Have you ever thought of lung health? What is the best effort you made to improve your lung health recently? Regrettably, a majority of us would overlook it.
We diligently pursue annual dental check-ups, cardiac tests, diabetes check-ups, and other health check-ups. Nevertheless, we simply neglect to care for our lungs. According to a recent study, around 4 million people succumb to chronic respiratory diseases annually.
Just like our heart and brain, lungs are also the primary organs of the human body. They play a prominent role in supplying essential oxygen necessary to fuel vital bodily functions. Therefore, from supplying oxygen to help organs function properly, to preventing pathogens entering our body, the role of the lungs is undeniable. Unfortunately, due to their delicate nature, lungs are more susceptible to infections, allergies, and diseases. That’s why it is important to take care of your lungs to prevent any damage to lead a healthy life.
In order to maintain the well-being of your lungs, follow the below tips. So that your lungs will thank you.
Table of Contents
Avoid Exposing To Pollution:
When discussing pollution, people often think solely of outdoor pollution. But it is important to think about indoor pollution. Yes! The air within your home also gets polluted due to various reasons. The reasons could be the volatile organic components (VOCs) emitted by your furniture, building materials, air fresheners, cleaning products, carpets, upholstery, and foams.
To keep the indoor air clean, it is advised to open your windows often to let the sunlight enter, as it acts as a natural disinfectant to kill pathogens floating in the air. However, to maximize the effects, you need to install an air purifier equipped with HEPA filters to eliminate the air-borne pathogens, pollutants, and other harmful particles from the air. By doing so, you can keep the air within your home clean and maintain your lung health.
Maintain A healthy diet:
Even though environmental conditions play a vital role in causing lung damage, with a proper diet, you can keep your lungs healthy and heal existing damage. Unhealthy foods are notorious for your lung health and impact its function. Foods such as red meat, fried items, sugar, and other trashy stuff are known to cause damage and inflammation in your lungs. Continuous exposure to inflammations makes your lung muscles weak over time and reduces their ability to fight against pathogens. As a result, it leads to increased susceptibility to various respiratory infections, allergies, and diseases.
Therefore, to promote lung function, eat plenty of fruits, and vegetables such as greeny, fibre and protein-rich veggies, and healthy fats. Conversely, avoid greasy, sugary, and fast foods. A healthy diet, rich in fibre, protein, essential vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients is essential to strengthen the lung muscles, heal inflammation, and boost them to fight against pathogens.
Avoid Smoking:
Needless to say, smoking is another enemy of your lung health. The nicotine present in the cigarettes activates the oxygen radicals, resulting in a decline in the lung’s anti-oxidant capabilities. This also reduces the air-holding and fighting capacity of your lungs.
Additionally, smoking narrows down the respiratory airways and reduces its ability to hold air, clear mucus, and fend off pathogens, says ThreeBestRated® Pulmonologists. Not only does it affect the active smokers, but also affects the passive smokers who could be your friend, children, family, or anyone you love.
Also, the combined reaction of nicotine and oxidants can lead to the formation of point genetic mutations within the DNA molecule which alters the regulating program responsible for lung development and maintenance of their essential structure.
Do Exercises:
Not only is it helpful to get your desired shape, but also improves lung function and keeps respiratory diseases at bay. When you move your body, your body demands extra oxygen supply which necessitates the lungs to work at a heightened capacity. This strengthens your lung muscles, diaphragms, and intercostal muscles and eases the process of expansion and contraction. Also, a 30-minute exercise prompts deeper breathing to sustain the energy levels, it improves lung capacity.
Certain breathing exercises work to deepen the breathing and widen the constricted air passages. This is particularly advantageous for people grappling with Asthma, who would have inflamed and narrowed lungs and airways. Furthermore, exercise improves immunity, meaning it is a great protection against harmful pathogens.
Opt For Regular Check-Ups:
As said earlier, people do not have enough awareness about regular lung health check-ups. Since most respiratory infections will only have mild symptoms in their early stages, making them difficult to detect, regular check-ups can help you identify issues if you have any.
Furthermore, it’s essential not to disregard any symptoms, regardless of their severity. Symptoms such as breathing discomforts, coughing, wheezing (sometimes), and fatigue can be signs that your lungs are screaming out for help and should be addressed immediately. Regrettably, most people will overlook these symptoms in their early stages until it becomes a serious issue. Early detections may help you identify underlying lung conditions, nip them in the bud, and prevent further progression. This proactive approach also helps you get screening tests like spirometry tests, low-dose computed tomography, and other tests.
