Final answer:
Massage can best duplicate the effects of regular exercise, aiding in muscle recovery and stress relief, but it does not match the full benefits of exercise, medication, surgery, or diet.
Step-by-step explanation:
Massage can best duplicate the effects of regular exercise. While it does not provide the same cardiovascular or strength-training benefits, massage can support muscle recovery, improve circulation, and release stress, much like how exercise benefits the body. Moreover, massage cannot replicate the full scale effects of medications, surgeries, or diets.
Regular exercise enhances the health of the muscular system, making muscles bigger and stronger. Additionally, contracting muscles during exercise release hormones called myokines, which have tissue repair and growth benefits, as well as anti-inflammatory properties. Physical exercise not only can help prevent lifestyle diseases but also improve mental health, sometimes as effectively as pharmaceutical antidepressants due to increased synthesis of natural euphoriants in the brain.