Raw diet/Cooling proteins

[DanielleDL]

@Dr. Christina (or anyone else who'd like to chime in on this)

I read somewhere in another post (can't remember which one) that you said that raw diet is naturally cooling. Bobby runs warm generally (though he still loves a good, long lay in the sun), and the most cooling proteins appear to also be the most expensive (duck, rabbit). Since raw feeding is naturally cooling, does that mean that warm dogs can eat raw warm proteins? Or is it still best to stick to neutral and cool proteins, even when raw? I'm trying to ease into DIY raw and things like raw chicken feet seem like a nice safe start (and will help me ease into the ick factor as well), but chicken is a warming protein.

Thanks as always for your help!

 

[Dr. Christina]

Well, Danielle, I think we need to ask @Dr. Sue Howell or @Dr. Jean Hofve. I am not so familiar with Chinese food therapy. I am not sure that the foods are selected merely on their preference for warm or cold temperatures.
When you have fed chicken or beef or lamb or fish, have you noticed that his BEAM was better or worse or no change?

I would go ahead with the chicken feet and not worry yet about the warm/cold.

Dr. Christina

 

[DanielleDL]

Oops, sorry @Dr. Christina ! It was @Dr. Sue who mentioned the raw diet = cooling statement I was referring to, so I guess this post is directed to her. But how a BEAM reacts to foods is also always a good suggestion too.

@Dr. Sue and @Dr. Jean - Your thoughts on my original post?

 

[Dr. Sue]

Hi Danielle,

Yes, I'm the one that said that raw diet is cooling by nature so really any protein in a raw form (even the warmer proteins) will be trumped by the coolness of the raw. SO any protein in raw from can have a cooling effect on the body!

 

[DanielleDL]

any protein in raw from can have a cooling effect

Woohoo! I was sweating a little looking at the price of rabbit. Nice to know I can rotate between all the raw proteins (expensive and not so expensive). Thanks!

 

[LilF]

Well, Danielle, I think we need to ask @Dr. Sue Howell or @Dr. Jean Hofve. I am not so familiar with Chinese food therapy. I am not sure that the foods are selected merely on their preference for warm or cold temperatures.
When you have fed chicken or beef or lamb or fish, have you noticed that his BEAM was better or worse or no change?

I would go ahead with the chicken feet and not worry yet about the warm/cold.

Dr. Christina

One chinese medicine vet that I took my Gabby to said I should feed her tofu.... AAARGH, I would never feed my dog tofu and don't think it is species appropriate but that was just my gut reaction. Not to mention how terrible it would taste. I like the idea of using BEAM as a barometer. I was also told by a different vet who "dabbled" in chinese medicine to not give my dog curcumin as it was hot outside. I regretted stopping using it and she ended up with cancer. I have always thought curcumin was a solid anti cancer supplement and she had gotten it for years until I was told it was too warming....

 

[GinnyW]

Cheryl Schwartz's book Four Paws Five Directions has a lot of diet info - none of which I'd follow, but that's just me - my dog has no interest in grains, etc. Anyway, lots of stuff about cool and warm, organic affinities, et. I think this is all useful to know about, and I'd try some aspects of it in certain conditions.

 

[DanielleDL]

@LilF and @GinnyW - Yeah, I'm not sure where I stand yet on many holistic modalities (it can be such a rabbit hole, and can be very triggering for my health anxiety, which has now been transferred to my dog). I'm just trying things out at this point. I believe the quality of the food, no matter what, and variety is what's most important, and how it affects the BEAM. I'm also trying to follow the advice of my first naturopath, which was not to focus too deeply on minute day to day changes, but to look for overall patterns (obviously if my dog eats something new then vomits, I'd pay attention, but to observe whether he's hot or cold on any given day is probably too helicopery a behavior, and I'm trying to relax about that). But still, if raw in general is better for keeping him cool, and I don't really have to focus on specific proteins and can really vary his diet, I'm ok with trying that because it's easy and sustainable.

Thanks to both of you for your input!