Not only are pets cute, cuddly and pretty damn awesome, but they can also benefit your health!!
Say whaaaaaat?!?
According to recent studies, owning a pet can help your health in 10 completely different ways!!
Here’s the scoop:
Lowers blood pressure:
According to veterinary consultant for Good Morning America, Marty Becker, “If you have a dog around, your blood pressure is lower. A lot of it goes back to reducing stress: You might lose your job, your house, your 401(k) — but you’ll never lose the unconditional love of your pet.”
Lowers Cholesterol:
Becker notes, ├óΓé¼┼ôThey lower cholesterol by about five points.”
Relieves pain:
Becker says, “Just like Valium, it reduces anxiety. The less anxiety, the less pain. Some studies about acute pain actually found that adults who used pet therapy required 50 percent less pain medication than those who did not.”
Diminishes stress:
A study at the State University of New York at Buffalo found that having a pet around lowers stress, especially when conducting stressful assignments.
Helps with socialization:
Ceo of natural pet food brand Nulo, Michael Landa expressed, ├óΓé¼┼ôI take my dog for a two-mile walk every day, and I run into five to 10 people whom I stop and talk to. A 1999 Canadian study found that pet owners were more ‘socially engaged’ than non├óΓé¼ΓÇ£pet owners.”
Advances mood:
Becker states, “People who have pets are less harried. There’s more laughter in their life. When you come home, it’s like you’re George Clooney. You’re a star.”
Helps children prosper:
Landa notes, ├óΓé¼┼ôWhen a child is attached to a dog or cat, they learn to express themselves in more ways and they learn to relate better.”
Prevents strokes:
Becker says, ├óΓé¼┼ôIf you have a cat, you├óΓé¼Γäóre 30 percent less likely to have a heart attack, and you├óΓé¼Γäóre 40 percent less likely to have a cardiovascular incident like a stroke. If you have a heart attack and you have a dog, you are eight times more likely to be alive a year later.”
Helps with immunity and allergies:
Becker noted, ├óΓé¼┼ôA study found that children ages 5 to 7 from pet-owning households attend school three weeks more per year than those who don├óΓé¼Γäót have pets. Kids who grow up on farms and around animals don├óΓé¼Γäót have allergies.”
Oversees blood sugar levels for diabetics:
A study conducted by the American Diabetes Association’s Diabetes Forecast magazine in 1992 found that people with diabetes who live with dogs, birds, rabbits and cats alter their behavior, which helps them lower their sugar levels.
If you don’t have a pet and suffer from any of these conditions, you should really consider getting one NOW!
Because at the end of the day, all a pet can do is help you be happier and healthier!!
