Early Relationships with pets...
The Aztecs believed that dogs were sent by the god Xolotl to be spiritual guides in life. A breed they favored particularly was the Xolo, now commonly known as the Mexican Hairless Dog. Clay figures of these dogs date back to 300-900 AD in the Aztec culture. The Aztecs believed they provided magical power to alleviate pain in the joints and stomach, and draped the dogs over the painful area for relief.[3]
St. Roch, the patron saint of dogs, was born in 1295 the son of a wealthy governor in Montpellier, France.[3] When he was just 20 years old his parents died, leaving him with an immense fortune. He distributed his inheritance to the poor and lived his life as a pilgrim, passing on the role of governor to his uncle. When a plague struck the city, his prayers seemed to have special healing powers for the public, and so he travelled from city to city as a public healer. This continued until he contracted the illness himself, and to avoid spreading it to more people he hid in the woods to live out his days. Later, a dog found him and returned with a loaf of bread every day. The dog also licked the sores on his legs caused by the plague, slowly nursing him back to health. Today we know that dogs’ saliva actually has a small amount of antibiotic which may have been instrumental in his healing process.
The dog’s owner Lord Gothard eventually found him and took him in, and St. Roch survived the whole ordeal. Today, no one is sure what specific breed of dog saved his life, but he is always depicted in artwork with a dog at his side.[3]
Link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Animal-assisted_therapy
St. Roch, the patron saint of dogs, was born in 1295 the son of a wealthy governor in Montpellier, France.[3] When he was just 20 years old his parents died, leaving him with an immense fortune. He distributed his inheritance to the poor and lived his life as a pilgrim, passing on the role of governor to his uncle. When a plague struck the city, his prayers seemed to have special healing powers for the public, and so he travelled from city to city as a public healer. This continued until he contracted the illness himself, and to avoid spreading it to more people he hid in the woods to live out his days. Later, a dog found him and returned with a loaf of bread every day. The dog also licked the sores on his legs caused by the plague, slowly nursing him back to health. Today we know that dogs’ saliva actually has a small amount of antibiotic which may have been instrumental in his healing process.
The dog’s owner Lord Gothard eventually found him and took him in, and St. Roch survived the whole ordeal. Today, no one is sure what specific breed of dog saved his life, but he is always depicted in artwork with a dog at his side.[3]
Link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Animal-assisted_therapy
How Owning a Dog or Cat Can Reduce Stress
-The Health Benefits of Pet Ownership
When thinking of ways to reduce stress in life, usually techniques like meditation, yoga and journaling come to mind. These are great techniques, to be sure. But getting a new best friend can also have many stress relieving and health benefits. While human friends provide great social support and come with some fabulous benefits, this article focuses on the benefits of furry friends: cats and dogs! Research shows that, unless you’re someone who really dislikes animals or is absolutely too busy to care for one properly, pets can provide excellent social support, stress relief and other health benefits—perhaps more than people! Here are more health benefits of pets:
Pets Can Improve Your Mood:
For those who love animals, it’s virtually impossible to stay in a bad mood when a pair of loving puppy eyes meets yours, or when a super-soft cat rubs up against your hand. Research supports the mood-enhancing benefits of pets. A recent study found that men with AIDS were less likely to suffer from depression if they owned a pet. (According to one study, men with AIDS who did not own a pet were about three times more likely to report symptoms of depression than men who did not have AIDS. But men with AIDS who had pets were only about 50 percent more likely to report symptoms of depression, as compared to men in the study who did not have AIDS.)
Pets Control Blood Pressure Better Than Drugs:
Yes, it’s true. While ACE inhibiting drugs can generally reduce blood pressure, they aren’t as effective on controlling spikes in blood pressure due to stress and tension. However, in a recent study, groups of hypertensive New York stockbrokers who got dogs or cats were found to have lower blood pressure and heart rates than those who didn’t get pets. When they heard of the results, most of those in the non-pet group went out and got pets!
