Health Update: Running Helps Depression Equal to Meds, but…
Hello again everyone:
This time of year is known for celebrating gratitude, but if you are feeling down this time of year can be difficult. Here is some news to lift you up and yes, you read that correctly, running eases depression as effectively as prescription medication, but…the running increases your overall health but meds do not. There is obviously a place for both approaches, but whenever possible, get physical if you are feeling depressed. As you all know from my previous blog posts, inflammation will cause, perpetuate, or aggravate every known chronic human ailment, including depression. You might guess that running is anti-inflammatory, and you would be correct. Here is what the authors had to say:
- Researchers from Amsterdam conducted a study to see whether running therapy could be as helpful as antidepressants for treating depression and anxiety symptoms.
- The researchers found that both groups experienced similar improvements in their depression symptoms.
- However, the running group also saw improvements in physical health, while the antidepressant participants experienced slightly worse physical health.
Bottom Line:
Thanksgiving is about sharing gratitude, and one great way to do that is to be an example of what it means to be healthy and share your energy. When it comes to depression, one thing to try is to get fit and stay fit and keep your brain and emotional state in a good and healthy state. One of my favorite exercises is walking, and I add a little extra to it. Just start walking, not slow, not fast, but at a good pace…when you feel warmed up…for 30 seconds just walk at 75% of your maximal walking ability…sort of like Olympic race walking…just move it for 30 seconds and then go back to your regular pace. Once your heart rate slows down to normal after some minutes of walking, repeat the higher intensity interval, then back to normal pace. Repeat this for 30 minutes or so. If you are out of shape, start with just 5 to 10 minutes. Over time, you should see that the time it takes to recover to a normal heart rate becomes shorter, indicating improved cardio-pulmonary-vascular function. If you are not exercising, get your physicians Ok for this. Start easy, gradually increase time and effort. You may start out walking the fast part at just 30 to 40% faster and as you get feeling stronger, you can increase the effort. If you are way out of shape, just start walking at an easy pace for a short distance and time…getting moving is an essential part of aging well and keeping your health up. Such an approach can add years to your health span, which should translate to a longer and better lifespan. If you are having depression issues, get moving and look for all of the possible drivers of inflammation and remediate them all.
Happy Thanksgiving to One and All from all of us here at Richmond Chiropractic Neurology!
