Carole Carson

During my weight loss, I learned that increasing exercise and losing weight through eating differently alters the impact of prescription and over-the-counter medicines. Certain conditions, such as high blood pressure, heart disease and diabetes, are particularly susceptible to the impact of weight loss and intense exercise.

Research is increasingly suggesting that exercise is the cure for many diseases and dramatically improves even ongoing medical conditions. Indeed, physicians who are participating in the Exercise Is Medicine initiative are prescribing exercise in lieu of drugs.

As I discovered, through fitness, the body can reduce or eliminate its need for medicine. In my case, I was able to cut the strength of one of my prescription medicines in half and eliminate another one.

You may need to make adjustments in prescription or over-the-counter drugs as your fitness level improves, since continuing the use of medicines at former levels could be dangerous once fitness is achieved.

For example, the appropriate dosage of blood-pressure medicine for an overweight and sedentary person may be too high once blood pressure is lowered through weight loss and exercise.

If you have a medical condition requiring medication, play it safe. Before undertaking a strenuous exercise regimen or losing a significant amount of weight, seek medical advice and arrange for regular monitoring.