consultations, learn more about them here: https://www.therawkey.com/consultations/

Fermentation

Burping, Gas & Bloating, what do they mean?

Frequently as people transition to the natural diet there is a period of digestion issues as the fast digesting fruits run into the constipation caused by a cooked foods diet.  In most people, this digestion issue passes in 1-2 weeks and fermentation is never an issue again.   But for some people, fermentation continues to be an issue and it can be potentially problematic, leading to chronic symptoms and dramatic weight loss.    In fact, fermentation is one of the biggest reasons that people lose excessive weight when eating the natural diet, or transitioning to the natural diet.   Fermentation can also lead to chronic fatigue, overeating, itchy skin, rashes, and extended periods of symptoms which might be written off as “just detox”.   

You should not experience burping, gas or bloating at all if eating correctly.  These are disease conditions and troubleshooting is required to correct them.   

Burping, Gas & Bloating are not normal and are a sign that what we are eating is not properly digesting.   The gas that creates burping and farting is from fermentation inside of the digestive tract.  Just like the bubbles that form in a bottle of champagne or beer from fermentation, the same process occurs in our digestive tract.  If we are fermenting that means we are producing alcohol in the digestive tract and poisoning ourselves.  

If a person experiences gas on the natural diet, a few things could be causing the issue:  

1.  Drinking water with a meal or too soon before or after.  

2.  Overeating.  

3.  Not properly chewing foods.  

4.  Not following proper food combining rules.   

5.  Eating too quickly.  

6.  Eating while stressed or upset.  

7.  Eating too early or too late.

8.  Eating unripe or overripe fruits.

9.  Eating melons or grapes when the digestion is not primed.  

10. Drinking smoothies or juices.

11.  Eating cooked foods which constipate, followed by raw foods that are high in sugar and digest quickly.  

Let’s first talk about why each of these factors can lead to fermentation, then we will discuss why fermentation creates symptoms and weight loss and last we will talk about how to fix fermentation issues if they are occurring.  

1. Drinking water with a meal or too soon before or after.  

Drinking water dilutes the digestive juices impairing digestion.   Our digestive juices need to be at full strength for proper digestion.   Do not drink water with your meal or for at least 1 hour after a meal.  For denser foods give 2-3 hours.   Drink 15 minutes before your meal, while preparing your meal to allow the stomach to empty the water before digestion. 

2. Overeating.  

If we put more food into our stomach than our stomach can handle the food will sit and ferment rather than digesting.   As we transition from a cooked foods diet our digestion will be weak.  Start with smaller meals spread 2-3 hours apart and naturally over time you will work your way up to large meals less frequently.   Most people need to start with 5-6 meals a day to reach adequate calories and eventually most people find that 2 large meals or 3 medium sized meals works best for them long term.  Don’t try to rush getting to 2 meals a day.  Let your digestion improve gradually.   

3. Not properly chewing foods.  

You have probably heard the saying “Digestion begins in your mouth”.  I like to say, “your stomach doesn’t have teeth, chew your food!”   We should be chewing our foods to a liquid before swallowing.  Decades of eating cooked foods that are soft and require little chewing create a habit of not chewing thoroughly.  It takes some attention when we are eating to retrain this habit.   When you eat, try to focus on eating and not being distracted by some other task.   

4. Not following proper food combining rules.   

Some foods digest well together and others do not.  Knowing how to properly combine your foods to avoid poor digestion is key.   We will have another post specifically on food combing.  

5. Eating too quickly.  

When we eat quickly we are often not adequately chewing our food and we are putting food in the stomach faster than our full signal can keep up.  When we eat slowly and deliberately we can better hear when our body is full and avoid overstuffing the stomach.   

6. Eating while stressed or upset.  

When we are in a state of emotional upset or stress our stomach shuts down.  It wants no food.  If we eat when we are upset or eat to soothe our emotions we nearly always ferment our foods because our digestion is sluggish.   When upset, avoid reaching for food and instead try taking a walk or going out into nature and letting yourself process the source of the upset before eating.  