Pets Encourage You To Get Out And Exercise:
Whether we walk our dogs because they need it, or are more likely to enjoy a walk when we have companionship, dog owners do spend more time walking than non-pet owners, at least if we live in an urban setting. Because exercise is good for stress management and overall health, owning a dog can be credited with increasing these benefits.
Pets Can Help With Social Support:
When we’re out walking, having a dog with us can make us more approachable and give people a reason to stop and talk, thereby increasing the number of people we meet, giving us an opportunity to increase our network of friends and acquaintances, which also has great stress management benefits.
Pets Stave Off Loneliness and Provide Unconditional Love:
Pets can be there for you in ways that people can’t. They can offer love and companionship, and can also enjoy comfortable silences, keep secrets and are excellent snugglers. And they could be the best antidote to loneliness. In fact, research shows that nursing home residents reported less loneliness when visited by dogs than when they spent time with other people! All these benefits can reduce the amount of stress people experience in response to feelings of social isolation and lack of social support from people.
Pets Can Reduce Stress—Sometimes More Than People:
While we all know the power of talking about your problems with a good friend who’s also a good listener, recent research shows that spending time with a pet may be even better! Recent research shows that, when conducting a task that’s stressful, people actually experienced less stress when their pets were with them than when a supportive friend or even their spouse was present! (This may be partially due to the fact that pets don’t judge us; they just love us.)
It’s important to realize that owning a pet isn’t for everyone. Pets do come with additional work and responsibility, which can bring its own stress. However, for most people, the benefits of having a pet outweigh the drawbacks. Having a furry best friend can reduce stress in your life and bring you support when times get tough.
Sources:
Evenson RJ, Simon RW. Clarifying the Relationship Between Parenthood and Depression. Journal of Health and Social Behavior. December 2005.
Siegel JM, Angulo FJ, Detels R, Wesch J, Mullen A. AIDS diagnosis and depression in the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study: the ameliorating impact of pet ownership. AIDS Care. April 1999.
Pets Can Improve Your Mood:
For those who love animals, it’s virtually impossible to stay in a bad mood when a pair of loving puppy eyes meets yours, or when a super-soft cat rubs up against your hand. Research supports the mood-enhancing benefits of pets. A recent study found that men with AIDS were less likely to suffer from depression if they owned a pet. (According to one study, men with AIDS who did not own a pet were about three times more likely to report symptoms of depression than men who did not have AIDS. But men with AIDS who had pets were only about 50 percent more likely to report symptoms of depression, as compared to men in the study who did not have AIDS.)
Pets Control Blood Pressure Better Than Drugs:
Yes, it’s true. While ACE inhibiting drugs can generally reduce blood pressure, they aren’t as effective on controlling spikes in blood pressure due to stress and tension. However, in a recent study, groups of hypertensive New York stockbrokers who got dogs or cats were found to have lower blood pressure and heart rates than those who didn’t get pets. When they heard of the results, most of those in the non-pet group went out and got pets!
Pets Encourage You To Get Out And Exercise:
Whether we walk our dogs because they need it, or are more likely to enjoy a walk when we have companionship, dog owners do spend more time walking than non-pet owners, at least if we live in an urban setting. Because exercise is good for stress management and overall health, owning a dog can be credited with increasing these benefits.
Pets Can Help With Social Support:
When we’re out walking, having a dog with us can make us more approachable and give people a reason to stop and talk, thereby increasing the number of people we meet, giving us an opportunity to increase our network of friends and acquaintances, which also has great stress management benefits.
Pets Stave Off Loneliness and Provide Unconditional Love:
Pets can be there for you in ways that people can’t. They can offer love and companionship, and can also enjoy comfortable silences, keep secrets and are excellent snugglers. And they could be the best antidote to loneliness. In fact, research shows that nursing home residents reported less loneliness when visited by dogs than when they spent time with other people! All these benefits can reduce the amount of stress people experience in response to feelings of social isolation and lack of social support from people.
