Look afte your lung R r s

Those who suffer with conditions such as asthma have always had to prioritise their respiratory health. Now, the long-term effects of coronavirus have made us all aware of its importance. explores the lifestyle habits that impact our lungs and discovers h

Michele O’Connor Bad: Shallow (chest) breathing

“Many of us have a habit of breathing using only the top part of the lungs,” says Eluned Hughes, head of health advice at the British Lung Foundation. “But if we don’t use the correct muscles properly, they get weaker over time.”

Shallow breathing not only means we don’t fill the lungs with oxygen but it can also make the body feel stressed.

Good: Deep (belly) breathing

“This is the most efficient way to breathe and means using the diaphragm – the muscle at the base of the lungs – to allow more oxygen in and more carbon dioxide out,” explains Eluned.

Babies and children do this but, as we get older we get out of the habit of abdominal breathing. Imagine a balloon in the stomach. Inhale, and gently inflate the ‘balloon’. On the exhale, let it deflate. ■■TIP Yoga is a great way to help you

become more aware of breathing.

Bad: Slouching

“Poor posture limits the amount of room your lungs have to move,” explains Eluned. Hunching over your desk and rounding the shoulders tightens the chest, neck and shoulder muscles so, as well as stopping your rib cage from expanding to give your lungs enough room to fully inflate, the gas imbalance (of oxygen and carbon dioxide) can cause you to feel stressed and tired.

Good: BBC (Bums to back of chairs)

Sitting up straight and walking tall with your shoulders back provides your lungs with optimal space for breathing. That, in turn, gives you more energy.

■■TIP Practice ‘wall-angels’: Standing with your back and head against a wall, move your arms up and down — like you do to make a snow angel — and feel your chest open up.

Bad: Inactivity

A recent study of 2,000 adults commissioned by the British Lung Foundation found that even light-tomoderate exercise leaves millions of adults breathless and struggling.

“But, even if you have a lung condition, avoiding activities that make you breathless means your muscles (including the respiratory muscles) simply become weaker,” warns Eluned.

Weaker muscles need more oxygen to work. Over time you feel more and more breathless, creating a vicious circle of inactivity.

Good: Aerobic exercise

When we’re physically active, our heart and lungs work harder to

Bad: Air fresheners

These may help mask bad odours but every spray can send an array of synthetic chemicals into your home. Candles and incense sticks also emit pollutants. “Everything that burns releases particles,” explains Eluned. “But some are cleaner than others.”

Natural wax candles are better than paraffin wax, for instance.

Good: Open windows

Poor indoor air quality – dirt, dust and gases caused by anything from gas stoves and wood burners, to damp and mould – is linked to lung diseases like asthma and COPD.

“Opening your windows – even in winter – is the easiest and most efficient way to remove particles from the air in your home,” says Eluned. ■■TIP Neutralise cooking smells with natural methods, such as leaving a bowl of white vinegar in the kitchen or microwaving slices of lemon in water.

Bad: Household cleaning sprays

Common household cleaning products can contain chemicals called VOCs – volatile organic compounds – which irritate the mucous membranes that line the airways of the lungs.

A recent study published in the American Thoracic Society’s American Journal of Respiratory and Critical

Care Medicine found these products caused an increased decline in lung function in women who did the cleaning at home and in a workplace.

Always read the label, even on products labelled ‘green’ or ‘natural’. Choose solid or liquid products as opposed to sprays that disperse quickly and easily into the air.

Better still, use traditional cleaning methods, such as white vinegar, baking soda and lemon juice. Open your windows when you’re cleaning or decorating to ventilate your home.

Good: Damp cloth

Professor Cecilie Svanes of the University of Bergen, who conducted the study, advised that a wet microfibre cloth should be enough to clean most surfaces, without using any additional substances at all.

Bash cushions, rugs and throws against outside walls to reduce how much dust they’re holding.

Change your bedding weekly and wash it at 60 degrees to kill dust mites and germs.

■■TIP Vacuum your house regularly to avoid a build-up of dust, pollen and pet hair, adds Eluned.

Bad: Snoring

Not all snorers have obstructive sleep apnoea but this condition does affect the airways and how we breathe.

“The muscles in the throat relax during sleep, stopping air supply and the person wakes gasping for air,” explains Eluned.

This causes daytime tiredness because sleep is continually interrupted, so it’s important that it is investigated and treated. Some people require a CPAP machine – which forces air into the lungs and can increase quality of life.

Good: Singing

“Singing is great for our wellbeing and also helps control our breathing,” explains Eluned. “Holding long notes encourages us to lengthen our breath – without needing to concentrate – and also unconsciously improves our posture.”

In fact, certain singing techniques work in a similar way to breathing practices used to manage breathlessness in people with lung conditions.

■■TIP Watch comedies regularly as laughing also makes the lungs work a little harder.

Bad: Processed meats

Some studies have found an association between frequent intake of processed meats, such as sausages and bacon, and the risk of COPD. Researchers think the effects of nitrate — a preservative used in these meats — may cause lung tissue damage. Aim to eat more healthy proteins, such as lean meat, fish, beans and legumes instead.

Good: Fibre

Eating high-fibre foods, including vegetables, fruits and grains, already has proven health benefits. But researchers have found that people who ate the most fibre performed better in breathing tests than those who didn’t. Fibre is thought to have anti-inflammatory properties — and inflammation is a factor in many lung diseases. Choose wholewheat pasta and cereals, brown rice and plenty of vegetables.

■■TIP Avoid late, heavy meals that can cause acid reflux, which can affect breathing and even be a trigger for asthma.

Bad: Too much alcohol

Some people are sensitive to histamines and sulphites in alcohol which are known to trigger asthma symptoms, says Eluned. Studies suggest the drinks most likely to trigger asthma symptoms are wine (red, white, rose and sparkling), beer and cider.

Good: Drinking more water

Every cell, tissue and organ in the body relies on water to work properly – and the lungs are no exception. Staying hydrated helps keep fluid moving into the mucous membranes that line the lungs, giving them the flexibility they need. And it keeps mucus moving, adds Eluned. If mucus sits in your airways and lungs, you’re more likely to get an infection. ■■TIP The best way of checking you’re drinking enough is to routinely keep an eye on the colour of your urine, aiming for a light straw colour.