How Owning A Dog Helps Humans Live Longer

By Author: Ricardo Limbardo
Total Articles: 1135
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Having a Pet Good for Your Health?

That is a proven fact. As a matter of fact, some dogs now act as therapy dogs. They are trained to visit patients one at a time. This practice is even being implemented in a lot of nursing homes. But how exactly are pets good for your health? Read on to find out.

Physical Health Benefits of Having Pets

Pet owners are known to have lower blood pressure because of their pets. Since high blood prssure is one of the leading causes of severe medical conditions and even death, dog owners value the difference that their pets have on their health, and on their very lives. Studies have also shown that they are less prone to medical ailments because of the physical health benefits of having a dog. It is, thus, a common fact that dog owners live longer. Starting with the most simple physical health benefits such as increased exercise, since dog owners have to walk their dogs, to major stress and pain relieving benefits, pets can definitely keep dog owners healthy. Having a dog is also known to help speed up an ailing patient's recovery from medical ailments. Studies have proven ...
... that dog owners have greater chances of recovering from severe medical ailments such as heart attacks than people who do not have dogs. Man's best friend can also strengthen a dog owner's immunity against medical diseases. Aside from that, dogs also have the ability to detect the earliest signs of particular ailments in their owners. More specifically, some dogs can be trained to detect the possibility of seizures in an epileptic person.

Emotional and Mental Health Benefits of Owning a Dog

Aside from providing physical health benefits, having a dog can also help a dog owner live considerably longer by also providing emotional and mental health benefits. The main benefit begins with the dog's ability to provide valuable dog companionship to a dog owner. Dog companionship can greatly help shield a person from feelings of loneliness and depression, even with less human interaction. At the same time, pet owners also tend to be forced to socialize with other dog owners in certain dog events and such, and this also has benefits to a dog owner's psychological health. However, the most important aspect of emotional and mental health benefits of owning a dog has to do with the fact that dogs can act as a buffer for stress. Stress is the primary cause of several human ailments, and by protecting the dog owner from stress, a pet can greatly reduce the risks of ailments in humans. Finally, their pets give dog owners the motivation to engage in particular activities. Their pets demand attention and time, and dog owners feel their importance by knowing that they need to take care of their pets. The care that the pets need also serves as an outlet for dog owners, thus ensuring their emotional health.

Live Longer, Get a Pet

Given these various benefits that can be reaped simply by having a dog, more and more people are jumping on the bandwagon and taking pets home. Pets are also especially good for elderly people, because dogs can give them reasons to continue their daily activities and move around more, despite their old age. But don't wait till you get old to get a dog. If you want a healthy life right now and in the future, get a pet now.

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