Alternative Treatment for Depression

Exercise May Be An Alternative Treatment For Depression

Exercise is good treatment for depression as it is for many other conditions.  It is also a good way to stave off the initial symptoms of many conditions and is the basis for living a longer life. Recently studies have reinforced what we all have known about exercise and mood all along.  If you are looking for an alternative treatment for depression give exercise a try.

Natural Treatment For Depression

"The only thing the doctor needs to order for depression is exercise. A new study from Duke University examined the effects of four different treatments on 202 depressed adults: home based exercise, supervised exercise, sertraline (a depression medication), and a placebo.

They found that exercise is as effective as drug therapy for treating depression. Since antidepressants don’t work for everyone – and they carry crazy side effects such as increased suicide risk, impotency, and abdominal bleeding – the Duke Doctors think exercise is a viable alternative."

If you are currently taking medication for depression you can likely be assured that the results will be better if you add light exercise into your daily routine.  And for those who do not take medication for whatever reason the exercise should replicate the positive effects of the medication without any of the side effects. So go walking and feel better, try walking after eating… maybe you can even listen to a self-help book on your iPod on your route and learn a bit while you’re at it.

Depression Related
Speaking of depression it is a disease that does not just effect your mood and personal drive but it also effects your bodily systems. Simply staying positive can increase heart attack recovery times from certain conditions and could likely assist in avoiding some conditions all together.  If you want to know how to live longer, exercise is a great method followed closely by thinking positive.

Source
This quote is from the February 2008 issue of Best Life magazine.