Are Pet Angels for Real? Soulmates with Paws (Book One) Has the Answers

 (Vintage published pet essays and articles from magazines and newspapers)

 

Guiding, guarding, warning, comforting and

teaching—are these cat angels?

 By Cal Orey

Best Sellers Rank: in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)

• #74 in Animal Care & Pet Essays

Image used in Cats Magazine with this story
www.michaelleu.com

Recently, Jude Balthis had a dream. Her cat Satie appeared on her bed, green eyes staring down at her owner. “It was clear that she had a message,” Balthis says. “She told me she knew I had done the best that I could to protect her.” The large calico had just died a month earlier.

            “I felt very guilty about her death,” Jude recalls. “In her later years, she wasn’t able to defend herself as well as when she was younger. I had secured the porch from other animals by installing gates, but it wasn’t enough.” One night, while Balthis and her family were away, raccoons broke into the barriers and killed Satie.

            Upon awakening from her dream, Balthis felt instantly that Satie had absolved her from blame. “I didn’t cry, even though I was on the verge of tears, because the dream allowed me to understand that she was in a safe place.”

            Companion animals bring us comfort and love, but are they also spiritual messengers who understand more than what seems possible?

            “An angel cat would be a messenger who would help you to know that love is all around you and that miracles are possible,” explains Linda Anderson, coeditor of Angel Animals, Exploring Our Spiritual Connection with Animals. Bernard Ward says in his book Angels: They’re All Around and They’re Watching Over Us, “Angels are here to guide us, warn us, comfort us, teach us or just be a friend and companion.”

ANGELS AMONG THE LIVING

            Years ago, when Stephanie Laland was in her 20s, she was distraught about her life. She remembers sitting on her bed and crying. “Suddenly, my two-year-old calico cat Yoko jumped up on my lap and put her paws on my face and licked the tears away,” she says. And while some cats are deeply affectionate, Laland confesses, “this wasn’t the sort of action that my cat would normally do. At that moment she was my little angel.”

            Since then, Laland had turned her life around. She is the author of Peaceful Kingdom: Random Acts of Kindness by Animals and Animal Angels, and teaches workshops for people wishing to boost their bond with animals. She feels she knows firsthand how it feels to be touched by an animal angel.

            Many of the stories in her work suggest that the notion of animal angels isn’t merely whimsy. Take, for example, the story of Mrs. Sweeney, an elderly woman who had always welcomed animals in need into her home. One winter evening, she became ill and wasn’t able to move from her bed. As the fire from the stove went out, the house grew deathly cold. Too feeble and ill to move, she was sure she would freeze before daybreak. In the morning, when her neighbor came to check on her she discovered the freezing temperatures and raced to the old woman’s bed, fearing the worst. But Mrs. Sweeney was safe in bed, very much alive—and not cold at all. She was quite comfortable, with seven cats and a dog draped over her warm body like a fur blanket.

            Many near-death survivors have reported feeling a sensation of leaving their bodies—or traveling through tunnels of light.  Some people report encounters with relatives or even family pets.

            During a down-and-out period, reports Anderson, Debi Reimann, a legal secretary from Lacey, Washington, felt herself floating through a gray mist. She recalled seeing light and feeling an overwhelming sense of love. She saw a vision that appeared old and wise. Even though the “being” told Reimann that it wasn’t time to die, she didn’t want to go back to her painful existence in life. The “being” turned her around, directing her toward the tunnel that would take her back to life. At the other end she saw her cat, Missey Kitten, waiting for her. “The cat was the one being on earth that could touch her heart, and Debi made a decision to come back,” recalls Anderson... 

(Reprinted with permission from Cats Magazine, December 1999 issue.)

The Healing Powers of Surprise Superfoods for Spring-Summer 2023

 Shared by Cal Orey

GIFT BOOK--The Healing Powers of Superfoods 

 20 Most Surprising

Superfoods for Amazing Health!

Eggs, fish oil, butter, coconut oil . . . one minute they’re good for you and the next they’re not. Food fads make it tough to know what’s truly healthy. Eat it, don’t eat it. It helps, no wait, it doesn’t help.

Medical doctors and researchers are constantly making new discoveries about food that change conventional thinking.

With so much conflicting science, how do you know which foods really have incredible healing powers?

