comprised a long history of winners. Carlos himself had that something spe- cial—part of which was a handler’s love and unwavering enthusiasm for the sport and the dogs. Was bee pollen his lucky charm? Some would say so. Speaking of bee pollen, in 2012 all the networks pimped the A/P feed that said, “Experts are warning that taking natural bee pollen supplements may come with the risk of suffering a seri- ous allergic reaction, including life- threatening anaphylactic shock.” No doubt the use of honey and bee pol- len cut into prescription medication sales and let’s face it, pharmaceutical companies are the most lucrative adver- tiser for TV, print and internet publica- tion. Bee pollen fell from favor but I’ve got news for you. Google “thedogplace. org bee pollen”. You’re probably thinking of some- one who shared their favorite supple- ment-secret with you. For Carroll James and Timmy, the top-winning Bulldog he handled, it was banana for bait. Indeed, I did some research on bananas and learned they are actually mood food. We published an article about it, but I doubt Carroll knew that. He just knew it worked and messy or not, like any good handler, he related to his top dog. Google “thedogplace.org mood food”. So most exhibitors have discovered something that gives their dogs that extra bloom needed for the show ring. I would avoid any doggy supplement that claims to add energy but certainly there are herbals that do boost energy in peo- ple. One such product made headlines when it was banned in 2004. Ephedra is an ancient, “Chinese Medicine” herb used for expanding bronchial tubes, thus treating asthma and what we now call COPD. Like many such herbal sup- plements, Ephedra was so effective for weight loss and energy that it got in the way of prescription diet drugs. So of course, it was banned by the FDA! Americans spend exactly 10% less on herbal supplements and homeopathic remedies than the $400 billion we spent for prescription drugs last year. Even so, FDA slams anything that threatens pharmaceutical sales. Some of you will remember
put them out of business and people had to go back to the prescription weight-loss stuff. (Before you ask, it was Judy Doniere.) You don’t see ad after ad for herbal supplements or homeopathic remedies in magazines, especially those you thumb through when you’re waiting in the doctor’s office. Okay, so, why then do you think natural supplements such as you can find growing in a pasture or shady woods (think mushrooms) have been around forever? Homeopathic remedies have also survived and contin- ue to be used by savvy people. Could it be because they are so inexpensive that people can afford to experiment, to find what works best for them and their pets and livestock? There must be something to it because herbs and natural remedies have been used since before man could record history. That was especially true in ancient civilizations who survived without a single piece of script from the medicine man. Today, we loosely term healing herbs and plants as herbal medicine, botanical medicine or Chinese medi- cine. All are indeed medicine; they are what nature provides for heal- ing, for cleansing and most of all, for optimum health. I’ll leave you with a funny twist. Penicillin, one of the most valuable antibiotics is just mold and one of the best pain relievers is Opi- um, the juice of a poppy seed. You probably get both when in the hospi- tal. Hashish is a potent derivative from cannabis plants, a much stronger and more potent form of marijuana, and it too is made into prescription drugs. Before you ask, Native Americans smoked other species of tobacco, prob- ably because marijuana was not native to North America. Well, that’s all I know about natural medicine. It’s been enough for me, what about you?
“AMERICANS SPENT EXACTLY 10% LESS ON HERBAL SUPPLEMENTS AND HOMEOPATHIC REMEDIES THAN THE $400 BILLION WE SPENT FOR PRESCRIPTION DRUGS LAST YEAR.”
Tri-Chromalean, the extraor- dinary, safe herbal product in a yellow bottle that a very prominent lady judge sold at dog shows until FDA
T op N otch T oys , O ctober 2016 • 63
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