”
Perhaps we should call them “cardiologists’ helpers.”
photo by photo via New York Times
photo by photo via New York Times
We already know that owning a dog is good for your health, both mental and physical, but here’s a fascinating story that gets to specific benefits. According to the American Heart Association, the presence of a dog in your household is “probably associated” with a reduced risk of heart disease:
“We didn’t want to make this too strong of a statement,” said Dr. Levine, a professor at the Baylor College of Medicine. “But there are plausible psychological, sociological and physiological reasons to believe that pet ownership might actually have a causal role in decreasing cardiovascular risk.”
So pat your dogs on the head and offer up a bit of thanks; they may be helping you live longer.