End the confusion once and for all
with The Healing Powers of Superfoods.

Written by Cal Orey, author of the bestselling Healing Powers of Honey, this blockbuster new book is based on the latest scientific studies showing dozens of surprising superfoods and juices you never knew could help you get healthy and stay healthy — even cheese, chocolate, and ice cream!

The Healing Powers of Superfoods reveals the NEW top 20 superfoods which are loaded with antioxidants, polyphenols, carotenoids, flavonoids, and minerals and vitamins with powerful immune-boosting and disease-preventing properties.

If you want to outsmart heart disease, cognitive
decline, or even lung troubles without giving up
your favorite foods . . . this is the book for you.

Contrary to popular belief, superfoods aren’t just for health nuts. They’re for everyone who wants to enjoy a healthier heart, a stronger brain, clear lungs and sinuses, lower cholesterol, and reduced pain — as well as give the boot to colds and flu, soothe dry skin, feel more energized, and live longer.

One of the most important things you can do with the NEW Top 20 superfoods: Boost your immunity. A balanced immune system is essential to living a healthy life.

Inside this 316-page bible of superfoods you’ll discover the top 20 nutrient-dense foods that are delicious to eat and easy to find at your favorite supermarket. These new superfoods are many of the classic foods you love and they deliver big health benefits that can help you:

• Boost your immune system
• Support a healthy heart
• Build strong bones
• Strengthen your cognitive health
• Maintain healthy blood sugar
• Power up your energy
• Fight fat
• Lower blood pressure
• Lower the risk of heart disease
• Slow the aging process
• Promote healthy vision
• Ease anxiety and stress

If foods like acai, maca, or garlic come to mind when you hear the word “superfood,” you’re in for a surprise! While these superfoods are nutritionally dense and good for your health . . .

The Secret to a Long, Healthy Life
Is Sitting on Your Grocery Shelf

There are loads of other, lesser-known taste-tempting, belly-filling foods with the power to restore health, wellness, and energy to the body. There are even foods that have been on your plate all along — you just didn’t know they were nutrient-dense.

Take gelato and shellfish — once considered too fatty or too high in cholesterol and sodium, they’ve been determined to be good for you and they taste great. They’re today’s “new” superfoods! Shrimp alone have 17 grams of protein and almost one-third the recommended daily allowance of vitamin D — an important vitamin millions of people are lacking. You need all the “D” you can get for strong bones and teeth.

You know those potatoes you serve up as a side with a juicy steak or your favorite chicken dish? Surprise — they’re immunity-boosting powerhouses!

Not just fat-free and a great source of potassium for your heart health, these super spuds are also packed with vitamin A, a powerful immune booster. Medical researchers also believe this potato can boost white blood cell activity, which is key to warding off certain cancers.

All of the details you need about super taters — including some great ways to use them in recipes — are on page 104 of your FREE BOOK.

Guess what? A food doesn’t have to be
perfectly “clean” to be a superfood.

Think about how you enjoy that big bowl of decadent gelato. So creamy and smooth, yet this sweet treat has less fat and more natural ingredients than ice cream.

Add some of this yummy chocolate or any of the great mix-in suggestions on page 63 and it’s like you went to Dairy Queen for a Blizzard swirled with your favorite mix-ins — only better because it’s healthier!

Best of all when you start adding other nutrient-dense foods to superfoods, you instantly increase the health benefits. The Healing Powers of Superfoods gives you all kinds of ideas for blending and stacking superfoods for the healthiest options.

Now don’t give ice cream the boot, because
America’s favorite frozen delight not only builds
strong bones — it supercharges your brain.

Ice cream contains calcium for bone-building and protein for strong muscles and teeth. Know what else? Vanilla ice cream is good for the brain! When you get your FREE COPY of The Healing Powers of Superfoods, turn to page 63 to see the secret super mineral in vanilla ice cream that enhances brain function. Belgian researchers using MRI testing found ice cream even diminishes the brain’s response to sadness.

Do you like apples or peanut butter? They’re super delicious superfoods, too. Apples aren’t just great for weight loss, they lower your bad cholesterol (LDL), protecting against heart attack and stroke.

See page 28 of your FREE BOOK to see which apples pack the most powerful punch. Be sure to try the Super Heart Healthy Cinna-Apple Smoothie on page 29.

