Breathing is our body's connection with life, and the lungs are responsible for taking care of this critical job. Therefore, if you want to lead a healthy life, you need to get proactive about your lungs' health. There is a range of chronic pulmonary diseases like asthma, bronchitis, COPD that affects the quality of life. You need to improve your lung health to take the edge off those chronic respiratory problems.
However, diseases are not just the only factors that cause respiratory issues. A healthy individual exposed to smoke, pollen, and environmental toxins can also experience breathing difficulties on occasions. The continuous exposure of harmful airborne particles also takes a toll on the lungs' health without causing any particular disease.
The good news is you can reduce lung damage and manage respiratory disease symptoms with lifestyle changes. One of the most notable changes is improving your dieting habit and adding more foods to your meals proven beneficial for the lungs.
In this post, we will share some food items that should be part of your regular diet. All these dietary options are easily available and let you boost the health of the pair of vital organs that keep us alive.
Pumpkins
Pumpkins are not just good for Halloween decorations. They are also great for your lung health with their beneficial plant compound called carotenoids. These compounds have been researched for their impressive anti-inflammatory and antioxidant attributes. Clinical studies also indicate that high levels of carotenoids in the blood are linked with improved lung function.
The lung-related beneficial role of carotenoids is also highlighted by the fact that smokers have a 25% lower concentration of this plant pigment in their blood. Whether you are a smoker or a nonsmoker, you can maintain healthy levels of carotenoids in your blood by making pumpkin-based dishes a regular fixture of your diet. There are many savory ways to consume this winter squash, from pumpkin pie to pumpkin dips and dinner rolls.
Beetroot
This dynamic crimson-red root plant is not just easy on the eyes. It is also packed with a host of nutritions considered beneficial for various physiological functions. If we particularly talk about one significant benefit of consuming a fair amount of beetroots, it is improved lung health.
Beetroots are rich in nitrates that improve lung function in multiple capacities. Nitrates reduce blood pressure, help blood vessels relax, and assist oxygen uptake optimization. Besides nitrates, beetroots and their greens also contain vitamin C, magnesium, carotenoids, and potassium. All these micronutrients are also beneficial for lung health.
As per research, supplements derived from beetroots also improve lung function and physical performance in people suffering from various pulmonary diseases like COPD and pulmonary hypertension.
You can improve your beetroot uptake for better lung health by eating more of its salads in lunch and as a snack.
Turmeric
Turmeric is a spice primarily used in Asian foods. It is known for its strong color and slightly bitter and warmer taste. Over the last couple of decades, research has been conducted on turmeric to study its health benefits. This extensive research spell has also revealed that curcumin, the active compound in turmeric, helps improve lung function.
Various studies have correlated the greater consumption of curcumin with improved lung function. It is also found out that smokers with increased curcumin consumption tend to experience better lung function than other smokers.
There are many exciting ways to increase the consumption of curcumin via turmeric. You can add a pinch of turmeric to your smoothies. Turmeric can also be added to soups. You can also use turmeric in stews to give them a vibrant color and make them healthy for the lungs.
Blueberry
Blueberry doesn't boast just an elite taste. It also contains a range of healthy nutrients. A flavonoid called anthocyanin is present in blueberries that have been studied for its positive effect on the lungs. Researchers have found out that anthocyanin shields lung tissues from oxidative damage.
There are many delicious ways to make blueberries part of your diet. Prepare shakes and desserts or eat them raw and fresh. You just need to ensure that you consume its beneficial flavonoid with impressive antioxidant properties.
Swiss Chard
Leafy greens are all-around healthy food options, and the Swiss chard among them is considered good for improving lung functions. Swiss chard is extra rich in magnesium that protects the building blocks of lungs called bronchioles from inflammation. Relaxed bronchioles ensure no airway restriction in the respiratory conducting passage.
You can consume Swiss chard in the form of salads as well as soups. You can also prepare sautéed Swiss chard with cheese to make its consumption more savory.
Besides incorporating those fruits and vegetables into your diet, you also need to carry out breathing exercises to improve your lung function and health. A respiratory training device like Orygen Dual Valve can come in useful in this regard. The regular and right use of this device strengthens your inspiratory and expiratory muscles. Those strengthened respiratory muscles improve lung function without needing supplements.