Chocolate, Acai, Tea Leaves, Cola Nut, Cocao and Cocoa Mulch Can KILL!

If you walk on all fours and have fur or if you walk on two legs and don't have fur, two caffeine-like ingredients in chocolate, Theobromine (aka xantheose) and Methybromine can kill you and your pet animal if ingested. Not only is Theobromine and Methybromine found in chocolate, it's also present in acai berries, tea leaves, the cola nut, cacao, and Cocoa Mulch.

Emails about Cocoa Mulch have been circulating around the Internet since 2003, and more frequently since 2007 when Calypso, a three year old Labrador, had a seizure and dropped dead on a walk after ingesting the garden mulch made from cacao bean shells. The same thing is happening to humans!

Hershey's, the manufacturer of Cocoa Mulch, states that "50% of the dogs that eat Cocoa Mulch can suffer physical harm to a variety of degrees...98% of all dogs won't eat it."

Dr. Robert O. Young, Director of Research at the pH Miracle Living Center, "chocolate, acai, cola nut, cacao and cocoa are all highly acidic and their poisonous acids will kill animals quickly and humans slowly. Unfortunately many of these acidic foods are being sold as health foods for the body as antioxidants. Chocolate, acai, cola nut, cocao and cocoa are not antioxidants but highly acidic oxidants that when ingested will steal electron energy from the body and use up stored alkaline buffers. This can then lead to sickness, dis-ease and many so-called diseases in animals and humans. My best advice is to never eat these so-called foods. They are not foods and especially not health foods. They are poison to the body of all animals and humans."

Since there are many other brands of garden mulch, if you have a dog, the best choice to another brand that is free of cocoa.

Easter is a few weeks away and chocolate will grow in abundance in the form of eggs, carrots, and rabbits, so take extra care and keep these tempting treats out of the reach of your animals and especially your children!

In the worse case scenario, here is some information that will help determine what action should be taken if your dog or cat or child eats a bunny ear. The higher the cocoa content the more toxic it becomes.

* 1 ounce of Milk Chocolate is toxic per 1 pound of body weight
* 1 ounce of Semisweet Chocolate is toxic per 3 pounds of body weight
* 1 ounce of Baker's Chocolate is toxic per 9 pounds of body weight

For example, 2 ounces of Baker's Chocolate can put your 15 pound dog or baby at great risk, while 2 ounces of Milk Chocolate will usually cause simple digestive problems.

The clinical signs of chocolate, acai berries, tea leaves, cola nut, cocao and cocoa toxicity are:

Hyper excitability
Hyper irritability
Increased heart rate
Restlessness
Increased urination
Muscle tremors
Vomiting
Diarrhea

"The acid sugar combined with the acids Theobromine and Methylbromine found in chocolate and cocao are a deadly combination. Why risk the health and the life of your animal or even your child. This Easter give your dog, cat or your child an organic Hass avocado or avocado oil from the Rancho del Sol in their Easter Basket. It is safer and a better alkalizing choice.

Resource:

Sick and Tired by Dr. Robert and Shelley Young, Woodland Publishing, 1999.