Positive Effects Pets Can Have on Your Health
When you become one of the proud pet owners of the world, you join a group of individuals who enjoy health benefits non-pet owners don’t have access to. Even the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) sound off about the health benefits of pets!
Pets provide their owners with stress-relief and lowered blood pressure. But they also alleviate depression and loneliness, too. In studies, it’s been shown that elderly individuals who have pets to care for stay independent for a longer time than elderly people who live alone.
The CDC explains that aside from blood pressure and depression health benefits, pets also lower cholesterol levels and Triglycerides. They help you get more exercise and contribute to your own socialization.
Studies have shown that as few as five minutes of interaction with a therapy dog can provide instant stress-reduction benefits. Dogs aren’t going to judge you or react to your disabilities, your age, or your beauty. They’re non-discriminating pets that love their owners no matter what.
Studies conducted in Alzheimer’s patients shoed that providing dog therapy for one hour a day for four consecutive days reduced the apathy that the patients had for their lives. And other pet therapy, such as the use of aquariums, was shown to increase appetite and reduce aggression in patients with dementia.
Animals of all sorts provide health benefits – not just domesticated pets! A 10-year old boy with cerebral palsy was allowed to interact with a tame elephant over a period of time. The biological response to these episodes was an improved outlook on life and a chemical change in serotonin levels.
Prisoners have also been given the responsibility of pet ownership to help cultivate a sense of caring and method of coping with depression. When given a cat to care for in the confinement of the prison, the inmates who took part in the program reported an increase in self-esteem.
No one knows exactly why the interaction with pets has such a positive effect on human health, but it’s been documented with a variety of animals – from dolphins to dogs. It may be that we feel comfortable trusting an animal that isn’t judgmental with us.
Whether it’s to boost your physical health or assist you in developing a better mental outlook, becoming a pet owner can dramatically change the way you live – for the better!
Pets Can Have a Calming Effect on You
Pets have been a wonderful asset to many families. Some can help with the farm work, some can control the mouse population for us and others can keep us calm and relaxed with their mere presence.
More people are getting various breeds of pets these days as they realize the effect they can have – not only on your physical health – but your emotional health as well. Studies have shown that pets can reduce heart ailments, which is one of the reasons some nursing homes bring pets in every so often to let the residents there spend some time with them.
Pets provide the residents with calmness and companionship, too. Dogs are known for being man’s best friend, but the loyalty and companionship they provide do more than just make you smile. Their protective demeanor and attention to our own moods makes us feel as if we have someone constantly in tune with what we need.
Known as Animal Assisted Therapy, this isn’t just something that’s made up to reflect how much people love their pets – it’s a formal treatment program used by healthcare officials that you can adopt into your own life.
Pets can help alleviate stress. But they also take away loneliness and depression. Since dogs live for a long time (on average about 10-15 years), they can provide long-term loving relationships for you to come home to on a daily basis.
Pets – from dogs to birds and other breeds – can also entertain you whenever you need a lift in your mood. Young pets are very playful and they thrive on the attention you give them, helping take your mind off of your own troubles.
Even if you do nothing other than let your pet sit in your lap while you pet it, you’ll be reaping many health rewards. Petting an animal reduces your blood pressure, and it’s great for those suffering from arthritis because it makes use of your hands and arms.
Domesticated pets can be beneficial in providing you with many stress-relieving benefits, but if you try to adopt an exotic animal into your life that’s meant for the wild, you may get more than you bargained for.
If stress relief is what you’re after, find a pet that’s social in nature – friendly and accepting to everyone. You may or may not want an animal that’s hyper or requires a lot of care.
Make sure your animal is trainable so that you don’t wind up even more stressed because of the disobedience issues you’re running into on a regular basis. Take time to tame your pet and the two of you will provide the long-lasting perks that a solid friendship has to offer.
Pet Therapy for Diabetes – Can It Really Help?
We’ve heard of the many benefits that pets can have on our overall physical and emotional health. One little benefit we don’t hear about as much is the fact that by using pet therapy, those with diabetes can live longer, much healthier lives.
Does pet therapy really work for diabetes? Studies show that by petting some of these animals, you can reduce anxious feelings that stress causes, lower your blood pressure and improve your overall general health.
They also make for excellent companions to your exercise routine. It’s documented that dogs have helped their diabetic owners lower their blood sugar levels and lessen their cardiovascular problems.
Although dogs have been reported to work these wonders with their owners, they aren’t a magical breed of animal. They’re not going to make the condition go away. You still have to watch your diet, take the appropriate medications and follow your doctor’s orders.
They can, however, help lower your stress levels, which have a direct effect on your blood sugar. Having that loyal companion by your side who doesn’t talk back to you or nag you about what you’re doing means a lot when it comes to your diabetic therapy.
Keeping stress levels down increases your chances of controlling the condition without having to resort to insulin injections. In some amazing cases, dogs have been trained to be in tune with their owner’s medical conditions.
Some dogs can recognize warning signs that their diabetic owner may be close to having a diabetic seizure and will do what they’re trained to do to get them the help they need right away. Without that help, someone living alone could end up in a diabetic coma or worse – death!
Theses pets can also be trained to carry items or fetch things for their owners. Those who have trouble walking may rely on their pets to go to another room to get an item they need. The owner, without a trained pet like this, could start off on their own and fall – injuring themselves.
Pet therapy for those with diabetic conditions can be helpful and should be utilized as much as possible. It’s important to remember that even though they can lessen some of the harmful effects diabetes places on you, it should not replace your normal diabetic treatments. Continue to follow your physician’s orders but complement that with the love and health benefits a pet has to offer.
How Exercising With a Pet Can Help Motivate You
Have you ever considered recruiting your pet to join you in your exercise program? Pets can actually help you stay motivated and stick with an exercise regimen if you bring them along the next time you jog, walk or even use the treadmill.
We all know that exercising isn’t exactly the most fun part of a diet program. Exercising can seem like work and it’s hard to get motivated enough to start. Even when you’re able to start, you find it difficult to stick to it.
Exercising with a friend or family member is helpful to you because it provides you with some company that will help distract you from your “quitter mindset.” Sometimes those friends aren’t available for you and you’re forced to exercise alone. This doesn’t have to be the case if you own a pet.
Not all pets will be open to spending their time exercising with you, but some are willing to spend time with you no matter what you’re doing. Dogs are good companions for jogs and long walks.
They like to get out and see the world and smell the fresh air. They make good cohorts for your exercise plan because they’ll be excited about the pending exercise and you’ll feel obligated to engage no matter what!
A 2006 study showed that dog owners got more exercise than those who didn’t have a four-legged friend. While you might think of it as a duty that you have as its owner, try to start thinking of Fido as your exercise buddy instead.
Try to map out a schedule for when you’ll walk the dog. Having a set routine is beneficial for both you and your pet. If you live in a climate that has its ups and downs with weather, try to take an indoor walk with your dog on the treadmill.
No, you don’t have to let him step up on your pricey equipment. There are actually doggie treadmills built just for this purpose! Let him walk or run alongside you on his treadmill while you get your workout in right beside him.
Exercising is definitely not on our list of fun things to do. Getting motivated to do them can be quite tricky. One way to get that motivation is by staying focused on your routine and not on how much work it seems to be or how unpleasant it is. Pets can be the perfect answer to that. Companionship without negative feedback can go a long way in your exercise routines.