Stay Well With Your Pets

By Leslie Brown

Most pet owners don’t need to be reminded that their animals make them feel good. But your pets can actually make you healthy, improve your health, and help you stay that way.

Pets are natural mood enhancers. The level of cortisol, a hormone associated with stress, is lowered when you spend even 15 to 30 minutes with a cat or dog. It can make you feel less anxious. And the production of serotonin, an important chemical associated with well being, is increased. Reducing stress and being less anxious saves your body from a lot of wear and tear.

Just having a pet can help manage your blood pressure. One study showed that children with hypertension actually lowered their blood pressure while petting their dog. And owning a pet has the potential of making it easier to avoid the dangers of cholesterol. Researchers have found lower levels of cholesterol and triglycerides in people who own pets compared to people who don’t.

Research has also 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 percent more likely to die of a heart attack than those who had. Another similar 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 type of heart failure. Many think that cats may have a more calming effect on their owners than other animals do. Cats often become the focus of their owner’s interest, which diverts them from other stressful worries.

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. Petting a cat or dog has a calming effect. And taking care of a pet—walking with him, grooming him, playing with him—takes you out of yourself and helps you feel better about the way you spend your time. Some mental health therapists use a dog in therapy. A dog in the office can help someone be more at ease. A remark to or about a dog can reveal what’s really on a patient’s mind. Some studies are being done on bringing specially trained animals into clinical settings, which is happening in 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.

People who own dogs tend to be more physically active and less obese than people who don’t. Taking your dog for a daily walk will keep you moving. Just playing fetch in the yard with your dog will earn you healthful advantages. If you exercise with your pet, you’ll both benefit. Regular exercise is important for both of you, so walk with your dog. Believe it or not, some people like to use their cat rather than dumbbells when doing weight training. And nationwide, there are some yoga classes for people and their dogs called “doga.” Walking your dog helps with weight-bearing exercises that strengthen your bones and the muscles around them. It also lets you spend time in the sun, which promotes vitamin D, and therefore strong bones. It is important to stretch, so take a cue from your cat. Watch how many times she stretches every day, and when she does, you should too. If you can, get down on the floor and go through the same motions.

Perhaps the best help comes from those dogs or cats that seem to be super sensitive to people who just aren’t feeling well. Sometimes just their presence can provide a relieving comfort to you.

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