Your dog is not only an unconditional source of love, Fido is also an eager source of exercise opportunity. In addition to keeping your pup slim, trim, and healthy, taking those daily walks can help you manage your weight as well as reduce your risk of a fatal cardiac event. The warm weather (and your energetic pet) are the perfect excuses to grab the leash. Here’s more on how walking FiFi will benefit your heart health.
Your dog is not only an unconditional source of love, Fido is also an eager source of exercise opportunity. In addition to keeping your pup slim, trim, and healthy, taking those daily walks can help you manage your weight as well as reduce your risk of a fatal cardiac event. The warm weather (and your energetic pet) are the perfect excuses to grab the leash. Here’s more on how walking FiFi will benefit your heart health.
Scary pet statistic
The fourth annual Association for Pet Obesity Prevention (APOP) National Pet Obesity Awareness Day Study found approximately 53 percent of cats and 55 percent of dogs were overweight or obese. Not only are pudgy pets at risk of chronic health problems, their excess weight can negatively affect their quality of life and even shorten their life. In addition to suffering poor health, overweight pets also cost you money since they tend to have more health problems and have to visit the vet more often. Taking your dog for a walk can save you both from health problems and mounting medical bills.
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Walking can lower blood pressure
Don’t you love how your energetic dog is no longer bouncing off the walls once she gets to go for a walk? Exercise is one of the best ways to manage your stress and benefit your health, too. “The need to provide daily walks for a dog is great for dog owners as well,” says vascular surgeon, Leila Mureebe, a member of the Society for Vascular Surgery. “Exercise is good for the body’s blood supply, for maintaining proper body weight, and for controlling blood pressure.” Simply petting your pup can lower your stress, but you’ll reap greater tension-taming health benefits if you hit the park for a walk.
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Walking can reduce your risk of stroke
High blood pressure and stress contribute to the fourth leading cause of death in America: stroke. The National Vital Statistics Report indicates that 137,000 Americans died of stroke in 2010. The American Stroke Association estimated that Americans spent $73.7 billion for stroke-related medical costs and disability in 2010. “Every 40 seconds, an American suffers a stroke,” says Dr. Mureebe. “Strokes occur suddenly and without warning. Two million brain cells die every minute during a stroke. Eighty percent of strokes are preventable through risk factor management.”
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Dog walkers are healthier
A United States National Institutes of Health-funded study of 2,000 adults discovered that persons who regularly walked their dogs were more physically active and less likely to be obese than non-dog walkers. “I’ve seen improvements in high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes when patients enter into a routine of daily exercise, not smoking, and healthy eating,” explains Dr. Mureebe. “A brisk 30-minute walk with your dog is good for both of you.”
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