The Ultimate Drug for Treating Depression
More and more researchers and physicians are coming
to the conclusion that exercise can be as effective
as antidepressants in reducing the symptoms of
major depression.Group or Solitary Both WorkMany
studies have shown that exercise in a group setting
is highly effective, and new research is beginning
to suggest that solitary exercise, such as workouts
at the gym or a daily jog, can be equally helpful.Better
Than ZoloftResearch on the subject has demonstrated
that:10 months of regular, moderate exercise outperformed
a leading antidepressant (Zoloft) in easing symptoms
in young adults30-minute aerobic workouts done
three to five times a week cut depressive symptoms
by 50 percent in young adultsBoosts EnergyOne
probable cause is that exercise affects key brain
chemicals like serotonin and dopamine, but physical
activity may also trigger positive changes in
other areas, such as by boosting energy.
A more intense exercise regimen may be the most
effective for that purpose.As depressed individuals
may have trouble breaking into an exercise routine,
however, starting on a small scale and building
up may be the key to success.Yahoo News November
6, 2005Dr. Mercola's Comment:Over 20 million Americans
suffer from depression. The World Health Organization
identified major depression as the fourth leading
cause of disease worldwide, causing more disability
than heart attacks or strokes.If you start to
feel depressed, especially with the decreasing
sunlight of winter in the northern hemisphere
or the coming holidays, I would encourage you
to review my signs and symptoms of depression
page to help you understand if you suffer from
this disease.Fortunately, there has been an increasing
acceptance in conventional medicine that there
are better, safer and healthier alternatives to
treating depression than prescribing an antidepressant.
More and more evidence is accumulating that for
most people exercise is more powerful than drugs
in treating depression.For exercise, though, it
needs to be used like a drug and must be prescribed
very carefully. Going out for a simple walk after
dinner will not likely provide as much benefit
as a comprehensive exercise strategy.It has been
my experience that most Americans have a serious
exercise debt. I've found patients need to move
toward 90 minutes of cardiovascular exercise every
day during the treatment phase to repay this exercise
debt. Of course when you are feeling depressed
the last thing you want to do is exercise intensely
for 90 minutes, so you need to move gradually
and as fast as your body will allow you to progress.
The key, as thearticle states,is to get started
in some way, no matter how small. Fortunately,
I have plenty of free tools to help you get started,
including a comprehensive exercise guide and an
exercise table you can use to monitor your progress.It
is also important to make sure you have a regular
supply of either fish or cod liver oil, as the
animal-based omega-3 fats of DHA and EPA are probably
the single most important nutrient to battling
depression. Avoiding sugar and grains will help
normalize insulin and leptin levels, which is
also another powerful tool in addressing depression.Bright
light exposure is crucial to prevent SAD (seasonal
affective disorder), and the use of full-spectrum
lights in the winter is a vital tool in helping
solve the depression mystery. We will be offering
some of the best and least expensive full-spectrum
bulbs in the next few weeks for this purpose.I
also encourage you to review the strategies Paul
Chek and Dr. Ben Lerner share with readers every
week in my 'eHealthy News You Can Use' newsletter.
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