Exercise Isn’t Medicine or Therapy.
Wellness culture is out of its depth.
Fit people take medication and need talk therapy. That’s ok.
I like January because everyone is focused on the things that shape my daily life. Eating healthy food and moving as much as possible. I don’t have to fend off trays of cookies or reasons to drink. It’s a brief period of time when everyone’s priorities line up with mine.
Unfortunately, it’s also the time of year wellness nonsense starts making the rounds; the idea that exercise is a substitute for medicine or talk therapy.
As a dedicated exerciser who believes wholeheartedly in the power of daily movement for lifelong well-being, clear thinking, disease management/prevention, and emotional regulation, I still think the notion of it being medicine is dangerous and misguided.
It’s not medicine.
Disease prevention and management aren’t medicine; they’re wellness. I’m not sure why that isn’t important enough on its own. I’ve had a life-altering chronic disease (cancer x2) and use exercise as part of my plan to avoid recurrence.
However, if it does come back, I’ll head straight to the doctor and get proper treatment and medication.
