Healthy California
Are you ready to take control of your health and create lasting, positive change? This podcast dives deep into the root causes of poor health and explores simple, practical steps to improve your well-being from every angle.
To achieve true health, we need balance in all areas of life, including:
✅ Physical health – Nutrition, movement, and disease prevention
✅ Mental health – Managing stress, mindset, and emotional well-being
✅ Environmental health – How our surroundings impact our health
✅ Financial health – Money habits that support a stress-free life
✅ Social health – Building strong, supportive relationships
✅ Spiritual health – Finding purpose, connection, and inner peace
Each episode will provide insightful discussions, expert interviews, and actionable tips to help you live a healthier, more fulfilling life.
🎧 Tune in, take control, and start your journey to total wellness today!
Healthy California
A Healthier Bowl, A Happier Tail
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Why Your Pet's Nutrition Matters
If your pet is family (and let's be honest—they are), then what's in their bowl matters just as much as what's on your plate. In this episode, we take a closer look at how nutrition impacts your pet's energy, longevity, and overall health—and why “just getting by” on basic kibble isn't enough.
I interview a local pet nutrition expert to break down how to spot early "check engine" warning signs, such as dull coats, digestive issues, and low energy, which can point to deeper nutritional imbalances. We also explore how to build a strong wellness foundation by focusing on weight management, gut health, reducing toxic exposure, and making informed decisions around vaccines and preventatives.
You'll walk away with simple, practical ways to upgrade your pet's diet—without overcomplicating things. From adding fresh foods and nutrient-dense "superfoods" to avoiding common ingredient pitfalls, small changes can make a big impact.
Because at the end of the day, we don't just want our pets to survive—we want them thriving, vibrant, and by our side for as long as possible.
Start small, stay consistent, and give your furry family the nutrition they deserve.
Stay Healthy California!
References for your research:
- www.Pets Wants.com/Roseville 916-547-2686 – for great dog snacks or check them out at a local Sacramento Farmers Market
- Omega-3s & Skin: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association (Studies on EPA/DHA for joint and skin health).
- Obesity & Longevity: Association for Pet Obesity Prevention (APOP) annual reports.
- Gut Microbiome: Journal of Animal Science (Research on prebiotic fibers like beet pulp and FOS in pet diets).
- Nutritional Deficiencies: Tenafly Veterinary Center & NRC (National Research Council) guidelines for dog and cat nutrient requirements.
· Vaccination Guidelines: AAHA (American Animal Hospital Association) Canine and Feline Vaccination Task Force.
· Titer Testing: Dr. Ronald Schultz’s extensive research at the University of Wisconsin on vaccine duration of immunity.
· Heartworm Maps: American Heartworm Society (provides regional risk data). https://www.heartwormsociety.org/veterinary-resources/incidence-maps
Liver Support: Veterinary Clinics of North America: Small Animal Practice (on the use of Silymarin/Milk Thistle for hepatic support).
Thank you for listening to Healthy California.
If you have tried all my suggestions and are still having trouble with your health, and would like an appointment with me, please email me, text, or call me via the contact information below.
My contact:
Linda Brown, MPT, Doctoral Candidate Functional Nutrition
916-426-2543
linda@heal-throughfood.com
If you're like me, your pet isn't just a pet.
And just like us trying to keep ourselves thriving, we can do the same for our dogs and cats.
Today, I interview an expert on pet nutrition.
All right, grab your water or a cup of tea and let's get into it.
So the check engine light for your pet.
How do you know if your pet is actually healthy.
Sometimes it's obvious, but pets are masters at hiding discomfort.
It's kind of an evolutionary trait.
So first, look at the coat. Look at the coat and the skin.
So itchy coat, flaky skin, and dull, brittle coat.
The next one would be bathroom habits.
So as a nutritionist, I talk about poop A lot.
Actually, I think it was my second or third podcast because it's so important.
Do they have chronic gas, loose stools, or even eating like non-food items like dirt?
That can signal also a mineral deficiency or gut trouble.
You know, pets can get gut trouble just like humans.
It can be linked to a B vitamin deficiency or oxidative stress.
If your high energy pet is suddenly a couch potato, it's time to look at the fuel.
So we've spotted some signs now.
How do we keep them healthy in the long run?
So now that we've spotted some signs, how do we keep them healthy for the long haul?
Functional medicine for pets is all about lowering the toxic burden.
They actually have very ultra-processed foods if you're giving them kibble or store-bought treats.
And they're closer to the ground and are constantly sniffing, so they get toxins faster than we do.
One of the biggest game changers is weight management.
And I've talked about this before.
And they affect every organ in a pet, just like they would a human.
And let's talk about gut health. 70 to 80% of your pet's immune system is in their gut.
Same as humans, we have up to 85% of our immune system is in our gut.
And also movement is key. It's a key for everyone, even for animals, especially for animals.
Exercise isn't just for weight. It's for lymphatic drainage, mental health, and joint lubrication.
So they start behaviors and we call these behaviors a bad dog or the dog is going crazy.
They just need an energy release. They just need to be exercised.
Many times they just need to be exercised.
I can't talk about a healthy pet without talking about the big three.
