Ditch The Pills And Hit The Treadmill – Exercise and Depression

Celebrity Personal Trainer Explains How Exercise Is Beneficial To Your Mental Health

We are a nation of pill poppers, excuse makers, fat shamers, skinny shamers, pretty shamers, ugly shamers, ageists, youngists (that might be a thing) and we look down on anything else that doesn’t fit within our own “acceptable” mold.  We sit behind our laptops, tablets, smart devices, and “I” whatever and think we can justify making fun of anything and anyone else that is different than we are.  We spend time looking at the lives of others on social media seeing the highlight reel of the lives of everyone else around us and wonder why we can’t have that, why can’t we go to that Island, why doesn’t my husband do that for me, why aren’t my parents buying me a new car, the list goes on and on and on!  It’s no wonder why so many of us are becoming depressed, in fact now more than 12 million Americans are suffering from mental illness and 1/12 Americans over the age of 12 have had symptoms of depressions with less than 39% of them having ANY sort of treatment for their symptoms!

For years pharmaceutical companies have been making billions upon billions for having doctors prescribe antidepressant medications that are proven to work (or so big pharma wants you to think).  In fact, it’s published knowledge that pharmaceutical companies only publish the positive results in clinical trials for their antidepressant medications and methodically omit the “bad” or results that show the medications aren’t any more effective than the placebo and in many cases worse due to side effects. (In July, GlaxoSmithKline plead guilty and agreed to pay a total of $3 billion in fines to three counts of criminal misdemeanor and other civil liabilities relating to the prescription drugs Paxil, Wellbutrin and Avandia. In 2009 Pfizer was fined $2.3 billion to resolve criminal and civil allegations that the company illegally promoted uses of four of its drugs, including their antipsychotic drug Geodon).

Personal Experience with Depression

I have struggled with depression during my life and have had thoughts of suicide as a teenager; I had moments of doubt, self-blame, regret, and an immense sense of hopelessness until I took charge of my life and found my solution! This solution that I found and the solution to your depression problems will rival ANY doctor, or treatment and won’t require you to pop a pill, or have any negative side effects, sign me up you would say, and the solution….exercise!

I have been telling people for years if they would come in to see me or use one of my programs that would solve a lot of life’s problems.  More and more research is coming out that exercise is the key to mental health!  When you exercise you immediately start to feel better about yourself, and not simply because of the physical change that is occurring to your body but because of a chemical response in your brain.  Molecular biologists and neurologists are now showing a direct response to exercise the same way that antidepressants regulate serotonin “feel good hormone” and norepinephrine.  Since exercise isn’t big business for the government funding has been limited in this area, and of course big pharma will do everything it can to prevent the results of these studies being published.  When studies are performed against exercise and medication exercise comes out on top every time!

Recently British doctors have started prescribing exercise INSTEAD of medication for those suffering depression symptoms for the first time.  Patients get a discounted rate on a gym membership or training program and begin to start feeling like they are EMPOWERED to take control of their lives instead of feeling like they have an illness!  When this program was first introduced in Britain only 4% of doctors prescribed exercise, it’s now up to more than 25%; the Brits are getting it right!

Depression and Exercise 

If you don’t live in the UK and want some tips to make sure you don’t have to feel weighed down by depression and can only turn to medication here you go:

1. One study showed you can cut depressive symptoms by 50% with 30 minutes of cardio 3-5 times a week. This can be any sort of cardio, sprints, jumping rope, swimming, hiking, or even weight lifting in a circuit (one exercise after another).
2. Stretch for 15-20 minutes a day 3 days a week to decrease symptoms by 29%
3. Increase your HGH (Human Growth Hormone) which is key for health, strength, and longevity by doing interval training. Perform 30 seconds of an exercise to get your heart rate elevated to a level you can’t talk (any exercise, jumping jacks, running in place, sprints, etc) then take a 90 second breather, repeat this cycle a total of 8 times and get on with your happy day!
4. Eat a healthy diet. Exercise will lower your symptoms of depression and when you accompany a healthy diet with your exercise you will feel better, more energized, and alert.  Eat a diet low in sugar and processed foods, I have great diets and workout plans on my website listed below.
5. With your healthy diet add essential omega 3 fatty acids like Krill Oil for optimal brain functioning.

Now that you have the tools necessary to lower your symptoms of depression make sure to address your stress!  We all have periods of happy days and sad days, but we must face these head on!  Exercising and eating well is a MAJOR role in combating your depression levels but don’t be afraid to talk about your feelings to your loved ones or a health professional.  We must treat health and wellness as an overall system and not one singular aspect in life.  For more information on how to balance your life and get proper workouts, nutrition, and health visit my website at www.TheLifestyleRenovation.com and take control of your Renovation!