NEW YORK, Nov. 13 (Xinhua) -- Medical experts agree that walking is an easy way to improve physical and mental health, bolster fitness and prevent disease -- while it's not the only sort of exercise people should do, it's a great first step toward a healthy life, reported The Associated Press on Wednesday.

"Walking can help meet the U.S. surgeon general's recommendation that adults get at least 2 1/2 hours of moderate-intensity physical activity every week. This helps lowers the risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, dementia, depression and many types of cancer," said the report.

Walking also improves blood sugar levels, is good for bone health and can help you lose weight and sleep better, noted Julie Schmied, a nurse practitioner with Norton Healthcare, which runs the free Get Healthy Walking Club. Another advantage is that it's a low-impact exercise that puts less pressure on joints as it strengthens your heart and lungs.

For all its benefits, however, walking "is not enough for overall health and well-being" because it doesn't provide resistance training that builds muscle strength and endurance, according to the report.

Experts recommend adding such activities at least twice weekly -- using weights, gym equipment or your own body as resistance -- and doing exercises that improve flexibility like yoga or stretching, it added. Enditem

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