How to keep lungs hale and hearty?
The present Corona pandemic has threatened our survival like never before, and our one body part which is at a greater risk nowadays is our lungs. Already our lungs are gasping for a breath of fresh air as they have to fight with so many impurities in the air like dust and pollutants, to name a few. And now to make the matter worse, we have one more challenge and that is the present Covid-19 outbreak. It has severely impacted our lungs and this threat still looms large on this body part. Naturally, the question that becomes important is ‘How to keep lungs hale and hearty?’ And, ‘how to keep your lungs healthy’ is the new talk of the town for all health conscious individuals.
How to keep lungs hale and hearty?
Our lungs, just like heart, joints, and other body parts grow older with time. So with time lungs becomes less flexible and start losing their strength, thus making our breathing a difficult task. And the on-going Covid-19 has further complicated our problems. Corona virus attacks our respiratory tract and lungs. The respiratory system helps to bring outside air to the lungs (of course impure air too) and throws out the dirty air inside. Owing to infection, swelling of the respiratory system begins which later affects the nerves. It can further lead to lung inflammation and so our body cannot take oxygen and carbon dioxide is not left out. As a result our unhealthy lungs can invite so many troubles for us. And, then so suddenly our entire focus will be on how to keep lungs hale and hearty?
How to keep your lungs healthy
To strengthen our lungs is not an uphill task. By adopting some simple healthy lifestyle, we can keep our lungs healthy and make them work even better in our older days. Here is what we have to follow to keep your lungs hale & hearty :
- Quit smoking if you do
Smoking increases your risk of lung cancer. Not only this, it can cause a number of other lung diseases including asthma. Whenever you smoke a cigarette, you inhale thousands of chemicals, including nicotine, carbon monoxide and tar which damage your lungs. This leads to increased mucus and your lungs fail to clean themselves. Eventually, it can also lead to cancer.
But as you quit smoking it helps your lungs to be normal again. Within just 12 hours of quitting cigarette, carbon monoxide levels in your blood returns to normal level and given more time, the performance of lungs increases manifold.
- Exercise for lungs
Regular exercise is perhaps very important thing that one can do for keeping lungs hale and hearty. As sweating in gym helps you to be in perfect shape so does it for your lungs too.
When you exercise, your heart beats at a faster rate to supply more oxygen to your body and thereby your lungs increase their activity to distribute that oxygen and help in ejecting excess carbon dioxide. Exercise provides the best kind of workout for your lungs. The more you are active, the healthier your lungs become. Besides, when you exercise, you feel less stressed and more relaxed.
- Try your best not to expose yourself to pollutants
There is a famous quote which says ”There’s so much pollution in the air now that if it weren’t for our lungs there’d be no place to put it all.” This aptly speaks volumes about the impure air everywhere.
Pollutants in the air deteriorate your lungs and quicken aging. When you are young and strong, your lungs resist pollutants but as you become older, they slowly lose resistance and become more prone to infection and disease. So try your best to reduce your exposure to the toxins present in the air.
4. Boost your immune system to prevent infection
The best way to keep your lungs hale and hearty is to boost your immunity. The stronger you are the lesser are your chances of infection. Keep your hands clean, drink plenty of water, eat a lot of fruits and vegetables as nutrients help boost your immunity.
5. Practise deep breathing
If you are habituated of shallow breathing then you are using only a small part of your lungs. But as you start deep breathing you help your lungs clean better. Shallow breathing comes from the chest whereas deep breathing comes from the abdomen, where your diaphragm sits. And a breath of fresh air might do wonders for us.
Food Good for Making Lungs Hale & Hearty
Apart from exercise and physical activities meant for keeping our lungs lungs healthy, certain nutrient-rich food is beneficial for our lungs and it protects our lungs from damages and minimizes symptoms of diseases. So here is a list of foods which help our lungs to stay healthy:
1. Green tea
Green tea has numerous health benefits. Green tea is rich in antioxidants and it has anti-inflammatory properties too. This is why it is believed to help in keeping our lungs healthy.
2. Yogurt
As yoghurt is a good source of calcium, potassium, phosphorus and selenium, so its consumption boosts our lungs function.
3. Tomato
Lycopene, present in tomato, is associated with good lung health. Tomato reduces airway inflammation and so it helps people suffering from asthma and COPD.
4. Turmeric
Turmeric has anti-inflammatory properties. Also it has important antioxidant effects. Curcumin, present in turmeric actually helps in promoting lung health.
5. Pumpkin
Certain plant compounds present in pumpkin helps our lungs to be healthy. These plant compounds are powerful antioxidants and possess anti-inflammatory properties, so it is good for healthy lungs.
6. Apples
You might have heard that “An apple a day keeps the doctor away”. Apples help in improving our lung function and reduce the risk of COPD. As Apple is rich in antioxidants including flavonoid and Vitamin C, so it helps fight off numerous diseases.
7. Beet
Beet is rich in nitrates. Nitrates relax our blood vessels, lower blood pressure and help in oxygenation. So it helps in keeping our lungs healthy. Also beet is rich in magnesium, potassium, Vitamin C and antioxidants and these all help in keeping our lungs healthy.
Food to be avoided for healthy lungs
Apart from being always active, it is important to distance yourself from some foods too because the lungs are not just damaged by pollution, but there are many things which we use can also be harmful to our lungs. What we eat also has an effect on our body. Here is a list of foods which are not considered as healthy lungs food and can actually be harmful to your lungs.
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- Alcohol:
Alcohol consumption is considered to be harmful to health. Drinking too much alcohol can cause lungs damage. Sulphites in alcohol can worsen the symptoms of asthma and ethanol affects your lung cells. Drinking too much alcohol can also cause pneumonia and other lung problems.
- Salt:
Though salt is considered to be essential for health, but high intake of salt can be a reason of health and lung problems. So we should consume less salt to keep our lungs healthy.
- Soft drink:
Intake of soft drinks in excess can be harmful to health and lungs. People who drink sweet soft drinks may be more prone to lung problems.
- Processed Meat:
Nitrite used in processing and preserving meats is believed to cause inflammation and uneasiness in the lungs. Processed meats can be harmful to the lungs.
- Fried Food:
Whether you like fried or say deep fried food, but if you want to keep your lungs healthy then you must reduce the intake of these foods.
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A 360-degree overview:
Now, that you know how to keep lungs hale and hearty and what are healthy lungs foods, it is up to you to work hard for healthy lungs which will help you in these tough times of Corona pandemic to fight off all possible infections and a sound health can not remain as a distant dream for you.
(The content of this article is for informational purpose only. It cannot be a substitute for advice from a medical practitioner. Read DISCLAIMER for more…)
Read also How to Boost Your Immunity Naturally
