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Wellness Matters: The Healing Power of Pets by Jenny Hackel

As summer unfolds and our new “rescue kitty,” Maggie, enjoys exploring the outdoors, I am reminded of both the joys and the responsibilities of having a pet. Although I am forever grateful to the person who rescued Maggie from the streets of Boston in the freezing cold of January, I recently realized that Maggie also rescued me from depression and stress-related anxiety this winter. For, while our pets need us to care for them, we also need them for the wealth of good they do us. We all know that pets provide companionship to humans. That bond can be so strong that many pets have earned full status as family members. This connection goes back to ancient times, where in some cultures, pets were buried alongside humans. Did you know that because countless people refused to leave their pets behind during Hurricane Katrina, Congress passed the Pets Evacuation and Transport Standards Act, allowing federal agencies to create emergency animal shelters in natural disasters? As a nurse practitioner who is always interested in the ways in which alternatives to traditional Western medicine (mostly pharmaceuticals and surgery) can promote health and battle disease, I was fascinated to read about the many health benefits of having a pet. First of all, children who grow up with pets are less likely to have asthma and allergies. And caring for a pet is a great way to teach children responsibility, while also building their self-confidence by having a companion that gives them unconditional love, trust, and respect. Researchers looking into the specific reasons for such benefits have found that interacting with your dog increases your levels of oxytocin and dopamine—hormones involved in social connections—and decreases levels of cortisol, a potent stress hormone. No wonder scientists have found that having a pet can lower blood pressure as well as some

pills do. And going out to walk your dog is a good way to get more exercise and develop cardiovascular endurance. Finally, having a pet teaches us about death and dying as a natural part of the life cycle. Service dogs were once used only to help deaf or blind persons, but now they are trained to aid people with a much broader list of physical ailments. Dogs can be taught to sense when an epileptic child is going to have a seizure, enabling better protection. Service animals also improve the functional levels of people with cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, and muscular dystrophy. For instance, horseback riding can increase disabled riders’ control over limb spasticity or leg weakness, and the bond formed with the animal exponentially increases their experiences of joy in a world so full of limitations. As Alzheimer’s disease progresses and those affected become disoriented and easily upset, reasoning with them can be futile, but focusing their attention on a pet can be calming and replace their agitation with happiness. New research is shedding light on how similar outcomes are seen when specially trained pets are paired with people affected by chronic pain, drug addiction, eating disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder, attention deficit–hyperactivity disorder, learning disabilities, and autism. As I watch Maggie discover the world, I realize that sometimes scientists merely provide proof of what we all knew intuitively: pets enhance our lives and our health in countless ways. 4.7 acres just minutes from the Stone Wharf, Golf, Tennis, Inn, Museum, Mar- ket, Library ... surveyed, driveway to cleared- and soil-tested potential home site ... Come for a walk ! Pets have also been shown to enhance the mental health of people with serious psychological disorders.

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140 South Road MLS # 1241915

PRICE REDUCED !

140 South Road Chebeague Is ME

$ 175,000

Anchor Realty 361 US Route 1 Falmouth ME 04105 207.781.8524 www.AnchorRealtyMaine.com

John Holt, associate broker 207.370.4017 come for the property ... stay for the community

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AUGUST 2016 CHEBEAGUE ISLAND COUNCIL CALENDAR