Work Out The Blues

[QuilterMom]

http://www.publix.com/wellness/green...2&childId=1253

Work out the blues

Everyone feels down now and then - particularly during winter months, when gray skies can make people feel blue. Thankfully, exercise is a natural remedy. That's because it releases hormones called endorphins, which increase productivity, blood flow, and oxygen to the brain, says Melissa Stewart, a physical therapist at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. The result: Endorphins are the body's natural mood elevators.
"Exercise often seems like the last thing you want to do when you're down," says Michael Huff, sports performance coordinator at Duke University's Michael W. Krzyzewski Human Performance Research Laboratory in Durham, North Carolina. "But if you do a little, you'll find tremendous benefits."

NATURAL HIGH
The next time you feel anxious or down, get moving. Exercise alone is enough to reduce mild to moderate depression by 50 percent, according to a study at the University of Texas (Dallas) Southwestern Medical Center. In fact, exercise reaped similar results to those obtained through antidepressants.

Exercise is vital in battling major clinical depression. In a four-month study at Duke University, "We found that supervised exercise for 35 minutes three times weekly over four months was as effective as medicine," says medical psychology professor James Blumenthal, Ph.D. Six months after the study, less than 10 percent of exercisers had relapsed versus 30 percent of those who were just medicated. "Exercise not only reduces depression but also is effective in stopping people from becoming depressed" in the first place, Dr. Blumenthal explains.

A LITTLE GOES A LONG WAY
The key, researchers say, is the intensity of exercise. The people who worked out on a treadmill or stationary bike saw their depression symptoms drop by almost 50 percent after three months. Those who did more low-intensity exercise saw a 30 percent decline in symptoms over the same period.


However, the Mayo Clinic suggests that as little as 10 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise can boost your mood and possibly encourage you to take the next step. And another Duke University study found that what matters is not how much exercise you do, but that you do something active. Even individuals who exercised less than half an hour had less anxiety than those who did nothing.
ONE STEP AT A TIME
When exercising to chase away the blues, fitness and health pros suggest:

Don't assume more is better. Some exercise is better than none, but too much may no longer provide benefit.

If a chill in the air gets you down, consider swimming in a heated pool, Stewart says. "Just getting in warm water can make you feel better."

Walk, cycle, and run outdoors. Get outdoors anytime you can.

Consider joining a YMCA or gym so you can take yoga, aerobics, or Pilates classes.

Never make it a chore. Do things that keep you excited about moving.

So if the winter blahs have you feeling unlike your usual self, get moving. You'll feel happier for it.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"You don't need expensive machines and fancy equipment to get a good workout at home," says Michael Huff, sports performance coordinator at Duke's Michael W. Krzyzewski Human Performance Lab. Dumbbells, Swiss stability or physio balls, and resistance tubes do the job, he says. Other, less-expected ways to get exercise around the house:
Homemade weights. Use unopened cans, like those above, or partially filled water bottles as dumbbells. Weigh the filled containers to make weights between 3 and 8 pounds. For arthritis-friendly weights, fill a plastic bag with water, or pantyhose with sand, and tie them closed with a knot, says Melissa Stewart, a physical therapist at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

Stairs. Climb them. Or, for a good calf stretch, stand on the bottom step with your heels halfway off and hanging, as if you were on a diving board. The bottom step also works for step aerobics.

Counter. Hold on to the edge of a kitchen or bathroom counter as you do toe raises, heel raises, pliés, and squats.

Wall. Place your hands at shoulder height and width on a wall; walk backward slightly, then lower your body toward the wall for an easier push-up.

Don't forget that everyday activities - like housecleaning, gardening, jumping rope, and playing catch - burn calories and can also chase away the blues!

TO LEARN MORE about beginning a strength-training program, visit www.exercise.about.com. Under Articles & Resources, select Exercise for Beginners, then click on Beginner's Corner.

[canadian gardener]

exercise, and also getting out into the daylight too. Combined, something like a walk at noon if you can get some sunlight or bright daylight sure helps.

[homesteadmamma]

Thanks Kim.

[pip]

I agree!