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To administer a worming product at any given time during the month is a crapshoot, especially if the wormer is chemical-based as it can do more harm than good. by Joyce Belcher Knowledge is key to help eliminate the need for chemical wormers; understanding the life cycle of parasitic worms is essential for the good health of your horse. Horses that are infested with parasites host adult worms. The female produces eggs that pass in fecal matter into the pasture or turn-out that develop into varying larvae stages affecting grazing horses by entering into the alimentary canal, producing a new generation of adult parasites, male and female. Typically pastures and paddocks utilize shared grazing and many are often smaller than what is ideal for the number of horses. Horse owners and barn managers alike should be aware if a horse is shedding a lot of worm eggs, as other horses in the paddock are likely to become infected. To administer a worming product at any given time during the month is a crapshoot, especially if the wormer is chemical-based as it can do more harm than good.  Most chemical wormers contain neurotoxins, meaning that they are designed chemically to shut down the central nervous system of the parasite but the chemicals will also have a negative effect on your horses' overall health. Worms can also develop resistance to worming drugs which can occur if the worm is resistant to even one of the chemicals in the group, they then develop a cross-resistance to all chemically similar drugs. When this happens, the worms are not killed and the health of the horse is compromised from the chemicals. How can we effectively and healthfully prevent or eliminate worms in our horses? The answer is with love, organically!  Some of the herbs that are known and proven for many years to be highly effective at expelling or preventing infestation of parasites are peppermint, chamomile, anise, thyme, dulse, neem, elecampane, cinnamon, and garlic. How does Equine Herbal Wormer Work? It works to create an environment in the gut and digestive system that is uninhabitable to parasites, creating a natural attack to expel the parasites if there are any present but it also works to prevent their development when used from early spring through the fall, monthly in timing with the lunar cycle. These herbs have been used for many years, successfully to prevent and/or expel parasites that are present.  We recommend feeding Equine Herbal Wormer 2 days before the full moon, (the moon waxing), on the day of the full moon, and 2 days after the full moon (the moon waning).  This has been the traditional worming treatment of farm animals in the United Kingdom as well as other parts of the world that have demonstrated consistently good results, dating back hundreds of years.  This timing based on the lunar cycle is optimal as it is the time for the highest concentration and presence of parasites.  The female worm ovulates between the new and full moon, the parasites are then suspended and worms detach from the walls of the organs and lining of the intestines in order to breed and lay their eggs, therefore this is the perfect time to administer your herbal wormer as it disrupts the egg-laying cycle. When feeding Equine Herbal Wormer regularly, resistance to parasites increases and will stay maintained throughout the year, providing your horse with constant protection. You cannot stop your animals from picking up parasites….. but you can prevent the parasites from settling in and creating damage. The herbs used in our formula have been used for many years, successfully. Not only do they prevent parasites, they also expel parasites that are present.  As always, certified organic herbs are the safest, most effective way to keep your horse healthy.  Horses LOVE the taste of the blend, making compliance-friendly and easy😊 100% ORGANIC Ingredients: Peppermint, Chamomile, Cleavers, Anise, Thyme, Neem, Elecampane Root, Cinnamon, Garlic, Sea Vegetable Blend of: Dulse, Nori, Wakame, Kombu, Laminaria, Lonquicruris, and Knotted-wrack. Joyce Belcher Renowned author, herbal teacher, owner of Herbs For Life,Inc. and formulator of Sustenance Herbs product line

  We love spring here in New England with budding trees, daffodils and green grass everywhere and it is finally here!  This is what it must feel like to be a bear coming out of hibernation, shedding his coat out, feeling warmth from the sun’s rays and looking for something to eat.  As humans, we too are happy to “shed” our wools and fleeces for lighter fabrics, shift our diets towards lighter, (more aerial), veggies in lieu of root-based options, and move our activities outdoors thanks to the longer, lighter days. Along with the sunshine, tall grasses, and increased outdoor time comes the dreaded infectious bugs that can put a damper on our warm weather fun. With the right protection for your pup or horse you can run and play to your hearts’ content, leaving your worry behind! As pet owners we start to worry about how best to protect our dogs, cats and horses from parasites like mosquitoes, biting flies and of course, the dreaded ticks.  