7. Eating too early or too late.  

Digestion ramps up starting around noon, if we eat earlier than that we will have sluggish digestion that can cause the food to not digest fast enough.  If we eat when our digestion is sluggish the fruits, especially high sugar fruits are very likely to ferment.   If you must eat before noon choose a low sugar food – berries, salad, savory fruits like tomatoes to avoid the fermentation.  We will have another article on the ideal eating window and the 3 cycles your digestive system moves through each day that explains the importance of keeping our meals between 12 noon and 8 pm.  

8. Eating unripe or overripe fruits.

Unripe fruits are difficult to digest simply because they are not ripe and not meant to be eaten.  Unfortunately, due to the nature of our food system many fruits are picked unripe so they can be shipped long distances.   When shopping for fruits look for what’s on sale that week, frequently stores will put on sale the fruits that are coming ripe because there is an abundance of them and they need to sell them quickly. also look for climacteric fruit which will ripen on the counter even if they are picked  unripe at the tree

9. Eating melons or grapes when the digestion is not primed.  

Melons and grapes and other high sugar fruits our quick to ferment in our system. If we eat them first thing in the morning when our digestion is not warmed up and not moving as efficiently as it should the high sugar in these fruits can ferment very quickly causing “melon belly” or “grape belly“ fermentation symptoms.    if you’re eating before noon or your digestion feel sluggish skip the melons and other high sugar fruits and go for some thing slower digesting like bananas or savory fruits.

10. Drinking smoothies or juices.

When we cut fruit it starts to break down as it is exposed to the air. When we put food into a blender or a juicer we are creating thousands and thousands of little cuts and this causes the fruit to break down much faster. If you’re going to have a smoothie make a small smoothie and drink it quickly and remember to chew your beverages to get the saliva starting the digestion process. But ideally we should be predominantly avoiding smoothies and juices. Smoothies and juices are frequently fermented and also tend to lead to plaque on the teeth for the same reason.  

11.  Eating cooked foods which constipate, followed by raw foods that are high in sugar and digest quickly.  

When we are transitioning from cooked foods to raw foods it can be a challenge to manage the slow and sluggish digestion of cooked foods.   Frequently the body cannot eliminate cooked foods in a timely manner so they ferment themselves, but even more often the slow and sluggish digestion of cooked foods causes traffic jams in our digestive system when combined with a fast digesting fruit meal eaten afterwards.    The best option is to eat fruits early in the day and leave any cooked foods for the evening meal.   But even having cooked foods in the evening followed by fruit the next morning can result in fermentation if the cooked foods are very slow moving.    Fruit needs clear pathways.   High sugar fruits especially need clear pathways.   If you have eaten a cooked meal the night before its best to skip the high sugar or watery fruits and instead go with a salad, savory fruits or low sugar fruits like blueberries or other berries that will not ferment as easily.  Also keep in mind that cooked foods dehydrate us and dehydration causes constipation, so if you are eating cooked foods keep the water intake high to avoid getting clogged up!

Why Fermentation Leads to Symptoms and Weight Loss

Food is only useful to the body if it can be assimilated without an excess burden of waste. Health is not about the nutrient density of your food but the usability of your food.   Eating 500 calories of fruit that is fermenting in your digestive tract just results in the body rushing that food out of the system with little to no gain and with a loss of energy.   If you are consistently fermenting your fruits your body will be consistently rushing the food through and weight loss and muscle lose will be the result.    

As Herbert Shelton points out, “It has often been said: “You are what you eat.” More appropriately, this should probably be: “You are what you digest and assimilate.” Man eats everything. He considers himself an omnivore of the first order. Roots, nuts, tubers, seeds, eggs, blood, milk, fish, fowl, and fruit have all appeared on man’s plate. One culture eats worms and gnats with relish. Another culture considers decaying animals a delicacy. Man has practiced cannibalism both in the past and in the present. And so man brags: “I can eat anything. I have an iron stomach.” It is true that man’s physiology allows him to eat almost anything that does not immediately kill him… It is a mistake to assume, however, that the body can digest and assimilate everything that passes between our teeth, or that foods doing no immediate harm will not eventually cause problems. Consequently, most of what man eats is for naught, because much of the food eaten by the average human being is totally unsuitable for his digestive physiology.” 

