Food For Health Lung Are you looking for a tasty and easy-to-prepare meal for your day? Healthy lungs need to be kept healthy, and that’s why we’ve created a delicious and nutritious cookbook where you can find the recipes that will help you with your health goals.
Food For A Health Lung
Lung disease is a common ailment that impacts millions of Americans, with more diagnosed each day. Whether you have a chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) like emphysema or bronchitis, have asthma or are navigating lung pain from a mesothelioma diagnosis, lung disease can be uncomfortable and impact your quality of life.
While exposure to asbestos or hereditary asthma might not be avoidable, you have the power over what foods you eat. Shying away from high-calorie, fried foods can help you maintain your overall health while easing symptoms of lung disease.
- Healthy Fats Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats don’t contain cholesterol and usually come from plant sources. These healthy fats can help manage blood pressure, reduce inflammation and improve your overall health, which can help you breathe easier.
- Proteins Proteins help keep your body strong and can help your body produce immune system cells. You’ll want to eat a good source of protein at least twice per day to help strengthen your respiratory cells and make you stronger.
- Complex Carbs Complex carbohydrates are high in fiber, which can help regulate the digestive system and blood sugar levels. You’ll want to limit simple carbohydrates such as table sugar and candy, which can cause obesity and hypertension. Instead, opt for complex carbs such as those found in some produce and whole-grain bread and pasta, which can help provide fiber and energy.
- Fresh Produce Fresh fruits and vegetables include minerals, vitamins and fiber that help keep your body healthy and in shape. However, some produce is better for your lung health than others. Opt for berries, pineapples and grapes over apples, apricots and peaches, which can cause bloating.
- Potassium Potassium can help reduce water retention, regulate blood pressure and improve digestion, so it’s important to have a healthy level of it to maintain good lung function. The most common source of potassium is bananas, but it’s also found in other produce items.
Foods to Promote Lung Health
These five foods have been shown to have a positive impact on lung health.
- Apples Due to the presence of the antioxidant quercetin, apples have been proven to reduce lung decline and even reduce lung damage caused by smoking. Those who eat five or more apples per week were also at a reduced risk of developing COPD.
- Beets Beetroot and beet greens have been shown to benefit lung function, relax blood pressure and optimize oxygen intake, all of which can help someone struggling to breathe. Beets are also packed with vitamins and nutrients that promote lung health, like magnesium and potassium.
- Pumpkin Pumpkins are rich in carotenoids, which are associated with higher lung function. Carotenoids also contain antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, which promote overall health and comfort.
- Tomatoes Tomatoes are one of the richest vegetable sources of lycopene, a carotenoid that has been associated with improved lung function. Consuming tomatoes and tomato products has also been linked to reduced lung decline and airway inflammation.
- Leafy Greens Leafy greens such as bok choy, spinach and kale are a rich source of carotenoids, iron, potassium, calcium and vitamins. These nutrients have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects, which can help reduce lung inflammation and promote overall health.
10 Best Foods for Healthy Lungs – World Lung Day 2021
Published On September 24, 2021 2 min read
Healthy lungs are the key to an active and fulfilling life. Most of us ignore our lung health, others don’t really pay much attention to it before it starts to deteriorate.
According to WHO respiratory diseases are a global health concern.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) affects almost 65 million people and causes at least 3 million deaths globally each year!
On World Lung Day, 25th September 2021 let’s make a pledge to keep our lungs healthy in order to prevent lung diseases.
You can keep your lungs healthy by quitting smoking, limiting exposure to air pollution, regular exercises, and maintaining a healthy diet.
What are the best foods for healthy lungs?
Below is a list of the top 10 foods for lung health:
1. Water
Drinking plenty of water is good for your lungs. Lungs consist of 85% water and require an adequate supply of it to function well.
There’s also a mucus lining around your lungs. Drinking enough water ensures that this lining remains thin. A thinner lining results in better functioning lungs.
2. Chili peppers
Chili peppers can be surprisingly good for your lungs. They contain a compound called “capsaicin.”
According to a study on chili peppers, capsaicin can slow down the formation of tumors in the lungs and can stop lung cancer metastasis.
3. Apples
Apples are excellent for lung health. They contain “quercetin” an antioxidant that prevents lung damage caused by smoking. Regularly eating apples can also prevent COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) according to research.
4. Turmeric
Adding turmeric to your diet can prove to be beneficial for your lung health.
Turmeric contains curcumin, a compound having antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties which can prevent lung diseases, cleanse and strengthen the lungs.
5. Oranges
Oranges are one of the best foods for healthy lungs. They are rich in Vitamin C and antioxidants. Eating oranges can therefore boost immunity and prevent respiratory infections.
The orange peel is also known to aid respiratory distress. It can cleanse the lungs of irritation and congestion.
6. Tomatoes
Eating tomatoes and tomato products can protect your lungs from deterioration and inflammation.
They contain lycopene, a carotenoid that promotes better lung function. They slow down lung decline as well as heal damage to the lungs caused by smoking.
7. Olive Oil
Olive oil is highly beneficial for your lungs. The monosaturated fatty acids in olive oil have anti-inflammatory properties which help reduce lung inflammation.