Do these look like SUPERFOODS to you?
Take a closer look.

When University of Scranton researcher Joe Vinson, Ph.D., was asked what foods he’d pick if he were stranded on a desert island for two weeks, he chose nuts, peanut butter, orange juice, and wine. Since wine is rich in resveratrol, it could help prevent blood clots from years of eating French fries and bacon.

Rather skip the wine? There’s a great juice alternative on page 141. This superjuice not only helps lower cholesterol but may reduce the risk of cancer, too. It’s all in The Healing Powers of Superfoods.

Eggs can keep you out of the cardiologist’s office, too.

Two studies of 40,000 men and women published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) showed eating eggs in moderation may be good for your heart. Scientists found absolutely NO LINK to heart disease in healthy test subjects who ate an egg every day. But . . .

You must know which part of the egg to eat for the biggest health benefit — and it’s not what you think or what you’ve been told. An “eggstrordinary” secret on page 55 will show you how to get the biggest bang for your heart health from eggs.

Surprising superfood of the year:
Lobster Mac and Cheese for weight loss!

You’re going to think, “This is too decadent to be good for me, right?” Nope! This amazing recipe uses a secret type of pasta studies show fills you up and slims you down. Parmesan swirled with a bit of butter, pasta, tomatoes, creamy half-and-half, fresh basil. Mmm, mouthwatering! Get the recipe on page 286 of your FREE BOOK! Hurry, get your FREE COPY while supplies last.

These superfoods could help halt everything
from heart disease, cancer, and
flu to obesity, anxiety, and depression.

 

Power up your immune system with this surprising breakfast food!

Turn to page 71 of your FREE BOOK to find out!

 

Eat pizza, beat heart disease.

See how on page 91.

 

Lower bad cholesterol with super chicken!

Turkey works, too. Try the moist and meaty Super Vitalizing Turkey Salad on page 100.

 

Breathe easier — eat tomatoes.

Got asthma? Tomatoes open up airways and detox the body. Page 213

 

Crunchy French Toast and Berries

Healthy never looked or tasted so good! Recipe on page 151 of your FREE BOOK.

During flu season or a major health crisis, it’s more critical than ever you feed your body superfoods to shield against invaders. The more superfoods you pile on your plate over the course of a day, the better.

And learning about which superfoods to eat doesn’t have to be difficult. Everything you need to know is inside The Healing Powers of Superfoods. Through this special offer, you can get a copy of this blockbuster book absolutely FREE! Click here to claim your FREE BOOK.

Here’s a sneak peek at what’s waiting for you inside of The Healing Powers of Superfoods:

• Lower your risk of cancer and heart disease with pizza! Italian researchers found the secret in the sauce. Page 92
• See cholesterol levels you can love at your next checkup. Eat more of this family favorite which also helps you stay trim and feel calm. Page 97
• Lower your blood pressure, stave off colds and flu, AND lose weight with . . . potatoes? That’s right! Discover which 2 “super spuds” are best on page 104.
• Reduce the risk of heart disease and power up your brain health with sweet, creamy, and crunchy Peanut Butter Fudge. Recipes on page 248
• Flatten your belly and banish bloat fast with watermelon — a natural diuretic! Try the quick Melon Salad on page 135.
• Tired, fatigued, and need energy? Eat this once-forbidden sweet treat turned superfood — it gives you the added benefit of boosting brain power. Page 63
• Need a sweetener? Forget honey or brown sugar — reach for antioxidant-rich maple syrup! Studies show maple can enhance the immune system for fewer colds and flu. WAIT! You must use THIS maple syrup to reap the health benefits. Page 73
• Avoid dental bills — keep your teeth and gums healthy with this vitamin C-packed fruit. Hint: it’s NOT oranges! Page 159
• Calm anxiety and frayed nerves with this Thanksgiving favorite. It helps your body make mood-boosting serotonin. Page 97
• Bounce back from jet lag! Drink a glass of water infused with this citrus and eat a handful of this superfood. You get a big energy boost from the carbs combined with magnesium and selenium. Page 198.

