Before we start talking about the exercise initiative that I mentioned yesterday, I want to look at how pets can help your physical and mental health. Besides the physical benefits and exercise potential that pets bring, there is mounting evidence that pets also have a very good affect on our mental health.

I will be talking mostly about dogs today, because that's what I know a lot about. I don't want all of you cat lovers out there to think that I am playing favorites, it's just that most of the research that I have done (and personal experience) stems from the relationship between dogs and people. As a whole, any pet will bring significant benefits to a person's wellness.

As MSNBC reported a while back, there is not only mounting scientific evidence that shows that dogs can lower blood pressure, help children get over allergies, and ease loneliness, but also new evidence that shows that hormonal changes may occur when human and dogs interact. These changes may help people suffering from depression and some stress related disorders. Studies from the University of Missouri-Columbia show that petting your dog releases such "feel good" hormones as serotonin, prolactin and oxytocin, as well as decreasing the hormone cortisol, which is responsible for regulating the apetite.

Any animal lovers out there can probably already tell you what these studies have found, that the unconditional love of a pet also comes with some great benefits. People suffering from depression and lonliness often sing the praises of their pets over any other form of therapy.

So now that we know how pets can help your mental health, next we'll take a look at some ways to use your pets to better your physical health!