Table of contents:
- How do you maintain lung health?
- 1. Don't smoke
- 2. Avoid being exposed to pollutants in the room
- 3. Reduce exposure to outdoor pollution
- 4. Prevent respiratory tract infections
- 5. Check with yourself regularly to the doctor
- 6. Exercise
The lungs are a vital organ of the body that must be guarded and should not be wasted. How could you not, your lungs keep you breathing and alive. However, you may often forget this important role and neglect his health. Although the lungs have their own mechanisms for cleaning themselves, you can also help by following a number of ways to keep your lungs healthy. Anything?
How do you maintain lung health?
Summarized from the American Lung Association website, these simple ways may help you keep your lungs healthy:
1. Don't smoke
Smoking is the leading cause of lung cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which includes chronic bronchitis and emphysema. Secondhand smoke narrows your airways and makes it harder for you to breathe.
When the airways narrow, you will experience chronic inflammation or swelling in the lungs which can lead to chronic bronchitis. Over time, smoking can destroy lung tissue and can trigger changes that develop into cancer.
In addition, quoted from the United States center for disease control and prevention, the CDC, smoking can worsen your condition if you have asthma. Smokers are said to have a 12-13 times higher chance of dying from COPD than non-smokers.
By looking at the reasons above, you can certainly conclude that the first way to maintain lung health is to avoid smoking. If you are already a smoker, it's never too late to quit. You can seek support from someone close to you or a professional to get you out of the cigarette trap.
2. Avoid being exposed to pollutants in the room
The next way to keep your lungs healthy is to avoid all indoor pollutants that have the potential to damage your lungs. Being secondhand smoke, being exposed to pollution at home or work, or being exposed to radon (a radiocative chemical) can make lung disease worse.
Therefore, always make sure to keep your house, work space, until your car is free of cigarette smoke. Also make sure your home is radon-free.
Also, avoid exercising outdoors when the air around the area is bad. Do not forget, immediately discuss with a health professional if you feel worried that something in your house, work room, or car can interfere with your health.
3. Reduce exposure to outdoor pollution
Remember that the outdoor air is not always good for the health of your lungs. One way to keep your lungs healthy is to reduce outdoor activities when the air is not good.
In addition, you can also learn how climate change and natural disasters can reduce the health of your lungs. By knowing about the effect of air on lung health, you may be able to easily take steps to take care of the overall health of you and your family.
4. Prevent respiratory tract infections
Respiratory infections can be very serious conditions. There are several things you can do to protect yourself and your family to prevent infection:
- Wash your hands with soap and water
- Avoid crowds during cold and flu season
- Brush your teeth at least twice a day and visit the dentist every six months
- Get vaccinated against influenza every year. You may also need to discuss which pneumonia vaccination is right for you
- If you are sick, stay home until you feel better. This will help prevent transmission
5. Check with yourself regularly to the doctor
The next way to maintain lung health is to check your health regularly to the doctor, especially when you feel unwell. This is important to remember because lung disease often goes undetected until it is severe.
6. Exercise
Exercise is one way to maintain the health of your lungs. This applies to everyone, regardless of age or physical limitations. Aerobic exercise can be an option.
Quoted from Harvard Health Publishing , aerobic exercise can not improve lung function. However, this exercise can help increase lung capacity (the ability of your lungs to hold the oxygen you breathe in once).
The six steps above are simple and easy for you to do. Always remember that keeping your lungs healthy is also a way of maintaining a good quality of life for you and your family.
