The colder months aren't always the happiest for me because I enjoy fresh airand sunshine as most normal people do. One thing that really keeps me amped this timeof year is the motivation to look my best when the skin baring season approaches.I view my daily workout as if I'm pre-gaming for for the summer and I look forwardto looking fabulous while I layout for a much needed tan in my itsy-bitsy-teeni-weenie-bikini.This positive outlook improves my mood and there's proof that exercise in generalcan aid depression. In fact exercise may work just as well as antidepressantmedication.
Regular exercise may work as well as medication in improving symptoms of majordepression, researchers have found.
In a study of 202 depressed adults, investigators found that those who went throughgroup-based exercise therapy did as well as those treated with an antidepressant drug.A third group that performed home-based exercise also improved, though to a lesserdegree.
Importantly, the researchers found, all three groups did better than a fourthgroup given a placebo -- an inactive pill identical to the antidepressant.
While past studies have suggested that exercise can ease depression symptoms,a criticism has been that the research failed to compare exercise with a placebo.This leaves a question as to whether the therapy, per se, was responsible for thebenefit.
The new findings bolster evidence that exercise does have a real effect on depression,according to the researchers.
Doctors may not start widely prescribing exercise as a depression treatment justyet. But for patients who are motivated to try exercise, it could be a reasonableoption, the study authors say.
Don't go moping around the next time you're feeling down, get physical. Youmay even want to invite your friends for a group workout. Instead of gettingyour happiness from a bottle of pills you can do something great for your body andyour mind.
This weblog is sponsored by www.BeHollywoodFit.com.
