Yes, give your pet a hug, because your pet is helping you live longer, healthier, and best of all, happier. Just check out these facts:
According to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control), owning a pet has numerous health benefits:
- lower blood pressure
- lower cholesterol levels
- lower triglyceride levels
- lower stress and feelings of loneliness
- increased opportunities for exercise and outdoor activities
- increased opportunities for socializing
Studies have also shown:
- Pets ownership is linked to the survival rate of heart attack victims. A study by the US Dept. of Health showed that pet ownership could be a factor in survival rates of coronary patients: 28.2% of patients without pets died within one year, compared to only 5.7% of patients who were pet owners.
- A study from Australia of 6,ooo households found that those with dogs and/or cats needed less medications to lower blood pressure, to lower cholesterol, cure insomnia, and heart illness.
- The reduction in blood pressure may be as effective as eating a low-salt diet or reducing alcohol consumption.
- Seniors who regularly walk their dogs tend to have greater mobility in their homes, are able to walk faster, and enjoy better endurance, according to an NIH study which followed more than 2,500 adults, aged 71-85, for three years.
- A survey of 1,000 Medicare patients revealed that seniors who owned pets were less likely to make unnecessary doctor visits out of loneliness.
- Nursing homes that have incorporated companion animal therapy programs have not only experienced a reduction in the amount of drugs prescribed, but also a reduction in overall costs of care.
- Having a pet during times of great stress or illness, fights depression. A study by the UCLA of more than 1,800 AIDS patients, found that those without a pet were more than twice as likely to report symptoms of depression. Another study by the University of Warwick, England, of breast cancer patients showed that pets provided their owners with an invaluable type of relationship: one that was unaffected by the presence of serious illness.
- Pets not only provide children with companionship and teach them responsibility, but also help them grow healthily. A US study of 394 university students showed that those who owned a cat or dog during childhood, were more self-confident than those who didn’t. Another study of 455 11-16 year-old children revealed that those with pets had better understanding of non-verbal communication. Studies have also indicated that homes with dogs or other pets, have a lower the risk for children developing asthma.
Pet Owners Say:
- Pets are the best listeners. They are non-judgmental, loyal, and love us no matter what the rest of the world thinks.
- They distract us from our worries by amusing us with their antics.
- They teach us the joy of simple pleasures and relishing the moment.
- Nothing can replace the wag of a dog’s tail, or the purr of a contented cat.
For more information on the benefits of sharing life with a pet, pet care, and ways to help our furry and feathered friends in need, check out these websites:
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With all the benefits that pets bring, it is really sad that it is getting harder and harder to have a pet; both to have time to spend with them and to have places to be allowed to take them.
Rosie Peterss last blog post..Want Power Before Willpower to Lose Waist Fat
Pets is big responsibility, think twice before you’ll get them in your home.
yay for pets! I’m going to have a valentines outfit for my cat next year just because you thought of this, lol – thanks for the great idea. snuffles will love it!
You make many good points. Blood pressure and hypertension have been interests of mine for a long time, and I think that a balanced holistic approach is overall the most promising.