I saw this story on the Internet on July 23, 2014 -- http://yourlovingpets.com/the-therapeutic-health-benefits-of-pets/
The article was very interesting to me because I feel that my health has gotten worse since my beloved beagle Susie (pictured above) died in May -- and I fear that I will live a shorter and less healthy life unless I can improve my life enough to be able to adopt another dog. (I need a house with a back yard for example)
The key point of the article is that many medical studies have shown that pets improve the physical and mental health of their human companions. Among other things, ''the American Heart Association has linked the ownership of pets, especially dogs, with a reduced risk for heart disease and greater longevity.''
The article in ''Pet Health'' also says that:
* Pet owners are less likely to suffer from depression than those without pets.
* People with pets have lower blood pressure in stressful situations than those without pets.
* Playing with a pet can elevate levels of serotonin and dopamine, which calm and relax.
* Pet owners have lower triglyceride and cholesterol levels (indicators of heart disease) than those without pets.
* Heart attack patients with pets survive longer than those without.
* Pet owners over age 65 make 30 percent fewer visits to their doctors than those without pets.
Tomorrow, I intend to highlight how pets can help you make healthy lifestyle changes.
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