22 Ways Dogs Make Humans Healthier

woof woof 22 WAYS DOGS MAKE HUMANS HEALTHIER Fewer allergies Studies show that kids who grow up in homes with dogs are less likely to develop allergies Enhance your mood Dogs reduce anxiety, ameliorate stress. They also help your body lower cortisol (bad mood chemical) and release serotonin (good mood chemical). Better heart health Dog owners have better recovery rates from heart attacks and a lower mortality rate from Contribute to lower blood pressure cardiac disease. In a study of 48 stockbrokers, those who interacted with dogs had Keeps you active significantly lower blood pressure in stressful situations. A dog's gotta walk, right? Dog owners, on the whole, tend to get out and exercise more Help lower cholesterol Dog owners tend to have lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels (some researchers think it's because they tend to be more active). than non-dog owners, and just 30 minutes of walking lowers the risk of many diseases. Petting a dog fights depression Taking care of a pet releases both serotonin and dopamine, which helps combat depression. Plus, they're just good listeners. They can be therapy professionals Plenty of counselors use dogs in therapy, and there are lots of organizations who service dogs to help people with all kinds of disabilities. Partners in cancer research There's research being done for both human cancer and doggy cancer. Since dogs can get the same kinds of cancer we can, the research benefits everyone! A sense of community Pet owners love talking to each other, and dogs are great conversation starters. They can even help you get a date or two! This is great for shy or isolated folks. Dog owners often have stronger bones U.u u.U Walking a dog is a lightly active weight-bearing activity, which helps strengthen both joints and muscles. Dogs can detect blood sugar crashes It usually takes some training, but some dogs can smell when their owner's blood sugar begins to crash, alerting them that it's time for a snack! Boost your dating life There are massive dating communities, like YouMustLoveDogsDating.com, specifically geared toward dog owners seeking other dog owners. Lend focus to folks with ADHD Dogs can help ADHD sufferers plan, focus, relive stress, exercise, release excess energy, and even fall asleep. Good listeners for aphasia Aphasia, a language disorder, often makes it difficult to speak. Dogs can be trained to understand a variety of commands, boosting a patient's confidence when the dog understands them. woof Your personal heating pad Sensory stimuli for autistic children If your dog's a cuddle bug, you can use her as a heat pad. In fact, in many places, dogs help provide relief from chronic pain with their natural body heat. A friendly, loving dog can help an autistic child get used to feeling things against their skin. They can also give them something safe to focus on in overwhelming environments. Outlet for arthritis People with arthritis can benefit from Can detect cancer light exercises, like tossing a Frisbee around with Fido. It's also just a fun distraction. Dogs can be trained to sniff out cancer in the same way they can be trained to sniff out drugs. One dog named Panda correctly identified 33 of 38 colorectal cancer cases! Stronger immune systems Studies also show that children raised around dogs have higher levels of a few key immune chemicals, giving them strong immune systems. Seizure alerters Dogs can also be trained to bark if their owner is having a seizure; others are trained to buddy up and get super close to prevent injury. Calm you down One study showed that AIDS patients were significantly less likely to become depressed if they interacted with a dog on a regular basis. 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