The Health of Animal Lovers

Often, when we discuss pets and health, we are discussing veterinary medicine, or the general well-being of animals. However, the truth is that owning a pet can have several important results, both good and bad, for the effects of their owners.

The task of having to walk a dog, for instance, can encourage you to get regular exercise. Of course, this is assuming you have chosen an active breed such as a golden retriever as opposed to, say, an English bulldog, which is of a breed that tends to be relatively sedentary. It can also serve as an incentive for sedentary children to get a little regular exercise. General pet care and playing with a pet can also serve as light exercise.

The sheer companionship offered by a pet also has very real anti aging health benefits. Staving off loneliness, depression, and stress is not only good for psychological health. It can also improve your cardiovascular health, digestion, nervous system, sleeping habits, etc. The demands of modern life sadly tend to lead to excessive stress, which leaves the body more vulnerable to many ailments pertaining to the above functions, and more. In some cases, the simple act of stroking a pet can actually drop your blood pressure. The companionship of a pet might help you to maintain a calm, cheerful outlook on life. Furthermore, owning a pet can also be about joining a community of other animal lovers. You may meet like-minded people at clinics, parks, etc—thus giving you a chance to boost your social life.

Pets can also offer health benefits to people in particular age groups. For example, caring for a pet can help aging people maintain a more independent, active lifestyle. As for children, growing up around a pet can (in some, but not all cases) actually lead to them having stronger immune systems and resistance to allergies, since an overly clean, pet-free environment can discourage a young immune system from building up strong defences. Children with conditions such as autism can also become calmer and develop better social skills if they take part in pet care.

Then again, pets can be a health hazard, especially if one cannot or does not clean up for them properly. Unswept hair or fur—or even feathers—can clog up and irritate respiratory systems. Asthmatics should probably consider short-haired pets, or even reptiles and fish. Waste (i.e. urine and excrement) can also serve as a breeding ground for harmful microorganisms. This problem can be especially difficult to avoid if your home is carpeted. Thus, your ability to clean up after a pet should be an important factor when it comes to actually choosing an animal. This should definitely be a factor if you are thinking about giving a pet as a gift to someone who is elderly, sickly, or differently-abled.

Of course, there is also the matter of ailments that can be passed from pets to humans. Rabies is probably the first ailment that comes to mind. However, scabies can also be passed from pets to humans, especially if the dog and person in question frequently share space, such as a bed or a couch.

Lastly, despite the fact that the bond between a pet and its owner can be very warm and strong, do not use a pet as a substitute for human companionship. It sometimes happens that people who own animals decide to keep their pets as their sole company, shunning human contact. This attitude is excessive and self-defeating. As therapeutic as the company of a pet can be, it cannot relate to you the same way as another person can—an important thing to remember for our psychological and emotional health.

Although having an animal can be helpful to your wellbeing eating a healthy diet and and living a healthy lifestyle is necessary. To look younger you may consider using HGH injections under the supervision of a doctor and an anti aging cream like lifecell.