Modern research finds that animals can provide healing on many different levels.
Health tips: Healing power of animals | | Dear Reader, Animal-assisted services are a growing part of holistic care, particularly in hospital settings. They tap into the concept of human-animal bonds that date back to antiquity and have been documented throughout history. In ancient times, animals were essential partners in human survival, health and healing. Many spiritual traditions worldwide have honored relationships between people and animals. Today, animals are assisting with patient care in various ways. Animals can provide comfort and emotional support. They can nudge people to participate in rehabilitative activities, such as throwing a ball, walking up and down stairs, or bending down to do some petting. Such movement helps to restore mobility and flexibility. Animal-assisted services also can help outside the hospital, such as by soothing and distracting older adults in long-term care facilities or military veterans dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder. What the research shows Stress contributes to many medical and mental health conditions. Animal-assisted services help reduce stress and promote relaxation. Animals also bring a sense of companionship, which reduces feelings of loneliness and social isolation. Some forms of animal-assisted support may even help reduce blood pressure. The physiologic effects of petting an animal include increases in serotonin, dopamine, prolactin and oxytocin — the “happiness hormones.” Modern research finds that animals can provide healing on many different levels. Here are some of the benefits animal companionship can provide: | Decreased stress and anxiety. Interacting with an animal can reduce stress, anxiety and depression; ease loneliness; and encourage exercise and playfulness. In a Mayo Clinic study of over 300 people who were receiving chemotherapy to treat advanced cancer, about half of the patients had pets. They felt less stressed and most of them said that their pets helped them cope. Improved heart health. Animal companionship has been shown to reduce heart rate, blood pressure and triglyceride and cholesterol levels. A 2013 statement from the American Heart Association cited 81 different studies showing that having a pet helps in managing high blood pressure, high cholesterol and obesity. Motivation to move. Having a pet can encourage the owner to exercise. On average, people who live with a dog walk one hour more per week compared to those who live without one. Better quality of life. Pets enhance the quality of life, especially for older adults. They also boost the overall sense of wellness. In older adults, both loneliness and isolation were decreased for those who spent time with an animal. Elderly adults in nursing homes had better nutritional health when they ate their meals near an aquarium rather than alone. Improved chronic illness coping skills. Pets have been shown to help people cope with chronic conditions and illnesses including heart disease, dementia and cancer, as well as developmental disabilities and mental health disorders, including depression, anxiety, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and schizophrenia. Interacting with an animal can help people with neurological diseases, both physically and mentally. |
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