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Pets Can Greatly Improve Your
Health
by: Adoz Lizzat
Having a pet is one of the healthiest investments you
can make to your long-term health and happiness. We know
that having a pet enrichs our lives, and scientific
studies in the last decade, have clearly shown how
companion animals benefit both our bodies and our minds.
Apart from lazy days in the sun, walking, fetching, and
guaranteed smiles throughout the day, pets provide
health benefits that extend far into the body and mind,
such as lower blood pressure, heart rate, anxiety level
as well as providing pet owners with both consistent
behavior and offering unconditional love and affection.
Pets in return, respond well to stability and the love
and affection pet owners lavish upon them.
Pets have been known to improve the lives of pet owners,
significantly benefiting health, not only for the young
and families, but also for the elderly. Pets may help
elderly owners live longer, healthier and ultimately,
more enjoyable lives. The Journal of the American
Geriartics Society published an article in May 1999
showing how independently living seniors with pets, tend
to have better physical strength and overall mental
health and wellbeing than seniors that do not have pets.
They are more active, generally happier, cope better
with stress, and have significantly lower blood
pressure.
It would seem that taking care of a pet would be a lot
of work. In fact, it is that work, that maintenance -
walking, feeding, grooming, fresh water, playing and
petting, that lowers the heart rate, decreases anxiety
and stress levels, increases serotonin and the release
of beta-endorphins in pet owners. Even just getting up
to open the door for a dog to be let in or out, or
changing the water for the kitty, require some
cardiovascular exercise, and increase joint flexibility
and keep joints limber and agile. Consistent minor
exercise like this, ensures healthier bodies for pet
owners.
Many of the benefits of having a pet are less tangible.
Pets allow for physical contact and offer consistent
companionship, as well as unconditional love. They act
as a support system for older people without homes or
families or close friends. People with pets generally
remain more stable emotionally during crises than people
without pets. Pets also offer protection socially from
isolation, separation anxiety for people in nursing
homes, and for people whodon\'t have as much opportunity
to interact with other people.
Pets help elders perform daily functions and stick to
regular routines such as getting up every day, buying
groceries and going outside of their homes - all
necessary physical, emotional, and social activities,
that help elderly people active, motivated to eat and
sleep, and comfortable in their environments and with
themselves. Through these interactions, pets enable
elders to interact with others more frequently, which
lowers depression and anxiety, both frequent medical
problems facing elders today.
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