| Dogs have always been fantastic companions, | | | | their blood than non-owners. Again, high |
| but they're also great for your health. Were | | | | levels of triglycerides and cholesterol can |
| you aware that owning a dog provides owners | | | | lead to heart disease and stroke. |
| with a number of positive health benefits? | | | | |
| | | | 3) A Healthy Mind: People who own dogs have |
| Keep reading to learn how your dog can help | | | | also been shown to have better mental health |
| lower your blood cholesterol levels, maintain | | | | than their non-dog-owning counterparts. A |
| mental wellness, reduce the number of your | | | | steady companion provides unconditional love, |
| visits to the doctor and increase recovery | | | | affection, a stabilizing presence, and a |
| times after illness. | | | | sense of responsibility that can be crucial |
| | | | to mental well-being. |
| 1) A Healthy Body: Both Cambridge University | | | | |
| and the University of California at Los | | | | In fact, another study by UCLA found that of |
| Angeles (UCLA) have published studies that | | | | 1800 AIDS patients, those who did not own a |
| showed pet owners have fewer visits to the | | | | pet were more than twice as likely to cite |
| doctor than non-owners and a generally | | | | symptoms of depression. A study by the |
| superior sense of health. In addition, | | | | University of Pennsylvania showed that Animal |
| Medicare conducted a study of its elderly | | | | Assisted Therapy can help with ADHD symptoms, |
| users that showed those who were dog owners | | | | Alzheimer's, and developmental disabilities. |
| visited the doctor less than their | | | | Dogs are also used with a number of mental |
| non-dog-owning counterparts. | | | | health patients to ward off depression and |
| | | | episodic bouts. |
| 2) A Strong Heart: Studies have shown that | | | | |
| dog owners, as a whole, have lower | | | | 4) A Speedy Recovery: One study at the City |
| cholesterol rates and blood pressure than | | | | Hospital in New York reported that pet |
| non-owners. Both cholesterol and blood | | | | ownership so drastically affected survival |
| pressure are crucial to your cardiovascular | | | | rates that it surpassed the presence of |
| health and can drastically affect your risk - | | | | friends or family in terms of impact. |
| positively or negatively - for heart disease | | | | |
| and stroke. | | | | There's a reason many hospitals and nursing |
| | | | homes allow pet visitation along with special |
| One study from the New York State University | | | | animal therapy programs - it's been proven |
| used high-pressure stockbrokers as its | | | | that patients will respond more easily to |
| subjects and showed that not only did | | | | treatment and have a higher survival rate |
| stroking a pet reduce their blood pressure, | | | | when therapeutically engaged with an animal. |
| but that reduction continued even when the | | | | |
| animal wasn't there. Their conclusion? Pet | | | | Of course, an animal is more than a crutch or |
| ownership can lead to a sustained lower blood | | | | a form of therapy - it's also a wonderful and |
| pressure. | | | | loving friend that requests little more than |
| | | | a little attention and meals. If you're |
| In another study by the Baker Institute of | | | | looking for a companion, though, consider the |
| Australia, pet owners were shown to have | | | | health benefits and joy that a dog can offer |
| lower cholesterol levels and lower levels of | | | | into the life of someone who simply needs a |
| triglycerides - a type of blood fat - in | | | | reliable friend. |