The Natural Antidepressant

There have been low points in every persons life. How did you choose to deal with these low points? Did you know that exercise can change your state of mental health?

Many people in this country choose to “pop a pill” in order to change their state. There is a better way. Estelle Underwood, a certified personal trainer and writer for the Huffington Post, sheds light on the relationship between exercise and feeling better mentally.

“After doing some research on this topic I found that depression affects nearly 19 million adults each year. This statistic does not surprise me a bit — I am always shocked at the number of clients I see that are on antidepressants. But I’ve read a number of articles that refer to many studies that have been done which support the use of exercise in the treatment of depression. The Harvard Health Publications report that the effects of exercise on depression can last longer than those of antidepressants — without the unwanted or harmful side effects or the expense associated with drugs. In fact, in the last five years, the American Psychiatric Association (APA) has re-worked the guidelines for clinical practice in the treatment of major depression. One of the treatments included in the new guidelines is regular exercise.”

We all know that the majority of pills that are prescribed for us are not good for us. If we know this to be true, why do we continue to take them?

“Studies dating back to 1981 concluded that exercise can improve mood in people suffering from mild to moderate depression, and may even serve to help those suffering from severe depression. One of those studies was published in 1999 in the Archives of Internal Medicine in which three groups of depressed patients were studied. One group participated in an aerobic exercise program, another group was put on an antidepressant, and a third group did both. After 16 weeks, about 60-70 percent of patients in all three groups were no longer classified as having major depression. This suggests that if you’re like me and you wish to avoid drugs, exercise might be an acceptable substitute for antidepressants.”

Exercise is the natural feel good drug and now science is proving it. Not only is exercise better for you than popping a pill, it also last longer according to recent studies. I am glad of the fact that psychiatric treatment guidelines are now being examined and rewritten to include exercise as a treatment for depression.

You get so much more out of exercise than pills; you feel better, look better, increase confidence, and make yourself stronger. Can a pill even compare?  You get all of these benefits in a healthy natural way!

“So how exactly does exercise relieve depression? Well, we know that exercise causes your body to release endorphins — those “good” chemicals that circulate throughout the body. These guys are great — they do so many good things for us! In addition to improving natural immunity and reducing the perception of pain, they also serve to improve mood. Endorphins trigger positive feelings in the body which can be accompanied by a positive outlook on life. Given this information, just think what a difference exercise would make if done on a regular basis!”

“You don’t even have to always engage in formal exercise. Just get out and move around. Hike, walk your dog, wash your car. Watch what happens when you commit to it for at least a couple months. You may be surprised to find that you can’t live without it — literally and figuratively! Furthermore, when you go through those dark times in life, as we all do, exercise is a friend that will help get you through in a healthy way. Try it — and watch depression transform into feelings of happiness and well-being. Don’t forget to keep smiling. Life is good, so get out there and move around in it!”

Some people think that in order to have change you must do drastic things. Change can happen in small incremental parts over a period of time. It would be silly for someone to expect someone that hasn’t worked out in years to run a marathon next week, but it would be perfectly reasonable to ask them to go for a walk on a beautiful day.

The key to changing a persons state is to do something different, not “pop a pill.” You have to change how they are using their body and mind in order to get something different. Popping a pill has a high price over a period of time, why not try the “natural cure?”

Although exercise can alter your mood according to studies and my personal experience, it is best to consult your doctor in extreme cases of depression.

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/estelle-underwood/suffering-from-depression_b_1077889.html