Eureka, that’s it! That’s it!

They’ve finally found the cure for the common cold!

Okay, well, not exactly. But researchers have figured out how you can get fewer than the two to four colds the average American adult catches each year, and how you can ensure those colds are less severe: exercise.

Yeah … you knew it was going to be something like that, didn’t you? But seriously, research shows that exercise seems to be the human panacea. This time, in a study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine online, researchers from Appalachian State University in North Carolina tracked respiratory infections experienced by a study group of men and women ages 18 to 85. The frequency of colds was reduced up to 46 percent in those who exercised five or more days a week compared with those who exercised only one day or less. And when the subjects did get colds, those in the active group suffered 41 percent fewer sick days and reported much less severe symptoms.

Although further research must be done to understand the exact effect of exercise on immunity, the researchers believe keeping fit plays an important role in boosting immune function that occurs with each round of activity.