5 ways your dog can improve your health
Pets can ward off ills and improve your social life

It's time again for that rarified event, the Westminster dog show,
and what better time to look at the many ways dogs help our health.

For nearly 25 years, research has shown that living with pets
provides certain health benefits. Pets help lower blood pressure and
lessen anxiety. They boost our immunity. They can even help you get
dates.

Allergy fighters
"The old thinking was that if your family had a pet, the children
were more likely to become allergic to the pet. And if you came from
an allergy-prone family, pets should be avoided," says researcher Dr.
James E. Gern, a pediatrician at the University of Wisconsin-Madison,
in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.

However, a growing number of studies have suggested that kids growing
up in a home with "furred animals" -- whether it's a pet cat or dog,
or on a farm and exposed to large animals -- will have less risk of
allergies and asthma, he tells WebMD.

In his recent study, Gern analyzed the blood of babies immediately
after birth and one year later. He was looking for evidence of an
allergic reaction, immunity changes, and for reactions to bacteria in
the environment.

If a dog lived in the home, infants were less likely to show evidence
of pet allergies -- 19 percent vs. 33 percent. They also were less
likely to have eczema, a common allergy skin condition that causes
red patches and itching. In addition, they had higher levels of some
immune system chemicals -- a sign of stronger immune system
activation.

"Dogs are dirty animals, and this suggests that babies who have
greater exposure to dirt and allergens have a stronger immune
system," Gern says.

Date magnets
Dogs are great for making love connections. Forget Internet
matchmaking -- a dog is a natural conversation starter.

This especially helps ease people out of social isolation or shyness,
Nadine Kaslow, Ph.D., professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences
at Emory University in Atlanta, tells WebMD.

"People ask about breed, they watch the dog's tricks," Kaslow
says. "Sometimes the conversation stays at the 'dog level,' sometimes
it becomes a real social interchange."

Dogs for the elderly
"Studies have shown that Alzheimer's patients have fewer anxious
outbursts if there is an animal in the home," says Lynette Hart,
Ph.D., associate professor at the University of California at Davis
School of Veterinary Medicine.

"Their caregivers also feel less burdened when there is a pet,
particularly if it is a cat, which generally requires less care than
a dog," says Hart.

Walking a dog or just caring for a pet -- for elderly people who are
able -- can provide exercise and companionship. One insurance
company, Midland Life Insurance Company of Columbus, Ohio, asks
clients over age 75 if they have a pet as part of their medical
screening -- which often helps tip the scales in their favor.

Good for mind and soul
Pet owners with AIDS are far less likely to suffer from depression
than those without pets. "The benefit is especially pronounced when
people are strongly attached to their pets," says researcher Judith
Siegel, Ph.D.

In one study, stockbrokers with high blood pressure who adopted a cat
or dog had lower blood pressure readings in stressful situations than
did people without pets.

People in stress mode get into a "state of dis-ease," in which
harmful chemicals like cortisol and norepinephrine can negatively
affect the immune system, says Blair Justice, Ph.D., a psychology
professor at the University of Texas School of Public Health and
author of Who Gets Sick: How Beliefs, Moods, and Thoughts Affect Your
Health.

Studies show a link between these chemicals and plaque buildup in
arteries, the red flag for heart disease, says Justice.

Like any enjoyable activity, playing with a dog can elevate levels of
serotonin and dopamine -- nerve transmitters that are known to have
pleasurable and calming properties, he tells WebMD.

"People take drugs like heroin and cocaine to raise serotonin and
dopamine, but the healthy way to do it is to pet your dog, or hug
your spouse, watch sunsets, or get around something beautiful in
nature," says Justice, who recently hiked the Colorado Rockies with
his wife and two dogs.

Good for the heart
Heart attack patients who have pets survive longer than those
without, according to several studies. Male pet owners have less sign
of heart disease -- lower triglyceride and cholesterol levels -- than
non-owners, researchers say.

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Weight lifting: Does order matter?
Expert says lift larger muscle groups first!

Question:
Is there an advantage or disadvantage to the order of weight lifting
exercises?

Answer:
The conventional theory is to lift larger muscle groups and then
smaller groups. For example, bench press then triceps press-downs.
The rationale is that you use triceps for both bench and press-downs,
but you also use chest and shoulders for bench. If you fatigue the
triceps first with press-downs, then try bench, your shoulders and
chest muscles will still be fresh but unable to work hard because
your triceps are already exhausted from the press-downs. You can try
it and see what you think. The same could be for biceps curls and
cable rows.

You can alternate chest and then back. This is called supersets and
is a tough workout, or you can work all biceps first, then triceps.
Again, try it both ways and see what you think. Both techniques will
be effective as long as you work hard.

You might also want to read the American College of Sports Medicine
position statement on weight lifting. In the statement, they review
the latest literature on weight lifting as well as propose training
guidelines.

Here's a brief summary of the key elements from the resistance
training statement.

For development of strength:
1. Beginners: 1-3 sets, 8-12 reps
2. Intermediate: multiple sets, 6-12 reps
3. Advanced: multiple sets, 1-12 reps

For development of mass:
1. Beginners: 1-3 sets, 8-12 reps
2. Intermediate: multiple sets, 6-12 reps
3. Advanced: multiple sets, 1-12 reps with emphasis on 6-12 reps

For development of endurance (and somewhat more emphasis on tone,
although you will get tone with strength and mass development, too):
1. Beginners: 1-3 sets, 10-15 reps
2. Intermediate: multiple sets, 10-15 reps or more
3. Advanced: 10-25 reps or more

Hope that helps.

Richard Weil, MEd, CDE, is an exercise physiologist and certified
diabetes educator. He has published dozens of articles on exercise
and health and has appeared on many television programs. He also
speaks about health at many national conferences.

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And Have a Great Sunny Day\Evening*