“You know, my friend is a medical doctor. He sees an inordinate number of women who come asking to be treated for depression. He recommends exercise – which is his preferred prescription; but most often the women choose medication.”

“He said he felt that 80% of the medications he prescribes could be eliminated with regular exercise. There is just no good substitute for the emotional lift that exercise brings.”

Eighty percent! Does that shock you the way it did me?

That number was incredible to me. I studied anti-depressants one semester years ago, and became very wary of them. I know several people dealing with the difficult side effects of various anti-depressants. I am aware of the financial burden those medications create. When I dealt with depression several years ago those considerations caused me to seek out alternatives, and my findings concurred with the medical doctor’s advice – exercise is vitally important to driving out the blues.

I am a hopeless romantic. I love the lifestyle depicted in the Jane Austen books: living in cottages or mansions out in the country; reading, visiting, and performing music for one another for entertainment; and the daily “constitutional.” That long walk was taken consistently, in winter as well as in summer, and I believe that type of habit is needed no less in our lives – probably more due to the extra stresses we face.

Exercise helps the body create endorphins, those mood-lifting hormones, and the more often we exercise the better we can feel. Personally, I want that effect daily!

Next time you have a blue day – or several in a row, try exercise. My favorite combination is exercise while listening to the scriptures, a motivational speaker, or beautiful music. Those two activities together are sure to lift my spirits, and invigorate me for whatever lies ahead for me that day.

80%? My head is still reeling. I pray more of us women will listen to that doctor – and go take a walk!