{"id":18018,"date":"2019-12-06T08:38:15","date_gmt":"2019-12-06T14:38:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/be55915bbd.nxcli.net\/?p=18018"},"modified":"2021-07-25T12:35:57","modified_gmt":"2021-07-25T17:35:57","slug":"blueberry-strawberry-raspberry-metabolic-horse","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nouvelleresearch.com\/index.php\/articles\/18018-blueberry-strawberry-raspberry-metabolic-horse","title":{"rendered":"Blueberry, Strawberry, Raspberry and the Metabolic Horse"},"content":{"rendered":"

Metabolic syndrome and obesity is an epidemic in the equine world.\u00a0 The fact is that you are in control of your horse’s health, believe it or not, and the foods you choose to feed them can either assist in their vitality and health, or work against it, contributing to more disease and pain.\u00a0 The blueberry is one of many fruits, including the strawberry and raspberry, that pack a powerful punch when it comes to health.\u00a0 The little purple and red gems are packed full of vital nutrients and phytochemicals that can truly alter well-being and health.\u00a0 The blueberry is just one of many fruits that possess these research supported powers, impacting overall health, sugar metabolism, mental well being, and even digestive health.\u00a0 These benefits can impact the metabolic horse on many levels.\u00a0 Many will claim that horse’s do not normally eat these fruits, which is true, but does that mean we don’t take advantage of them?<\/b><\/p>\n

\"Blueberry,
Blueberry, Strawberry and Metabolic Horse<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Blueberries have become one of my favorite fruits, not just in my daily health regimen, but included into many of the horse’s supplement regimens which are in our care.\u00a0 Many of these horses have metabolic concerns, while others do not.\u00a0 Either way, they benefit, each on a different level.<\/p>\n

Most in the horse world, including many veterinarians, are seeking that quick solution, the pill, the injection, surgery or otherwise to aid their horse’s failing health and soundness.\u00a0 While we may perceive illness and lack of health, the truth is that the body is much more than that, and capable of some pretty incredible feats. In order to help the horse’s body to heal, mend, recover and regain strength, you need to feed it properly and allow the miracle present to reveal itself.<\/p>\n

Horse’s age and this aging process is directly related to inflammation, cellular function, and more specifically mitochondrial health.\u00a0 This aging process and cellular degeneration is a result of not just time, but the diet, stress, and other factors which accelerate the sequence of events.\u00a0 As the cells begin to break down, your horse’s body begins to fail on many levels.\u00a0 While this process is inevitable for all living beings, the choices you make in regards to food and lifestyle for your horse, can either dramatically speed up or slow down this process.<\/p>\n

Blueberries: Powerful Foods for the Metabolic Horse<\/span><\/h3>\n

In the horse world, which I tend to spend much of my time, we are encountering a major epidemic of obesity related problems, viewed as metabolic syndrome and insulin resistance.\u00a0 The irony here is that these health problems in the horse mirror the human and our approaches to lifestyle, food, and overall health.\u00a0 It is a problem created by many owners, like it or not, just like metabolic issues and obesity are created by us in our own body.\u00a0 It\u2019s a train that has gathered tremendous momentum in the health care industry, but it can be slowed down and even diverted to another track if you just take a different approach.\u00a0 Medications are palliative for this condition, both in animals and people, offering very little to the patient, and in most cases really not providing much benefit to overall health.\u00a0 It was in evaluating this condition in the horse several years ago, that I began to truly understand the power that lies within the blueberry and other fruits. This was also when they became a part of my daily lifestyle, in true volumes to reap benefits.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Blueberries are powerful little purple gems that pack a punch.\u00a0 Like other fruits, blueberries do contain a small amount of protein, a higher amount of fiber, and often an even higher amount of low-glycemic carbohydrates.\u00a0 They also contain some nutrient value in regards to vitamins and minerals, but generally this is negligible and just a side bonus.\u00a0\u00a0Their real power is present not just in the fiber but the powerful chemicals which give them their purple color and vibrancy!\u00a0<\/strong>\u00a0This is also true for the strawberry, raspberry, blackberry and other fruits.\u00a0 These vibrant colors are produced by phytochemicals present within the berry, called polyphenols.\u00a0 These polyphenols are very potent antioxidant like compounds which are produced by the plant as a means of natural defense against damage, oxidative stress, and disease.\u00a0 They are produced by the plant to protect it, but by ingesting them ourselves, our body reaps the same benefits!<\/p>\n

These polyphenols, including anthocyanins, are what can truly impact your horse’s health and metabolic condition.\u00a0 They help your horse’s body to combat oxidative stress damage, inflammation, impact the immune response, cardiovascular health, sugar metabolism, and even digestion!\u00a0 Keep in mind that it is the big picture with food, not the isolated components.\u00a0 The anthocyanins work together with the fiber and other nutrients present within that fruit, creating synergism.\u00a0 So just taking polyphenols is not the same.\u00a0 It\u2019s about the entire fruit, the sum of the parts, which is important!<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Blueberries, Circulation, and Performance in the Horse:<\/span><\/h3>\n

While blueberries have not been directly researched or studied in the horse, outside of small research trials which we have performed, they pose many benefits in rodent and human studies which can be transferred to the horse.\u00a0 Here is a list of some studies evaluating cardiovascular health, which are directly applicable not just to the equine athlete but those horses enduring circulatory issues in the feet or muscles.\u00a0 This may be linked to poor performance, reduced stamina, poor hoof growth, navicular disease, or laminitis.\u00a0 The main mode of action is the impact of the fruits on inflammation, oxidative stress, and other parameters.<\/p>\n