What is BioFunction8 and how does it work?
BF8 contains organic german chamomile flowers, a.k.a “mother of the gut”. This is a famous gut soother (hence we drink it in tea when struggling after a big meal). BioFunction8 settles the gut, decreasing inflammation and alleviating the symptoms of IBS, IBD and acid reflux.
BioFunction8 also contains organic marshmallow root, a herb known to aid intestinal repair by increasing the mucosal lining (often lost during gut issues – this is the shiny sleeve on the outside of your dogs stool). The mucsoal lining is where the gut flora live and work. If you build their home, they will come and it’s they that fix the gut from the inside, like little fraggles.
We also include a little chia seed which help to slow the passage of digesta. Dogs with gut issues typically lose form as their digestion factory is on the blink. As you make changes in the diet to fix this (below), chia seeds slow the speed your dogs gut evacuates, giving more chance for digestion to occur, soaking up excess water in the stool in the process. Win win for animals putting out lots of soft poos.
Finally, BioFunction8 includes a blend of 3 Irish, air-dried seaweeds (2 brown and one green) which are not only wonderfully antiinflammatory and antioxidative in their own right but are also deeply nutritious. This is most welcomes in dogs with gut issues which, if you looked, will have quite erratic vitamin and mineral profiles from the turmoil in their tummies.
For more on the science behind BioFunction8, check out our article “Eight reasons why BioFunction8 alleviates the symptoms of gastrointestinal disease in your dog“.
Why does my dog have gut issues?
Recurring gut issues are one of the most common reasons for visiting the vet. The majority of these are caused by a life of the wrong food. In the case of the dog, this is a life spent eating ultra-processed foodstuffs such as kibble or canned products. In terms of gut health, these products are from ideal for the following reasons:
- Studies show ultra-processed protein such as meat and bone meal (most vet-recommended kibble) is not only much harder to digest by the body (think overcooking that piece of steak but worse) but it’s more antigenic to the body, feeding the wrong bacteria in the gut, inducing dysbiosis (a shifting of the gut flora profile) in the meat-eater.
- Dybsiosis is further aggravated by the chemical preservatives used in these products – these kill the life in the product, greatly increasing its shelf life, for sure, but then this toxic crap washes over their gut flora, napalming it.
- Kibble and canned food is larger plant material, largely carbohydrates. This is not what the dog or cat’s gut wants to eat daily. Studies show raw meat-based diets produce a more balanced gut flora than kibble.
For these reasons, and many more, for dogs with gut issues the best advice is to FIRST move to a fresh, biologically appropriate diet for your dog, rather than running around looking for a plaster. BF8 is useful during this process (or should not the shift eliminate 100% of their issues).
How do I give BioFunction8?
BF8 is a dry, powdered product containing different dried ingredients of different grind thicknesses so best advice is to first shake the pack. There is a 2g scoop included. Your dog needs around 2g per 10kg of dog. You sprinkle it on their food (and yes, the vast majority like the taste. In fact, because it works so well, don’t underestimate your dogs’ ability to know what’s good for them. Still, you might build to the required dose slowly over a few meals and mix it well into their food!).
Please note…
NOT TO BE USED IN DOGS WITH HYPERTHYROID ISSUES
DO NOT USE WITH OTHER SEAWEED-BASED PRODUCTS