We hear friends and relatives talk about how sick they or their pet was with Lyme, Anaplasma or a myriad of other tick-borne diseases, and suddenly we find ourselves in a state of near panic, frantically trying to do everything we possibly can to protect the ones we love.   My 4 -P’s to help you keep Fido healthfully protected from parasites… be  Proactive: You are the advocate for your pet; the keeper of his/her health and wellbeing. You would stand on your hands and walk backwards in traffic if it meant the pet you love and want nothing bad to happen to would remain healthy. Honestly, it doesn't have to be a gymnastic event to be sure that you're making the right decision in choosing how you are going to protect your pet from parasites this and every season moving forward.       → Do your research! If you don’t know what the ingredients listed on the label are and what they do in the animal body, whether it’s a topical or ingestible form of “repellant/tick &flea control”, find out.  Your “need to know” should kick in high gear here. Did you know that the majority of over-the-counter or by-prescription products for flea/tick/heartworm control are based with neurotoxins?  → Neurotoxins are toxins that directly affect the Neurological (central nervous) system (thought, emotion, sight, taste, hearing, smell). Research shows that many of the prescription flea/tick/heartworm products that are prescribed on a regular basis contain 1 or more neurotoxins that can cause seizures, respiratory failure, kidney issues and many other health issues.  Below is a link to a government site that provides amazing detail on hundreds of chemicals and their potential side effects.  I highly recommend using this list to determine if the product you may be considering or are currently using contains ingredients that could be neurotoxins or something even worse. → Agency for Toxic Substances & Disease Registryhttp://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/substances/toxorganlisting.asp?sysid=18 Protect:  In New England, the height of our mosquito season starts in June and goes into October.  What constitutes the Heartworm danger zone is primarily the temperature.  It must be 60 degrees or more for 45 consecutive days for the mosquito to "brew" the life cycle of the parasite, otherwise it will not be completed, (or 80 plus degrees for a consecutive 14 days).  So protection should start in either early to mid-June and continue through mid to the end of October, depending on the temperatures over the varying years. Click here to visit William Falconer DVM's website, which you will love and learn from. Topical sprays and oils can be extremely effective in keeping most parasites from wanting to land on your pup or yourself.  Mosquitoes are in abundance at dusk and dawn so consider this when taking your pup out to play or for a walk. You can choose to stay inside at those times or use a truly non-toxic spray or oil rub made from essential oils, (preferably certified organic), that are diluted in a carrier oil and/or witch hazel or water if you prefer a spray.  Some of the chemicals that are used in fly sprays that claim "All-Natural" can be pesticides that have moderate to severe adverse effects on your pup.  Follow the Proactive paragraph above for these as well, and use the link I provided if you are unsure of the ingredients. Check out our Natur-Repel Oil and Spray options!                Prevent: A well balanced Immune System is key to prevent most any parasitic infestation, disease or infection.  Using toxic chemicals month after month and year after year only depletes the vitality of the animal, leaving them as a targeted host for parasites.  What is "proactive" is to enhance and modulate the immune system with the appropriate herbs and/or superfoods that are specific to the responses that biting parasites aim to engage.  Through prevention of a lowered immune response to tick or mosquito bites, you are effectively decreasing the chance any internal parasite/bacteria has of invading your pets' body. Herbs that are very helpful for this will also include anti-spriochetal herbs such as Andrographis, Japanese Knot Weed, Astragalus, Cat's Claw and others.  This is also true for anti-parasitic herbs such as neem leaf extract. → Want to learn more about Lyme disease? Check out Joyce's most recent article in Fido Magazine titled, "Happy, Healthy Pets: Defining Lyme within Pets" Provide: Support and balance for the immune system starts with a high quality species-appropriate diet. Whole food that nourishes every cell and provides the animal with the correct balance of calcium, phosphorous, vitamins, minerals, trace minerals, amino acids, etc. is key. This is what they need for a strong, healthy body, which provides the base for overall immunity to any attack on their immune system.