Is exercise as effective as prescription medication?

Yes, exercise is medicine!

And even better, it’s medicine that’s free and has no side effects.

Exercise and physical activity are preventative. No physician would prescribe a medicine to a patient who is currently healthy. However, we do need to encourage all people to be physically active on a regular basis. It is more than preventing disease or rehabilitating from disease, but staying healthy.

Is exercise an effective treatment on its own?

In some cases, yes.

It can be all that’s necessary to minimise the symptoms of depression & anxiety. When combined with a weight loss programme, it can help keep people in the early stages of diabetes from needing medication.

Where do you start?

Of course most people don't want to run!

Consider other 'moderate-intensity' exercises, such as swimming, stair climbing, tennis, or dancing. Even household activities can count as well, such as vacuuming, gardening, or anything that gets your heart pumping so much that you break out in a light sweat!

Want to know more?

Please don't hesitate to contact me. Alternatively, let us know what you would like help from a specialist exercise service and we will see whether we can come up with a solution for you.

Contact me

Megan McEwen

Clinical Exercise Physiologist