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Animal Theraphy-By Radha Kishan
A clutch of studies confirm that living in a Home with pets makes you healthier and happier. Going by the wonders they seem to be doing to your health,it seems pets can easily double up as as doctors.Researchers in this week's British Medical Journal says pet owners have reduced risk of heart disease,lower use of family doctor services,and fewer cases of asthma and allergies in young children.Earlier research has also linked less absenteeism from school through sickness among children who live with pets. The enhanced health impact seems to work particularly well for older people and patients recovering from major illness,say researchers,and recommend that older people should be encouraged to keep pets. Pets impact human health at several levels.Foremost is the companyship and emotional support they offer.Several studies has shown that support from pets may mirror some of the elements of Human relationships known to contribute to health."While people do not keep pets for healthier benefits,they do value the difference pets make to their quality of life," a Meera Arora,a single mother who owns two Dogs and a cat."I have one child who would have been very lonely if it wasn't for our pets,who have helped him learn how to share and care," she says. The fact that animals offer some protection against allergies fits into the hygiene hypothesis that holds that more exposure to bacterial and viral infections in early childhood lead to fewer allergies,including asthma,in later life.Last year,a large study from Denmark had reported that having siblings,keeping a pet,or living on a farm helps protect infants against the development of atopic(allergic) diseases. "Animal carry a bacterial toxin called endotoxin,which is also found in bile.Early exposure to it has been shown to protect against allergies,"says Dr. Tara Bhatt,senior consultant,family medicine.This does not mean that getting a cat home will cure you of asthma."Early exposure to animals prevents from asthma setting in,but exposing an asthmatic to pets would not offer any protection or cure," she says. What has emerged in the past decade is that pets and pollution are not the leading culprits for rising asthma levels across the world.Some highly polluted places have been found to have low incidence of the breathing disorder."No exposure to infection,not breastfeeding babies or introducing top feed to babies before four-six months are believed to be among leading causes of allergies," says Dr. Bhatt.The common indoor asthma triggers are secondhand smoke from cigarettes,dust mites,mould,and animal droppings from cockroaches and rodents. Pets decreases your risk of asthma,allergies,high blood pressure,high cholesterol and triglyceride levels,and feelings of loneliness.Pets increase your opportunities for excercise,outdoor activities and socialising. Author: Radha Kishan
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