6 Tips for Keeping Your Lungs Healthy
November marks the annual Lung Cancer Awareness Month, which is a time to spread information about lungs on how to keep the respiratory system in check. Did you know that approximately 37 million Americans are living with some form of chronic lung disease? These diseases range from asthma to lung cancer to chronic bronchitis. Keep reading to learn how to keep your lungs healthy and tips for avoiding a serious diagnosis later on in life.
How To Keep Your Lungs Healthy
- Avoid Smoking
There’s a good chance that at some point in your life you’ve seen a form of media advocating for anti-smoking behavior. This is with good reason– cigarette smoking is the leading cause of lung cancer in the United States. Those who smoke are at a much higher risk, at least 15 to 30 times higher, of developing lung cancer than those who do not.
Smoking causes damage to the cells that line the lungs and the damage is not always repaired. When the cells can no longer keep up with repairing the damage, cancer will likely develop. For those who smoke regularly, this can happen rapidly. Cigarettes are full of many toxic chemicals that can wreak havoc on the lungs and make breathing incredibly difficult.
- Limit Exposure to Carcinogens
Carcinogens are defined as a substance that can cause cancer. There are more than 500 known carcinogens and research efforts constantly discover more. This means that things we encounter every day could be exposing us to harmful toxins and potentially putting us at risk for a cancer diagnosis, and we don’t even know it.
A few carcinogens to be aware of include:
- Asbestos
Asbestos is a mineral with heat and fire-resistant properties that can lead to numerous illnesses if exposed, including mesothelioma cancer. This rare form of cancer occurs when asbestos particles are inhaled and become stuck in the lining of the lungs, abdomen, or heart.
Unfortunately, the life expectancy of mesothelioma is only 18-31 months because of a long latency period. This means that it’s extremely important to avoid asbestos exposure to reduce the chances of a mesothelioma cancer diagnosis later in life. Before the 1980s, asbestos was commonly used in home construction and can still be found today in older houses.
- Radon
Radon is similar to asbestos in the sense that it is hard to notice and can be found in homes. This gas substance is a natural radioactive substance that can cause lung cancer if inhaled consecutively over time. Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer diagnoses in the US, right behind smoking. It is, however, the number one cause of lung cancer diagnoses for non-smokers.
Exposure happens when the gas becomes trapped indoors, through cracks or gaps in the foundation. The important thing to know about radon is that since it can’t be seen or smelt, the only way to truly know if you’re being exposed is through testing the levels of the gas. An at-home test kit or professional test can help determine levels of radon. If the levels of radon equal or go above 148 Becquerels/meter3 then an underground ventilation system may need to be installed.
- Air Pollution
Unfortunately, the air we breathe may be contaminated with toxins that can harm our lungs. Specifically, cities that experience heavy traffic can cause the air to contain fumes that result in poor lung health.
Other factors to air pollution include factories, construction, and wildfires. If you live in an area with intense air pollution, consider using a face mask when outdoors and staying inside during times of heavy air pollution.
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- Keep Your House Clean
The air quality in your home also plays a crucial role in lung health and the way your respiratory system functions. When there are toxic particles floating around in the air your breathing quality can drastically decrease, thus resulting in lung health complications.
This is why it’s important to keep your living environment clean. A few things to be aware of include:
- Dust Mites
Dust mites are a common allergen that can trigger lung reactions. These microscopic pests rely on the dead human skin cells found within dust in order to multiply. They typically gather in common areas, such as carpets, couches, bedding, and curtains.
Those with asthma are usually very sensitive to dust mites, making it important to take extra caution to eliminate them. A few ways to do so include dusting regularly, replacing old carpets, washing bedding weekly, and reducing the humidity in your home.
- Pest Feces
No one likes when a fest infestation happens in their home, but they’re pretty common and nothing to be embarrassed about. The crucial thing is that they’re handled correctly and taken care of in a timely manner. If a pest infestation occurs, such as mice, their droppings can cause serious harm to the air quality within the home.
If you notice any feces around your home, it’s important to seek professional help to ensure the problem is solved and does not persist. Breathing in air contaminated with feces is not good for lung health and can make you even more ill in the long run.
- Mold
Mold is a common household problem that occurs when moisture builds up in dark areas of the home. Indoor mold growth isn’t completely common unless high levels of moisture take place. Irritation of the lungs and throat may occur, making it difficult to breathe in some cases.
If there’s mold in your home, the first thing to do is control moisture levels by finding the cause of the mold. It could be a leak in a pipe, a broken window, or even poor ventilation. Next, scrub the mold away and diligently keep an eye on it to see if it comes back. If it does, the best option is to seek professional help to see if there’s another cause that isn’t visible.
In addition to all of these, it’s important to keep the air quality in your home pure. Consider investing in an air purification system to remove allergen particles from the air and keep your home air quality safe for your lung health.
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- Stay Active
Keeping your lungs active through physical activity is a great way to help them function properly. Exercise benefits your lungs by keeping them strong as your heart rate increases and improves overall stamina.
For those who want to engage in moderate exercise, yoga and pilates are wonderful options. Both activities provide relaxing techniques that promote deep breathing and muscle strength building. They also improve flexibility, which is helpful as we age and our bodies become naturally stiffer. Alternatively, if you’re looking for something more intensive to help lung function, you may want to consider swimming or a recreation sport to keep your lungs and heart pumping.
In general, exercise helps you breathe more intently and keeps your lungs strong. Our lungs are muscles that need to be activated and used daily to keep them functioning, so exercise is a great way to keep them in check.
- Breathe Deeply
Breathing exercises help improve lung health and make them more efficient. There are two kinds of breathing exercises that help improve the lungs– pursed-lip breathing and belly breathing. Both of these techniques help the lungs release stale air, increase oxygen levels, and assist the diaphragm with functioning properly.
- Pursed Lip Breathing
This technique enables the lung’s airways to stay open longer and allows for more air to flow through the lungs. It also decreases the number of breaths that are taken. In order to practice pursed-lip breathing, breathe in through the nose and out through pursed lips for twice as long as a normal breath.
- Belly Breathing
Similar to pursed-lip breathing, you’ll begin by taking a nice deep breath in through the nose and paying attention to how the stomach is inflated with air. You will then breathe out through the mouth double to triple the amount of time as you inhale. Keep yourself relaxed during this method by releasing neck and shoulder tension, and just focusing on your breathing.
- Get regular check-ups
One final way to keep your lung health in check is by regularly visiting the doctor for routine checkups and tests. If you’re at a higher risk of developing a lung condition through any of the risk factors above, it’s important to let your doctor know. There are numerous lung function tests that can indicate if there’s a serious problem with your lungs.
The doctor can give you valuable insights into your lung health and make recommendations on how to keep your respiratory system in check. It’s also important to regularly check in on your lung health as you age to keep track of any changes in breathing patterns.
Also, Read: 5 Steps To Taking Back Your Health
Final Words
Overall, it’s important to practice healthy lung habits to limit the chances of developing a lung condition. Our lungs keep us breathing, which keeps us living so it’s important to take care of our respiratory systems for a healthy, comfortable life.
This was it for today. Hope you enjoyed reading about Lung Health.
Have a Good Day!
