Exercise May be as Effective as Drugs for Certain Ailments

A recent joint Harvard study suggests that exercise may be as effective for treating heart disease and diabetes as medication. In the case of stroke victims, exercise was found to be more effective.

For this study, the researchers examined 305 trials that included 339,274 people who either exercised or were given drug-based therapy. They found no difference between the two groups when it came to protection against the onset of diabetes or protection against another heart event for the people who had already suffered from one.

For individuals who had already had a stroke, the benefit was most pronounced. Exercise was found to be more effective than drugs for protection against the individual having another stroke.

Researchers from Harvard Medical School, London School of Economics, and Stanford University School of Medicine conducted the study. It was published on October 1, 2013, in British Medical Journal.

Previous clinical studies suggest that even moderate exercise can reduce your risk of dying prematurely, help with blood sugar control, reduce body weight, improve heart health and improve respiratory health.

Even a brisk ten minute walk a day can help. Look for ways to incorporate exercise into your daily routine. You will be surprised how many opportunities there are to get up and get moving.