Cat ladies might be on to something
Study finds health benefits for women who have feline friends
Pet lovers, here’s a little news worth celebrating. According to a report on PetMD.com, studies have shown that people benefit greatly from having pets — especially women over the age of 50.
And surprisingly, cats have been proven to be more beneficial than dogs, the report notes.
The article specifically looked at the relationship between women and cats, and reports that “cat ladies” are on to something.
Studies have shown that there is a “proven decrease in risk of dying from a cardiovascular disease or a stroke when a woman over the age of 50 owns a cat.”
In fact, one study which found that cats were better in this regard than dogs, noted “the protection pets confer may not be from physical activities, but possibly due to personality of the pet owners or stress-relieving effects of animal companionship.”
The study, which appeared in the publication High Blood Pressure and Cardiovascular Prevention, presents an interesting perspective. One might be inclined to think that having a dog would be better, as dogs require walking and exercise, which in turn usually forces the owners to be up and moving as well. However, this study found cats were actually better.
Sometimes, cats are dismissed as being aloof or remote. But most of the time, cats make excellent companions. They snuggle, play and cuddle, yet are relatively low maintenance, and don’t really demand the amount of work that a puppy or dog might.
PetMD cites a second study which finds that having pets also helps counter the slowing of one’s metabolism, which happens naturally as one ages. Pets — be it cats or dogs — help keep owners active, which in turns helps one’s metabolism.
And PetMD reports that whether the pet is a cat or a dog, petting one’s furry friend leads to a release in prolactin, oxytocin and dopamine for the human — which in turn reduces stress levels for humans.
It’s interesting to learn that “cat ladies” are on to something, reaping the benefits of pet ownership.
DO YOU AGREE WITH THIS OR NOT?
My wife Janet and I have been visiting the USA and Canada from England for over two decades. A word that seems to terrify both nationalities is ROUNDABOUTS!!
I read in the Yuma Sun that Araby Road is being considered for the construction of a roundabout. Our friends are horrified that such a thing should be discussed — never mind the fact that one could be built!
Many years ago before the founding fathers, horses were the main form of transport in the British Isles, the main weapon for defense and sport was the sword, as you rode along a narrow country road on your horse in England there was often constant fear of being attacked by another horseman. The sword was worn on the left hip in most cases, you and your horse traveled on the left hand side of the narrow lane, because the majority of men were right handed and they could draw their sword to ward off attack by their most useful hand.
When a crossroad was reached by two horsemen simultaneously, they would naturally shy away to the left from the opposing horseman, this left a tuft/sod of earth in the center of the crossroad. The first roundabout.
Roundabouts allow vehicles to flow more efficiently and more easily, you do not have to stop at a roundabout if it is empty. It is true that if there is a vehicle on the roundabout then that vehicle has right of way. England has a modern city called Milton Keynes, the city was built in the 1970s to accommodate the overspill of London. It is built on the basis of roundabouts only, it has one of the most fluid running traffic systems in the country, no crossroads and very few lights. The design of the city is being copied all over the world, once you adapt, the ROUNDABOUT is the most efficient junction plan available.
(I would like our friends to con- tinue to speak to us after this article appears!)
Statistics compiled by a survey released by Associated Press — NORC Center for Public Affairs, and published by The Sun on March 6th, had some interesting figures/percentages, among them a statement claiming 70% of Americans think our country is losing its identity.
Thinking about that, one might ask, what is our identity? Who and/or what are we, really? Is our identity something easily described? Will it be described differently depending on who is asked? Will urban people describe it the same way as rural folks, the rich the same as the poor, immigrants the same as natural born citizens, blacks the same as whites, etc.?
This country is the result of a free people, guided and protected by our Constitution, who exercised initiative, worked hard, knew that nobody owed them anything, assumed responsibility for their lives, and we grew to become the greatest nation on earth. That’s who we are, or were — our identity if you will.
Perhaps there are those among the 70% that think we are compromising those qualities/values that made us great, or perhaps they think we have allowed government to grow too large, because of our own selfish wants, to the point where it’s out of control. Maybe others in that 70% think we are ineffective in controlling our borders, allowing too many foreigners into our nation, while others think we should allow more people in. Inject ethically challenged politicians into that discussion and it becomes even more muddled.
Maybe those who continually remind us that we are a nation of immigrants should look at the differences between those who came here several generations ago and those who are coming here, or want to come here, now. For example, did those who came here in the 1800s and early 1900s rely on government programs — our tax dollars--or did they take care of themselves? Did they expect us to adjust to them or did they adjust to us — learn our language, respect our culture, or in a word, assimilate? Has the change in the attitudes of immigrants had a measureable change on who we are as a nation?
Whether or not we are losing our identity, or more importantly, digressing as a nation, is fodder for discussion — decide for yourself-but I know this: Things have changed, A LOT, just in my lifetime, and some of those changes haven’t been good.