Over the last 15 years, I’ve had a front row seat in watching Dr. Morgan, my mother, shift her practice from traditional medicine to a more integrative, holistic approach. I have vivid memories of “the early days” when she was first learning about Wu Xing (the five Chinese elements), acupuncture, and the other basics of holistic medicine.
Before long I noticed that her dialogue as a practicing veterinarian shifted from a more “reactionary” mindset of treating symptoms with drugs to one that is much more proactive and holistic in nature. She began seeing her patients as “whole”, meaning the health of a pet is made up of individual parts that are all interconnected. If one part of the body is not working properly, the entire system feels the impact. This is the very essence of holistic medicine, and it all starts with a healthy diet. No matter which aspect of holistic medicine you’re talking about, it always comes back to proper diet and understanding the effects of what we put into our pets’ bodies.
It was fascinating to see my mother develop a deeper understanding of this over time, and observe how it started to trickle down to how our family approached healthcare for ourselves. Instead of immediately slugging some Advil when presented with a headache, we’d first try restful techniques and ask - what could have caused this headache in the first place? Rather than looking at “reduced fat” and other food buzzwords to choose healthy food options, we started investigating wholesome ingredients, sourcing and macronutrients to balance our diets. We began our journey of understanding that balance in all things is the key to long term health.I
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Dr. Morgan and son, Andrew Campbell, enjoying time together in Seattle.[/caption]
It was very illuminating to observe the parallels between animal and human as our family moved along this journey. As holistic pet products have come to the spotlight over the last 10 years, a distinct hallmark of a high quality pet product is being labeled “human grade”. If you attend a holistic pet expo, many vendors will have products they insist you sample yourself.
And it makes sense - there is a growing demographic of pet owners desiring food and supplements that are the same quality as those they would consume themselves. Especially in-light of recent reports of contamination in pet products, we look to our own consumables to guarantee safety and quality for our pets.
Dr. Morgan has taken this a step further by developing her own line of supplements - like the Dental Drops & Wellness Formula - both of which she’s personally taken for her own health and provides regularly for her dogs. Dr. Morgan has recognized the importance of specific supplementation alongside a healthy diet as a means for optimizing her own health, and the health of her pets. In addition to her own products, Dr. Morgan has recently begun taking a new supplement that works incredibly well for both humans and animals - LIFE Deer Antler Velvet.
You might recognize Deer Antler Velvet as it is one of the key ingredients in Dr. Morgan’s Wellness Formula; however, when taken as a stand-alone supplement in higher doses it can provide tremendous benefit for men and women. DAV has been observed to have remarkable power to repair and protect joints, bones, and muscle… especially in those suffering from chronic arthritis, low bone density and osteoporosis, and as a preventative measure against those same ailments. In a world where prescription medication and a ‘surgery first’ mentality is becoming more prevalent, DAV is a truly holistic approach to maintaining your ability to live an active life.
Even though LIFE DAV is a human-grade product, in animals it’s been observed to significantly benefit older dogs that are low on energy, suffering from arthritis, or recovering from broken bones. Deer Antler Velvet is also especially beneficial as a proactive supplement for large dog breeds who notoriously suffer from joint issues later in life. The human-grade DAV product, with 500 mg deer antler velvet per capsule, is a much higher dosage than in the Wellness Formula (80.5 mg per tablet) and is ideal for dogs over 50 lbs.
Don’t settle for getting older and slowing down. Much like we do for our pets, invest in your own health and live life to the fullest.
Article submitted by Dr. Morgan's son, Andrew Campbell, and his best friend/business partner, Giancarlo DiMeo (pictured with "Ella" and some very heavy weights!)
