7 Tips for Healthy Lungs

The lungs are essential parts of the respiratory system, which helps you breathe. They provide oxygen to your body and remove carbon dioxide. Every cell needs oxygen to survive. The respiratory system brings in fresh air and gets rid of waste gases.

When you breathe in, oxygen goes into your lungs and then into your bloodstream, which carries it to your cells. At the cells, oxygen is swapped for carbon dioxide, which the blood brings back to the lungs to be exhaled. This process is called gas exchange and takes place 12 to 20 times every minute.

Besides gas exchange, the respiratory system also:

• Warms and humidifies the air.
• Protects the body from harmful substances by coughing, sneezing, filtering, or swallowing them.
• Supports your sense of smell.

Your lungs fully mature by the age of 20-25. After 35, it’s normal for lung function to gradually decline, making breathing a bit harder as you age. Several natural changes in the body contribute to this decline in lung capacity. Breathing muscles, like the diaphragm, can weaken. Lung tissue that keeps airways open can lose elasticity, causing airways to narrow. Additionally, changes in the rib cage bones can reduce the space available for lung expansion.

Despite the natural decline of lungs as you age, the good news is that you can maintain healthy lungs.

7 Tips for Maintaining Healthy Lungs

Like the rest of our body, our lungs need care and attention every day and it’s usually only when we experience breathing problems that we begin to appreciate how hard our lungs work for us.

These seven tips will help improve your lung health and keep these vital organs going strong.

1. Don’t Smoke

Smoking cigarettes can cause immediate harm to your health. Each puff of cigarette smoke contains over 7,000 chemicals and when inhaled, these chemicals quickly reach your lungs and then enter your bloodstream, spreading toxic substances throughout your body. One of these chemicals, carbon monoxide, displaces oxygen in your blood, depriving your organs of the oxygen they need.

Cigarette smoke also contains acrolein, which can damage the lungs and cause a sore throat within minutes, even at low levels. Additionally, some cigarettes contain bronchodilators, which are chemicals designed to open up the airways, increasing the amount of harmful chemicals absorbed by the lungs.

Smoking can have severe consequences on lung health at any age. Babies born to mothers who smoked during pregnancy may experience abnormal lung development. Teenagers who smoke can end up with smaller, weaker lungs that never reach their full potential. Smoking also damages the cilia, the tiny hairs in your airways that help keep dirt and mucus out of your lungs. When these cilia are destroyed, it leads to “smoker’s cough,” a persistent cough common among long-term smokers.

The damage from smoking doesn’t stop there. Smoking is responsible for 8 out of 10 cases of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a condition that makes breathing difficult and can be fatal due to severe airflow obstruction.

Additionally, smoking is the leading cause of lung cancer, the deadliest cancer for both men and women. Smokers are 20 times more likely to develop lung cancer compared to nonsmokers and smoking can also lead to other respiratory cancers including:

• Cancer of the oropharynx
• Cancer of the larynx
• Cancer of the trachea
• Cancer of the bronchus

The best way to maintain healthy lungs is to avoid tobacco altogether, and to also avoid secondhand smoke. However, if you’re already a smoker, quitting as soon as possible allows your lungs to start healing. Stopping smoking reduces the risk of cancer and leads to better overall health. Remarkably, just 12 hours after quitting, the carbon monoxide levels in your blood return to normal, improving oxygen flow to your organs.

Talk to your doctor for information and resources about how to quit smoking. Contact Stephenson Cancer Center OU Health for more information about lung cancer.

2. Exercise Regularly

When your lungs are at rest, and during the majority of everyday activities, they are only working at 50% of their capacity. Lungs thrive on activity and movement.

Engaging in physical activity makes your heart and lungs work harder to deliver the extra oxygen your muscles need. Just as regular exercise strengthens your muscles, it also enhances the strength of your lungs and heart. As your fitness levels improve, your body becomes more efficient at oxygenating your blood and transporting it to your muscles. This increased efficiency is why you become less likely to feel short of breath during exercise over time.

It’s recommended that adults do 30 minutes of moderate physical activity at least five days a week. This doesn’t need to be a structured exercise program to be effective. Activities such as brisk walking, recreational cycling, gardening, and vigorous housecleaning all count as moderate exercise.

Both aerobic and muscle-strengthening activities are beneficial for your lungs. Aerobic exercises like walking, running, or jumping rope provide your heart and lungs with the workout they need to operate efficiently. Muscle-strengthening exercises, such as weightlifting or Pilates, enhance core strength, improve posture, and tone the muscles involved in breathing.

If you have lung disease you can and should engage in regular exercise for the same benefits as everyone else. Exercise helps keep your lungs and heart strong, improves your ability to perform daily tasks, and enhances your overall well-being. However, if you already experience shortness of breath, the idea of increasing physical activity can be daunting. Always talk to your doctor before you start or modify your exercise routine, and if you have lung disease it’s crucial to talk to your doctor or healthcare team to develop a fitness plan tailored to your needs.

3. Avoid Air Pollutants

Air pollution can impact everyone’s health, and no level of air pollution is safe to breathe. Maintaining good air quality is crucial for lung health. Breathing polluted air can irritate your lungs, causing shortness of breath, coughing, wheezing, asthma flare-ups, and chest pain.

Indoor Air Quality

Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) refers to the air within buildings where we work, live, and play. Since we spend up to 90% of our time indoors, IAQ is vital for everyone. Surprisingly, indoor air can be more polluted than outdoor air. Sources of indoor pollution include secondhand smoke, household and workplace chemicals, mold, and radon, all of which can cause or worsen lung disease. To improve indoor air quality, ensure proper ventilation, use air purifiers, and avoid using products with strong odors. If you suspect that something in your home, school, or workplace is affecting your health, talk to your doctor or healthcare provider.