The Healing Powers of Superfoods is packed cover-to-cover with hundreds of ways to incorporate superfoods into your life to help you address whatever health issues you face: depression, dizziness, insomnia, kidney stones, blisters, UTIs, asthma, anemia, allergies, pain, and many others.

You get 50+ delicious, nutritious recipes for everything from Pesto Pizza, Dark Chocolate Gelato, and Cheesy Quiche to ricotta-rich Cannelloni steeped in garlic and herbs and Super Immunity Enhancing Chilled Sweet Potato Soup with Maple-Smoked Chili Sauce on page 105.

There are even thirst-quenching recipes for drinks and smoothies. Be sure to try the new twist on green drinks which tastes great! You can’t go wrong with sweet Honeycrisp apples blended with cinnamon, honey, and a touch of kale. Page 188.

PLUS, this treasure trove of healing
superfoods book also contains:

Lower your blood pressure — say CHEESE, please!

All this time you thought cheese was a no-no. Cheese is loaded with heart healthy calcium to help lower your blood pressure — and your risk of heart disease and stroke. Page 41

Wait until you try the gooey Cheese and Cranberry Dip on page 35.

A sensational blend of melted Brie, wine, garlic, and cranberries tempts your taste buds.

• 50 home remedies you can zip together in your kitchen for everything from building strong immunity to dealing with gingivitis, heartburn, depression, constipation, kidney stones, infection, and other health concerns.
• Top 10 “skinny superfoods” scientifically shown to fill you up, not out!
• 5 simple rules for losing weight like a champ.
• Perfectly pampering beautifying recipes for shiny, healthy hair, glowing skin, soft elbows and feet, and more. Super Beautifying Cantaloupe Smoothie, anyone? See page 224
• Household helpers for cleaning stubborn rust, removing gum from carpets, and making your house smell fresh and clean.

Whether you want to up your health game, have committed to start eating healthier, already eat healthy and are seeking out the latest and greatest superfoods, or you want to go from bland and boring to tasty and delicious with all NEW recipes . . . The Healing Powers of Superfoods is for you!

This groundbreaking new book is also perfect for anyone who wants to benefit from healthier options in their life, whether cooking, cleaning, dieting, or beautifying. There’s something for everyone!

Claim your FREE COPY today. All we ask is that you pick up the small shipping and handling fee of $4.95. Wait, there are more things you’re going to love . . .

Soulmates with Paws...Pet Approved

Soulmates with Paws Ranks Several Times out of 100 Top Books (Animal Essays) on Amazon

 Hollywood Book Reviews

Soulmates with Paws

Title: Soulmates with Paws: A Collection of Tales & Tails
Author: Cal Orey
Publisher:  AuthorHouse
ISBN: 978-1-6655-7857-8
Pages: 238
Genre: Non-Fiction / Fiction / Pets
Reviewed by: Ephantus M.
 

Soulmates with Paws: A Collection of Tales & Tails offers a touching view of the human-animal relationship, as revealed through the bright lens of Cal Orey, an author whose love for pets flows naturally from the soul, and whose knowledge of pet nutrition, training, and wellness stands commendable from the first to the last page.

Reading through the chapters does confirm that animals indeed need humans and vice versa. One is drawn to her personal encounters with a widow who would have varying conversations with her dog, a hilarious and incredible act that lights up one’s face in amusement. This is especially notable in the level of shrewdness employed by both the author and the widow in an effort to keep their animal companions on the premises, which was against pet rules and regulations.

Orey’s story tenders a range of questions with the sole objective of helping readers recognize their temperaments and character, a vital exercise that will enable them to figure out which pet fits them best. I found it fascinating that the choice of animal one keeps, tells a lot about them, for example, according to Orey, a person who keeps a charming and sassy Chihuahua has a different personality from one keeping a tough-looking bulldog. In addition to this, it’s admirable to see Orey demystify the pet language, from a dog’s howl, its whines, to a cat’s meow and yowl.

The author has infused some of Dr. Stanley’s findings from the book “The Intelligence of Dogs” which has inspired lots of animal lovers and is a clever addition to the topic therein. Reprints from magazine articles and original essays bring out some amazing adventures of people with their pets.  

