Exercise Just As Effective As Medication

The benefits of physical activity are astounding; people who exericse tend to have a higher quality of life with less hospitalizations, decreased mortality, and fewer chronic conditions.  Unfortunately, despite the benefits of exercise, our population remains mostly sedentary.As a result, a large number of individuals are forced to start medications in order to control their conditions.  A recent review published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) compared drug interventions versus exercise on mortality rates for coronary heart disease, stroke, heart failure and pre-diabetes. The findings of the meta-analysis show that there is no statistical difference between medications and exercise in terms of their mortality benefits.The message is clear: exercise should be prescribed as a viable alternative to, or given in conjunction with, medication. Physical activity needs to become a part of everyone's lifestyle, and more health care practitioners should start emphasizing the importance of an active life in order to lead a healthy life.