The Cellular Level of Health Is Your Pet’s Foundation.
Every part of your precious cat or dog is made up of cells, which are living organisms that break down or multiply. They also go through a process of cellular repair. All of these microscopic tidbits come together to make tissue, organ systems, nerve fibers, hair, and nails. Caring for the tiny bits that form your pet (and even you) requires nutrients and support for cellular repair. These tiny building blocks are constantly turning over or being bombarded by toxins.
Because they are constantly at work, carrying out important tasks to keep your body functioning well, they can look just like a factory. Some cells might be responsible for transporting oxygen, others for fighting infections, and others for repairing damage. To do their jobs and for your pet to have a healthy body, they need healthy cells.
Impaired cell repair may lead to various health issues in pets, including fatigue and weight gain, as well as more serious issues like cognitive and heart issues. Optimizing cell repair and health can enhance your pet’s wellness, boost their energy levels, and even promote a longer life! Cellular metabolism is a part of biochemistry that really is a journey to the body’s core. As you read this blog about pet health, trillions of tiny biochemical reactions are taking place inside your own body. These reactions are part of a complex and fascinating process known as cellular metabolism.
Metabolism and cell repair are not just concepts that exist in biology textbooks. It’s a dynamic process in your pet as they chew their antler, bat their feather toy, or swim in their fishbowl!
Cellular Health Relies On Metabolism.
The term ‘cellular metabolism’ might sound intimidating, but it essentially describes the sum of all chemical reactions within living organisms’ cells. These reactions allow cells to grow and reproduce, maintain their structures (cell repair), and respond to their environments.
Cellular metabolism is divided into two categories: anabolism and catabolism. Anabolism involves the creation of complex molecules in your pet’s cells, which provide the building blocks for cell growth and repair. Catabolism, on the other hand, involves the breakdown of complex substances, which release energy that the cells need to function.
When discussing your pet’s metabolism dial on a bioenergetic test report, we review connections to healthy cells and stressed cells. Connections may include:
- Imbalances in nutrition available to cells
- Lymph flow – a stressed Lymph dial
- Immune responses
Keep in mind that when we talk about your pet’s metabolism, we are not just talking about the overall caloric burn rate here on a bioenergetic scan but the efficiency of function and energy production in your pet’s cells. That energy is in the form of ATP.
ATP, or adenosine triphosphate, is a source of energy that is used and stored at the cellular level. Mitochondria make this energy. These are another tiny little energy factory inside the cell. They use glucose and oxygen to make ATP. They are responsible for signaling cell death when needed. Think of mitochondria as the cell’s organs that generate the energy a cell needs for all of those biochemical reactions.
You’ve heard the expression money makes the world go ‘round? ATP or energy makes the cells go ‘round! Energy, like money, is exchanged through all cells. The liver, muscle, and kidneys have a lot of mitochondria. You might say they are quite rich!
Healthy cells have chemical reactions that go off without a hitch. Energy is created, consumed, or converted by every living cell through three three metabolic pathways in the body.
Cells also communicate with one another. They can send signals by touching cells, hormones, and neurotransmitters or by touch. Petting your dog or cat sends signals through their fur and skin via touch!
Every metabolic pathway of healthy cells involves a series of steps involving enzymes that help convert the food you give your pet into energy, carry out cellular repair, and grow tissue. Cellular health works like a well-oiled machine – until various factors disrupt it.
Learn more about the lymph system by reading the blog post!
What Affects Cellular Repair?
You’ve probably heard the saying, “You are what you eat.”
When it comes to cellular repair, this is important! Your pets are also what they eat! The food and nutrients you provide directly influence the metabolic reactions within their cells, impacting their building blocks and, in turn, influencing tissues and how organs communicate.
Just like a factory needs good tools, energy, and clean conditions to run smoothly, your pet’s cells need certain things to stay healthy. Lack of certain things can affect healthy cells and cell repair.
Other factors, like breed or genetics, may influence cells. Your pet’s age, gender, and activity levels can all impact its metabolic rate—the speed at which your cells carry out metabolic reactions. Activity, or exercise, is a factor in keeping your pet’s cells healthy—and yours, too!
