There was a study published recently showing that exercise was as effective
as antidepressants in treating depression.  Psychiatry and behavioral
sciences researchers from Duke University Medical Center in Durham, North
Carolina gave approx. 150 study participants who were all diagnosed with
depression, one of three depression treatments for four months.  1)
exercise; 2) the antidepressant Zoloft; 3)  or a combination of the two.

The exercise group had three supervised classes per week on a treadmill @
70-85% of maximum heart rate for 30 minutes.  The drug + exercise group did
the same exercise.  At the end of four months, al three group exhibited
similar resutls---significantly lower rates of depression.  At the six month
follow up mark, those in the exercise treatment group had lower depression
relapse rates than those on the drug or drug + exercise treatment.  The
study does not suggest that exercise alone will work for evry case of
depression but it won't hurt and has helped many people.

Rachel
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