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In science fiction stories and even cartoons like The Jetsons, popping pills may seem like a quick and fantastic way of eating and curing illness. In real life, however, the human body is not designed for such quick fixes.

If pills were the best answer for living and loving life what would be the purpose of teeth for chewing, a tongue for tasting, and legs for running and jumping? And then there is the goody bag of natural chemicals and hormones that our bodies dole out so willingly as a reward for physical activity. Let's face it we are built to move. Our bodies are programmed for exercise. At one time that may have been the physical fitness of staying alive, finding and killing food and outrunning predators. At this point in the evolutionary race, however, exercise is optional. But the health benefits that come with it are not.

This is why so many "minor" illness and conditions (in the scheme of things although sometimes they don't seem so minor when you're suffering with them) can be relieved by the simple action of putting your body in motion. At the root of many of these maladies, such as allergies, depression, insomnia, arthritis and other chronic pain conditions, is the stress that can exacerbate and escalate them. In other words, if you already have or are prone to certain conditions, your stress level has a way of waking them up and reminding you of their presence.

For instance, stress in allergy sufferers can trigger the release of hormones called histamines which lead to the onset of allergy symptoms. Stress also increases levels of hormones that work hard to prevent you from sleeping.

Exercise is one of nature's greatest inventions for relieving stress. The physical act of fitness releases natural chemicals called endorphins into the bloodstream, which in turn increase energy levels. It also provides a relaxation response in the brain while strengthening the heart and cardiovascular system. Many minor conditions worsen with inactivity.

Exercise has also been proven to boost the immune system, protecting you against a whole new set of illnesses. Certain types of range-of-motion, strengthening and endurance exercises have been known to relieve the symptoms of arthritis by supporting and stretching painful joints. This also applies to some chronic back pain (and other chronic pain) conditions. People suffering from these types of conditions and additional ailments that prevent the enjoyable quality of life we all deserve, should ask their physicians for help customizing a program of regular exercise that will best alleviate their symptoms.

Popping a pill may seem like the quickest and easiest cure, but the human body is simply not designed in a way that makes it the best cure. Exercise should always be explored as a first line of defense against those conditions that impede a healthy, active and well life. After all, the popular notion in science fiction that popping a pill is always the best answer is more fiction than it is science.

Learn more about this author, Christine Whitmarsh.
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