DOGS ARE GOOD FOR THE HEART.

               The American Heart Association (AHA) stated that animals, especially dogs, are good for the heart of a person. Further proof that dogs are among the best friends a person could have.

               Dr. Glenn N. Levine, director of the cardiac care unit at Baylor University, was quoted in a press release from the AHA saying, "pet ownership, particularly dog owners, is probably associated with decreased risk of heart disease.”

                The AHA says that owning a dog "can help reduce cardiovascular risk," perhaps due to dogs listen to their owners taking them for walks on a regular basis. Dog owners were, according to studies AHA, 54 percent more likely than non-dog owners for the proposed amount of exercise were.

                In addition, the benefits do not stop there. The AHA says that owning a pet in general "may be associated with cholesterol and lower blood pressure" and low rates of obesity. Pets can also help a person cope with stressful situations. Last month, a team of therapy dogs went to Boston to help the victims of the attacks.

               In an interview with the New York Times, Levine said: "We did not want to make it too strong a statement. However, there are psychological, sociological and physiological plausible reasons to believe that the possession of animals could actually have a causal role in reducing cardiovascular risk. "

            Good news, no doubt. However, do not expect a dog to compensate for unhealthy lifestyle choices. "If someone adopts an animal, but is still on the couch and smoke and eat whatever they want and do not control their blood pressure, it is not a prudent strategy to reduce their cardiovascular risk," Levine told the Times.

The Times reports that 70 million dogs and 74 million cats are kept as pets in the United States