It's important to keep your lungs stay healthy. In today article, we are going to discuss the Food To Keep Your Lungs Healthy. Common factors, such as exposure to cigarette smoke and environmental toxins, and an inflammatory diet, can put stress on this pair of important organs. In addition, common conditions such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and pulmonary fibrosis can significantly affect your quality of life.
However, research has shown that lifestyle changes, including a nutrient-rich diet, can help protect the lungs and to reduce lung damage and disease symptoms. In addition, certain nutrients and foods are particularly beneficial for lung function.
How Your Lungs Work
Before we jump into what foods are best for your lungs healthy, it's important to understand a few basics about the respiratory system.
The lungs are part of the active respiratory system. Their ability is responsible for oxygen flow and carbon dioxide expulsion. They contain spongy tissue and can be divided into lobes, with 3 in your right lung and 2 on the left. The human respiratory system has a series of events that take place every day.
Air flows into the lungs through the windpipe when inhaling. Air travels down one tube to each lung. These bronchi branch out to small sacs called alveoli. A variety of alveoli clusters in your lungs provide the passage for oxygen to enter your blood and for carbon dioxide to leave.
Keep Your Lungs Healthy and Improving Breathing
It can be easy to overlook how vulnerable our lungs are because they are in our bodies just like other organs. However, unlike our other organs, they receive a direct airway flow that can carry anything from our environment, including dust, viruses, bacteria, chemicals, and other scary substances, directly into our bloodstream, making them quite vulnerable. For this reason, our airways are equipped with mucus-secreting cells, immune cells, and cells with tiny hairs called cilia that help trap dangerous compounds before they can reach deep into our lungs.
In addition, the mucous membranes of our lungs can become inflamed when they come into contact with threatening substances as a defense mechanism. Even with this built-in protection system, substances and viruses can enter our lungs and cause breathing difficulties, coughing, inflammation, and possibly even long-term damage. Fortunately, we can improve the health of other organs in the same way with food, herbs, and other therapies. We can also choose foods and various techniques that strengthen our lungs and potentially improve our breathing.
foods to keep your lungs healthy
Here are the 9 foods to keep your lungs healthy:
Peppers
Peppers are one of the richest sources of vitamin C, a water-soluble nutrient that acts as a powerful antioxidant in the body. Getting enough vitamin C is especially important for those who smoke. Because of the harmful effects of cigarette smoke on the body's antioxidant reserves, it is recommended that people who smoke consume an additional 35 mg of vitamin C per day.
Smokers with a high intake of vitamin C have better lung function than smokers with a lower intake of vitamin C. Eating only one medium-sized sweet red pepper (119 grams) provides 169% of the recommended intake of vitamin C.
Kiwi
research shows that vitamin C and other antioxidants in fruits can play an important role in lung health. It's time to get oranges and grapefruits, isn't it? If it branches out a little into fruiting (pun intended), you can find a better option. While citrus fruits are a great source of vitamin C, kiwis actually contain three times more vitamin C and other important antioxidants than oranges and strawberries.
Studies also mention those older participants who ate several kiwis a day were able to reduce the severity and duration of symptoms of an upper respiratory tract infection, with a direct link between the nutrients found in kiwi and the improvement of lung disease.
Apples
research has shown that eating apples regularly can boost lung function. For example, studies show that apple consumption is linked to a slower decrease in lung function in former smokers. In addition, eating five or more apples a week is associated with stronger lung function and a reduced risk of COPD. Apple intake has also been linked to a lower risk of asthma and lung cancer. This may be due to the high concentration of antioxidants in apples, including flavonoids and vitamin C.
The study shows that apples can help repair lung damage in people who have quit smoking. It also suggests that a diet rich in fruits can slow down the natural aging process of the lungs, even if you have never smoked before.
