Before I share my fun pet pics and good health tips, I want to first send out prayers to all of the victims and to the survivors suffering after Japan’s massive earthquake and Tsunami. This morning I said a prayer and then I made a donation to the Red Cross (www.redcross.org).
On weekends, I post my weekly pet pic because my two crazy cats remind me to take time out to relax. As I was snapping their fun photos, I noticed something interesting. The things they do, just by their own animal instinct, would be beneficial for we human folk to do, too. Want to be healthier? Watch what your pets do.
Sunbathing & getting his daily dose of Vitamin D
In this picture, my orange cat is spending a few minutes sunbathing. He does this every day. My cats seem to know that they need a little bit of daily sun to get their Vitamin D. I was shocked to discover at my annual physical that I am Vitamin D deficient. Really?! Even though I live in sunny Arizona?
My cats also stretch before they get up from a nap. Stretching is a good thing for cat and human bodies alike. Our pets do it naturally. We humans call it yoga. Yoga is something that I have needed to do for a long time.
So I have added a yoga expert to my website team. Roman is a certified yoga instructor and attributes his good health and top notch physical fitness to his daily yoga sessions. You will meet him soon, so stay posted for that. He will be giving us a weekly yoga tip that we can do at home for better health. So, with help from Roman, I will do the yoga posts…and poses!
Tucker doing a yoga pose!
Another interesting habit that I’ve noticed about my pets is that they stop eating when they are full. Even if the bowl isn’t empty, they walk away and come back for more later. I could definitely follow that example! I love to eat and I like to eat a lot of good food. My fat cat has even learned to do this…after his vet put him on a diet with measured food portions. More about that in a future pet diet post!
Last but not least, my black and white tomcat regularly meows for water. He prefers his daily dose of aqua from running sink faucets and he is lucky that his humans cooperate! This reminds me to drink more daily water, too.
So, pay attention to your animal’s instinct and see if they are modeling some healthy habits. My two remind me to get a little sun (and take my Vitamin D supplement!), stretch, don’t overeat and drink more water.
What healthy habits does your pet influence you to do? Share in the comments section. And most importantly, take some time this weekend to relax with your best animal friends. 🙂
There are some habits we shouldn’t replicate from our pets though. (You know somebody had to say it). Great article though. I was just getting ready to do some yoga myself.
My 2 Jack Russells, Mickey & Scooter, wait anxiously for me
to get home from work. The first thing we do is go for our daily
walk around the block. Being “exercise challenged,” this is such
a motivator for me to resist the urge to just plop down on the
couch after work. Sometimes I even have enough energy left
to use my exercise bike after we walk! Oh and I must’nt forget,
my dogs LOVE carrots. I always give them 2 or 3 a day, and eat
one with them.