Breathe Easy: Healthy Lung Tips
October is Healthy Lung Month! Our pulmonary health may not always be at the top of our minds regarding our overall well-being. However, it is a key function of our bodies for good mental clarity, sleep, strength, and much more. Let’s take a look at a few tips for healthy lungs.
Prevention
It may sound redundant but preventing issues is paramount for better health. For starters, quitting negative habits such as smoking or vaping is a step in the right direction. “Cigarette smoking causes more than 480,000 deaths each year in the United States. This is nearly one in five deaths” (CDC). Similarly, “Almost all vape liquid contains nicotine, which is addictive and harmful to adolescent brain development, and vaping aerosols contain chemicals linked to serious lung disease, and heavy metals” (American Lung Association). Air quality reports help those at risk monitor for pollutants and pollens. Lastly, protect yourself and loved ones during activities that create dust, fumes, or other harmful materials.
Exercise
Get moving! Regular exercise helps just about everything and breathing is one of them.
“When you exercise and your muscles work harder, your body uses more oxygen and produces more carbon dioxide. To cope with this extra demand, your breathing has to increase from about 15 times a minute (12 liters of air) when you are resting, up to about 40–60 times a minute (100 liters of air) during exercise” (U.S. National Library of Medicine). Learn how to breathe properly during physical activities and try breathing exercises alone. Through instructed exercises and repetition, breathing will become easier and stronger.
Care Team
Consult with your care team if you notice any changes in your breathing. Pulmonologists specialize in respiratory health and can conduct breathing tests to get a baseline and monitor your lung function. Smart devices can conveniently monitor your oxygen level and heart rate as well.
Resources
American Lung Association. “What You Need to Know About Vaping.” What You Need to Know About Vaping | American Lung Association Accessed 16 Sept. 2024 - https://www.lung.org/quit-smoking/helping-teens-quit/talk-about-vaping/vaping-facts
“Health Effects of Cigarette Smoking.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 29 Oct. 2021, www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/fact_sheets/health_effects/effects_cig_smoking/www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/fact_sheets/health_effects/effects_cig_smoking/.
“Your Lungs and Exercise.” Breathe (Sheffield, England), U.S. National Library of Medicine, Mar. 2016, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4818249/
American Lung Association. "10 Tips for Healthy Lungs" https://www.lung.org/blog/10-tips-for-healthy-lungs
Take A Deep Breath- Breath Awareness 101 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utdeEHdzJII
BBC Maestro 3 Exercises https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8qOMTqedPrk