What Is Food Therapy?
TCVM Food Therapy is an ancient practice rooted in the idea that “food is medicine.” Long ago, people discovered that the food we eat affects our health in predictable ways.
This approach sees food as having its own energies that can influence an animal’s well-being. It’s part of Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine, using food to balance an animal’s inner energies (Yin and Yang) and improve health.
The therapy involves choosing foods based on their specific properties, like whether they are warming or cooling, and how they affect different parts of the body. By creating personalized diets tailored to an animal’s needs, this approach aims to not only nourish but also heal and prevent illnesses.
In essence, TCVM Food Therapy harnesses the power of food to support an animal’s health by understanding how different foods can affect the body. It’s an ancient wisdom that emphasizes the link between what animals eat and their overall well-being.
Never Heard of Food Therapy?
Many Westerners often find themselves puzzled upon hearing the term “Eastern Food Therapy.” What’s intriguing is that you might have unknowingly embraced these concepts already!
Take, for instance, a common household remedy for a sore throat: the combination of lemon and honey. We’re familiar with how soothing this blend can be for a sore throat, so much so that lemon and honey lozenges are readily available at local drugstores.
But have you ever wondered why this duo works wonders for soothing a sore throat? In Western cultures, lemon is recognized as an acidic agent that can combat bacteria, while honey is well-known for its antibacterial and antiviral properties.
Similarly, according to Eastern food therapy principles, the honey and lemon mixture is considered cooling, helping to counteract the heat produced in the throat due to infection.
It’s intriguing to note how age-old remedies align with the principles of Eastern Food Therapy, showcasing the synergy between traditional cures and these Eastern concepts.
Food Therapy plays a role in addressing various ailments, including:
- Allergic Skin Disease
- Tumors and Lipomas
- Increased Liver Enzymes
- Inflammatory Bowel Disease
- Epileptic Seizures
- Pancreatitis and more
Dr. Smith’s Slow Cooker TCVM Food Therapy Recipes
Did you know Dr. Smith is the co-founder of a pet food company? Well, he is! PET | TAO Holistic Pet Products. Food therapy and PET | TAO were a part of his long journey of living his best life and becoming the best vet he could be.
Before PET | TAO came into being, he helped his clients improve their pet’s health by giving them recipes to cook at home. The pets got better! But, sometimes clients just didn’t have the time or energy to cook for their pets every day. So he figured out how to make food therapy easy. And, that’s how PET | TAO got started!
So, if you don’t want to make food at home, you can get the standard dog food recipes in the clinic or order online. The special recipes, though, are not yet available pre-made.
The basic slow cooker dog food recipes are balanced (neutral), limited ingredient, warming, cooling, and blood building.
If you’re already our client, we’ve probably already explained to you which type of food your dog needs.
However, if you’re not sure, the chart below will help you decide.
Dog Food Recipes
Balanced Dog FoodRecipe (PET | TAO Harmony Beef)
The Balanced Dog Food Recipe is a standard, basic recipe for dogs who are already in balance. It mimics the recipe of PET | TAO Harmony in a slow-cooker version. The balanced recipe is perfect for dogs who:
- Play regularly
- Breathe normally
- Maintain normal appetite
- Rest comfortably
- Pay attention
- Live in a mild climate
Limited Ingredient Dog Food Recipe (PET | TAO Harmony Limited Ingredient)
The Limited Ingredient Dog Food Recipe contains limited ingredients and proteins that are least likely to cause a reaction when you feed it to your dog. It mimics PET | TAO Limited Ingredient Formula in a slow-cooker version. The limited ingredient recipe helps dogs who:
- Suffer from allergies
- Scratch vigorously
- Lick their feet
- Deal with hot spots and red skin
- Shake their heads from ear infections
If you don’t have time to cook at home, you can get limited ingredient dog food pre-made. Just choose PET | TAO Limited Ingredient.
Cooling Dog Food Recipe (PET | TAO Chill)
The Cooling Dog Food Recipe is for dogs who run “hot” or “warm.” It contains ingredients that are cooling ingredients to counteract the effects of excess heat. It mimics PET | TAO Chill Solutions Formula in a slow cooker version. The cooling recipe helps dogs who:
- Pace at night
- Pant excessively
- Eat grass
- Prefer cool surfaces
- Act agitated
- Live in a warm climate
If you don’t have time to cook at home, you can get energetically cooling dog food pre-made. Just choose PET | TAO Chill.
