The 2004 annual report, "America's Health: State Health Rankings", reveals the dismal news that the country's overall health has taken an alarming downhill slide since the 1990s. The survey's results raise the question: What else can be included in the arsenal of tools for improving America's fitness?
According to best-selling authors, Allen and Linda Anderson, with 77 million cats and 65 million dogs in U.S. homes, people have overlooked an important resource in the fight against cancer and other health issues. When the Andersons did research for their new book, ANGEL CATS: Divine Messengers of Comfort (New World Library, September, 2004), they concluded that cats (and dogs) are invaluable additions to healing therapies.
For example, the average housecat's purring falls into the frequency range that increases bone density, relieves pain, heals tendons and muscles, and eases migraine headaches. The "British Medical Journal" reports the ability of dogs to sniff out cancerous tumors. In addition, dogs' need to be walked causes people to exercise and lose weight. Pets are great stress-relievers, lowering blood pressure, offering emotional support, and providing much-needed fun-breaks.
Linda Anderson says, "We get great satisfaction from offering our firsthand experiences with the cats, dog, and birds who helped me recover from breast cancer and multiple surgeries."
From an interview with the Andersons, people will hear about:
* A cat that assisted a registered nurse who used an alternative therapy on her breast cancer tumor,
* A woman who cried over loss of her hair due to chemotherapy and was astonished and comforted when her dog, in an act of empathy, pulled all the hair out of her own tail so they'd both be bald,
* What some veterinarians are saying about animals getting similar diseases to those of their human companions,
* Two cats who became a woman's "pacemaker" and according to her cardiologist, kept her alive for many years,
* Life-changing experiences with animals that people are documenting as well as studies supporting the power of pets to heal.
Along with stories they have collected, the Andersons provide full-color photos of animals who miraculously responded to people's needs for healing and coping with illness and injury.
The Andersons and their series of books about the human-animal bond have been featured in national wire service articles, radio interviews, and television news programs in the United States and Great Britain. Their Website (www.angelanimals.net) and "Angel Animals Story of the Week" have thousands of subscribers from all over the world. ANGEL CATS: Divine Messengers of Comfort has been recommended by "Cat Fancy," "I Love Cats," and "Best Friends" magazines. It is a selection of One Spirit, Mystery, Health & Lifestyle, and Forbes book clubs.
Allen Anderson says, "We have our personal experiences with healing and pets, but continue to be amazed at the volume of profoundly provocative experiences people are writing about. They tell us of dogs, cats, and other animals who have improved their failing health, and many believe that they wouldn't be alive today if it weren't for the love, comfort, and assistance of their pets."