“Touched by an Angel” shows a paranormal connection with a deceased cat, and how it kept a watchful eye over the owner.  “Homeward Bound” brings to light the amazing survival stories of pets who withstood the tragic fires in the Berkeley Hills, in many cases being lost for a week or more, and the unselfish and over-the-top care the veterinarians and animal shelter volunteers conducted to find the pet’s owners and make sure the cats and dogs received the proper medical attention.  One miracle story involved an elderly lady, bedridden, who survived a cold night without heat; being kept warm by seven cats and a dog laying over her blankets providing additional body-heat.

The invaluable rapport she’s had with her cuddling animals is a wonder that will positively impact readers into adopting some pets, so as to likewise savor the untapped grace, inner peace, harmony, and satisfaction this bond offers.

 Buy on Amazon

The Healing Powers of Essential Oils for Springtime Allergies (Worse Due to Climate Change!)

  By Cal Orey

People have been using essential oils to help beat flu and plagues for centuries. Top health doctors know certain essential oils contain antiviral and antibacterial components for bolstering immunity against germs.

In the twenty-first century, viruses and bacterial infections

are contracted wherever you go, be it at the workplace, store, airplane, or even your home with family and friends. Essential oils and their protective compounds may help guard you from catching a virus or flu—and allergies from pollen, dust and pet dander to poor air quality.

We are not powerless. But it doesn't take a doctor to figure out that if you bolster your immune system, your body will be in better shape to ward off a cold, virus, sinus woes and  allergens that can drive you crazy. Achoo!

Here are essential oils that you can use to stave off viruses as part of your anti-virus arsenal to stay well.

5 Oils to Bolster Your Immune System from

The Healing Powers of Essential Oils 

by Cal Orey, published by Kensington

#1 Eucalyptus. Eucalyptus oil is one of the best essential oils to keep the flu at because it apparently boosts your immune system. Dr. Kurt Schnaubelt, founder of the Pacific Aromatherapy Institute points out that “the most effective essential oils for viral infections are those with sizable contents of cineole, mono terpene alcohol, and mono terpene hydrocarbons.” He adds, “These types of components form an effective antiviral synergy.”

What Scent-sational Rx to Use: Mix 6 drops of eucalyptus oil into a large pot of hot water. Cover your head with a lightweight towel and inhale the steam for a few minutes.

Why You’ll Feel Essentially Fine: Research shows that eucalyptus oil may be helpful because of its antiviral and antibacterial properties. Bronchitis, which is a viral health ailment that can be contagious, too, can be made less severe and recovery may be quicker than if one inhales eucalyptus oil.

#2 Lavender. During the fall and winter months when the temperature drops and we’re indoors more and closer to people, colds are common. But the right essential oil can help bolster your immunity and keep a miserable cold at bay!

What Scent-sational Rx to Use: Take a lavender-scented bath. Mix 3 drops of essential lavender oil with ¼ cup of jojoba or almond oil. Put the concoction into a tub filled with water.

Why You’ll Feel Essentially Fine: Lavender is a calming bacteria-fighting essential oil. Its anti-inflammatory compounds can help to keep you safeguarded against germs found on surfaces and the environment.

#3 Rosemary. When you have that irritating tickle in your throat and need to cough, well, its’ irritating. Hacking can hurt, too!

What Scent-sational Rx to Use: Combine 4 drops of rosemary essential oil into a diffuser or vaporizer. Or simply put the oil onto a handkerchief and take a whiff or two.

Why You’ll Feel Essentially Fine: Rosemary can be an aid to lessen the need to cough with due credit to a compound called 1,8-cinole. It may calm the muscles in the respiratory system, preventing coughing.

#4 Lemon. Ouch! A sore throat is an unwelcome irritation of scratch pain when you talk and swallow. It can be a sign that you may be coming down with a cold or flu. (Refer to #1.) Or it could be caused by seasonal allergies or even talking too much.

What Scent-sational Rx to Use: Try putting 1 drop of lemon oil in 8 ounces of hot water. Add 1 teaspoon raw honey for taste. Repeat twice daily.

Why You’ll Feel Essentially Fine: The oil has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. This popular oil also may trigger saliva, which can keep the throat hydrated. Use the magical cure--you’ll be chatting soon!

#5 Sage. The primary compounds include the main antibacterial compounds, including a-pinene, camphor, b-pinene,  and limonene—which may help lessen the risk of developing inflammation, and even protect again microbes.