Whether we are eating foods that are suitable or stuffing the body with useless food like substances we need to be able to digest and assimilate what we take in.  When we eat cooked foods we create a backlog of waste and cellular debris from the useless materials being a burden to our body.   But when we ferment our fruits we create alcohol and this alcohol can cause as much distress to the body as a cooked food meal.  

Below is an excerpt from John Tilden explaining why fermentation is problematic and keeps us in a state of disease.  

“WHAT BECOMES OF THE FOOD TAKEN INTO THE BODY?

Food enters the stomach and bowels, and then it is subjected to the action of solvents preparing it for absorption into the blood; after absorption it is further acted upon by the blood itself, which, in a true sense, is one of the most important digestive organs, for it refines the food elements and prepares them for cell digestion, the very last digestive process completing the metamorphosis of food into living tissue.

From the beginning to the ending of this process–from the chewing of the food, its solution and absorption into the blood, the transformation that takes place in the blood, as it is carried by the circulation to the lungs where it becomes oxygenated and decarbonized–is a subtle scheme of interorganic exchange of products; the blood being not only a common carrier, but a purifying and refining organ.

 Before going farther, the meaning of decomposition and toxin poisoning should be explained.

More food is eaten than can be digested properly, or it may be that the combinations are wrong, and instead of physiological, enzymic fermentation–digestion–taking place, pathologic, or bacterial, fermentation takes place. The germs of fermentation–the bacteria or microbes, or organized ferment, that are everywhere–set up fermentation in carbohydrate foods, causing acidity; and decomposition in proteid foods, and putrescence is a product of this fermentation; any and all of which when absorbed, or taken into the blood, causes toxemia. Where there are enough digestive ferments–enzymes–the ever-present germs (bacteria) have no power to act. When man is prostrate with disease–with the evil influence of bacterial fermentation–then he should not eat; for his enzymic power (power to digest) is already overpowered by germs, and to feed under such circumstances is to encourage bacterial fermentation and toxemia. In acute diseases, from a common cold to pneumonia on to typhoid fever, feeding complicates and increases the mortality.

To recognize germs as man’s enemy is a mistake; if, they were enemies they would not quit him when he is prostrate and refusing to take “good nourishing food.” When germ action is continued in disease it is when food is forthcoming in quantities that exceed enzymic power. Wounds, ulcers, abscesses, etc., are kept from healing when the food intake is beyond enzymic control.

As a result of bacterial decomposition, toxin is formed, and when absorbed it poisons the system. Toxins are also taken in from without the body. Any poison generated in the body or out of the body, and taken in, causes toxin poisoning. Any stimulating drugs–namely, opium and its preparations, alcoholics, tobacco, coffee, tea–overeating, overwork, both physical and mental, overworked emotions, etc., all stimulate and intoxicate, which produces enervation, and this leads to toxemia by checking elimination.

Yes, I believe in germs (ferments, yeasts), and I believe in enzymes (ferment, a digestive yeast built by every organized being). I do not believe that the presence of germs has any more to do with causing disease than the absence of enzymes. Both these ferments are necessary to man’s health and well-being. The enervation brought on by toxemia checks secretion and elimination, causes constipation and retention of other organic waste, which, joined with the toxins of fermentation and decomposition, prepares man for the affections or the diseases he develops.”- Tilden

