Wednesday, October 1, 2008

Treating Depression - Exercise vs. Pills

Researchers at Harvard University have found that strenuous exercise results in a 50% reduction in the symptoms of depression. Shockingly, that’s the same amount of relief that patients experience through the use of antidepressant drugs and psychotherapy. Millions of Americans seek medical care for this problem. How often is exercise prescribed, even in conjunction with medication, in treating depression?

The mental, physical and emotional health benefits of regular exercise are too numerous to mention here and come with no troubling (or possibly fatal) side effects.

It’s been shown time and time again that regular physical activity and proper nutrition can positively affect everything from cancer risk to self esteem to diabetes. So, when will more doctors and patients stop automatically turning to drugs to treat every health issue?

No comments: