Most people will tell you that nothing is more important than their health, and every year Australians invest their increasingly scare time and hard earned money working at achieving and maintaining great fitness, happiness, health and overall wellness.
Now researchers have discovered that one key to health and wellness may be simpler than you think. While scientists have long proposed a link between dog ownership and happiness, a recent study suggests that having a canine friend may actually be very good for your heart.
Here's how it works. A group of Swedish researchers from Uppsala University analysed 12 years of national health data on just under 3 and a half million Swedes. By cross referencing information collected by their national health system on patients' hospital visits against national registers of dog ownership, the academics concluded that, for people in their fourth to eighth decades of life, owning a dog correlated with three stunning health benefits:
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A lower incidence of cardiovascular disease
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Less chance of dying from cardiovascular disease
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A lower risk of death.
The discovery was made as part of a prospective cohort study, meaning while all signs point to dog ownership being the cause of better cardiovascular health, the researchers can't say for sure that this is the true cause, and the scientists behind the study have suggested that the people studied might have characteristics supporting their health and wellness that weren't revealed by the data. The research world has whipped itself into a lather, devising clever explanations for the results of the study that range from the increased social connections that dog ownership invites to the positive benefits of doggy bacteria.
One solid answer lies in physical activity. The fact that high energy breeds such as retrievers and terriers were found to offer the greatest benefits to heart health suggests that the health benefits of dog ownership might be due to the higher levels of exercise that dog owners usually engage in.
Another reason for the correlation might be simple companionship. Of all the population groups examined as part of this massive study, single dog owners achieved the greatest health benefits when compared to those who lived alone without canine companions. This makes sense, because medical professionals have often cited the poor effects of depression and isolation on the heart. In fact previous research has found that, for people already experiencing cardiovascular disease, rates of survival are positively impacted by owning a pet.
Whatever the reason, it seems that having a dog around brings fantastic benefits for health and wellness. So don't stop those 6 am walks, but next time, bring a dog along.
When you think about arthritis, you automatically assume it is affecting a person in the older age bracket. Unfortunately, juveniles can also suffer from this issue. When I found out my child had juvenile arthritis, I was stunned. So, I have created this blog to talk about arthritis and how to make the person's life more bearable after diagnosis. Changes to diet and exercise are two small ways you can reduce the impact of arthritis, so I want to share the tips I have found that has changed my child's life for the better. Don't let an unusual condition get your child down; make changes so they can live a full and pain-free life.