A new addition to the family!

Happy Sunday bloggers!

This weekend we got a new addition to the family after I stopped at WalMart and picked up a fan-tail goldfish I named Puck. We're not allowed to have pets at my house, so I figured this was my way to enjoy a pet without it making a mess in the house.

So speaking of having a pet, research shows that pets can help reduce stress and lower blood pressure in their owners, so if you're concerned about developing a cardiovascular disease, or you're just plain stressed to the max, adopt (or just play with someone else's) a pet. According to biologist Erika Friedmann, a professor at the University of Maryland School of Nursing, "It's providing a focus of attention that's outside of someone's self. They're actually letting you focus on them rather than focusing inward on yourself all the time."

Having a pet will also force you off the couch because they actually require work. Dogs require walks or at least some play time, so you're likely to burn some calories while caring for your pets. They always say, if your dog is fat, you aren't getting enough exercise!

Can't have pets? Don't have the time to devote to caring for an animal? Borrow someone else's! You'll still get the same stress-relieving benefits, and who doesn't love playing with a pup? If you're thinking about adopting a pet into your family but aren't sure if it's right for you, first try getting a plant or a fish- something you won't feel THAT bad about if it dies (eek!), and if you can keep that alive, you're golden. You can also try being a foster family for pound pups, if you think you can handle giving the animal up at the end of your foster family cycle.

For now, I am enjoying spending quality time with my fish. On to other animals later.

From my heart to yours,
Red