Academics

An Animal A Day Keeps the Doctor Away? Owning a Pet Will Keep You Healthy

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Owning a pet is known to offer several health benefits for people may it be emotional, mental and even physical. Here's how your furry furry friend can actually improve your well being.

Researchers previously had a study on how human interaction with animals can improve one's own physical and emotional health. These studies have shown how animals can help relieve stress and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. Animals are also known to calm human.

According to a psychologist Andrea Beetz, having an interaction with animals releases a hormone called oxytcyin. Oxytycin is a substance responsible for reducing stress hormones and heart rate. It also strengthens bond, attachment and increases a person's feeling of happiness.

An economist Paul Zak conducted a test to determine how oxytycin is increased when humans interact with their pets. The results confirmed the theory and interestingly, oxytycin works the same way for animals like it does in humans. To further confirm this, Zak conducted a study between a dog and a goat who seemed to be closely attached to each other, and according to his findings, the goat might have already fell in love with the dog, because when they examined the results of the study, the goat has shown a 210 percent increase in oxytycin which is significantly very high. He also said that this surge in oxytycin only happens in humans when they are romantically inlove with a person. 

He added that his findings only show that even animals are capable of love, and that when they release oxytycin, that means that they like us. In general, loving an animal is not only good for your health, it's also good for them.

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