More than 27 ways pets can make people healthier

Health care communicators, do you share tips with your readers about ways pets can make people healthy?

We found an interesting photo slideshow on WebMD that lists “27 ways pets can improve your health.” You’ll want to check out the complete list for yourself, but here are a few:

• Control blood pressure—A study of 240 married couples showed the pet owners had lower blood pressure and heart rates.
• Good for the heart—A 20-year study showed that people who “never owned a cat were 40 percent more likely to die of a heart attack” than people who had been cat owners.
• Help autistic children—Animals help with how autistic children react to certain senses and have a calming effect on the youngsters.
• Can sooth patients with chronic pain—The Xolo, a Mexican hairless dog that generates intense body heat can provide pain relief for patients with fibromyalgia or other chronic pain.

A FoxNews.com article tells of a study of about 200 Japanese people that showed higher heart rate variability in people who had a pet. Higher heart rate variability means “hearts respond better to the body's changing requirements, such as beating faster during stressful situations, while reduced heart rate variability is “linked to a higher risk of dying from heart disease.”

For additional information you can share about the benefits of pets, including how pet ownership strengthens the “human-animal bond,” visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website’s “Health Benefits of Pets” page.