Healthy Lungs – Tips for keeping them strong and healthy.

Staying fit and exercise are important factors in staying healthy, but did you realize that this recommendation goes well beyond achieving a healthy physique and moves into lung health?

You might not think about lung cancer as a daily ritual, but maybe you should. After all, your lungs help you live the life you love every second of every day. Your lungs allow your body to take in oxygen from the air and clear carbon dioxide (a gas than can become toxic) from your body. This gas exchange is an essential part of breathing, which is a vital function of your life. 

When thinking about lung diseases, lung cancer is often the first thought, but there are many other diseases and conditions of the lungs that can be prevented or better managed with these lung health solutions. Some include pneumonia, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and a pulmonary embolism (PE).

Here are 10 simple tips for keeping your lungs healthy and prevent lung disease.

1. Avoid smoking and secondhand smoke, too.
2. Be mindful of your environment’s air quality. Test for pollutants or contaminants if you are concerned and discuss it with your doctor. 
3. Prevent common colds and respiratory illnesses by washing your hands frequently with soap and water (or using an alcohol-based hand cleaner if not available). 
4. Avoid large crowds during the flu season, or when you get wind that some other respiratory illness is going around. 
5. Stay home if you are sick to avoid spreading colds and respiratory illnesses to others. 
6. Get your annual flu shot and encourage others in your household to do the same. 
7. Get regular cardiovascular exercise to boost lung fitness and overall health.
8. Practice deep breathing, or diaphragmatic breathing, exercises.
9. Stay on top of your dental health and oral hygiene to prevent harmful bacteria from traveling from your mouth to your upper airway.
10. Get regular check-ups from your primary care physician and discuss any concerns about your lung health, including any symptoms of lung cancer, and family history of lung disease. 

If you’d like more information about how to protect your lung health, our primary care physicians are here to guide you with expert care.