5 of the best exercises to improve your health

These "workouts" do wonders for your health and help keep your weight under control, improve balance and motion, strengthen your bones, protect your joints, prevent bladder control problems, and ward off memory loss.

No matter your age or fitness level, these activities will lower your risk for disease:

1. Swimming

Swimming is the perfect workout. The buoyancy of the water supports your body and takes strain off painful joints so you can move them more fluidly. Swimming is good for individuals with arthritis because it's less weight-bearing. Research has found that swimming can also improve your mental state and put you in a better mood. It helps you burn calories and tone up.

2. Tai chi

This Chinese martial art combines movement and relaxation and is good for both body and mind. It's been called "meditation in motion." Tai chi is made up of a series of graceful movements, one transitioning smoothly into the next. Because the classes are offered at various levels, tai chi is accessible for people of all ages and fitness levels. It's particularly good for older people because balance is an important component of fitness.

3. Strength training

Lifting light weights won't bulk up your muscles, but it will keep them strong. If you don't use muscles, they will lose their strength over time. Muscle also helps burn calories. The more muscle you have, the more calories you burn, so it's easier to maintain your weight. Start light, with just one or two pounds. You should be able to lift the weights 10 times with ease. After a couple of weeks, increase that by a pound or two. If you can easily lift the weights through the entire range of motion more than 12 times, move up to slightly heavier weight.

4. Walking

Walking is simple, yet powerful. It helps you stay trim, improve cholesterol levels, strengthen bones, keep blood pressure in check, lift your mood, and lower your risk for a number of diseases (diabetes and heart disease, for example). A number of studies have shown that walking and other physical activities will improve memory and resist age-related memory loss. All you need is a well-fitting and supportive shoes. Start with walking for about 10 to15 minutes at a time. Over time, start to walk farther and faster, until you're walking for 30 to 60 minutes on most days of the week.

5. Kegel exercises

These exercises won't help you look better, but they strengthen the pelvic floor muscles that support the bladder. Strong pelvic floor muscles can go a long way toward preventing incontinence. While many women are familiar with Kegels, these exercises benefit men too. Squeeze the muscles you would use to prevent yourself from passing urine or gas. Hold the contraction for two or three seconds, then release. Make sure to completely relax your pelvic floor muscles after the contraction. Repeat 10 times. Do four to five sets a day.