Need A Little Help With
Your Health? Get A
Dog!
Dogs are considered
man's best friend. But did
you know that having a dog
gives you several heath
benefits?
In studies done by
medical professionals, dog
owners benefit from their
pet's presence in several
ways:
1) Improved
cardiovascular health - Dog
owners have been proven to
have blood pressure and
cholesterol lower than
ordinary people. These
factors reduce the chance
for cardiovascular
diseases. Stroking a pet
has long been known to
reduce blood pressure. A
study from the New York
State University found that
these benefits continue
even without the pet
available. The study tested
a group of stockbrokers
with hypertension. They
concluded that just being a
pet-owner can lower blood
pressure.
Dog owners also have
blood cholesterol levels
lower than normal. Five
thousand four hundred
people were tested by the
Baker Medical Research
Institute of Australia and
with the results showing
pet owners having not just
lower blood pressure but
also lower levels of blood
triglycerides and
cholesterol compared to
people who didn't own any
pets.
2) Faster recovery time
and higher survival rates -
Hospital studies have found
that seniors and recently
operated on patients
responded better to
treatment and got better
quickly while they were in
contact with dogs and other
therapy animals. Just
petting a dog can be
relaxing and therapeutic
for recovering
patients.
Also, dog owners have a
greater chance to survive
after suffering from a
serious illness. Several
studies have discovered
that pet owners who
suffered from a heart
attack were more likely to
be alive a year after they
were discharged from the
hospital than those who did
not own pets. Another New
York study found that pet's
affected their survival
rate more even more than
the presence or company of
family members or
friends.
3) Fewer visits to the
doctor - Studies conducted
at Cambridge and the UCLA
have found that owning a
pet corresponds to overall
improved health and less
need for hospital visits. A
Medicare study of its
elderly patients also
discovered that those who
own dogs visit the doctor
less than those who don't
have a pet.
4) Mental Wellness -
Patients who have dogs have
also been known to have
better emotional health
than their counterparts.
They offer unconditional
love and affection; their
presence alone helps reduce
loneliness for sick people
who have otherwise been
isolated. Several studies
of people with major
illnesses have shown that
the stress of fighting the
disease is significantly
reduced when they had a dog
as company.
As you can see, having a
dog is a great investment,
for the joy that you get
from owning one and the
health benefits that you
can receive. So go out and
get a dog!
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