6 Ways Pets Help Your Heart

Caring for a dog or cat helps keep your blood pressure low and may positively impact your cholesterol levels.

By Kathleen M. Reilly

A three-year study of 5,741 people at the Baker Medial Research Institute in Melbourne, Australia, showed that pet owners had lower blood pressure and lower levels of triglycerides and total cholesterol than people without pets.
           
Here are six opportunities for letting animals into your life and, in turn, helping your heart.

1. Pet Therapy
No, Fido isn’t going to a therapist. Rather, you take your well-mannered pet to seniors’ homes or hospitals so he can bring joy into the lives of others. A 2004 study by Johns Hopkins University researchers suggests that when you’re reaching out to others, your blood pressure and heart rate may decrease. You boost your heart health by offering social support.

Get started: Contact the American Kennel Club to certify your dog as a Canine Good Citizen. Once he’s passed the simple 10-step test, sign him up for therapy dog training. When he gets that certification, you can visit nursing homes and hospitals in a group or on your own.