The Healing Power of Pets
Animals make people feel better. There's a ton of reasons for that, but we all know its true (at least most people reading my newsletter do!)
Now science is backing up what we all know in our gut. A study in the American Journal of Cardiology found that men who had heart attacks were more likely to be alive after four years if they owned a dog (I prefer to call dog "owners" guardians, but that's just me.)
In another study, half of a group of 48 stockbrokers with hypertension (high blood pressure) were told to adopt a dog or a cat. After six months, the pet owners showed significantly lower blood pressure than the control group.
There's a dog (or cat) out there for everyone. And as I've said many times, opening your heart to someone or something does as much for you as it does for them.
In one study, nursing home residents given a plant to take care of had better medical outcomes than the group that had nothing to care for.
Caring heals- whether it's expressed through community, volunteering, contributing to charity, taking care of a plant or an animal or a person or anything else that opens your heart and moves your consciousness out to something outside yourself.
Now science is backing up what we all know in our gut. A study in the American Journal of Cardiology found that men who had heart attacks were more likely to be alive after four years if they owned a dog (I prefer to call dog "owners" guardians, but that's just me.)
In another study, half of a group of 48 stockbrokers with hypertension (high blood pressure) were told to adopt a dog or a cat. After six months, the pet owners showed significantly lower blood pressure than the control group.
There's a dog (or cat) out there for everyone. And as I've said many times, opening your heart to someone or something does as much for you as it does for them.
In one study, nursing home residents given a plant to take care of had better medical outcomes than the group that had nothing to care for.
Caring heals- whether it's expressed through community, volunteering, contributing to charity, taking care of a plant or an animal or a person or anything else that opens your heart and moves your consciousness out to something outside yourself.
Jonny Bowden, PhD, C.N.S. is a nationally known expert on weight loss, nutrition and health and is the author of several best-selling books.
As an owner of 4 cats - who all think they are dogs - I can't agree more on the medicinal effects that pets have on your life.
I had very severe bronchitus and my cats took turns resting with me 24 hours a day. They never left me and were almost as comforting as my children because of the unconditional way they love.
Caring for things and being cared for is the true essence of life.
Being a guardian of two cats I couldn't be happier, if my living sapce would allow for more i would be happy to bring dogs too. But as I am not directly involved in looking after them, other than the love i have for them, would I qualify for the health benefits associated with living with pets?
Maria- I think there are great health benefits that come from caring about things outside yourself. You qualify!
warmly
jb
All my life I have had some kind of pet from horses to mice. Usually something that I found or rescued, my present job situation does not allow for a pet in my life right now so I go to stores that sell plants ie Wallmart and the like and rescue the nearly dead ones. I find that bringing them back to life is very stress re-leaving :-) and when I am home I enjoy looking at them. I know they are not cute and cuddly, but I never have to worry about them when I am away.
Debi
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