What Scent-sational Rx to Use: Make a spray or lotion including sage oil isn’t a bad idea. Note to self: Bring a sage spray before entering hotel rooms when traveling, and at home after being around people.

Why You’ll Feel Essentially Fine: Sage oil is a versatile essential oil. It can be used in a vaporizer to zap germs and fight viruses. You can use it diluted with a carrier oil such as olive oil. Sage is also a culinary oil—which means diluted you can use it (1 toothpick drop) in a soup or fish dish with garlic, another germ warrior.

The bottom line: The essential oil cure may be the cure-all for you. Plus, taking care of you during uncertain times – can provide more health benefits and keep your immune system healthy.

8 Anti-Virus Warrior Tips to Fight Against Germs 

and 

Spring Allergies and Immune Health

During the new season we're often vulnerable to allergens like dander, dust, and tree pollen. It's a good time to boost your immune system.

1. Drink plenty of fluids. Drinking water, herbal teas, and vitamin C-rich liquids can flush out any toxins that you accumulate.

2. Wash your hands often to keep germs away.

3. Eat right. Plant-based foods contain carotenoids and flavonoids that have antiviral and antibacterial activity. So eating nutritious produce daily will help keep your immune system strong.

4. Forego sugar. Sugar can interfere with the proper functioning of the immune system.

5. Take vitamin C and D or get it in fortified foods like cereal, juice, or milk. Most of the research says that it improves the immune system.

6. Zinc yourself well. Zinc is a potent virus-fighter that can cut the time you spend in misery.

7. Exercise, exercise, exercise. It lowers stress levels and ups better sleep to allow the immune system to stay stronger.

8. Chill out. By keeping your stress levels down, sleep better and you can keep your immune system up and healthy. Bonus: New book Soulmates with Paws--your pets help stoke immunity by helping you to get physical and chillax!

Cal Orey, M.A. Is an author and journalist. Her books include the Healing Powers Series (Vinegar, Olive Oil, Chocolate, Honey, Coffee, Tea, Superfoods, Essential Oils, and Herbs and Spices) published by Kensington. (The collection has been featured by the Good Cook Book Club.) Also, Soulmates with Paws is a new book series.

The Buzzworthy Cure for Springtime Allergies

 By Cal Orey 

'Tis the season when allergy symptoms thanks to allergens like tree pollen hit home and maybe even affect you, like me. Living at Lake Tahoe is a treat during autumn but...this year while the super bloom is happening, pollen plus the ups and downs of temperatures are wreaking havoc on my mind and body. So I've got the budding trees and dust to dander (super tips to get rid of it!) from the dog and cat to make me miserable. Achoo!

Walking in a snow flurry last week and gardening in the sunshine a week prior is enough to make anyone feel a bit out of whack. 

But honey comes to the rescue!  That's right, by turning to immune-boosting, antioxidant-rich honey, you may find your own allergy symptoms, from hay fever to seasonal-change woes, may stop in their tracks.

The truth is, I've been too busy fighting allergy symptoms that I forgot about home sweet cures ike chocolate and honey. Blame it on the new season and oh, oh, oh--the shedding dog and cat. Hairs, hairs, hairs everywhere. My black T-shirts and sweaters look like a white bunny rabbit's fur. A week ago, I contacted a gp. My eyes were watery. Not to forget the post-nasal drip and sneezing--not fun. And today, my throat is less raspy (dander and dust are no longer extreme and maybe the new rugs are helping). But tree pollen is high and today the air quality is poor. It's time for this honey book author to practice what she preaches and take her own sweet ancient cure, straight from the hive.

Allergies (Stop Seasonal Misery): Dealing with a runny nose, and coughing can ruin an indoor and outdoor event, thanks to seasonal pollen. Every year when the yellow pollen arrives in the spring like an uninvited visitor at Lake Tahoe I hold a tissue in one hand and am on the phone to a pharmacist with the other. I am always on a mission to find the natural remedy to stop my sniffles.

