Words Laura Potter. Photograph Stocksy
Is 2020 the year you’ve promised yourself a dog? Your heart will thank you, and not just because you’ll be so in love. A study has examined the impact of pet ownership on cardiovascular health, scoring 1769 people on a range of factors including BMI, cholesterol and blood pressure. Those who owned pets were more likely to be active, and have better diet and blood sugar levels, but the greatest benefits were seen in dog owners. Cardiology experts suggest this may be due to the daily walks, active playing and getting outdoors regularly. Dog ownership has also been linked to reduced feelings of social isolation – a risk factor for heart attacks. Nice.