Protecting our lungs is an agenda that should be high up on our lists. Performing the important task of breathing, and providing the oxygen to the body, protecting lungs is important.
However, there are many factors that affect the status of our lungs. Some, like the environment and genetics, cannot be helped, but even then, there are steps that we can take to improve our lungs’ performance and protect them from damage.
Protecting your lungs
Preventing infections
In some cases, you can take steps to avoid infections. People who are
especially vulnerable include the older population, those with compromised lungs, people suffering from COPD –chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. While everyone needs to be careful, they need to take even more measures.
Alongside consulting the Best Pulmonologist in Karachi immediately after getting sick, you should also minimize chances of contracting illness. Wear masks when stepping out, sanitize your hands often, try to maintain social distance when possible, avoid people who are sick so that you don’t get the infection.
Avoid pollutants
Since air pollutants are extremely bad for your lungs, and can impair their health, therefore, try to avoid all pollutants. This may mean avoiding rush-hour traffic, wearing safety masks, testing air quality before stepping out.
Moreover, some pollutants at home can also affect your lungs. To prevent this, avoid dust. Vacuum your house to take care of dust, motes etc. Make sure that the cleaning products and other aerosol products used are safe. Have a proper ventilation system in place. Don’t use products that have fumes in a closed space.
Breathing exercises
Breathing exercises are focused entirely on the health of the lungs. They help in utilizing the entire capacity of lungs so that the functionality of lungs can be improved.
There are many different types of breathing exercises that you can do. One is breathing through the nose, and then slowly exhale via mouth, taking twice as much time for exhale than you took for inhale. Similarly, is the diaphragmatic breathing in which the inhale moves expands the stomach as well. It ensures that the capacity of lungs is improved.
Check air quality
Whereas you cannot moderate your air quality, but you can certainly take precautions when the quality is not safe. In such cases, try not to step out. Even if you do, wear masks.
Furthermore, try to invest in an air purifier so that at least at home, the air that you breathe in is safe.
Exercise
Exercise is a great way to stay healthy and keep your lungs healthy as well. Essentially, when you work out, you push your lungs, which then helps them in performing better. Furthermore, exercise also aids in improving the efficiency of the lungs.
Smoking is not acceptable
There are various reasons why one turns to smoking, and it’s high time that you address these issues, so that you can bid adieu to cigarettes. Not only do they harm the lungs, but they also endanger your entire health as well.
Therefore, it is pertinent that you take steps to quit smoking. For the kick of nicotine, there are many safer ways including nicotine patches, gums etc. You can also try to taper yourself off by first going for vape or e-cigarettes, before quitting altogether. Know that vapes and similar paraphernalia are also not safe for the lungs, so don’t rely on them solely.
Similarly, it is not smoking yourself that is dangerous, but being around people who smoke is also dangerous, as you then too inhale the second-hand smoke, that renders damage to the lungs, and the rest of your body.
Regular check-ups
To make sure that your lungs are functioning well, and to stay on top of matters, do make regular visits to your doctor at South City Hospital. If there is anything amiss, your doctor can then timely prescribe treatment so there is minimum damage done to the lungs.
