Everyone knows how good red wine and chocolate are for your heart!
On the other hand, you will be surprised to know the results of a very serious study carried out in Missouri in the United States.
This study showed that petting your dog for just 15 min has the same benefits for your health than drinking red wine or eating chocolate…
And of course, without the negative effects of sugar or alcohol!
It is therefore only fair that we spoil our animals since they help us to stay in shape!
50 dog owners and 50 people who didn't have a dog were put in a room for 15 minutes, with their own dog, a dog he didn't know and a "robot" dog.
During each session, each person quietly stroked each of the dogs present.
Blood samples were taken from each person and from the dogs at the start and end of the experiment. Their blood pressure was also checked every 5 min.
It results from this experiment that the blood pressure of dog owners dropped by 10% on average after they pet their own dogs.
On the other hand, no change was noted after they petted the dog that did not belong to them or the robot dog.
What was even more telling was that blood serotonin levels increased when the subjects petted their own dogs.
While at the same time, these levels did not move when petting the unknown dog and even went down with the robot dog.
This is an important finding, as serotonin is believed by researchers to be a chemical element responsible for maintaining mood balance. Clearly, a lack of serotonin can lead to depression.
According to Dr. Alan Beck, director of a center that studies human-animal interactions at Purdue University in the United States, the rise in serotonin levels reveals how having a pet can improve our health. .
“This study shows that there is a physiological mechanism promoting relaxation when you are with an animal. This mechanism is comparable to other phenomena known to promote relaxation, such as chocolate says Dr. Beck.
It's no coincidence that dog owners are generally healthier than the rest of the population.
Pets improve our mood, but not only.
They also help us to be healthier and to lose weight, because they encourage us to be more active by taking them for a walk every day.
Do not hesitate to share this article with your friends who will be delighted to learn that their pet allows them to be healthier!