How to correct fermentation issues

  1. Keep meals simple.  Eat one fruit per meal or follow food combing rules for multiple fruit meals but keep the mixing to no more than 3 fruits per meal for best digestion.
  2. Drink your water!   Dehydration is the most common cause of constipation.  We should be having one elimination per day in the morning, shortly after arising.   If you do not go regularly in the morning before your first meal of the day then you are constipated.   If you are going multiple times per day then you have diarrhea.  
  3. Eat your salad greens!    Greens sweep the bowels clean and get rid of any slow moving old waste. 
  4. If you have eaten cooked foods, follow them with a salad and avoid eating high sugar fruits the day before.  
  5. Drink water 15 minutes before your meal and wait at least 1 hour after
  6. Eat within the noon to 8pm window.  If you need to eat earlier than noon stay away from the high sugar melons and grapes.  
  7. Chew, chew, chew!
  8. Make sure all cooked foods are high fiber.   Steer clear of dry food like breads and pasta which will cause severe constipation.  
  9. Stay away from melons until your digestion improves.   High sugar, high water content fruits require very strong digestion.  If your digestion is weak they will ferment quickly.  If you experience melon belly stay away from the melons for a while.  Only enjoy them in the summer at their peak ripeness. 
  10. Eat smaller meals.
  11. Only eat when calm and relaxed.  Focus on your meal.  Don’t eat distracted.  
  12. Fast – If everything is fermenting and being wasted there is no benefit to continued eating.   Fast and rest and allow the digestive tract time to heal then start with small, simple meals, chewed well and eaten calmly.  

Last notes, when our body is trying to clean and heal our body will turn off our appetite and force us to rest.  If we continue to eat during an active healing event, for example, when you have cold or flu symptoms, your body will ferment food rather than digest it because energy is being directed away from digestion and into cleaning.  Therefore eating when we have cold or flu symptoms will only extend our suffering.    

Have more questions? Want to get answers about your specific health issues or concerns? I offer consultations, learn more about them here: https://www.therawkey.com/consultations/

Ready to make changes but not sure how to begin? Need some motivation or accountability? Why not join our 30-Day Terrain Model Diet Support and Education Group? New Groups start on the 1st of every month! https://www.therawkey.com/the-natural-diet-support-group/

Eat fruit and be well my friends.

Dental Health

One of the most common concerns that arise regularly in the various raw food circles is dental health. This concern, however, is not limited to the raw food community, it is just more highlighted as we improve all other aspects of our health. We expect our teeth to improve right along with our health but often the opposite happens and we start to notice more tooth decay and irritation as we heal instead.

“More than 36 million Americans do not have any teeth, and 120 million people in the U.S. are missing at least one tooth. In the geriatric population, the ratio of edentulous [without teeth] individuals is 2 to 1.” -American College of Prosthodontists

But this was not always the case, as evidenced by ancient skulls tooth loss is a modern problem:

“Geologists and paleontologists often unearth the skulls of peoples long dead, the teeth of which show no signs of decay and the enamel on which is often almost double the thickness and much harder than the enamel on our teeth.”

“Today most of the civilized portions of the race are a race of dental cripples. We are face to face with the fact that our teeth begin to decay in childhood. Indeed they sometimes have cavities in them when they erupt.” – Herbert Shelton

The decay of the teeth is due to malnutrition. It is a progressive condition that begins before we are even born. The health and strength of our teeth start in the womb based on the minerals available in our mother’s body.

The health of our teeth then progressively degenerates throughout our life due to the consumption of cooked and processed foods, acid-forming foods, and a lack of proper exercise of the teeth.

Hugh W. McMillan, D.D.S., M.D., of Cincinnati, says:

“To a careful observer of dental conditions at the present time in clinic and private practice, it is very evident the ravages of dental caries and diseases of the gums are daily increasing, in spite of the increasing number of dentists, in spite of the multiplicity of patented and personally-designated tooth brushes, in spite of proprietary pyorrhea cures and gum massaging pastes, in spite of acid, alkaline, neutral, mucin dissolving and film destroying tooth pastes and mouthwashes and in spite of the type of periodontologist who aims to prevent by either applying or removing something from the tooth surface in the same manner that some unintelligent physician might expect to cure by external applications a skin disease of general origin.”

OUR NATURAL FOODS KEEP OUR TEETH STRONG

Our natural foods are dense and require vigorous chewing which exercises the teeth, jaw, and gums. Just as a strength training exercise is recommended for the elderly to maintain bone density, our teeth require strength training to keep them strong and healthy. They of course also need adequate nutrients to build from, which are found in the organic minerals in fruits and vegetables but they need exercise in the form of us masticating thoroughly to put those nutrients to use.

