Search Results for: blog the healing power of pets

Seven Years Later: Thoughts on the Pets of 9/11

Over in Marriage I wrote about what I think about on September 11 as it pertains to love and relationships. But another loving relationship I think about today is the one so many of us have with our animals. Last year I wrote about the pets of 9/11. I did a little research into finding out if all the pets belonging to people affected by the attacks were okay. They were. Today as I contemplate the events of September 11, 2001, I’m thinking about the pets and people who survived. (I guess I should be clear here. Only one pet, … Continue reading →

The Personal Pet Therapy Project: The Pets Pick Their Parts

As it’s become clear that Grandma Dorothy is here for an extended visit, the only ones not fretting about how it affects their lives are Murphy, Mr. Meow, and Tabby. They have enthusiastically embraced the mission of the personal pet therapy project and have eagerly selected their own assignments for my mom’s rehabilitation. Murphy As he does with all the other chores he helps me with, Murph is glad to lend a hand with my new added chores. Like yesterday. I hadn’t realized I needed to call Apria to have the oxygen tanks delivered each week. I thought they’d bring … Continue reading →

The Healing Powers of Clay

Yesterday I wrote about how problems with uneven skin tone sent me in search of remedies, one of which was clay-based face masks. That’s how I stumbled upon Kanwa Minerals, which not only sells clay face masks, but promotes clay as a cure for all sorts of maladies. The Clay Cure On their site they have a tab called “The Clay Cure,” but in my recent purchase they also included literature of the same title by Ran Knishinsky. Apparently clay can do more than replenish minerals in the skin. It can be ingested to replenish minerals internally too. It can … Continue reading →

Pets and Music Revisited

I have mentioned before that my dogs seem to like music. Moose (my German shepherd mix) seems to like it more than Lally (my boxer mix) does. When we lived in New Jersey, Moose would sit by the fence and listen to the teens down the street rehearse in the garage. He’d sit there for hours just listening! Music isn’t just for entertainment, either. It can be healing for people — and for pets. A harpist from Oregon conducted a study on the power of harp music on animals in 2000. Alianna Boone played her harp for dogs hospitalized at … Continue reading →

A New Study on Purring

Cats purr when they’re happy, right? A new study says that purring conveys more than one message. Researchers from England’s University of Sussex took a close look at the purring noises made by hungry cats. They recorded hunger purring and happy purring from ten different cats and played the sounds back to human volunteers (ranging from dedicated cat lovers to people who had never owned a cat). Even the total feline novices could tell the difference between the contented rumble and the hunger noises. The hunger purring tended to be higher in pitch than the happy purring most people are … Continue reading →

What Do You Need?

In these days of economic recession, it’s time for us to take stock and think about what we really need. The other day I saw some T-shirts advertised cheap. When I went in they were sold out but they did have lots of lovely blouses at reduced prices. ‘Why don’t you buy one?’ my husband said when he saw me looking at them. ‘Because I don’t need them.’ I needed a cheap T-shirt to wear to tennis. I didn’t need pretty blouses to wear out, though I have to admit it was tempting. It’s so easy to get caught up … Continue reading →

Health Benefits of Hot Tubs and Hydrotherapy

I love the water. When I was a kid, I would spend entire summer days in the pool, only coming out of the water for lunch and bathroom breaks. I love long, steamy baths and relaxing showers. And I’m very excited that my apartment complex has a pool (open seasonally) and a hot tub (open year-round)! Believe it or not, a hot tub can be good for your health — it isn’t just a luxury. Hydrotherapy has a long history in healing. The Ancient Greeks and Romans knew the value of a good soak! A hot tub combines the healing … Continue reading →

Thanksgiving Love Stories: The Truest Match of All

This morning I saw a story on the news that inspired me to try something different this week in the Marriage Blog. Instead of just focusing on reasons to be thankful for the love in our lives come Thanksgiving Day, why not stretch it out all week? After all, with such tough economic times upon us and news of doom and gloom regularly bombarding us, it’s perhaps the perfect time to spend as much time as possible focusing on the positive and remembering all the blessings we do have to be grateful for. The Kidney Donor The story I heard … Continue reading →

Are We as Therapeutic to Them as They Are to Us?

It’s been a week since Murph’s cast has come off, but he hasn’t quite been the same. In fact, I’d venture to say he’s been a little depressed. His appetite’s still okay, and his ears perk up at the offer of chewie sticks or Scooby Snacks, but he just hasn’t quite been himself. Even with the cast on, he’d been kind of rambunctious. Especially in the last couple of weeks before it came off. It was clear he was feeling better and getting his pep back. He’d go search out one of the many sympathy toys he’d been given, bring … Continue reading →

The Family That Plays, Potties, Drinks, Sleeps, and Heals Together Stays Together

Something life with Murphy has made me realize lately is that Wayne, me, and our fur kids are one tight knit clan. Which is sort of a remarkable thing in one respect. On the one hand, we’re a family made up of humans and animals. We’re not related by blood, but our bond is as strong as any blood bond could be. On the other hand, it’s hard to believe that just a little over a year ago we were a house divided. (Literally. Wayne was in Florida working a new job while I stayed behind trying to sell the … Continue reading →