IG: ARE PETS THE NEW PROBIOTIC?😲 • “Some intriguing early research suggests links between the microbes that our animal companions bring into our homes — and that we breathe in and swallow — and the microbes that thrive in our digestive tract. ‘Exposure to animal bacteria may trigger bacteria in our gut to change how they metabolize the neurotransmitters that have an impact on mood and other mental functions… Netzin Steklis, a biologist at the University of Arizona who is working on a study of the elderly to learn more about how living with dogs changes their skin and gut microbiomes, says that pet owners have long known that animal companionship can lift our mood. ‘But it is not just an oxytocin story anymore,’ she said, referring to the brain chemical often called the hormone of love. She suspects that the physiological effect of their bacteria in our guts may contribute to the well-known antidepressive benefit of pet ownership.” [From @nytimes article ‘Are Pets the New Probiotic?’ By Richard Schiffman, 2017 – LINK TO FULL ARTICLE IN PROFILE 📷@saramonikaphoto