HOW TO TAKE CARE OF YOUR LUNGS

As we age, our lungs begin to feel the wear and tear of everyday life, but it takes more than just abstaining from smoking to take care of our lungs. We need to breathe, eat, and exercise in a way that keeps our lungs healthy. Some steps can be taken today to start improving our lung health and increasing our lung capacity. Check out the different ways you can start doing that today!

DIAPHRAGM BREATHING

Diaphragmatic breathing, or “belly breathing,” is how we all naturally breathe when leaving the womb, but the stresses and pressures of everyday life cause us to unlearn this beneficial breathing habit. This way of breathing promotes a complete exchange of oxygen, is able to slow the heart rate, helps stabilize blood pressure and even reduces stress. Your lungs may begin to lose elasticity, causing air to build up in your lungs, leaving less room for your diaphragm to contract when you breathe. When your lungs are healthy, your diaphragm does most of the work when you breathe in, so practice this breathing exercise to help strengthen your diaphragm to push out air that has accumulated in your lungs.

PURSED LIPS BREATHING

Pursed-lip breathing is a technique often used by those battling chronic lung disease to control their breathing, especially under stress, such as during exercise. However, it can be particularly helpful in helping your lungs work better overall. Using this method can help release trapped aid in the lungs, open the airways longer, improve breathing patterns, and promote relaxation.

EXERCISE MORE OFTEN

If you train more often, you could improve your lung capacity by 5-15%. Exercise helps the entire cardiorespiratory system become stronger. While this helps increase your lung capacity, making it easier to breathe and get oxygen, it doesn't improve overall lung function.

IMPROVE INDOOR AIR QUALITY

It's hard to know when you need to improve indoor air quality, but there are indicators you might be looking for to help you determine if you need to take action, like smelling mold or maintaining air quality. humidity above 50%. To protect your lungs from harmful contaminants, take a walk around your home or even your workplace and look for indicators to know what action to take next. Some simple ways to keep sources of pollution out of indoor air are to use a dehumidifier, not smoke indoors, and make sure to fix any leaks and drips that can cause mold.

EAT FOODS RICH IN ANTIOXIDANTS

You can improve your airways with foods high in antioxidants. When we introduce stress, alcohol, and cigarette smoke into our bodies, they create free radicals that can destroy lung cells. Free radicals are very unstable and potentially carcinogenic. Eating foods high in antioxidants, such as blueberries, asparagus, apples, and broccoli, can help scavenge free radicals and keep your lungs working properly.

GET YOUR FLU AND PNEUMONIA VACCINES

Protecting yourself against the flu and pneumonia is important for respiratory health, especially if you are already suffering from a long illness. The flu can affect the whole body, leading to complications like pneumonia or even chronic illnesses like asthma and congestive heart failure. Pneumonia causes air sacs fill with pus or fluid in the lungs, which makes it difficult to breathe. Since the flu can cause pneumonia, you can prevent it with a flu shot, but there are 2 different shots available for pneumonia in particular.

If you have concerns about your lung health, make an appointment or stop by one of our offices to speak with a Community Access Network provider. We'll help you get back on the path to lung health so you can have stronger lungs for a long time.