So vaccinations, heartworm, and then those pesky fleas and ticks.
This is where we have to be really strategic.
In functional medicine, we call this informed prevention.
Diseases like rabies and parvo are no joke.
Instead of just blindly vaccinating every year, ask your vet about getting a titer test.
This is a simple blood test that measures the antibody levels your pet already has.
So avoiding unnecessary immune system stress.
And that's the same for us as well.
We put vaccines in us, but if we don't need to, then it's an immune system stress.
So it's all about what is necessary, but as little as possible.
So the second one is heartworm.
Heartworm is tough because it's transmitted by mosquitoes and can be fatal.
However, your risk depends heavily on where you live.
If you live in a high-risk area, use a preventative but support their liver afterwards.
Again, this is just like humans.
If we put something in our body, we want to make sure that our liver can process it.
And you can give a milk thistle, but do this under the guidance of a vet.
There is a reference in my show notes.
You only need to do this for a few days after you give them their heartworm medication.
And finally, those fleas and ticks. I cannot stand ticks. They just give me the willies.
Ticks carry Lyme disease and other nasty stuff.
While the spot-on treatment or oral pills are effective, they're pretty much just pesticides.
You're putting pesticides directly on or in your animal.
It's just a concoction of essential oils.
And it's definitely good for mosquitoes.
I take that same concoction with me when I go hiking and it keeps the mosquitoes away.
I spray it on my tent. It keeps the mosquitoes off my tent.
We're always talking about food, right?
I'm a functional nutritionist. I have to talk about food.
It's fortified, but not necessarily fresh.
Today I am with Sheila. She is at Pet Wants.
And I just have a few questions for you, Sheila.
What are people looking for and why do they care that their pets are healthy?
And so we do the animal byproducts from free-range, grass-fed, and no rawhide.
And so what you put in is going to determine your health and for people as well as animals.
So I always get, I always get this cod skin treat.
So they get microplastics in their blood and things, which is all, anti, healthy.
Right. And so it speeds up their life cycle.
So it affects their energy, it affects their skin and coat, is the last to get any nutrition.
Then the energy level, all of that comes into play when they're not getting the right nutrition.
Yeah. So I mean, you can look at your stuff here and it doesn't say healthy on it.
On the package, it says, well, it's healthy for you.
Well, if it has to convince you, it's probably not healthy.
And what is your best selling treat here?
Honestly, dogs are like people. They have their own personal preferences in food and treats.
So you don't have a one answer for each dog.
And so I do always point those out.
Like I said, it's all from free-range, grass-fed.
So, they love it all, to be honest.
But some dogs are just really particular. So, yeah, that's true.
And some dogs have allergies, so you have to be cognizant of that too, which is really unusual.
But again, that goes back to a lot of the, you know, dog food that they started them out with.
So I know that, like this cod donut right here, I know that is, I get those all the time.
Right, because there's omegas.
Omegas are great for the skin and the hair.
We also have the salmon from Alaska and, you know, A lot of this stuff has natural collagen in it.
There's something that has the natural coloring chondroitin, which is great for joint health.
So, you know, that's what they get in nature.
If they were in the wild, they would get this kind of thing.
They have frostings made out of yogurt, and then it also has, you know, sweet potato and...
And peanut butter and those types of things.
So you just have to really look at the ingredients.
And if you can't pronounce it, the word, then don't get it.
If you can't pronounce it, it's a chemical, so you don't want it.
So for the people that are in Northern California, where can they find you?
Yes, we do have an online store.
And then, and we do, the greater Sacramento area is where we service.
And so, and we also do shipping and deliveries.
They're working on doing a storefront in Granite Bay, but it's not open just yet.
But we serve, it's called Pet Wants/Roseville is the.
That's the name of the company.
And I think there's a Pet Wants booth in other markets as well.
Yeah, the owner said they do the Midtown, Roseville.
And then what other ones? Midtown's the biggest one.
But like I said, you can order online too.
Okay, so Pet Wants, and I'll give you the website.
Okay, Sheila, thank you so much.
And I make stew for my dogs every Sunday when I'm doing my own meal prep.
The stew lasts about a week and I have two big dogs.
And I pretty much put everything from the fridge in there from that week.
Like spinach, leftover veggies, carrots, potatoes, apples, blueberries.
I put in quinoa. I put in flaxseed, maybe a tiny small amount of cranberries.
It's good for their urinary system.
You can put in an egg if you want.
And I don't go fancy on the meat. I just go to the store and I buy whatever is on sale.
And then that stew is most of their dinner.
And I still give them, I still give them a little bit of kibble.
And then I try to get good kibble.
Everything changes and it's great.
And you feel good about feeding them healthy stuff.
You don't have to go 100% raw or homemade to see the difference.
Think lean proteins like boiled chicken, turkey, eggs.
And then it's also good to give them omega-3s.
You know, I'm the kind of person who When I go to a restaurant, I literally bring home a doggy bag.
If there's any leftovers that goes in a doggy bag, I'll give them fish skins.
I give them bones. I give them whatever is healthy and is left over.
You know, I was told earlier, a few years ago, that table scraps aren't good for dogs.
I bet, oh gosh, but is kibble?
You mean table scraps, at least,