Other things include:
Lack of nutrients. Vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and fatty acids work to support or repair cells. They even make enzymes that help cellular processes. This stresses the importance of a healthy pet diet, including antioxidants to combat cell waste and healthy fats for cell repair.
Cellular respiration. Cells need oxygen and glucose (sugar) to make energy. A change in oxygen availability will affect the cell’s function. Low oxygen affects the mitochondria or energy powerhouses of the cell. Does this mean you should feed your pet sugar or lots of grains? Not necessarily, especially if you have a cat!
Learn more about grain-free diets HERE.
Environmental toxins. Secondhand smoke, which may contain mold, mycotoxins, and cadmium, enters your pet’s body through the respiratory system. Toxins enter the bloodstream and head to the liver to be broken down. This stresses your pet’s detoxification process. Thirdhand smoke is a residue that sits on your furniture and your pet’s fur. Think of how often a cat grooms. They take in that residue through their mouth, leaving their mouths exposed to the carcinogens in smoke.
Damaged cell membranes. Toxins such as heavy metals can disrupt cells and their membranes. Lack of nutrients such as omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants in fruits like berries, and supplements like turmeric are said to support cell membranes. For pets, refined carbohydrates and processed meats do not support cellular repair.
Rest and Repair: Cells, like people, need time to rest and repair themselves. Sleep is regenerative for humans, and it can also be for pets! We won’t see your retriever spending his time on TikTok, but his sleep may be disrupted by joint pain or nervous system stress.
Fluid around the cells. This is called the lymphatic matrix. When this becomes burdened with toxins, it affects the cell’s outer layer and the cell membrane and hinders cell repair. This may appear as Lymph stress on a bioenergetic pet scan.
Hydration. This greatly impacts detoxification and the cellular matrix around kitty cat’s cells. Cells need to absorb water properly. This helps flush out cellular waste and carry in nutrients the cells need. Ensure your pet has lots of water, especially in the warmer months, to avoid dehydration.
Know the signs of dehydration!
Common Toxins That Can Impact Healthy Cells:
- Pesticides and herbicides. One of the most common is glyphosate, which may affect certain blood cells and the digestive system.
- Phthalates. These are in your personal care products, including your perfume. Eliminating perfume may enhance your connection with your pet. They may want to be around you more without fragrance. It may smell nice to you but not to your pet.
- VOCs or volatile organic compounds. These stress your pet’s organs of detoxification, including the liver and kidneys.
- Lyme disease or the organism borrelia. This corkscrew bacteria can disrupt almost any cell in your pet’s body, including brain cells and those that make collagen in joints.
- Viruses. These get inside cells. An example is canine parvovirus, which attacks white blood cells.
- Parasites. Some also get into cells, like Babesia. This parasite targets red blood cells.
- EMFs or electromagnetic frequencies. The invisible energy from WiFi in your home and the towers around you can alter molecular structure and function. Every cell has a vibration.
Understanding the science of cellular repair and metabolism is a daunting task, and as a pet owner, you do not need to take a crash course in biophysics! Fulfilling your pet’s needs: hydration, a biological species-appropriate diet, enrichment, and love, and the foundations of healthy cells. Paying attention to your pet’s digestive system and your household toxins can support them on a cellular level, and this is a significant first step toward pet wellness!
If their digestion is stressed, they may not be digesting nutrients. Where will the cell get the building blocks for cellular metabolism? Looking at your bioenergetic report and balancing remedies may reveal support like digestive enzymes or fatty acids like one to link here.
Our comprehensive testing and follow-up report will bioenergetically measure your pet’s fur, nails, and saliva to give you a picture of health on a cellular level and the nutrients that will support them.
DISCLAIMER: creating Balanced Health, LLC/CBH Energetics and any parent, subsidiary, affiliated or related entities and companies do not provide medical advice or services. This post and bioenergetic products and services offered by Balanced Health, LLC/CBH Energetics including, but not limited to, bioenergetic tests, bioenergetic scans, bioenergetic reports and related products and services (collectively the “Bioenergetic Products and Services”) are designed for educational and informational purposes only and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease, condition, complaint, illness or medical condition and are not a substitute for professional services or medical advice. Seek the advice of a physician or other qualified healthcare professional with any questions you may have. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking treatment. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or any other government agencies or regulatory authorities.