Improve Your Health: Get A Pet!

Dogs are considered man’s best friend, but I would speculate there are many cat, rabbit, ferret and hampster owners who would make the same claim of their preferred pet.

However, one thing is clear, having a pet has many positive heath benefits and side effects.

In studies done by medical professionals, pet owners benefit from their pet’s presence in a number of different ways.

First, people with pets have improved cardiovascular health and tend to have blood pressure and cholesterol lower than people without pets. For some reason, this reduces the chance for cardiovascular diseases because stroking a pet will 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 — a career noted for its high rate of hypertension — and discovered that just being a pet-owner worked very well to lower their blood pressure.

Pet owners also have blood cholesterol levels lower than normal. The Baker Medical Research Institute of Australia tested 5400 people and their results showed that pet owners have, not just lower blood pressure, but also lower levels of blood triglycerides and cholesterol compared to people with no pets.

Another benefit is pet owners tend to have faster recovery times 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. In fact, just petting a dog can be relaxing and therapeutic for recovering patients.

Also, pet 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. And yet another New York study found that pet’s affected the survival rate of a person who was seriously ill even more than the presence or company of family members and friends.

Pet owners have 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.

Finally, pet owners have better mental wellness. Patients who have pets have also been known to have better emotional health than their counterparts. They offer unconditional love and affection and 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 pet as company.

So, the bottom line is, if you want to be healthier, both physically and mentally, then get a pet! Not just for the joy that you get from owning one and the health benefits that you can receive, but with so many lovable animals stuck in pet shelters, the pet will also benefit by having a loving, nurturing companion.

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Glenn Cutforth is a writer, eBook publisher and graphic designer.

Visit his websites at: The Complete Cat.com and Self-Help and Wellness.com

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