A Very Teachable Moment

In the Spring of 2007, our dog, Yukon {4 years old at the time} was diagnosed with Addison's Disease.

Occurring in both humans and dogs, Addison's Disease is a rare endocrine disorder resulting in the adrenal glands not producing sufficient steroid hormones. The adrenal glands [also called the stress glands] are responsible for the production of epinephrine [adrenalin] and norepinephrine that help regulate the nervous system, heart rate, respiration as well as the "fight or flight" response.

Adrenal glands also produce glucocorticoids and mineral corticoids that help to control blood sugar levels and regulate the passage of minerals.

If left untreated, Addison's Disease can progress into Addisonian crisis, which can result in very low blood pressure, coma and death.

Along with our dog's diagnosis came a life-long prescription of medication to control his steroid hormones.

Until recently, we didn't really understand that God could use our dog's diagnosis for His Glory. However, we now see that it has been a very teachable moment for us and was just one more step in our "food journey" with Him - through our research of the disorder, we learned intricate functions of the body's organs and the effects of nutrients, minerals, vitamins and a good whole-food diet on illnesses and diseases.

An intelligent heart acquires knowledge, and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.

Proverbs 18:15

The medication Yukon has to take on a daily basis is quite costly, so after his initial diagnosis we began to research Addison's Disease and "alternative" therapies that could help with the disorder. We started giving Yukon vitamins to support immune function and reduce stress, herbal remedies to support adrenal function, and a whole-food, human-grade, high-protein diet free of preservatives, chemicals and added fillers (as with all foods {whether human or dog}- many preservatives, chemicals & fillers have been known to cause cancer; kidney, liver & thyroid disfunction; and more!).

Because Addison's disease is a life-threatening condition, Yukon will always need to take medication, but through the use of good nutrition and vitamins, his medication rate was able to be lowered and he has been otherwise healthy, happy and Addisonian crisis free for five years...

praise God!