Is Exercise the "Best" Medicine?

In my years working with clients — from high school athletes to seniors recovering from surgery — I often ask a simple question: "Do you like taking your medication?"

I have asked this hundreds of times, and the answer is always the same. No.

People take medicine because they have to, not because they want to. They do it to manage pain, regulate a heart rate, or control blood pressure. But deep down, most of us prefer a life where we are not dependent on a pill bottle to get through the day.

Here is why I believe that for many chronic conditions, moving your body is the most powerful prescription you can take.

1. The Hidden Cost of Medication

Modern medicine is a miracle for acute emergencies. If you have an infection, antibiotics save lives. But for long-term health, medication often comes with a trade-off: Side Effects.

Almost every medication introduces a foreign substance into the body to force a specific reaction. While it might fix one symptom, it often creates another.

• Pain medication can lead to stomach issues or drowsiness.

• Blood pressure medication can sometimes cause fatigue or dizziness.

You solve one problem only to create a new one. This cycle can be exhausting, leaving you feeling like you are managing symptoms rather than actually healing.

2. Your Body Was Designed to Heal

I believe that God created the human body with an incredible, built-in self-healing mechanism. Think about when you cut your finger. You don't have to "tell" the skin to heal; it just happens. Your body knows how to repair itself, regulate itself, and maintain balance.

The problem is that for many of us, this mechanism has gone dormant. A sedentary lifestyle, stress, and poor posture act like a "block," preventing the body from doing what it was designed to do. The healing power is there; it just needs to be turned on.

3. Exercise is the "On" Switch

If the body is a machine, then breathing, stretching, and movement are the ignition.

When you learn to breathe deeply, you aren't just getting air; you are signaling your nervous system to switch from "Fight or Flight" (stress) to "Rest and Digest" (healing). When you stretch and move, you are improving circulation, flushing out inflammation, and telling your muscles to support your joints.

I have seen this with my own clients. I have watched heart rates stabilize without pills. I have seen anxiety lift without sedatives. They didn't need a new prescription; they just needed to press the "On" switch for their own internal pharmacy.

4. A Return to Yourself

We often look outside ourselves for answers — a new pill, a new treatment, or a quick fix. But I invite you to look inward instead.

Your body is incredibly resilient. It is waiting for you to engage with it. You don't need to run a marathon to flip the switch on your self-healing mechanism. It starts with something small. It starts with a single deep breath. It starts with a gentle stretch.

The best medicine isn't something you buy at a pharmacy. It is the life force that is already flowing through you. You just have to decide to use it.