5 habits to keep your lungs healthy

Our lungs play an important part in keeping us healthy and powerful. And we don’t realize how hard our lungs work for us until we have breathing issues. To perform at their optimum, our lungs, like the rest of our bodies, require regular care and attention.

Prevention is the best medicine, and working to keep your lungs healthy is much more efficient than trying to repair them after something goes wrong. As we approach flu season, it’s critical to do everything we can to be healthy including our lungs. The good news is that you are already doing some of these activities, and many of them offer additional health advantages. Here are five habits to practice to keep your lungs strong and healthy. 

Exercise regularly

Exercise is essential for a variety of aspects of our health, including lung health. Regular, moderate-intensity exercise is beneficial to the lungs, and increasing your daily activity accomplishes three goals: healthier lungs, a healthier heart, and a better mood.

Aim for at least 20 minutes of moderately intensive exercise every day. If going to the gym isn’t your thing, a walk, jog, or a regular tennis game can suffice.

Add some greenery to your home 

Real plants- not fake greenery. Plants have the inherent ability to eliminate certain toxins from the air, thus adding them to our homes improves the oxygen and air quality in our living spaces. This is especially crucial during the winter when we spend the majority of our time indoors due to the cold. The air within is more contaminated than the air outside. Chemicals are released by carpet, paint, detergents, printer inks, and other home products. Houseplants can filter the air and remove those toxins.

Work on breathing

Stress can have harmful effects on our health, including one on our respiratory system. Deep breathing can help increase lung capacity and reduce stress, especially after recovering from a respiratory infection such as COVID-19 or something more chronic. We often forget to breathe in stressful situations.

Breathing exercises for improved lung function: The three common breathing exercises include-

• Pursed lip breathing – Sit straight, purse your lips as if you are about to kiss. Breathe in from your nose (5 seconds) but breathe out for double the time of inhalation (10 seconds) through your pursed lips. Doing this for about 5 minutes daily is useful, especially for those who lead a sedentary life.
• Diaphragm breathing – Place your hand gently on your stomach, breathe in from your nose and breathe out from your mouth. With each successive breath, increase your inhalation and exhalation span in such a way that you feel your stomach rising and emptying, respectively. Doing this for 5 to 10 minutes a day can increase the rate at which your lungs filter the air.
• Interval training – This involves exercising at a very high speed for 1 minute, then exercising more slowly for 2 minutes. This is recommended for those who suffer from shortness of breathing while physical exertion.

Get enough sleep and eat well

Although the specific reason why sleep is beneficial to our lungs is unknown, lack of sleep can have a detrimental influence on our entire immune system. We become more prone to respiratory infections when our immune system is weakened. A nutritious diet is beneficial to your lungs just as it is to the rest of your body. Vitamins A, C, D, and E, as well as the minerals zinc, potassium, selenium, and magnesium, can all help to maintain your respiratory health in good shape. Also, staying hydrated is beneficial to your lung health. Drinking water thins the mucus secretions that naturally collect in your lungs each day, making it much easier to breathe.

Don’t smoke or use tobacco products

Avoiding items that are just unhealthy for your lungs is the final step in keeping them strong and healthy. You’ve probably heard it a million times: smoking, chewing tobacco, and other similar things are bad for your lungs and your health. Avoid secondhand smoke too. There’s a reason why every health professional and organization says this over and over again: avoiding or quitting a smoking habit is the #1 most effective way to keep your respiratory system strong and healthy.

Even if you don’t smoke, it’s still crucial to look after your lungs; lung diseases can affect anyone and are one of the most frequent health concerns worldwide. Never be afraid to question your doctor about particular exercise regimens, vitamins, or other options for keeping your lungs healthy and robust. Keep an eye on your exposure to fireplaces and wood-burning stoves, since these might irritate your airways. Also, avoid exercising in regions with bad air quality or large crowds where you won’t be able to breathe. To be safe, wash your hands frequently, avoid people who are sick, and get vaccinated against COVID-19, the flu, and pneumonia.

When it comes to our lungs, taking care of yourself and having a potential issue looked at sooner rather than later is always the best thing you can do!

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