CATS & Heart Health

Many of us have lovable cats and playful dogs who we look forward to coming home to every day. They shower us with happiness, unconditional love, a sense of security and friendship. Even though pets can be demanding, the stress relief that they bring to us may be beneficial for our heart health.

New research presented at the American Stroke Association’s International Stroke Conference suggests that heart attack risk may be reduced by having a cat in the house.

Over 4,000 Americans between the ages of 30 and 75 were tracked for over 20 years. All were free of cardiovascular disease when they entered the study in the 1970s. More than half of the people surveyed own or have owned a cat. The remainder had never owned cats. Researchers tracked death rates from heart attack and other causes. The evidence showed that cat owners had 30% lower death rates by heart attack than those who had never owned a cat. No such correlation was made among dog owners.

If you are already a lover of kitties, think about making one of these furry friends a part of your family. Who knows…your heart may be healed in more ways than one!

ALETRIS Center of Integrative Medicine is a Scottsdale, AZ wellness center serving Scottsdale, Paradise Valley, Phoenix, Glendale, Arrowhead, Peoria, Sun City, Chandler, Tempe, Ahwatukee, and Mesa, AZ with specialties in naturopathic medicine, natural hormone therapy, women's health, acupuncture, colon hydrotherapy, natural skincare and sugar hair removal.

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