Health problems have dominated the news recently, and some of them affect the human respiratory system. Our lungs keep us breathing and alive, and if it gets compromised, our whole body gets affected. Unfortunately, it’s the part we don’t really think about often.
Our breathing is something we don’t think about, so we often disregard our lungs or even do things that can harm them. Considering the recent health events, it’s time to start properly taking care of our lungs.
Here are the top three ways you can do to keep your lungs healthy.
Stop Smoking
One of the major culprits to lung diseases is cigarette smoking. It’s because the smoke that gets inhaled is full of carcinogens, which causes lung cancer. It also produces other problems like emphysema and bronchitis that cause great discomfort, pain, and even death to smokers.
Breathing becomes difficult when you smoke often, because the air passages become obstructed and narrowed. The lungs swell or get inflamed, so they become inefficient in getting oxygen. Your body won’t get enough oxygen needed to function properly.
If you quit now,your lungs will recuperate through time. It can take a few months to years to recover, but it will definitely give you a breath of fresh air.
Keep Away from Indoor Pollutants
We all know that the air outdoors is polluted, especially if you live in or near an urban area full of vehicles and factories. We try our best to keep away from them using masks, staying inside air condition transportation, and other ways to prevent inhaling pollutants.
It works, but that doesn’t mean we won’t get exposed to polluted air once we go indoors. The air quality inside homes and offices can be compromised when you don’t have a good way to filter and clean the air. If you leave your air ducts untouched for years, they can do you more harm than good. It’s important to get regular duct cleaning in your area, for example, if you really want to breathe clean air inside your home.
Protect Yourself from Infection
Respiratory infections can be serious. People can transfer illnesses through contact, or even via the air we breathe inside a building or vehicle. You can prevent infection by doing the following regularly:
- Wash your hands using soap and water every time you step outside or get exposed to many people.
- Avoid crowded areas, especially during flu season. If you can stay indoors as much as possible, do so.
- Observe proper oral hygiene to keep germs off of your mouth.
- Get influenza shots every year.
Don’t spread the disease. If you’re sick, protect others around you by staying away from them, wearing protective masks, and staying home instead of going to work or school until you’re better.
Our lungs often get neglected, even though they play a huge role in our lives. It’s time to take care of them by keeping ourselves healthy, staying away from infection, and stopping or avoiding cigarette smoke. These are small changes you can do on your own, and you won’t need any bigger motivation other than that our lungs keep us alive.
