· Updated
10 Ways Exercise Replaces Medicine
By Chitown Trainer Team
Are You Sick and Tired of Feeling Sick and Tired?
This article is general information, not medical advice. Talk with your doctor before changing medications or starting a new program.
We’ve got some major issues here in the U.S. Obesity is one of them, but it goes well beyond that. Our healthcare system leans on a “pill for every ill,” and we spend more on healthcare than other wealthy countries without better results. A lot of it traces back to how we eat and how much we sit.
Now, I’m not suggesting we return to a hunter-gatherer lifestyle. I’m simply suggesting that a little bit of exercise and a balanced diet goes a long way. According to the CDC, regular physical activity lowers the risk of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, depression and several cancers. Here are ten ways exercise supports your health, alongside, never instead of, the care your doctor provides.*
*NOTE: Here at Chitown Trainer, we are not medical doctors or pharmacists. Never stop or change a medication on your own. Talk with your doctor about how exercise can fit into your care. Everyone’s body is unique, and what works for one person won’t always work for the next.
1. Develop and build muscle mass
If there is one clear-cut benefit to exercise, it’s building and keeping muscle. Older adults tend to lose muscle, a condition called sarcopenia, and the NIH’s bone health institute notes that strong muscles help with balance and reduce the risk of falls. Keeping muscle helps you move naturally and stay independent.
2. Improves flexibility
Along with building muscle, exercise can improve flexibility. Feeling stiff in the mornings? Having difficulty bending over or reaching for the top shelf? Regular stretching and mobility work can make everyday movements easier and help with posture.
3. Increase metabolic rate
Exercise and diet not helping you reach your goals? Maybe it’s because you’re not working out “smart.” Muscle-building and well-planned workouts use energy during the session, and the CDC lists regular activity as one way to reduce the risk of weight gain. If you are considering weight-loss medication or surgery, that is a decision to make with your doctor; a trainer can help with the exercise side of the plan.
4. Increase bone mineral density and strengthen bones
Everyone knows how exercise can help build muscle, but what about bone? As we exercise, our muscles pull on the bones they’re anchored to. According to the NIH’s National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, exercise strengthens muscles and bones, makes bone denser, helps prevent bone loss in adults and improves balance. That matters more as we age, when the risk of osteoporosis rises. Ask your doctor which exercises are right for your bones.
5. Improve glucose metabolism
Did you know that exercise affects how your body uses energy? The CDC calls regular physical activity a foundation of diabetes management: it helps manage blood sugar levels and lowers the risk of heart disease and other complications. If you have diabetes, check with your doctor about which activities are best for you, and never change insulin or other medication without them.
6. Strengthen your heart
Exercise makes our body more efficient at just about everything, including the heart. The American Heart Association says regular physical activity can help strengthen your heart, and the CDC lists a lower risk of heart disease and stroke among its long-term benefits. If you take heart medication, keep taking it as prescribed and ask your doctor how exercise fits in.
7. Lower blood pressure and improve blood lipid profile
In addition to the heart, exercise benefits the rest of the cardiovascular system. The American Heart Association notes that regular exercise can help control high blood pressure, and the CDC says it can help lower LDL (“bad”) cholesterol and raise HDL (“good”) cholesterol. Any change to blood pressure or cholesterol medication is a decision for your doctor.
8. Decrease pain
Many people find that regular, well-planned movement helps them feel less stiff and sore in daily life. Exercise also promotes blood flow throughout the body. If you live with pain or are recovering from an injury, talk with your doctor or physical therapist first so your program works within safe limits.
9. Improve digestion
One benefit many people overlook is digestion. Staying active is part of a healthy routine that, together with a fiber-rich diet, helps many people stay regular. If you have a digestive condition, ask your doctor what type of activity suits you.
10. Boost mood and Improve Quality of Life
Bottom line, exercise makes our bodies more efficient at just about everything, and many of the changes are psychological. The National Institute on Aging says exercise can reduce feelings of depression and stress and enhance your mood, and the CDC notes that it reduces the risk of depression and anxiety. Exercise is not a substitute for treatment: if you take medication for depression or another condition, keep working with your doctor. Not only that, but exercise just plain makes you feel good about yourself, boosts self-esteem and supports independence.