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You’ve probably heard the word glyphosate by now, especially if you’re familiar with the popular herbicide Round Up. It’s frightening how toxic this popular weed killer is. In the recent weeks I’ve come across a few cat clients where glyphosate resonates as a stressor to their health which is very concerning. When diving in to take a deeper look I found some very disturbing facts about glyphosate exposure that pet parents need to know.
The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has concluded that glyphosate has the potential to cause cancer. Studies have now linked glyphosate to non-Hodgkins lymphoma, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, IBD, endocrine and reproductive disorders. This is hardly surprising when you realize that glyphosate has indeed permeated our food supply. The vast majority of corn, wheat, soybeans, sugar beets and imported rice are genetically modified and sprayed with Round Up. Conventional crops like oats and lentils are commonly sprayed with Round Up before harvesting to dry them out faster. Unbeknownst to pet owners, these products commonly end up in pet foods either directly as ingredients or indirectly through the bioaccumulation in the tissues of animals who were fed these ingredients.
What surprised me the most recently was something I learned in an article written by Dr. Jean Dodds, DVM. She discusses two studies concerning glyphosate and pet food. The first study was done by Cornell University when they tested 18 different pet foods. The results were stunning:
The second study was a more comprehensive study made by the Health Research Institute Laboratories measuring the levels of glyphosate found in pet urine samples.
Due to the grain-free pet food movement in recent years manufacturers are replacing grains with peas, lentils, garbanzo beans, pea protein, etc. Unknowingly many pet parents may be exposing their pets to even greater amounts of glyphosate based on the research above.
An article by Weedkillercrises.com gives a very detailed list of many common foods that contain glyphosate. If you take a close look at the labels, pet food manufacturers source these same ingredients for many of their products.
Even though it’s likely impossible to completely avoid glyphosate exposure, there are ways to reduce it.
Fortunately, there are several things we can do as pet parents to help our pets stay healthy and protect them from the effects of glyphosate. The first thing I recommend is using a liver support product.
Because the liver is the primary organ of detoxification in your pet’s body,” Dr. Karen Becker, DVM, recommends the following herbs that assist in liver function and detoxification: burdock root, dandelion root, licorice, Oregon grape, yellow dock, and milk thistle. Milk thistle not only helps detoxify the liver, it stimulates regeneration of liver cells. Another vital liver nutrient is the detoxifier SAMe (S-adenosyl-methionine).
The second thing is to support the microbiome with a high quality probiotic. Glyphosate kills the beneficial bacteria in the gut; therefore, regular supplementation can help restore optimal balance. A probiotic with multiple strains rather than just a single one is best.
Finally, while it may be impossible to avoid glyphosate entirely due to how prevalent its use has become around the world, taking mindful steps to reduce exposure and support the body’s function is necessary.
Want to learn more about interpreting your pet food label? Check out this first article in a 3 part series.
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There are soooo many options out there, it would be super helpful if this article contained recommendations of foods with the least amount of glyphosate.
My best recommendation is to start reading the pet food labels–use a magnifier if necessary. If there are any ingredients that are known to be GMO or highly sprayed with glyphosate like the article mentions, then avoid them. The best way to avoid them is to feed a fresh, species appropriate diet. This can be commercial or homemade raw or lightly cooked food that use human food grade quality ingredients (made from food people can eat).
Hi Pam,
As you are well versed in this area, do you have any homemade recipes for dogs and cats you would be willing to share? I have a cat with digestive issues, so am struggling to find an appropriate, healthy diet for him.
Thank you in advance for any guidance you may have!
Jennie
Some websites I recommend to find recipes include:https://healthypethacks.thinkific.com/courses/rawcatfood, http://www.catinfo.org, and https://feline-nutrition.org