According to the Harvard Health Letter the following are seven ills that don’t need pills. People pop pills for just about every condition these days, but many studies in recent years offer strong evidence that diet and exercise can be effective treatments for many ills.

In its April 2008 issue , researchers highlight how to manage 7 common conditions without taking medication. While no one should stop taking prescribed medication without talking to a doctor, the researchers write that with discipline, the non-pharmacological approach can do as much as pills in many cases.

The following links are from Live Science.com

Arthritis
There’s a good chance that losing weight will make arthritis less painful. Combine weight loss with exercise and you may have less pain and more mobility. Even for those who don’t need to lose weight, exercise that doesn’t put “load” on the joints, such as swimming, reduces pain.

Cholesterol
Your LDL level may drop by about 5 percent if you avoid foods high in saturated fat. Additional soluble fiber may reduce LDL levels as well, as can margarines fortified with sterols.

Cognitive decline
Memory training and other “brain exercises” seem to help healthy older people stay sharp. But physical exercise may benefit the brain more than mental gymnastics.

Depression
Regular physical activity can have a potent antidepressant effect.

Diabetes
Exercise is a powerful brake on blood sugar levels, because exercised muscle becomes more receptive to the insulin that helps it pull sugar in from the bloodstream. Eating fewer sweets and easy-to-digest carbohydrates also helps control blood sugar levels.

High blood pressure
Losing weight, getting more exercise, and eating less sodium all lower blood pressure.

Osteoporosis
Weight-bearing exercise puts stress on bones, and bone tissue reacts by getting stronger and denser, fending off osteoporotic processes. Extra vitamin D and calcium top the list of dietary recommendations.

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