“That the teeth and bones are similar in structure has been recognized by nearly all physiologists. Chemically they are very much alike. According to Hoppe-Seyler, the inorganic constituents are the same for bone and for dentin, about 85 percent, calcium phosphate and from 10 to 12 percent, calcium carbonate. The density of dentin cartilage is about equal to that of bone.

The processes of calcification are analogous. In the teeth the calcification occurs about the processes of the odontoblasts, just as in bone it occurs about the bone cells and forms lacunae. In both, the inorganic constituents are laid down in a colloidal matrix. It would therefore seem reasonable to infer that a pathologic condition which affected one might affect the other. This, however, has not been the opinion of dentists. They believe that dental caries is a purely local affair. The present theory is that carbohydrate material adheres to the teeth and, there fermenting, with theformation of lactic acid, forms the cavity of tooth decay. This idea has not been supported by animal experimentation. Twenty guinea-pigs, fed on a diet to which were added large amounts of sugars, viz., dextrose, lévulose, lactose, saccharin, dextrin and white flour, showed no dental effect at the end of a year. The sugars and starches adhered to the teeth constantly, and bacterial examination disclosed a fermentative flora ; but no dental effects could be detected.” – P. Howe “Decalcification Of Teeth And Bones, And Regeneration Of Bone Through Diet”

The problem we are often seeing in the raw food communities is that our already impaired dental health makes it difficult to chew and our weak jaws get tired working through a large salad or bag of apples. For this reason, many raw foodists turn to smoothies, juices, dips, sauces, raw soups, and other blended and processed fares which allow us to get in the nutrients but not the jaw and teeth exercise we need for strong teeth.

The same study goes on to talk about the destruction of teeth when fed a scorbutic diet, which is a diet devoid of vitamin c, scorbutic meaning causes scurvy. The study found an “increase of magnesium in pathologic décalcification of bone.” Even when adequate calcium is supplied the lack of vitamin C, most prevalent in leafy greens and fresh fruits, led to dental caries (cavities), inflammation of the gums, loss of teeth, and purulent discharge from the gums. The correction is also found, “Feeding orange juice is followed by complete clearing up of the trouble.”

Shelton confirms the need for Vitamin C in dental health as well as Vitamins A and D:

“Tooth enamel is made up largely of calcium and phosphorus with small quantities of iron. But the fusion of these substances into enamel requires the presence of vitamines A, C and D. At least half a dozen elements and factors are essential to the production of this tissue. In the absence of either of these factors the enamel of the teeth cannot be made. It is folly to feed much calcium in an effort to produce good teeth and to ignore the other essential elements of the teeth.”

And yet it is exactly this folly that most succumb to, seeking out calcium supplements of inorganic and therefore harmful sources of minerals, or seeking high calcium foods without asking what else might be needed here.

“If man were to subsist wholly on alimentary substances in their natural state, or without any artificial preparation, by cooking, he would be obliged to use his teeth freely, and by so doing not only preserve his teeth from decay; but at the same time and by the same means, he would thoroughly mix his food with the solvent fluid of his mouth.“ – Sylvester Graham

“Sugar and fruit acids do not injure the enamel of normal teeth. Sound teeth have been immersed in a sugar solution and in fruit acids for months without suffering any erosion. Dr. E. Howard Turison and others have proved this.”- Herbert Shelton

“Lactic acid does not injure the enamel of the teeth. No experiments have been able to show that bacteria of any type, when cultured on the teeth, are responsible for dental caries.” – Herbert Shelton

“Experiments by Drs. Howe and Hatch (1917) in America, and by Sir James McIntosh, Warwick James and Lazarus-Barlow, working together in England, in trying to produce dental caries by using acid forming bacteria all resulted negatively. Dr. Howe says that “so long as the diet is normal it has been found impossible to cause caries or pyorrhea by maintaining fermentation in the mouth or by feeding or injecting the bacteria believed to be most actively associated with dental caries.” – Herbert Shelton

