Exercise is Medicine Written – Paul Sagers, MS, PT

If losing weight and looking better isn’t enough motivation to inspire you to exercise, how about the fact that the latest research shows that regular physical activity may be the best preventive drug we have for many health problems?

Studies show that exercise reduces the risk of early death, helps control weight, and lowers the risk of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, depression, some types of cancer, anxiety disorders, cognitive decline, and hip fractures. It can even help improve sleep, memory, concentration and mood.

Recent research continues to add benefits to the list. One study found that supervised exercise may help relieve treatment-related pain among some breast cancer patients. Another study showed physical activity may be as effective as medication in preventing early death in people who have had heart attacks or strokes.

Timothy Church, a physician and director of preventive medicine research at the Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Baton Rouge, agrees; “Exercise strengthens the entire human machine—the heart, the brain, the blood vessels, the bones, the muscles. The most important thing you can do…(read more)

Originally published on Utah Valley Health and Wellness