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Dr. Dawn Mattern, a Sports Medicine physician with Trinity Health, invites the public to join her and other physicians for the 11^th annual “Doc Walk” Wednesday, May 8, at 6:30 p.m. in Oak Park.

The walk ushers in May as Exercise is Medicine Month, an awareness initiative that focuses on regular physical activity as a key ingredient in preventing and treating disease. It also kicks off the 2019 Spring/Summer Schedule for Minot Area Team Wellness/Walk Minot.

Dr. Mattern says despite considerable evidence that exercise improves health, most people do not achieve the recommended minimum dose of 150 minutes per week for adults and one hour per day for children.

She notes that walking for as little as 30 minutes a day can:

• Reduce your risk of coronary heart disease
• Improve your blood pressure and blood sugar levels
• Elevate your mood
• Reduce your risk of osteoporosis, cancer and diabetes

“Physical inactivity is a leading cause of death worldwide and is a major risk factor for chronic diseases, such as coronary heart disease and type II diabetes,” Dr. Mattern said. “Our goal is to encourage physical activity in people of all ages and reverse the consequences of a sedentary lifestyle.”