For many people daily medication is a necessary part of their life. However, a recent study in the British Medical Journal showed that exercise was as effective as heart medicine and outperformed stroke medicine.

British researchers classified exercise as just two and a half hours of moderately paced effort a week, such as fast walking or cycling. Only a third of adults in England take the time for this type of exercise. Is it any wonder that heart disease affects so many?

Dr. Peter Coleman of the Stroke Association said, “By taking important steps, such as regular exercise, eating a balanced diet and stopping smoking, people can significantly reduce their risk of stroke.”

Many experts are considering adding an exercise component to their patients prescription to battle heart disease and stroke. However, this does not mean they can throw away their pills.

“Medicines are an extremely important part of the treatment of many heart conditions and people on prescribed drugs should keep taking their vital meds. If you have a heart condition or have been told you’re at high risk of heart disease, talk to your doctor about the role that exercise can play in your treatment.”

While evidence suggests that exercise helps with physical ailments, there’s also ample evidence that shows exercise also improves brain power.

As we age our cognitive ability is decreased. A recent report in Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology showed that people who exercised regularly were less forgetful and memory was improved.

The study’s author Alan J. Gow from the University of Edinburgh in Scotland said the research, “suggests that physical activity can be good for both the body and the brain, even into old age.”

Charles Hillman, a professor at the University of Illinois, found that moderate exercise, 30 minutes for adults and 20 minutes for children, results in a five percent to 10 percent improvement in cognition.

Speaking to ABC News, Hillman said of exercise, “It’s good for attention, it’s good for how fast individuals process information, and how they perform on cognitive tasks.”

A core or HIIT class does more than just burn calories and increase your strength, it’s been shown to improve your heart and make you smarter. How’s that for a healthy side effect?