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"Uncle Zhang, you are the standard 'sitting too long and sick', and you have to be active."
This sentence came from the mouth of Uncle Zhang's family doctor and was a diagnostic suggestion after he complained of low back pain and leg pain for several weeks in a row.
Uncle Zhang, 61 years old, is a retired librarian who has been a book companion all his life, with a gentle personality and a sense of humor.
After retiring, Uncle Zhang's pace of life suddenly slowed down, and most of the time he sat in the small study at home, reading or sorting out his treasured books.
As a result of sitting for a long time, not only the lower back and legs are painful, but also the associated health problems.
On the advice of his family doctor, Uncle Zhang decided to start walking birds every morning, hoping to improve his physical condition through this relaxing activity.
Uncle Zhang raised a little canary named "Jiujiu", whose bright feathers shone golden in the sun, which became a great joy of his retirement life.
At first, Uncle Zhang just walked slowly in the garden of the community, listening to the chirping sound as he walked.
However, as time went on, he found himself more and more able to walk long distances and no longer tire as easily as he did at first.
In addition, he also began to pay attention to his eating habits, trying to eat less greasy and fatty foods and more vegetables and fruits.
One day a year later, Uncle Zhang went to the hospital again for a physical examination.
The results were pleasantly surprised: his blood pressure and blood sugar levels had improved significantly, and even his heart was functioning healthier than before.
The doctor nodded his head and made a very interesting point - "Walking birds is not only a physical exercise, but also a kind of spiritual healing. ”
This view is not common in traditional medical research.
The average person may think that bird walking is just a pastime for the elderly, but in reality, this activity can greatly promote mental health.
Easy walking while walking the bird can promote blood circulation, improve blood supply and oxygen supply to the heart muscle, and long-term persistence can effectively prevent cardiovascular disease.
And, interactions with small animals are able to release endorphins, chemicals that make people feel happy and help reduce symptoms of stress and depression.
In the doctor's explanation, Uncle Zhang learned about a study that he had never paid attention to before - a study on the relationship between pets and the mental health of the elderly.
The study showed that older adults who interacted with pets regularly had a much lower incidence of depression than those who did not regularly interact with pets.
In addition, these older adults are more socially active and have healthier social support networks.
In addition to the mental health benefits, interacting with pets can also bring about positive physical changes.
For example, bird walking can increase the amount of time spent outdoors and increase sun exposure, which helps the body synthesize vitamin D and strengthen bone and immune system health.
For a long time, scientific research has confirmed the relationship between outdoor activities and delaying cognitive degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease.
From these data, it is not difficult to see that although Uncle Zhang's lifestyle changes are small, the health improvements brought by him are comprehensive and far-reaching.
Through the daily interaction with Jiu Jiu, not only his physical health has been improved, but also his social life has been greatly enriched and his quality of life has been improved.
So, could this approach of improving the quality of life of older adults by interacting with pets be more widely applied to public health management?
For example, could more activities like this be done in the community to help more older people improve their physical and mental health?
An in-depth analysis of this issue has shown that this healthy lifestyle can be effectively promoted with the support of community-based organizations.
Communities can set up dedicated areas for bird walking or other pet interactions, organize regular events, and invite doctors and health experts to give talks to educate older people on how to improve their health by interacting with pets.
This approach can not only improve the quality of life of the elderly, but also reduce the cost of public health management by reducing the consumption of medical resources.
What do you have to say about this? Feel free to leave your thoughts in the comment section!