Man's
Best Friend Adds Years of Happiness to Your Life
By Dr. Joseph Mercola
with Laina Krisik
There is a special
relationship that exists between dogs and their owners and it
goes far beyond just the sharing of a home together. These happy
go lucky four-legged friends also provide us with constant unconditional
love, devotion, friendship and something else that might not be
at the forefront of most people's minds -- health benefits. Their
effortless ability to raise our spirits ranges from reducing feelings
of stress and anxiety to helping with more serious stress-related
conditions like heart attacks.
Unconditional
Acceptance Goes a Long Way
Dogs
are often used as a form of therapy in hospice settings, nursing
homes and companions to the disabled. Pet ownership in the golden
years has a positive effect on a senior's physical and emotional
well-being, according to the Journal of American Geriatrics Society.
Hospitals and nursing homes have begun taking down the "No
Dogs Allowed" from their doors after realizing the healing
effects of dogs.
For example, studies
revealed that people on Medicaid or Medicare who own a pet make
fewer visits to the doctor. The unconditional acceptance and love
a dog gives to their owners positively impacts their owner's emotional
health, particularly among the elderly. Some of these benefits
include:
Bringing joy and laughter
to daily life, which in later years is often uneventful
Giving the person something to do, talk about and think about,
other than him or herself
- Providing a source
of touch and affiliation
- Boosting self-confidence
and self-esteem
- Promotes communication
between elderly residents and neighbors
- Helps ease newcomers
with transitions and meeting new friends
- Raises overall morale
- Encourages exercise
and activity
- Helps people cope
with illness, loss and depression
- Reduces stress
levels
Dogs Keep
Hearts Healthy
Having
a dog as a companion could add years to your life, as two studies
have shown that owning a dog played a significant role on survival
rates in heart attack victims. In one study, patients who were
admitted to the hospital were evaluated for one year. Researchers
discovered that the patients who were alive one year after the
heart attack were more likely to own a dog.
To emphasize this point,
another study on psychological factors contributing to the recovery
rates for heart-disease patients, ranked pet ownership on top
in terms of determining the patient's likelihood of long-term
survival.
Studies have also shown
how the calming and soothing presence of dogs helps with keeping
blood pressure levels in the healthy range.
In one study, the State
University of New York at Buffalo conducted a study involving
24 stockbrokers taking medication for high blood pressure. The
researchers found that adding a dog or cat to the stock brokers'
lives helped stabilize and reduce their stress levels.
Good
for Stress and Emotional-Well Being
Along
with companionship, dogs satisfy our human need for close physical
contact and touching. This combination often induces feelings
of stress-relief among humans.
Research from the University
of Missouri-Columbia suggests the hormonal changes that occur
when humans and dogs interact could help people cope with depression
and certain stress-related disorders. An example of this is spending
a few minutes of stroking your pet dog -- this simple act prompts
a release of a number of "feel good" hormones in humans,
including serotonin, prolactin and oxytocin.
Other studies showed
that the presence of animals, especially dogs, reduced the anxiety
of people facing stressful situations, such as dental surgery.
Running With
the Big Dogs
The
positive energy that seems to be a natural part of a dog's nature
contributes to keeping their owners physically active. Not only
do they get us off the couch and away from TV, but also motivate
us to turn off the computer and get outside for fresh air several
times a day.
The standing excuse
for not exercising, "I don't think I'll work out today because
I have no one to go with" doesn't hold much weight when you
own a dog. Grabbing the leash and going out for a brisk walk extinguishes
this excuse in no time.
As a matter of fact,
separate studies reported that walking a dog contributed to a
person's weight loss and that dog walking can be a catalyst for
social interaction with other people, a benefit that can help
improve our sense of well-being -- or even help us meet a future
spouse.
Research points out
that having a pet, especially a dog, is one of the keys to happiness
and good health. It seems that a wagging tail and long-lasting
companionship can help good health prevail.
Most studies prove
that using dogs for therapy seems to be one of the most cost-effective
methods of helping people with emotional challenges. They also
state that people living without pets are exposed to more persistent
fears, increased feelings of panic, experience more frequent headaches
and take more medication for stress-induced illnesses than pet
owners.
The inescapable feelings
of unconditional love that dogs supply can provide you with good
reason to practice the energy psychology tool Emotional Freedom
Technique (EFT), particularly when you are feeling down or stressed
out. This psychological acupressure technique will help you channel
your stress-related thoughts and leave you feeling calmer and
more able to face your challenges. While tapping, you could say
the affirmation, "Even though I feel lonely and depressed,
I love myself just like my pet loves me."
This technique will
eliminate negative emotions that sabotage health and replace them
with positives. I recommend learning more about the EFT techniques
through my EFT series on DVD or VHS. It only takes a few minutes
to learn this technique with my free manual on-line.
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