How to Stay on Top of Your Lung Health

Your lungs work tirelessly, breathing in and out to supply oxygen to all the cells, tissues, and organs in your body and release waste like carbon dioxide gas. You may not think much about your lungs until you experience breathing problems.

However, whether you have a breathing disorder or not, staying on top of your lung health is good for you and your body.

At Respacare in Bridgewater, New Jersey, Dr. Nehal Mehta and Dr. Prashant Patel want you to know how to care for your lungs to keep them strong and healthy.

Why lung health matters

Your lungs are like balloons, filling up with air when you inhale and deflating as you exhale. When you breathe in, oxygen and other gasses transfer to the bloodstream through tiny sacs called alveoli. At the same time, carbon dioxide and other waste products are released into your lungs so you can breathe them out.

Every cell, organ, and tissue relies on oxygen to survive, which is why lung health matters. Healthy lungs are more efficient at taking in oxygen to meet needs.

Daily habits for healthy lungs

Breathing is an automatic function controlled by your nervous system. While you don’t have to think about breathing, your daily habits can affect lung function. 

Breathing exercises improve lung strength and elasticity, helping them work more efficiently. For example, deep breathing increases lung capacity, or the amount of oxygen your lungs can hold, improving the amount of oxygen in your lungs. 

Exercise also forces your lungs to work harder in order to increase oxygen intake to meet muscle demands. Regularly pushing your lungs to work harder improves strength and function, making them more efficient.

Not smoking or quitting smoking is also good for your lungs. Smoking damages lung tissue, making it harder to breathe in enough oxygen. It also increases the risk of lung diseases like emphysema and lung cancer. 

Eating a balanced diet is also good for your lungs, providing the nutrients that support health and function.

If you’re not sure about lung health, we can perform lung function tests to measure capacity. We can then recommend pulmonary rehabilitation exercises. 

Protecting lung health

Staying on top of lung health also means protecting against disease. The flu and COVID-19 are respiratory infections that may affect breathing and lung health. Getting vaccinated against contagious respiratory viruses may lower your risk of illness or developing serious symptoms. 

If you have a breathing disorder like chronic bronchitis or asthma, following your treatment plan is the best thing you can do to stay on top of lung health. Visits with your doctor for pulmonary monitoring are also important so they can adjust your plan as needed. 

At Respacare, we use advanced diagnostic tools to monitor lung function, including pulmonary stress testing to check how well your lungs work during exercise. Eating good nutrition, getting regular exercise, and not smoking are healthy habits you can practice to stay on top of your lung health. 

Be sure to talk to one of our medical professionals if you have any breathing issues or concerns. For expert lung care from our experienced team, call our office today or request an appointment online.