Is it really all about the drugs? Many people who first visit www.empoweredmedicine.com see that our site was started by a pharmacist and assume that all of the articles will be about drugs. Some may then wonder why so many of the articles have to do with nutrition and exercise instead. Allow me to explain.

Drugs are only a small part of the whole health picture. In fact, some argue that drugs comprise the very smallest part of the health maintenance picture. At Empowered Medicine, we would argue that prevention (i.e. eating right and engaging in physical activity) is the most important part of maintaining proper health.  We also believe that the less drugs one takes, the better off one is likely to be. Drugs are only a band aid. Whenever possible, we believe that preventing or fixing the underlying cause of the ailment is ideal.

So, ‘What does a pharmacist know about nutrition and exercise?’, people may ask. Quite a bit actually. Nutrition, exercise and prevention education is a big part of the curriculum in today’s pharmacy schools. Modern medicine has realized the contribution of  these things and has seen it fit to incorporate them into the curriculum of today’s medical and pharmacy schools. This type of knowledge is critical to understanding how diseases start, how drugs work and how drugs interact with foods. For example, it takes a working knowledge of nutrition to understand how atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) and diabetes occur in the body.

A proper understanding of nutrition can also help a pharmacist understand how certain supplements may be beneficial to your health. Think about all of the over-the-counter nutritional supplements your pharmacist encounters every day. Also, many hospital pharmacists are involved in dosing nutrition for patients who can not eat. Many of these patients need to take special nutritional formulas intravenously. Managing this type of therapy involves a great deal of nutritional knowledge on the part of the pharmacist.

Lastly, as eluded to above, nutrition and exercise are integral parts of maintaining overall good health. All health care professionals today should be familiar with the basics of proper nutrition and exercise. Proper health maintenance is integral to making sure you get the most out of your medications and that you take the fewest number of medications possible.

Proper nutrition and exercise are immensely important. However, from time to time, we will find ourselves needing to take medications. At Empowered Medicine, we want to make sure when you are prescribed medications, that your doctor follows guidelines supported by reputable research.

Next time you visit our site, please enjoy our many articles on medications. Also, take a moment to check out the many articles on nutrition, exercise and prevention we have put together for you.