Blueberries
Fresh blueberries are packed with nutrients and their consumption has been linked to a number of health benefits, including protecting and maintaining lung function. Acai and blueberry are two of the most effective berries that help keep the lungs healthy. They are rich in antioxidants such as vitamin C, which help fight free radicals that damage cells. Berries are rich in antioxidants, which protect the lungs, according to the American Cancer Society.
Acai and blueberries are two of the most important sources, but blueberries, grapes, and strawberries are also good for the lungs. A study of 839 veterans found that blueberry intake was associated with the slower rate of decreased lung function and that consuming 2 or more servings of blueberries a week slowed the decline in lung function by up to 38% compared to a low or no intake of blueberries
Green tea
Research has shown that eating apples regularly can boost lung function. For example, studies show that apple consumption is linked to a slower decrease in lung function in former smokers. In addition, eating five or more apples a week is associated with stronger lung function and a reduced risk of COPD. Apple intake has also been linked to a lower risk of asthma and lung cancer. This may be due to the high concentration of antioxidants in apples, including flavonoids and vitamin C.
The study shows that apples can help repair lung damage in people who have quit smoking. It also suggests that a diet rich in fruits can slow down the natural aging process of the lungs, even if you have never smoked before.
olive oil
Consuming olive oil can help protect against respiratory diseases such as asthma. Olive oil is a concentrated source of anti-inflammatory antioxidants, including polyphenols and vitamin E, which are responsible for its powerful health benefits.
For example, a study of 871 people found that people with high olive oil consumption had a lower risk of asthma. In addition, the Mediterranean diet, which is rich in olive oil, has been shown to promote lung function in smokers, people with COPD, and asthma
Fatty Fish
Wild fatty fish such as sardines and salmon are rich in vitamin D. Researchers have found that vitamin D deficiency is linked to all types of chronic lung diseases. These include interstitial pneumonia, cystic fibrosis, asthma, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
Vitamin D has powerful anti-inflammatory properties and also plays an important role in the function of the immune system. Researchers believe this is one of the many reasons why vitamin D can be easier to prevent or improve breathing problems.
Tomatoes
Tomatoes are another food that contains high levels of antioxidants that can help maintain lung health. Studies have found that people with high serum levels of carotenoids, a class of antioxidants found in tomatoes, enjoy better lung health on average.
Another found that former smokers with the highest tomato consumption experienced less decline in lung function as they age.
Oysters
Oysters are loaded with nutrients that are essential for lung health, such as zinc, selenium, B vitamins, and copper. Studies show that people with higher levels of selenium and copper in their blood have better lung function compared to people with lower levels of these nutrients.
In addition, oysters are an excellent source of B vitamins and zinc, nutrients that are particularly important for people who smoke. Smoking breaks down certain B vitamins, including vitamin B12, which is concentrated in oysters. In addition, studies show that increased zinc intake may protect smokers from developing COPD
Foods to avoid
In general, to your lungs healthy, you should avoid causing inflammation, weakening the immune system, and processed foods that contain additives such as nitrates.
Processed foods
Processed foods containing nitrates Studies show that added nitrates, a preservative found in processed meat, increase the risk of remittances to hospitals for COPD.
Avoid: Sausages, bacon, beef jerky, and other processed meats unless it is organic and explicitly stated “free of nitrates” on the packaging.
Dairy Foods
Some studies suggest that proteins in milk and dairy products may cause increased mucus production And while studies are contradictory, many asthmatics say that stopping dairy products dramatically reduces the bad symptoms.
Avoid: Processed dairy products such as milk, cheese, cream, etc.
Bottom Line : 9 Food To Keep Your Lungs Healthy
Like other organs, our lungs can respond positively to certain nutrients and beneficial compounds, and certain breathing exercises can also improve their function. In addition, lung diseases can be aggravated by eating unhealthy pro-inflammatory foods.
Eating a healthy diet rich in antioxidants and following some regular practices to support lung health can go a long way in preventing lung and respiratory problems.