Moreover, alpha-tocopherol a type of Vitamin-E found in olive oil improves lung function.
8. Leafy Greens
Leafy greens like spinach can reduce your chances of getting lung cancer.
They are rich in iron, vitamins, calcium, and other nutrients that strengthen the lungs and also have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that reduce inflammation.
9. Pomegranate
Pomegranates stop the growth of cancer cells in the lungs. It can also prevent various respiratory disorders.
Pomegranate juice contains antioxidants that prevent lung injury
10. Coffee
Coffee can greatly benefit your lungs and keep respiratory diseases at bay.
Research suggests that caffeine that is antioxidant and anti-inflammatory can improve lung function and reduce the risk of asthma.
Suffering from a respiratory disease or any other lung-related health concern? oladoc can help you book an appointment or online video consultation with the best pulmonologists in Lahore, Karachi, and Islamabad.
The Best Foods for Your Lung Health
Citrus fruits are among the foods you can add to your diet to support the health of your lungs.
Image Credit: marilyna/iStock/GettyImages
All-day, every day, your lungs wage endless battles against bacteria, pollution and respiratory viruses. A good way to keep your lungs healthy and in tiptop shape can be through what you eat. Here are some nutrients and foods for healthy lungs to consider adding to your diet.
Some nutrients are key when it comes to your lung health and your ability to fight off respiratory infections. According to Coronado, California-based double board-certified pulmonary specialist Asha Devereaux, MD, MPH, these include:
- Omega-3 fatty acids.
- Vitamins C and D.
- Antioxidants like polyphenols and carotenoids.
A May 2018 meta-analysis in Respiratory Research of 109 studies on topics pertaining to nutrients and respiratory disease also found that increasing evidence shows these nutrients may also have a protective role:
- Vitamin E.
- Curcumin.
- Choline.
Try the Mediterranean Diet
It may sound like a lot, but according to Dr. Devereaux, “If you follow the Mediterranean diet, it’ll cover it all.” Per the Cleveland Clinic, there is no single method for the Mediterranean diet, except that you will eat mostly plant-based foods such as:
- Fruits and vegetables.
- Potatoes.
- Whole grains.
- Beans.
- Nuts and seeds.
- Extra virgin olive oil.
Per Respiratory Research, the Mediterranean diet seems to benefit your airways and even protect against tobacco smoke — though no protection against other air pollutants was shown.
Chomp on Vitamin C
For that breath of fresh air, think C — vitamin C. “I always tell my pulmonary patients to make sure they get a serving of broccoli in at least a few times a week,” Dr. Devereaux says. “And, of course, citrus … and bell peppers are good sources of vitamin C.” It seems so simple, but yes, a little dose of orange or lemon can be good for your lungs.
The Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS) recommends you aim for five varied servings of fruits and vegetables per day to get your vitamin C. Some other foods rich in vitamin C include tomatoes and tomato juice, potatoes, Brussels sprouts and cantaloupe, as well as some fortified breakfast cereals.
Devour More Vitamins D and E
Vitamins D and E can also help protect the lungs from pollution damage that can trigger asthma flare-ups, COPD and lung cancer, according to the Respiratory Research review. Per findings in a September 2020 review in PLOS Pathogens, vitamin D has been proven effective in hampering hyperinflammatory responses and accelerating healing in the lung tissue in myriad upper respiratory infections.
The easiest way to get more vitamin D is 10 minutes of sunshine daily, Dr. Devereaux says. Beyond those rays, she suggests you add cod liver oil, fatty fish or fortified milk to your diet as the best sources for achieving the 800 to 1,000 IU/day she recommends.
And to get your vitamin E, the ODS suggests adding nuts, seeds and cooking oils (soybean, canola and other vegetable oils), as well as green leafy veggies and fortified cereals to your meals.
Consume Carotenoids and Omega-3s
Important carotenoids, as noted by the Respiratory Research review, include lutein, lycopene, beta-carotene and vitamin A.
Though smokers and people exposed to asbestos are discouraged from taking beta-carotene supplements due to a potential increased risk of cancer, eating foods high in this nutrient is safe and potentially even beneficial for their lung health, Dr. Devereaux says.
Dietary sources of vitamin A come in retinol and carotenoids. You can find the former in animal sources (eggs, whole milk, liver), while carrots and other orange and yellow fruits will give you the latter.
For lycopene, Dr. Devereaux recommends tomatoes — but be sure not to refrigerate them, she notes, as that degrades their lycopene. And, she adds, you should up your leafy greens intake to get more lutein, which “can improve lung function in smokers.”
Finally, don’t forget those lung-healthy anti-inflammatory omega-3s. Some easy ways to get more omega-3s include fish and nuts (like walnuts), she notes.
Protect With Polyphenols
Another potential lung protector, polyphenols are widely found in plants and are anti-inflammatory and antioxidant-packed, according to an April 2016 review in the journal Current Opinion in Food Science.
To up your intake, Dr. Devereaux recommends sipping on green tea and black coffee. And, bonus, she says: The caffeine can act as a bronchodilator to open up your airways. In terms of food, she suggests adding polyphenol-rich red and purple berries and fruits, including pomegranate, raspberries and strawberries to your diet.