Dogs can be the perfect personal trainer. Just like us, they need daily exercise and count on us to provide it. Walking your dog twice a day can help you lose and maintain a healthy weight. A study by the National Institute of Health found that dog owners are less likely to be obese than non-dog owners , as long as they were the ones doing the walking!
Health Benefits of Having a Pet
Maybe a pet a day keeps the doctor away. Pet ownership provides a number of proven health benefits for people, including physical, mental and emotional improvements, from enhancing social skills to decreasing a person’s risk of heart attack. Opening your home to a furry friend may be just what the doctor ordered.
Having a pet in the home can actually lower a child’s likelihood of developing related allergies by as much as 33 percent. Research shows that exposing kids early to to animals tend to strengthen their immune systems.
Pets can be an instant icebreaker, whether they’re with you or you’re just using them as a topic of conversation. Nobody is suggesting adopting a pet simply for this purpose. Pets can help you improve your social skills, especially socialization skills across the board, especially when meeting and interacting with other pet owners. Pets can be a common thread to hep people connect, even among people who don’t seem to be very much alike.
Studies show that pet owners have decreased blood pressure, cholesterol and triglyceride levels — all of which can lower their risk for having a heart attack down the road. For those who have already experienced a heart attack, research shows that pet parents recover more quickly. This is thought to be due to the way pets can decrease your stress level, simply by being by your side.
Pets are great for our mental health, too. They offer unconditional love and give their parents a sense of purpose, which can really help beat the blues. Pets which can boost your overall mood and and provide companionship when you are lonely.