Pets are a wonderful addition to our family. They are warmth, love, care, and faithfulness are packed together in a layer of fur. They can probably be that best companion you’ve been looking for all your life. But wait, it only gets better. Having a pet, especially a dog could also improve your heart health exponentially. Surprised? Well, you should be. Because today, I am going to unleash a few ways in which your dog could be benefitting your overall health.
Okay, let’s accept this fact. Some people like cats and some like dogs and they both make excellent pets. Picking any one of them will not disappoint you. But when it comes to keeping you healthier, dogs seem to have a clear edge.
Several studies, including the ones, conducted by the American Heart Association show that owning a dog is often associated with having a low risk of cardiovascular diseases. This does not mean that there is a direct connection between the two but your dog could partly be the reason.
For starters, a dog requires much more attention from you when compared to a cat. In the process of taking it for a walk, playing with it, and training it, you end up exercising your body constantly, leading you towards a healthy lifestyle. Elderly dog owners can walk faster and often have an active lifestyle when compared to others of their age. This could be one of the reasons why dog owners have lower cholesterol levels and lower triglycerides. Both of these factors in turn contribute towards a healthy heart.
Apart from this, petting your dog, cuddling it, or being around it has a calming effect on your mind. This is popularly referred to as the pet effect. This calming effect reduces your blood pressure, calms your anxiety, and reduces stress. It also reduces cardiovascular reactivity during stressful times leading to a reduced risk of heart strokes.
Dog owners also seem to have much lower blood sugar levels which can also be traced back to the fact that they are more active.
But what about cats?
Having a cat as a pet has its share of benefits too. The pet effect that you get by petting or cuddling a dog holds good for cats too. Most cat owners report feeling calmer and less stressed every time they spend time with their cats. A study conducted by scientists at the University of Minnesota reported that people who own cats have 30% less risk of dying from heart attacks.
The verdict:
It is safe to conclude that both cats and dogs are calming and soothing effects on your mind that can reduce blood pressure and help with your anxiety attack. When it comes to keeping your healthier, I believe that dogs have a slight edge as they can keep you more active. On the lighter side, you can be assured that both of these animals will love you equally and make great pets.
There is no doubt that both cats and dogs have amazing effects on your health. But never adopt a pet just for its health benefits. Your furry friend needs love and attention just as much as you do. And no matter which animal you choose to adopt you need be able to love it just as much as it loves you.
References:
https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/having-a-dog-can-help-your-heart–literally
https://www.diabetesselfmanagement.com/blog/cats-or-dogs-which-is-healthier/