Pets Can Improve Your
Health
1. Stay Well With Your Animals
Most pet owners don't need reminding. Animals make people feel
good. But we're talking about more than feeling glad they're around. Your
favorite animal can make you healthy and help you stay that way. You may be
surprised at just how many ways a pet can improve your health.
2. Pets Are Natural Mood Enhancers
It only takes a few minutes with a dog or cat or watching fish
swim to feel less anxious and less stressed. Your body actually goes through
physical changes in that time that make a difference in your mood. The level of
cortisol, a hormone associated with stress, is lowered. And the production of
serotonin, a chemical associated with well-being, is increased. Reducing stress
saves your body wear and tear.
3. Keep Blood Pressure in Check
You still have to watch your weight and exercise. But having a
pet can help you manage your blood pressure. In one study of 240 married
couples, pet owners had lower blood pressure and lower heart rates during rest
than people who did not own a pet. That held true whether they were at rest or
undergoing stress tests. Another study showed that children with hypertension
lowered their blood pressure while petting their dog.
4. Help for Lowering Cholesterol
To manage cholesterol, doctors still recommend that you follow
guidelines regarding diet, exercise, and medication. But owning a pet has the
potential of making it easier to avoid the dangers of cholesterol. Researchers
have noted lower levels of cholesterol and triglycerides in people who own pets
compared to people who don't. However, this could be attributed to lifestyle
factors of pet owners.
5. Cats and Dogs Good for the Heart
Research has shown the long-term benefits of owning a cat
include protection for your heart. Over the 20 years of one study, people who
never owned a cat were 40% more likely to die of a heart attack than those who
had. Another study showed that dog owners had a significantly better survival
rate one year after a heart attack. Overall, pet owners have a lower risk of
dying from any cardiac disease, including heart failure.
6. Pet an Animal to Fight Depression
Therapists have been known to prescribe a pet as a way of
dealing with and recovering from depression. No one loves you more
unconditionally than your pet. And a pet will listen to you talk for as long as
you want to talk. Petting a cat or dog has a calming effect. And taking care of
a pet -- walking with it, grooming it, playing with it -- takes you out of
yourself and helps you feel better about the way you spend your time.
7. Better Physical Fitness
People who own dogs tend to be more physically active and less
obese than people who don't. Taking your dog for a daily 30-minute walk will
keep you moving and ensure that you meet the minimum recommendations for
healthy physical activity. Two 15-minute walks, one in the morning and one in
the evening, will do the same thing. And after that, just playing fetch in the
back yard with your dog will earn you healthful dividends.
8. Make Your Pet an Exercise Buddy
If you exercise with your pet, you'll both benefit. Shine a
flashlight on the wall or wave a string while you do a step aerobics routine.
Your cat will get a healthy workout chasing the light, and you'll be thoroughly
entertained. And nationwide, there are yoga classes for people and their dogs,
called doga. Call your local gym or ask your vet if there are similar programs
in your area.
9. Fewer Strokes Among Cat Owners
Researchers aren't sure why. But cat owners have fewer strokes
than people who don't own cats. It's partly due to the effects owning a pet can
have on a person's circulation. But researchers speculate that cats may have a
more calming effect on their owners than other animals do. It may also have
something to do with the personality of a cat owner. Cats often become the focus
of their owner's interest, which diverts them from other stressful worries.
10. More Interaction, Less Isolation
One key to a healthy mind is staying engaged with others. And
pet owners have a tendency to want to talk with other pet owners. A dog is a conversation
waiting to happen. People, especially other people with dogs, will stop and
talk with you when they see you walking your pet. Visiting a dog park lets you
socialize with other owners while your dog socializes with their dogs.
11. Fewer Allergies, Stronger Immunity
Researchers have found that when children grow up in a home with
a dog or cat they are less likely to develop allergies. The same is true for
kids who live on a farm with large animals. In addition, higher levels of
certain immune system chemicals show a stronger immune system, which will help
keep them healthy as they get older.
12. Cats and Asthma Prevention
It doesn't seem to make sense. Pet allergies are one of the most
common triggers of asthma. But researchers have studied the effects of having
cats in the homes of infants at risk for asthma. What they found was that those
children were significantly less likely to develop asthma as they got older.
There's one exception. Children whose mothers have a cat allergy are three
times more likely to develop asthma after early exposure to cats.
13. Stretching With the Cat
If you have arthritis, you know its important to stretch. You
also know it can be hard to know when you're stretching enough. Cat owners may
want to learn from their cat. Watch how many times she stretches every day, and
when she does, you do it too. If you can, get down on the floor and go through
the same motions. If you can't get on the floor, sit on a chair and follow
along by stretching your upper body.
14.A Calming Presence
People with AIDS are less likely to be depressed if they own a
pet, especially if they're strongly attached. And with an animal in the home,
people with Alzheimer's have fewer anxious outbursts. The animal also helps the
caregivers feel less burdened. Cats seem to be particularly helpful since they
require less care than dogs.
15.Animal Assisted Therapies
Some studies are being done on bringing specially trained
animals into clinical settings, which is happening in more and more hospitals
and nursing homes. One of the biggest advantages of letting patients interact
with animals in such places appears to be improved mood and reduced anxiety.
