Stopping tobacco use is the fastest way to improve lung health. Smoking narrows airways and makes breathing harder. Chronic inflammation increases with smoking duration.
Stop Smoking
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1
Physical activity makes your heart and lungs work harder to oxygenate your muscles. Regular exercise strengthens your heart and lungs.
Exercise regularly
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2
The process of converting food into energy with oxygen (or metabolism) requires your lungs. No single food provides all nutrients.
Maintain a healthy diet and stay hydrated
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3
Even when you're healthy, keep your doctor's appointments to prevent illness. Lung disease, especially, can go undiagnosed until it's advanced.
Get annual check-ups
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4
Vaccination is the best way to prevent the spread of infectious respiratory diseases like influenza, COVID-19, pneumococcal pneumonia, and RSV.
Stay up to date with vaccinations
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5
Outdoor air can be cleaner than indoor air, but many pollutants make it unhealthy. Over 30% of Americans live in unhealthy outdoor air.
Avoid outdoor air pollution exposure
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Secondhand smoke, household chemicals, mold, and radon can pollute indoor air and harm your lungs. Indoor air pollutants are especially dangerous for chronic lung patients.
Improve indoor air quality
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7
Many ways to breathe deeply can improve lung function and help you manage stress. Lung strength and endurance can improve with these breathing exercises.
Practice deep breathing
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Handwashing regularly for 20 seconds can prevent infections. Hand sanitizer can be used when water is scarce.
Maintain good hygiene
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Low-dose CT scans can detect lung cancer before symptoms appear, reducing high-risk deaths. Consult your doctor to see if you qualify for the test.