Kicking The Drug Habit: How Diet and Exercise Can Help
By: Ilene Olson Source: AARP.org Date Posted: 2003-08-18 16:02:28
Erna Stephensen contracted whooping cough when she was 2-years-old. Now nearly seven decades later, she still is fending off the residual lung problems.
Twenty-five years ago she started walking to improve her health. The Lander resident walks several miles each morning - mostly uphill. "It's my choice," she said. "I figure it makes my lungs work." Without that regimen, "I would imagine I would definitely be on oxygen," she said. "Maybe I would be unable to take care of myself. I think it would be real easy to be an invalid."
A bone density test in 1996 revealed Stephensen was developing osteoporosis. At that point, she got more serious about her physical conditioning, alternating daily exercise workouts with weightlifting twice per week. Afterward, she goes for her daily walk, weather permitting. "My mornings are pretty well tied into exercise and taking care of myself," she said.
Tests have shown Stephensen's exercise routine, along with preventative medication prescribed by her doctor, have halted her osteoporosis and even improved the condition of her bones.
Improved physical fitness and nutrition often can result in less dependence on expensive medications, said Dr. Ingrid Kohlstadt, former director of the City-County Health Department in Cheyenne. Better nutrition, exercise and more sleep can take off extra pounds, reduce stress and blood pressure and reduce or eliminate the physical symptoms that accompany those problems.
Kohlstadt noted that nine of the 10 most frequently prescribed medications are used to treat chronic conditions, such as arthritis, acid reflux and high blood pressure. "Most of these medications are treating the smoke rather than the fire," she added. "Lifestyle changes can treat the fire." But Kohlstadt cautioned that people contemplating changes in physical routines should consult their physicians first.
In addition to assessing physical condition and health needs, a physician can give advice on improving nutrition and how to start an exercise routine safely. That may include referrals to other experts, such as physical therapists and nutritionists.
For problems such as arthritis, money may be better spent on treating the problem than on medications to treat only the pain and inflammation, Kohlstadt said. She suggested that people visit with their doctor about possible benefits of physical therapy, chiropractic treatments or massage therapy. She compared those approaches to aligning the wheels on a car.
"Once the body is bent a certain way, you occasionally need an adjustment" she said. "People should watch out for their structural health. Good structural health is of prime importance. Also know that physical activity makes so much difference. Basically, exercise is the best investment anybody can make. People shouldn't try to be their own doctor. The first step is to communicate with their primary doctor and let them know they want to make some lifestyle changes. Most doctors are very willing to help out."
Wyoming State Pharmacist Roxanne Homar agreed. "With many conditions, patients can control them better by taking good care of themselves," Homar said. But she added, "I would never recommend that a patient wean off a medication without consulting healthcare providers. The best thing is for people to really communicate with their healthcare providers so they can be educated consumers."
Often, people hear about "natural" remedies and decide to substitute them for more expensive prescriptions. "'Natural' does not necessarily mean 'safe,'" she cautioned. "The concern we have as pharmacists is those medications are not FDA approved and they can interact with prescriptions."
When contemplating those types of remedies, patients should tell their doctors or pharmacists, she said. "If the healthcare provider is not working with all of the information, those types of things can slip through the cracks," Homar said.
Often, a better way to reduce pharmaceutical costs is to take advantage of lower-priced generic substitutes for brand-name prescriptions, Homar said. Open communication with healthcare professionals will facilitate that as well, she added.
Patients can ask their physicians to prescribe generics when possible, and pharmacists to advise them if a generic has become available. Or, in many cases, an older, less expensive medication will work as well as a new, higher priced one, Homar said.
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