Our pets are family, and their health deserves the same thoughtful, holistic approach we often seek for ourselves. In this episode of Building the Best You, Jeanne Collins sits down with holistic pet wellness expert Angela Ardolino to explore how nutrition, medicinal plants, mushrooms, and hemp can support long-term health for our furry companions. Angela shares her remarkable journey from entrepreneur to advocate for natural healing, explains the importance of homeostasis, discusses the growing role of the endocannabinoid system in overall wellness, and offers hope for pet owners facing seizures, dementia, chronic illness, and aging. Whether you're passionate about holistic health or simply want your pet to live a longer, healthier life, this conversation will inspire you to think differently about healing—for both animals and yourself. Angela's book recommendation: Mutant Message Down Under More about Angela: Angela Ardolino is a holistic pet-health clinician, formulator, educator, and advocate best known for developing hemp and functional mushroom animal wellness solutions that are safe, ethically sourced, and species-appropriate. Wanting to show the efficacy of a mushroom and adaptogen solution for supporting dogs experiencing Canine Cognitive Disorder (CCD), Angela undertook leading The Senior Dog Study, a research initiative created to move beyond guesswork and measure whether a functional mushroom + adaptogen routine may support brain-related behaviors and quality of life in senior dogs. A sought-after speaker and media resource, Angela educates doctors, veterinarians, pet professionals, and families nationwide on cannabis medicine, functional mushrooms, adaptogens, and the endocannabinoid system in pets. She also hosts the podcast “Your Natural Dog with Angela Ardolino,” where she brings practical, actionable conversations about natural pet care to a wide audience. Then, for over a decade, she ran Fire Flake Farm, a rescue operation that provided care for hundreds of, mostly senior, dogs and other animals with complex needs. Those frontline years gave her a practical lens on what families face every day: aging-related decline, chronic pain, anxiety, seizures, and the frustration of “no options” conversations. That the issues she’d see in her many senior dogs were effectively treated with the nootropics and adaptogens of hemp and fungi show that these are often the missing piece for senior dog brain health. With more than 20 years in holistic animal care, Angela’s work sits at the intersection of clinical education, real-world application, and compassionate rescue. She is a graduate of the University of Vermont’s Larner College of Medicine professional certificate program in Cannabis Science and Medicine/Medical Cannabis for Therapeutic Use, and she is a member of the Society of Cannabis Clinicians—training and affiliations that inform her “do no harm” approach to formulation and education. angelaardolino.com @yournaturaldogpodcast 🎓 Empowerment Fundamentals Course: Use Code PODCAST15 for a 15% discount https://members.houseofjermar.com/empowerment-course 📖 Read Jeanne's Book: Two Feet In: Lessons From an All-In Life https://a.co/d/7Hyrc8m 🔗 Follow Jeanne! https://houseofjermar.com https://instagram.com/houseofjermar/ https://youtube.com/@Houseofjermar