What Honey Rx to Use: Try eating a tablespoon of locally produced honey. Proponents of honey tell me that your immune system will get used to the local pollen in it (it should be withing a 50-mile radius from where you live).
Why You'll Bee Happy: If you have mild allergies, honey may enhance the immune system to build up a better arsenal against airborne allergens. Honey enthusiasts like D.C. Jarvis, M.D., believe honeycomb is excellent for treating breathing problems. The honey prescription, according to him, was chewing honeycomb, which may line the entire breathing tract... "Vermont folk medicine uses honeycomb as a desensitizing agent; from the results obtained by its use it appears to be anti-allergic in its action," notes the good doctor who gives credit to the honey bees.

Beekeepers tell me that honey may help allergies linked to trees and ragweed--the culprit in hay fever and its irritating symptoms during spring and autumn months. So, as beekeepers are workerbee busy at work selling local honey to allergy sufferers, like me (and maybe you, too), I am busy including all types of antioxidant-rich honey in my diet because I want to be covered. And if honey can help me cope with congestion and pesky sniffles, I'm in. 

While further research is needed, I'm not going to wait for scientists to go to their lab rats for a go-ahead. Today I'm going to the health food store and getting a jar of local honey. Oh, and I ordered one-day delivery of manuka honey and ginger organic candy drops. I wait. 

PAWS Book Series Shocking Paranormal Stories!

 Soulmates with Paws Nonfiction Novel Hits #39 Bestseller in Animal Essays!

  Read Book Review

*Animal Angel Stories"

*Incredible Homeward Bound Tales"

*Uncanny 9 Lives Cat Phenomenon"

One thing is absolutely clear; that is Cal Orey is a pet lover extraordinaire. She sums up the theme of her book in her final sentence, “Soulmates with Paws is a tribute to the four-leggers in my life, past and present, and throughout the nation and around the globe. It’s the human-companion animal bond that is universal and one that connects us as whole unity on the planet.”

As a renown award-winning author, Cal Orey’s reputation of tackling subjects with an abundance of facts and insights proceeds this book in many ways.  It was my pleasure to enjoy the vast details of her personal accounts, the array of scientific facts, and surprising spiritual aspects of dog and cat relationships within a diverse style of original writing, published article reprints, blogpost excerpts, and a forward by Stanley Coren, Ph.D., author of The Intelligence of Dogs and How to Speak Dog.

As for spiritual relationships, she writes, “After a cat dies, they have a telepathic reunion with their owner, according to telepathic animal communicator Raphaela Pope of Berkeley, Calif. That means cat owners may have direct communication beyond what’s normal with their cats.” Here, I thought it was only me that experienced this when my cat died.

Pet owners who understand their furry-friends all have seen remarkable situations of the animal’s awareness alerting their owner to some impending threat; whether it be a fire, an earthquake, or even the malintent of other people posing danger.  The ability for dogs and cats to “find their way home” after being lost or when traveling tends to hint of high-sensory awareness of sight and smell and beyond, to some perception of the Earth’s magnetic fields, as was discovered in bees and birds, plus other mammals, where their brain cells contain magnetized iron particles which cells act like built-in compasses.

Although peppered with extraordinary facts about dogs and cats, Cal Orey’s main thrust is in her storytelling.  There are many stories of people and pets, doing amazing things. These stories make up the icing on the factual content of the book.  Written in a friendly “fireside” fashion, readers will love each of the many tales throughout this book where she tells of her exploits, her pet loves and losses, and get to know her as a person with a heart, seeking ways to unselfishly help others.  

A section about homeless people caring for pets points out an interesting observation by Richard Avanzino, president of the San Francisco SPCA. “Because homeless people have this unique bond and special relationship, in many cases, the animals are better cared for than they take care of themselves. And that’s because the animal has stood by their side when society and the world and human beings have discarded them.”

The book contains a dozen quizzes for readers, each enabling them to determine aspects of their own personality, such as being a dog-person or a cat-person, and which breed of dog best suits their personality.  Each chapter has appropriate quotes from famous people.  And talking about famous people, a chapter is dedicated to many stories of actors, celebrities and authors with their pets.  For example, Doris Day started an animal rescue charity and of course, John Steinbeck’s many books referencing his animal companions.

As a whole, Soulmates with paws: A Collection of Tales & Tails is a book that should be promoted on all fronts, especially in mental and physical well-being practices, as powerfully illustrated through personal experiences and relatable concepts. It is without doubt one of those texts that beg to be read time and again, to dig up the nuances you may have missed during the first reading.

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