Warming Dog Food Recipe (PET | TAO Blaze)
The Warming Dog Food Recipe is for dogs who run “cold” or “cool.” It contains warming ingredients to help balance the cold and sluggish. It mimicks PET | TAO Blaze Solutions Formula in a slow cooker version. The warming recipe helps dogs who:
- Move slowly
- Feel cold to the touch
- Eat sporadically
- Prefer warm surfaces
- Lack stamina
- Live in a cool climate
If you don’t have time to cook at home, you can get energetically warming dog food pre-made. Just choose PET | TAO Blaze.
Blood-Building Dog Food Recipe (PET | TAO Zing)
The Blood-Building Dog Food Recipe is for listless, low-energy dogs. It contains ingredients to help support the “Blood” or liquid of the body. The “Blood” is needed for strength and energy. It mimics PET | TAO Zing Solutions Formula in a slow cooker version. The blood-building recipe helps dogs who:
- Seem dull and uninterested
- Lack energy
- Startle easily
- Limp from ligament injuries
- Battle dry paws
- Lack a shiny coat
Recipes for Dogs Suffering from Cushing’s Disease
- Dog Food Recipe for Early-Stage Cushing’s Disease
- Dog Food Recipe for Mid-Stage Dog Cushing’s Disease
- Dog Food Recipe for Late-Stage Cushing’s Disease
Ketogenic Diet Recipes for Dogs
There are several different reasons you might want to feed your dog a ketogenic diet.. You might choose a ketogenic diet because you feel feeding a ketogenic dog food mimics the “primal diet” ancient dogs ate long ago. On the other hand, you might choose a ketogenic diet to help certain health conditions like diabetes, seizures, or cancer. Below, you’ll find our favorite food therapy dog food recipes in ketogenic ratios.
- Balanced (Neutral) Ketogenic Diet Recipe for Dogs
- Limited Ingredient Ketogenic Diet Recipe for Dogs
- Warming Ketogenic Diet Recipe for Dogs
- Cooling Ketogenic Diet Recipe for Dogs
- Blood Building Ketogenic Diet Recipe for Dogs
Cat Food Recipes
The basic slow cooker cat food recipes are balanced (neutral), limited ingredient, warming, cooling, and blood building. If your cat is a patient of ours, we may have already discussed what diet will be best. If you’re not sure, we list common characteristics below to help you make the best choice.
Balanced Cat Food Recipe
The Balanced Cat Food Recipe for cats who are already in balance. The balanced recipe is perfect for cats who:
- Play regularly
- Breathe normally
- Maintain normal appetite
- Rest comfortably
- Pay attention
- Live in a mild climate
Limited Ingredient Cat Food Recipe
The Limited Ingredient Cat Food Recipe contains limited ingredients and proteins that are least likely to cause a reaction when you feed it to your cat. The limited ingredient recipe helps cats who:
- Suffer from allergies
- Scratch vigorously
- Lick their feet
- Deal with hot spots and red skin
- Have ear infections or runny eyes
Cooling Ingredient Cat Food Recipe
The Cooling Cat Food Recipe is for cats who run “hot” or “warm.” It contains ingredients that are cooling ingredients to counteract the effects of excess heat. The cooling recipe helps cats who:
- Eat grass
- Prefer cool surfaces
- Act agitated
- Live in a warm climate
- Are warm to the touch
- Suffer dry skin
Warming Cat Food Recipe
The Warming Cat Food Recipe is for cats who run “cold” or “cool.” It contains warming ingredients to help balance the cold and sluggish. The warming recipe helps cats who:
- Move slowly
- Feel cold to the touch
- Eat sporadically
- Prefer warm surfaces
- Lack stamina
- Live in a cool climate
Blood-Building Cat Food Recipe
The Blood-Building Cat Food Recipe is for listless, low-energy cats. It contains ingredients to help support the “Blood” or liquid of the body. The “Blood” is needed for strength and energy. The blood-building recipe helps cats who:
- Seem dull and uninterested
- Lack energy
- Startle easily
- Limp from ligament injuries
- Battle dry paws
- Lack a shiny coat
Recipes for Cats Suffering From Chronic Kidney Disease
- Warming Recipe for Cats with Kidney Disease
- Blood Building Recipe for Cats With Kidney Disease
- Cooling Food Recipe for Cats With Kidney Disease
