20 minutes a day is all you need to remain healthy for life!

New York: The importance of physical activity in our day-to-day lives has been emphasized time and again by doctors and health and fitness experts.

Irrespective of age, staying fit and healthy through exercise is a long-term benefit that can help you lead a smooth life.

Most people are health and fitness freaks and spend an hour or more at the gym, while some take it easy and go for hour-long walks or runs.

Then there are those who are more or less defeated by laziness or excuses and avoid indulging in any physical activity.

Well, there's good news for all of you! As per a new study, spending a mere 20 minutes of your day on physical activities is enough to keep you fit and healthy!

Just 20 minutes of moderate workout will stimulate your immune system and make you less prone to diseases like arthritis and fibromyalgia, the study said.

Scientists at the University of California (UC) in San Diego found one session of moderate exercise can act as an anti-inflammatory.

"Our study found one session of about 20 minutes of moderate treadmill exercise resulted in a five per cent decrease in the number of stimulated immune cells producing TNF," said Suzi Hong from UC.

Scientists noted that during exercise, the brain and sympathetic nervous system are activated, enabling the body to carry out work while the hormones that are released into the blood stream trigger adrenergic receptors, which immune cells possess.

According to the researchers, exercises do not have to be intense to have anti-inflammatory effects, but a moderate session would suffice.

"Patients with chronic inflammatory diseases should always consult with their physician regarding the appropriate treatment plan, but knowing that exercise can act as an anti-inflammatory is an exciting step forward in possibilities," Hong noted in a study published in Brain, Behaviour and Immunity.

(With IANS inputs)