OUR UNNATURAL COOKED DIET BREAKS DOWN OUR TEETH

“Cereals, especially, seem to induce defective teeth, particularly when not counter-balanced with large quantities of green foods and fresh fruits.” P. Howe

“Investigations have revealed that those races whose diets include no cereals have teeth and mouths practically free of any kind of disease, while those races whose staple diets are cereals and meat with relatively small amounts of fruits and vegetables have jaws and teeth like those so common in America. Wheat is the most damaging of all the cereals, regarded from the point of view of its acidity. Little meat and cereals and an abundance of fruits and vegetables produce teeth like those found in Polish and Irish peasantry and those of the vegetarian races of the Orient.” – Herbert Shelton

When we cook our foods we create a soft mass that requires little chewing. Our unnatural cooked foods diets are abundant in soft mushy foods – pasta, bread, cereals, oatmeal, mashed potatoes, and even the vegetables which would supply adequate nutrients to build strong teeth are softened to mush by cooking and have their organic minerals converted to inorganic minerals in the process. Uncooked food in comparison requires vigorous chewing, supplying the teeth with much-needed exercise.

WHY THEN DOES IT APPEAR SOMETIMES THAT DENTAL DECAY OCCURS AFTER TRANSITIONING BACK TO THE NATURAL DIET?

There are a few reasons why we might see an increase in dental decay when we begin to transition to the natural diet. As mentioned above, the heavy reliance on blended and processed raw foods that most use as a transitional tool does contribute to the underuse of our teeth. As the body begins to heal and release old acidic waste from storage the body will take alkaline minerals from the bones and teeth to neutralize those acids.

“…in order to neutralize the acids formed by the decomposition of excess protein, the body was forced to give up its mineral salts. Thus the teeth, bones, cartilages, nails, hair, etc., were leeched of these elements.” – Herbert Shelton

If we are properly exercising our teeth during this time the body will see the strength of the teeth as a necessity and will replenish the teeth faster than it pulls from them because we are supplying an abundance of minerals in the form of leafy greens, fruits, and vegetables. But if we are relying heavily on blended, juiced, and processed foods or focusing our diet too much on soft fruits and not enough on tough fruits, leafy greens and vegetables that require working our jaw and supply ample minerals, then the body will see the teeth as expendable compared to the vital organs.

Another reason some experience issues is that despite meat causing many health issues the gristly tissues are a workout for the jaw. The shift then from that workout without replacing it with another can lead to the weakening of the teeth during this time.

We are also dumping symptom suppressants along the way. Often as we learn to take better care of ourselves we also stop using fluoridated toothpaste which creates a false strength to our teeth while we are using them but which the body tries to eliminate as soon as we stop. The internal damage to our teeth has already progressed and when we stop the fluoride which fills the gaps where the calcium is missing, the holes show up quickly. If we are eating abundantly of mineral-rich greens and working our jaws these holes will fill back in eventually, but in the short term dental issues may arise.

Then we have the issue of dead teeth. Since dental decay is a progressive process that occurs gradually over time and from the inside out, we have been destroying our teeth since childhood but the major issues tend to begin to show up for all people between the ages of 30 and 50. If you are a woman who has given birth to children that may start even earlier as creating new life takes lots of minerals from the body to give them to the child. As the body starts to clean and heal it wants to discard the unrepairable. Sometimes this means that old filings are pushed out, and sometimes this means that damaged and dead teeth are broken down for their materials instead of being rebuilt. Only the body can decide whether a tooth is salvageable or in need of discarding.

WHAT CAN WE DO TO IMPROVE OUR DENTAL HEALTH AND MINIMIZE TOOTH LOSS?

“We examined the jaws of some of these animals after they had died. The jaws showed that while the guinea pigs had been on a vitamin-deficient diet, the bony structure of the jaw had been mined of its calcium and when the normal diet was restored, areas of calcium had been replaced, showing very definitely that the body calls on the bones for calcium when it is needed in the blood, and that the blood gives calcium back when there is an abundance of this element.” P. Howe

The good news is, our teeth can and do rebuild to some extent when we feed them adequately. Before I knew much about healing I used to say, “An apple a day keeps the dentist away as well as the doctor.” I had always noticed how much better, cleaner, and stronger my teeth felt when I was regularly eating apples and apparently both Tilden and Shelton confirm the benefits of the apple.

