By Dr. Michel Selmer

Hippocrates said, “Let food be thy medicine, and let medicine be thy food,” in 400 BC, indicating that for centuries people have realized nutrition was important to help prevent and cure disease. Food therapy is a component of Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine (TCVM) that uses specific foods and herbs to treat pets based on genetic tendencies, age, species, environment, disease patterns, personality, and stress levels. Food therapy does not simply involve recommending generally healthy foods, but rather prescribing particular foods based on the pet’s individual needs. By selecting and combining appropriate foods for your four-legged friend, food therapy aims to restore and maintain their balance and optimal health.

Food Therapy Goals for Pets

Food therapy’s purpose is to determine each pet’s distinct patterns and suggest ingredients that can benefit their individual needs and constitution. Food therapy recipes can be classified as follows:

• Health promotion and prevention — These diets are meant to improve health on an everyday basis and to prevent climate-related and seasonal problems.

• Disease treatment — These diets are formulated to complement primary treatments for clinical conditions, such as skin problems, autoimmune disease, otitis, cancer, kidney and liver disease, and immunodeficiency.

Food therapy is not meant to replace traditional medicine but to enhance conventional and integrative therapies.

Food Therapy Philosophy for Pets

Food therapy is based on TCVM’s Five Element Theory, which takes a holistic approach to pets’ health and healing by organizing the body into five functioning organ systems that correspond with natural elements. Each element has unique properties that influence the digestive system and overall health and wellness. Foods are classified as cooling or warming in each of the five elements, which include:

• Water element — The water element governs the kidneys and bladder and includes foods that contain water to help cleanse and detoxify the body, flush out toxins, and hydrate cells. 

• Warming water element foods include beef, lamb, chicken and ginger.

• Cooling water element foods include cucumber, watermelon, mung bean, and cabbage.

• Wood element — The wood element governs the liver and gallbladder, which store and release bile to help break down fats.

• Warming wood element foods include oatmeal, brown rice, millet and honey.

• Cooling wood element foods include celery, lettuce, broccoli and sprouts.

• Fire element — The fire element governs the small intestine and heart and includes hot or spicy foods that help increase circulation and metabolism.

• Warming fire element foods include chili pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves.

• Cooling fire element foods include watermelon, tomatoes, strawberries and oranges.

• Earth element — The earth element governs the spleen and stomach, which are responsible for food digestion. 

• Warming earth element foods include sweet potatoes, yams, peanuts and sesame seeds.

• Cooling earth element foods include radishes, beets and carrots.

• Metal element — The metal element governs the lungs and colon, which helps control breathing and body fluid and waste removal.

• Warming metal element foods include pumpkin, squash and ginger.

• Cooling metal element foods include pears, apples, bananas and papaya.

Food therapy, combined with other treatment modalities, can enhance your pet’s overall treatment effectiveness, and help ensure an optimal outcome.