Should Doctors Prescribe Exercise as Medicine?
While medication has its place, exercise is a natural remedy
First, I am not against medication, and my experience is just that — mine. For most of my adult life, I’ve suffered from depression and anxiety, and medication has helped me through some of those dark times. It’s given me the ability to get back to some semblance of “normal” and provided the will to get better. I still take medication when I need it — mostly to help me sleep because of anxiety — but I’ve gotten away from taking it daily because of the side effects. So, medication has its place. But it’s not the only remedy that should be prescribed.
Over the course of my life, I’ve tried many medications, therapies, and different ways to improve my health, both physical and (mostly) mental. But nothing has helped me as much as exercise and, in particular, running.
My experience is not anecdotal, though. There is plenty of evidence to back up the claim that exercise is as good, if not better, as medication for many health-related problems. And while I understand many aren’t able to exercise because of physical limitations, most people can do some form of physical activity to help improve their lives.
But it’s easy to take a pill. It’s not easy to exercise. It takes a while to build the…