Dr. Tilden especially recommends apples for rachitic children, and for building good bones and teeth. Dr. Claunch stated that cavities in his teeth healed while he was on an apple diet. – Herbert Shelton

This makes sense when combined with our knowledge about the importance of exercising our teeth, as apples are one of the foods that work our jaws the most.

Oranges are another great food for dental health. Although they don’t require much of a dental workout they do supply a generous amount of building materials, including Vitamin C.

Leafy greens and tender vegetables are mineral-rich and a great workout for the jaw. I recall early in my journey how tired my jaw would get from all the chewing. Now I realize how weak my jaw was back then. Over time my jaw has strengthened and now eating a huge salad is a joy, but early on it was truly a workout.

A variety of fruits and greens are going to supply the necessary building materials for our teeth, but crisp fruits, greens, and vegetables are the keys to the working of our teeth.

As they say, “use it or lose it!” If we don’t work our teeth with vigorous mastication we will lose our teeth.

Overall though, there is no one thing, no magic cure for poor teeth, instead, we must focus on health overall and by correcting all of our bad habits that injure the body as a whole we then put the conditions in place for good dental health as well.

As Herbert Shelton so eloquently exclaims:

“Good teeth depend upon good health and not vice versa as the tooth-extracting fad proclaims. No cause of impaired health, however insignificant it may seem to be, should be neglected if the teeth are to be preserved. There seems to me to be no way to preserve the teeth by any plan that falls short of a complete system of health building. No one-idea plan can succeed. Soundness of the teeth will be preserved by the same mode of living that preserves soundness in all the tissues and structures of the body. We must learn to think in terms of health-building. We must learn to think in terms of health of the whole organism and cease thinking in terms of local health.”

This is an article from The Natural Diet Support Group. A new group starts on the first of every month teaching the natural human diet, how to transition away from disease-causing foods and how the self-healing body operates, to learn more about our support group or join click here-> https://www.therawkey.com/the-natural-diet-support-group/

Have more questions? Want to get answers about your specific health issues or concerns? I offer consultations, learn more about them here: https://www.therawkey.com/consultations/

Desire Health? Return to the Garden of Eden

Our society promotes this false idea that we can do 100 things wrong feeding our body but then fix it all by popping a pill. For many that pill will be a pharma drug (pharmaceutical from the Greek pharmakeia- “poisoning, sorcery, magical arts, often found in connection with idolatry and fostered by it”).

For others it will be an equally harmful vitamin or supplement, pill or powder, they have been told cures this or that ailment, or maybe they just fear they are lacking in their nutritionally devoid diet.

Either way you can never fix a wrong by adding a second wrong. You cannot poison a body back to health. You cannot make up for the plate of chicken and rice by taking a powdered fruit and vegetable supplement because it’s not the missing vitamins and minerals that are creating 99.9% of disease. It’s the dehydration, it’s the lack of fiber, it’s the overworking of the digestive system. It’s the fact that you are eating so far removed from your natural diet of watery, sugar-rich, raw fruits, sweet, tender, water-rich,leafy greens and nutrient dense nuts, seeds and vegetables.

There is no shortcut to health. If you want a healthy body you have to supply the conditions which allow the body to operate under normal parameters. You need to supply the foods which your body was intelligently designed to consume. When we follow God’s word and return to what he gave us for food in the Garden of Eden – Genesis 1:29 – our bodies return to perfect health. When we obey the lesson of Daniel 1:8-20 setting aside the rich and heavy foods and wine for our natural foods and water we thrive.

The natural diet of man is fruits and tender leafy greens, with small amounts of nuts, seeds and vegetables. These are all foods we can eat raw, in their whole natural form without any tools, fire or weapons. When we return to the natural diet God originally given to us in Eden all disease conditions reverse.

