5 Healthy Habits You Need To Adopt To Keep Your Lungs Healthy

Most people want to get healthier. Rarely, though, do they think about protecting and maintaining the health of their lungs. Now more than ever, it is important to maintain healthy lungs to avoid the respiratory diseases which can further get aggravated by dust and pollution.

The truth is that your lungs, just like your heart, joints, and other parts of your body, age with time. They can become less flexible and lose their strength, which can make it more difficult to breathe. But by adopting certain healthy habits, you can better maintain the health of your lungs, and keep them working optimally.

Here are 5 healthy habits to imbibe for strengthening your lungs:

Don’t smoke or Stop Smoking

No matter how old you are or how long you’ve been a smoker, quitting can help.Every time you smoke a cigarette, you inhale thousands of chemicals into your lungs, including nicotine, carbon monoxide, and tar. These toxins damage your lungs. They increase mucus, make it more difficult for your lungs to clean themselves, and irritate and inflame tissues. They also cause your lungs to age faster. It usually takes a few attempts to stop smoking. It is not easy, but it is definitely worth it. Within just 12 hours of quitting, the carbon monoxide level in your blood drops to normal. Within a few months, your lung function begins to improve. The longer you stay smoke-free the better it gets.

Exercise and Breathe Harder

Besides avoiding cigarettes, exercising regularly is probably the most important thing you can do for good health of your lungs. When you exercise, your heart beats faster and your lungs work harder. Your body needs more oxygen to fuel your muscles. Your lungs step up their activity to deliver that oxygen while expelling additional carbon dioxide. You can take up cardio vascular exercises like running and aerobics to work out your lungs. Strengthening lungs through exercise helps you to better resist aging and disease. IT also helps to slow the progression and keeps you active longer

Avoid direct exposure to Pollutants

Exposure to pollutants in the air can damage your lungs and accelerate aging. As you grow older, your lungs lose resistance and become more vulnerable to infections and disease. Exposure to second-hand smoke, inhaling exhaust in traffic, and air borne pollution can cause lung infections.

Prevent Infections

Infections can be particularly dangerous for your lungs, especially as you age. Even healthy people stand at the risk of developing lung infections like pneumonia as they age. The best way to avoid lung infections is to keep your hands clean. Wash regularly with warm water and soap, and avoid touching your face as much as possible. Drinking plenty of water and including antioxidant rich food in your diet can help improve your immune system and strengthen your lungs.

Breathe Deeply

Deep breathing helps clear the lungs and creates a full oxygen exchange. According to a study published in the Indian Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology, 2 and 5 minutes of deep breathing exercises can help in significantly increasing the vital capacity of your lungs. Deep breathing, even for just a few minutes, was beneficial for lung function.Sit somewhere quietly, and slowly breathe in through your nose alone. Then breathe out at least twice as long through your mouth. It may help to count your breaths.When you do these exercises, you may also find you feel less stressed and more relaxed.

Focusing a little of your energy on these habits, you can have stronger lungs working optimally for life.