Pets Can Reduce Stress—Sometimes More Than People:
While we all know the power of talking about your problems with a good friend who’s also a good listener, recent research shows that spending time with a pet may be even better! Recent research shows that, when conducting a task that’s stressful, people actually experienced less stress when their pets were with them than when a supportive friend or even their spouse was present! (This may be partially due to the fact that pets don’t judge us; they just love us.)
It’s important to realize that owning a pet isn’t for everyone. Pets do come with additional work and responsibility, which can bring its own stress. However, for most people, the benefits of having a pet outweigh the drawbacks. Having a furry best friend can reduce stress in your life and bring you support when times get tough.
Sources:
Evenson RJ, Simon RW. Clarifying the Relationship Between Parenthood and Depression. Journal of Health and Social Behavior. December 2005.
Siegel JM, Angulo FJ, Detels R, Wesch J, Mullen A. AIDS diagnosis and depression in the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study: the ameliorating impact of pet ownership. AIDS Care. April 1999.
5 Ways Owning a Dog Can Benefit Your Health
St. Petersburg, FL Saturday, March 26, 2011
(Saint Petersburg, FL – March 25, 2011)
Recent studies show that owning a dog can make you healthier and significantly reduce stress levels.
According to Cool Pet Holistic, a company that manufactures holistic supplements for dogs, owning a dog can benefit your health by:
1. Increasing your social life. Many studies show that walking a dog can spark conversations and help you meet new people.
2. Reducing your Cholesterol. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, owning a dog can decrease your cholesterol, triglycerides and blood pressure maybe even better than prescription drugs.
3. Helping Children. Dogs have been found to help comfort children as well as help autistic children with socialization.
4. Decreasing Stress. Studies show that owning a dog is a natural holistic way to reduce stress and decrease anxiety.
5. Making you skinnier! Studies show that pet owners are less obese as dog owners are generally more physically active than those without pets.
Humans aren't the only ones that are affected by stress. Dogs are affected by physical and emotional stress and sometimes need a little extra help with recovery.
By using a product like COOL DOG Holistic Recovery Formula, you can help dogs and puppies beat physical and emotional stresses by providing them pharmaceutical grade electrolytes and other replenishing ingredients, which help dogs recover fast from heavy exercise, emotional stress, diarrhea, sickness, and vomiting.
Saint Petersburg, FL – March 25, 2011)
Jonathan Lewis COOL PET Holistic Remedies St. Petersburg, FL 727-641-6175 First Url: Click Here for Additional Information
original post seen in: http://www.expertclick.com/
Recent studies show that owning a dog can make you healthier and significantly reduce stress levels.
According to Cool Pet Holistic, a company that manufactures holistic supplements for dogs, owning a dog can benefit your health by:
1. Increasing your social life. Many studies show that walking a dog can spark conversations and help you meet new people.
2. Reducing your Cholesterol. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, owning a dog can decrease your cholesterol, triglycerides and blood pressure maybe even better than prescription drugs.
3. Helping Children. Dogs have been found to help comfort children as well as help autistic children with socialization.
4. Decreasing Stress. Studies show that owning a dog is a natural holistic way to reduce stress and decrease anxiety.
5. Making you skinnier! Studies show that pet owners are less obese as dog owners are generally more physically active than those without pets.
Humans aren't the only ones that are affected by stress. Dogs are affected by physical and emotional stress and sometimes need a little extra help with recovery.
By using a product like COOL DOG Holistic Recovery Formula, you can help dogs and puppies beat physical and emotional stresses by providing them pharmaceutical grade electrolytes and other replenishing ingredients, which help dogs recover fast from heavy exercise, emotional stress, diarrhea, sickness, and vomiting.
Saint Petersburg, FL – March 25, 2011)
Jonathan Lewis COOL PET Holistic Remedies St. Petersburg, FL 727-641-6175 First Url: Click Here for Additional Information
original post seen in: http://www.expertclick.com/
