Heeling POWER

Whether you’re hiking a trail or cuddling on the couch, having a pet by your side is truly good-for-you company

- LESLIE GOLDMAN

Zooeyia isn’t the name of the newest social media influencer or a celebrity. Pronounced ‘zoo-AY-uh’, it’s the notion that pets are beneficial for human health – and it has plenty of proof to bark it up.

A University of Maryland School of Nursing study found that heart-attack survivors who owned pets tended to live longer than those without furry (or finned, scaled or feathered) friends. Several other studies suggest the simple act of stroking a dog or cat can lower blood pressure and cholesterol. Pet owners may even visit the doctor less frequently than their pet-free peers.

Palling around with a pug, cuddling a kitty or taking care of a turtle helps us stay active, engaged, and less stressed – all things that are important in diabetes management and in reducing the risk of complications such as heart disease. Read on for four pawsitively healthy, science-backed reasons.

They keep you company

“Pets provide social support, making people feel less lonely and more valued,” says Erika Friedmann, lead author of the University of Maryland study. The social support pets offer is different from the support we get from human friends. “In a way, it’s more dependable; it’s nonjudgemental,” says Friedmann. That unconditional love can help reduce loneliness, which has been linked with greater cognitive decline, earlier death and additional stress, which in turn may increase the risk of chronic disease.

They motivate you to lead a healthy lifestyle