Top 5 Reasons Pets Are Good For Your Health

Top 5 reasons pets are good for your health

We just got a new puppy! Yay! Puppies! They’re the best! And in case you think I’m leaving cats out — I love them too…and horses…and chickens. We adore our animals for the companionship, entertainment, and love that they provide. But did you also know that pets are good for your health?

Here are the top 5 reasons pets are good for your health

  1. Pets relieve stress. Studies conclusively show that petting and bonding with animals reduces stress, prolongs life, and makes us happier. No surprise there! Sometimes I prefer pets to people!

  2. Pets support a healthy immune system. Pets track dirt into our homes, some of which we end up consuming. Sounds gross, but, as Dr. Josh Axe talks about in his book Eat Dirt, this actually bolsters our immune system by inoculating our gut with healthy bacteria.

  3. Pets make our kids healthier. Children who grow up with pets are shown to have stronger immune systems and fewer allergies.

  4. Pets boost our mood, help us ward off depression, and can aid people struggling with mental and emotional disorders. In our modern fast-paced world PTSD, ADHD, and depression are becoming increasingly common. There’s a reason why emotional support and service animals are in such high demand. Animals can truly make a difference in our lives.

  5. Pets get us off the couch. Okay, maybe not cats. But dogs are great at spurring us to get moving because they need daily exercise to stay healthy just like us.

I’d love to hear from you! Tell me about your pets! How have they changed your life for the better?


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Blog Author: Kelly Bailey, IIN certified holistic nutrition coach, and NPTI certified personal trainer

Learn more about the author here.


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