When we sin against our bodies, we are made to suffer. But we are provided every answer to stop the pain, should we choose it. The more you open your eyes, the more you see, this world is biblical and you have been given a guide book should you choose to accept it. The medical industry practices pharmakeia, their symbol is the snake ⚕️and the rod. Health never comes from the poisoning arts but they have most of our loved ones under their spell. No cures for any disease ever yet we continue to fund them $100 trillion a year. Open your eyes to see, open your ears to hear, the answers are laid out for you. The battle is good versus evil, health versus disease, if you don’t know which side you are caught up in, if you are blind to the reality of this world, there is nothing anyone can do to return your health to you. If you are caught up in the trappings of this world, only misery awaits.

Have more questions? Want to get answers about your specific health issues or concerns? I offer consultations, learn more about them here: https://www.therawkey.com/consultations/

Ready to make changes but not sure how to begin? Need some motivation or accountability? Why not join our 30-Day Terrain Model Diet Support and Education Group: New Groups start on the 1st of every month! https://www.therawkey.com/terrain-diet-support-group/

Eat fruit and be well my friends.

Fruit is Essential to the Wild Canid and all Domesticated Dogs

Evidence that Canids eat Fruit in the wild

One of the biggest mistakes made in feeding dogs is the idea that dogs are exclusively meat eaters and do not require fruits in their diet. This mistake of overfeeding proteins to our companions has led to epidemics of chronic disease. Yet the most popular raw feeding models, PMR and BARF miss the mark on this essential part of the natural diet for dogs. Even when presented in raw feeding groups to substitute fruit meals for some of the meat meals to lessen the burden on the body, it is nearly always rejected. Luckily we have tons of evidence from nature to guide us to the natural eating habits of canids and we see their love of fruits is clearly evidenced. Below is a collection of various studies and amateur and professional wildlife videos showing clear evidence that our dogs are meant to eat fruit and thrive. Adding to this evidence I have personally seen all of my rescues with chronic and terminal disease conditions heal rapidly once put on a fruit-heavy raw natural diet. If you want to learn more about the natural dog and cat diets get our free feeding guide here: https://www.therawkey.com/the-animals-key/

The Voyaguer Wolf Project has been studying the diet of wolves and has found many examples of the wolves feeding heavily on fruits!

Read the full study “Berry Important? Wolf Provisions Pups with Berries in Northern Minnesota – https://www.therawkey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Berry-consumption-of-Wolves-Voyaguer-Wolf-Project.pdf

Studies of the natural diet of coyotes show a heavy reliance on plant foods even in areas of low productivity.

Videos of Wolves, Coyotes and Dogs enjoying fruits

Voyageurs Wolf Project Wolves eating blueberries
Coyote climbs a tree to eat apples
Coyote eating apples from a pile on the ground
Coyotes eating bananas
Coyote eating apples that have fallen from a tree
Coyote enjoying apples in a yard
Cooper the Coyote eating apples
Wolf mom and pup eating blueberries
Captive wolves enjoying a pumpkin

Wolf enjoying a watermelon
Coyote Eating Bananas
Coyote eating plums
Coyote eating apples from a yard.
Wolves eating berries
Wolf eating watermelon

Wolf eating a pineapple
Dogs living on a fruitarian orchard enjoying their fill of fresh fruits
Coyote eating bananas left in the woods. – Banana footage starts around 2:30
Coyote eating cauliflower left in the woods.
Coyotes eating Persimmons
Coyote eating wild persimmons
Note from the video: This is a short time lapse video I shot of at least two coyotes eating persimmons (sharon fruit) from our garden. Pretty amazing for a carnivore. They are also fond of our avocados. They are feeding from about 11pm to 7am the next morning so they obviously like them! At one stage one climbs up into the tree.
Coyote eating persimmons

Photos of Wolves, Coyotes and Dogs Enjoying Fruits

I hope you have found this collection insightful. Please check back regularly as we are constantly expanding this page with new videos, studies and photos! If you have any photos, videos or other insights you would like to share, send me an email I would love to add them to our page for the benefit of all!