Here’s How to Maintain Lung Health Properly – As many of us know that there are more and more things to be afraid of. One of them is disease.

Lungs play a vital role in human survival. Without it, how would we be able to breathe? Therefore, we must take care of his health as best we can.

According to data from the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2017, tuberculosis or TB in Indonesia is the third highest in the world. Meanwhile, according to data from Globocan in 2018, the number of lung cancer sufferers in Indonesia is the highest in Southeast Asia.

Currently, the world is facing the COVID-19 pandemic. We are required to implement health protocols and maintain the best possible immune system to prevent transmission and serious infections. Well, lung health is one that should be a concern.

Starting from the pattern of daily life, here are some ways to maintain lung information health.

1. Quit smoking before smoking kills you
Nothing good comes from smoking. Smoking is definitely harmful to the lungs. Not only tuberculosis or lung cancer, smoking can cause chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) to asthma. For those who already have the disease, smoking can worsen the condition.

When smoking a cigarette, thousands of chemicals enter the lungs, such as nicotine, carbon monoxide, and tar. The effect is destructive! The lungs become slimy, making it difficult to clear themselves, irritated, and inflamed. Gradually, the airways become narrow, making it difficult to breathe.

The chemicals in cigarettes are also carcinogenic, so they make the lungs age faster and turn normal lung cells into cancer! In fact, the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says 90 percent of lung cancer deaths are caused by smoking.

The dangers of smoking are not only felt by active smokers, but also non-smokers who inhale the smoke, aka passive smokers.

Cigarette smoke contains more harmful substances. Because the concentration of chemicals in cigarette smoke drops drastically in the outside air, secondhand smoke can inadvertently inhale harmful amounts of the chemical.

So, try to stop smoking, and if you can avoid smoking areas so you don’t have to inhale the smoke. Indeed, it is not easy to quit smoking. However, with determination, the help of drugs, and therapy, it is not impossible to get out of cigarette dependence.

2. Exercise regularly so that the breath is smooth
Exercise is very important to maintain lung health. In fact, those with lung disorders are also advised to exercise regularly so that their quality of life is more optimal. The recommended exercises are:

Moderate-intensity aerobic exercise, such as walking, at least 150 minutes per week. If you engage in intense aerobic exercise, such as running, aim for 75 minutes per week.
Participate in activities that require muscle tone, such as weight training and lifting weights, at least 2 days a week.

Simple breathing exercises can also strengthen the lungs. Try following these breathing exercise tips:

Inhale through your nose. Then, exhale through pursed lips. Try to exhale twice as long as the inhale.
Practice abdominal breathing. Use the diaphragm to draw air deep into the lungs. Inhale and allow your stomach to expand, then exhale to contract your stomach.
Do both exercises while breathing normally for 5-10 minutes every day. When you are familiar with these techniques, you can try them when you experience shortness of breath.

3. Avoid inhaling pollutants outside the house
Exposure to airborne pollutants can damage the lungs and accelerate aging. When you are young and strong, the lungs can hold pollutants significantly. However, as they age, they lose some of that resistance and become more susceptible to infection and disease.

First, you can start by avoiding inhaling cigarette smoke or not coming out when the air quality is poor. Second, don’t exercise in a heavy traffic environment. Instead of being healthy, you are inhaling exhaust fumes that harm your lungs.

In addition to cigarette smoke and vehicles, pollutants can also come from the workplace. Occupations such as construction, mining and waste management can increase the risk of inhaling harmful pollutants. Always use personal protective equipment to maintain lung health.