Do Pets Really Make Us Healthier? 10 Health Benefits of Having Pets

Most people know that pets bring companionship, joy and laughter to our lives, but pets also offer great benefits to our physical and emotional wellbeing

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Pets are more than just friendly creatures; they transform our lives for the better. Looking at or playing with your pets makes you both happy and helps improve your health by keeping you fit. Pets can help us to feel better and relieve tension — especially when weare having a bad day. It is believed that pets can help us both mentally and physically, but does having pets really make us healthier?

Here are just a few benefits of having a pet

Have you ever wondered why doctors recommend therapy animals or even advice some patients to adopt a pet? It turns out that taking care of a pet has numerous benefits some of which are listed below:

1. Having Pets Lowers Blood Pressure

Through extensive research, it was found that people who spent time with animals — whether playing with their dogs, stroking their cats,or even staring at birds in cages—had lower blood pressure compared to those who did not. It was also found that having these furry friends lowered blood pressure in hypertensive patients better than prescribed medication. Children who were around these animals showed signs of lowered blood pressure,even if they did not interact with them.

2. Physical Fitness

Active animals such as dogs require constant walking. Taking them on regular hikes and walks encourages you to focus on your own physical fitness. These canine companions act as your daily motivators as well as your workout buddies. One of the reasons to have a pet is that your adolescent children will spend more time with the animals and end up doing more physical activities.

3. Healthy Heart

Pets not only lower blood pressure;they also help to keep your heart healthy. Studies show that one of the benefits of owning a pet is the reduced risk of developing cardiovascular diseases. Patients recovering from heart conditions heal faster and have better chances of making full recoveries if they have pets.

4. Cancer Detectors

Our pets identify us by our appearances and scents. Animals,such as dogs,have an excellent sense of smell and can detect any changes in our metabolism. Dogs can smell cancer even in the initial stagesbecausetheir sense of smell is so advance that they can also detect skin cancer by simply sniffing on the wound. Your canine companion will let you know this by constantly licking, sniffing or by resting their heads on the affected part.

5. How Pets Make Children Healthier

Parents think that having animals around kids will cause them to develop allergies; however, this is not the case. Children raised in pet-friendly homes develop immunitiesto most allergies because their bodies become less sensitive to allergens. Kids exposed to dogs from infancy also have lower chances of developing eczema.

6. Helps to Manage Stress

Have you ever wondered why pet owners seem happy all the time? Rubbing your pets back, ears or belly is both comforting and appealing. Connecting with your animal friends triggers the release of Oxytocin which brings the feeling of happiness and fulfillment while reducing the levels of Cortisol which is responsible for stress. Some hospitals have arrangements for animals to visit patients, especially those who have to undergo serious surgeries or procedures. Many hospitals prefer aquariums because they distract patients, thereby reducing anxiety.

7. Recovery From Addiction

Pets provide companionship,but they also help addicts on their recovery journey. Pets are fantastic because they don’t judge and they are always ready to listen. Feeding and grooming your furry friends will make you responsible and occupied. No matter what you face during the day, your furry friend will be waiting for you eagerly to offer love, support, and zero criticism.Sometimes, therapists recommend therapy pets to aid in the recovery journey. Animals such as dogs, rabbits, cats, horses, and guinea pigs are especially helpful in recovery.

8. Managing Different Conditions

Individuals with specific conditions have pets to help them lead healthy lives. Seeing eye dogs help their visually-challenged owners to safely visit densely populated locations.Seizure dogs are trained to detect seizures before they occur in epileptic individuals. These dogs help the patients to assume safe positions to avoid injuries.

9. Positive Attitude

When you are having a bad day, the quickest way to improve your mood is by playing with your pets or rubbing their bellies. Spending a few minutes with your animal friends increases the bond and increases Dopamine and Serotonin thus improving your mood.When you feel depressed, look at your furry friend and your attitude will improve.

Most people find it easier to talk about their pets in social gatherings. People are also keen to listen to stories concerning animals. Dog owners also get to interact with other individuals taking their dogs for walks and get to exchange tips and offer suggestions. Veterinarian offices are also excellent places to make acquaintances with other pet owners. Having pets makes you look responsible and trustworthy which means that most people will comfortably approach you. Animals such as dogs are very intuitive and protective of their owners; this means that your canine companions can tell who the bad guys areto avoid.

You may also enjoy reading How An Emotional Support Animal Changed My Life by Emily Cline