Most physicians prefer prescribing medications for treatment and prevention of degenerative disease and illnesses. Oral insulin agents for non-insulin dependant diabetes, anti-cholesterol drugs for heart disease and stroke, antihypertensive meds for high blood pressure to name just a few categories. Yet proper diet and exercise provide many of the same benefits. 
I do not mean to imply you should get off all your meds or stop using them in a particular case. Simply that many are over prescribed and / or over used with little thought for a more healthy approach. So why reduce your Rx meds? Because there is a vast amount of scientific research which proves that in many cases diet and exercise work for the reduction or prevention of many diseases. In addition, while most drugs come with a vast array of side effects (check out the insert with your next prescription), a healthy diet provides many additional benefits than for your current diseased state. Studies have found links between diet and heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, stroke, Alzheimer's, obesity, and certain forms of cancer. And exercise increases the benefits when combined with a healthy diet. Both diet and exercise aid in weight management, increase overall well-being, reduce depression, and slow the biological aging process. Most physicians get there post graduation education from drug companies and published manuals such as the Physician's Desk Reference (PDR), . The drug company rep visits the doctor's offices to give, free samples and literature. Prescription medications should be used with a similar mindset to vitamin and mineral supplements - as a supplement to a healthy diet and exercise with lifestyle changes, not as substitutes for them. | 
