Breathing is a good thing. When the lungs stop working the body quickly stops functioning. Your lungs move oxygen into your body from where it is distributed to your cells.
If this is poorly functioning you will have problems performing daily tasks as your energy level drops to compensate for lower oxygen levels.

What is a healthy lung function for you varies on several factors - weight, gender, age, height, level of activity and even where you live. A pulmonologist can determine where you are in terms of lung capacity but there are several steps you can take to keep your body functioning at healthy levels.

If you smoke - stop. It's a hard habit to break but it's doing damage not only to your lungs but to those of the people around you. The constant irritation to the lungs is one of the main causes behind emphysema, cancer and many other serious health problems. Second hand smoke has been found to be dangerous also so try to remove yourself from prolonged exposure.

Your lungs shrink as you age but you can build them up with exercise. If you push your body harder your lungs have to work more to keep up and overtime they'll increase their capacity.
No exercise routine should be started without a doctor's approval but a decent workout two or three times a week can give you more energy in your daily routines. On a personal note I began walking our dogs four to five times a week. We go on a route which takes between twenty to thirty minutes. Not only do my pets look forward to the experience, I've found that I have more energy during the day.

Make healthy changes to your diet. Unless you are in serious trouble you probably won't stick to an extreme shift in the foods you eat. But try to eat vegetables, lean meats and cook with olive or other vegetable oils. Garlic has been shown to improve lung blood vessel function and is an excellent way to add flavor to otherwise bland foods. Red wine and olive oil contain the chemical resveratol which has been shown to reduce inflammation in the lungs. Don't over indulge in the wine, but a glass before bedtime can be a substitute for a less healthy snack. The remarkable onion is packed with vitamins and nutrients and is credited with providing many health benefits. (On a side note - fry onions with garlic in olive oil and you've got a tasty, flavorful start to a meal.) Try eating a healthy dinner or lunch whenever you can instead of resorting to fast food. Surprisingly many people find that the easier alternative provided by the drive-thru doesn't taste as good as before.

The above suggestions are a few ways you can work on improving your overall health which includes your lung capacity. If you have trouble breathing or have concerns for whatever reason about your respiratory health visit your doctor and get checked out. There are many treatments and options available for these problems but you have to be diagnosed first so the health care professionals know where to begin.

Learn more about this author, Cindy Abbate.
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