Outdoor Air Pollution

Outdoor air quality can fluctuate daily and sometimes becomes unhealthy to breathe. Understanding how outdoor air pollution affects your health, and learning strategies to minimize exposure can help protect you and your family. Climate change and natural disasters also directly impact lung health.

To protect your lungs from outdoor pollution, the following tips will help:

• Avoid exercising outdoors on days with poor air quality and high pollution levels. When the air is bad, walk indoors in a shopping mall or gym or use an exercise machine. Limit the amount of time your child spends playing outdoors if the air quality is unhealthy.
• Stay away from high-traffic areas during physical activities.
• Check the daily air quality in your area to stay informed.
• Refrain from burning wood or trash, as these activities release harmful pollutants into the air.

It’s important that you talk to your doctor about how to manage your lung condition during extreme air events, including high air pollution, allergens, and wildfires.

4. Get Regular Check Ups and Screening

Detecting lung cancer early, when it’s still small and hasn’t spread, significantly increases the chances of successful treatment. Unfortunately, early detection is challenging because lung cancer often doesn’t cause symptoms until it has advanced. Even when symptoms do appear, they can easily be mistaken for other health issues.

Regular check-ups are essential for disease prevention, and this is particularly important for lung disease, which can often go unnoticed until it becomes severe. This is where screening becomes crucial. Screening involves checking for cancer and other diseases in individuals who don’t show symptoms. For those at high risk of lung cancer, these tests can be lifesaving.

Annual screening is recommended for people aged between 50 and 80 who have a 20 pack-year or longer smoking history and still smoke or were smokers within the past 15 years. Adults who have had prolonged exposure to asbestos, radon gas, air pollution or secondhand cigarette smoke should also see their physician for screening advice.

Here are some common tests and screenings for lung health:

• Routine Check-Ups: Your doctor will listen to your breathing and discuss any symptoms.
• Spirometry: Measures how much air you can inhale and exhale, useful for diagnosing asthma and COPD.
• Chest X-ray: Detects lung conditions like pneumonia and lung cancer.
• CT Scan: Provides detailed images to identify lung abnormalities.
• Low-Dose CT (LDCT) Scan: Recommended for high-risk individuals (heavy smokers ages 50-80) to detect lung cancer early.
• Bronchoscopy: Uses a camera to examine the airways and collect samples.
• Sputum Cytology: Examines mucus for cancer cells and other issues.

Talk to your doctor to schedule a screening.

5. Stay Up to Date with Vaccinations

Vaccinations can protect you from respiratory infections like influenza and pneumonia, which can harm your lungs. They help your body prepare to fight off viruses and severe illnesses. Some vaccines train your immune system to recognize the virus, while others provide antibodies directly. For most people, this includes getting the latest flu and COVID-19 vaccines.

Everyone aged 75 and older should receive the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine. The CDC recommends that adults aged 60-74 who are at higher risk for severe RSV also get vaccinated.

To protect infants from severe RSV, the CDC advises that either the pregnant mother gets the RSV vaccine, or the infant receives an RSV monoclonal antibody immunization. Most infants will not need both.

Individuals with lung conditions or other health issues are at a higher risk for lung infections and conditions including pneumonia, influenza, and whopping cough. Vaccinations can help prevent some of these infections and also protect others by reducing the spread of diseases.

When planning your vaccinations, consider getting multiple vaccines at the same visit. Influenza, COVID-19, and RSV vaccines can be administered together. Talk to your healthcare provider to determine which vaccines are right for you.

6. Stay Hydrated

Hydration is important for whole body wellbeing, but staying hydrated is also vital to maintain good lung health. Staying hydrated helps your lungs by doing the following:

Thins Mucus

Drinking enough water helps keep the mucus in your airways thin and flowing. This makes it easier to expel and reduces the risk of buildup, which can lead to infections.

Prevents Dehydration Effects

When you’re dehydrated, the mucus in your lungs can become thick and sticky. This not only makes breathing more difficult but also increases the likelihood of respiratory infections and worsens conditions like allergies.

Maintains Mucosal Linings

Proper hydration helps preserve the mucosal linings in your respiratory system, offering protection against infections and irritation.

Improves Overall Health

Staying well-hydrated supports overall health, including the efficient functioning of your heart and lungs. This can help prevent chronic conditions and promote longevity.

By ensuring you drink enough water daily, you can help keep your lungs healthy and reduce the risk of respiratory issues.

7. Practice Deep Breathing

Incorporating deep breathing exercises into your daily routine can significantly benefit your lung health and overall well-being for several reasons:

Improves Lung Capacity

Deep breathing exercises help expand the diaphragm and increase lung capacity, allowing your lungs to take in more oxygen and expel more carbon dioxide.

Enhances Oxygen Exchange

By fully inflating the lungs, deep breathing ensures that air reaches the smallest structures in the lungs, the alveoli, where oxygen and carbon dioxide exchange occurs. This improves the efficiency of oxygen delivery to the bloodstream and removal of waste gases.

Clears Lungs of Toxins

Deep breaths help clear out toxins and pollutants from the lungs, reducing the risk of respiratory infections and improving overall lung function.

Strengthens Respiratory Muscles

Regular deep breathing exercises strengthen the muscles involved in breathing, such as the diaphragm and intercostal muscles, making breathing more efficient and easier.

Incorporating daily breathing exercises into your daily routine can significantly benefit your lung health and stress levels. Start with a few minutes each day and gradually increase the duration as you become more comfortable.

Lung Health at OU Health

If you are between the ages of 50 and 80 and currently smoke, have a 20-pack-a-year history, or if you quit smoking in the last 15 years, you should consider being screened for lung cancer. Call to schedule a lung screening and learn more about lung cancer services at OU Health. Call (405) 271-5864.