Good news for coffee lovers: Your morning cup could be doing your lungs a favor. Research points to a connection between regular coffee and healthier lungs. This could be due to the caffeine, which is anti-inflammatory, and polyphenols, which are antioxidant and also anti-inflammatory.
Clinical studies have shown that caffeine is a weak bronchodilator, improving lung function for two to four hours after it is consumed.
Green tea
Green tea contains many antioxidants that may help reduce inflammation in the lungs. These compounds may even protect lung tissue from the harmful effects of smoke inhalation.
According to limited research studies, yes! This study from 2018 found that coffee was linked with a reduction in respiratory mortality, and one study discovered improved lung function in coffee drinkers.
Also remember that caffeine acts as a mild bronchodilator. So, any caffeinated drinks may offer some bronchodilation. However, the bronchodilator effects may depend on the amount of caffeine in the drink. Caffeine also helps lower respiratory muscle fatigue and can temporarily improve lung function.
Drinking black coffee may help ease breathlessness, as the caffeine in it can reduce tightness in the muscles in a person's airway. A review from 2010 reported that caffeine's effects slightly improve the way the airway functions in people with asthma. This can be enough to make it easier for them to take in air.
When you are physically active, your heart and lungs work harder to supply the additional oxygen your muscles demand. Just like regular exercise makes your muscles stronger, it also makes your lungs and heart stronger.
Quitting smoking is the most effective thing you can do to minimize and heal lung damage. Whether you've been smoking for three days or 30 years, quitting is the first step to healthier lungs. Adjusting your diet can also help benefit your lung health, especially if you're living with a chronic condition.
Hold your breath for 3 to 5 seconds. Then—as you let that breath out [coughing]— cough 2 or 3 times. Push on your belly with your arms as you cough. [coughing] Breathe in slowly and gently through your nose, and repeat the coughing if you need to.
Good: Berries
Red and blue fruits like blueberries and strawberries are rich in a flavonoid called anthocyanin, which gives them their color and is also a strong antioxidant. Research suggests this pigment can slow down your lungs' natural decline as you age.
Caffeine is found in coffee, tea, cola drinks and cocoa. Caffeine is a drug that is very similar to theophylline. Theophylline is a bronchodilator drug that is taken to open up the airways in the lungs and therefore relieve the symptoms of asthma, such as wheezing, coughing and breathlessness.
Caffeine augments endothelium-dependent vasodilation due to increased nitric oxide production. Then, caffeine might lead to increased tissue blood flow and oxygen supply to the exercising muscle during exercise.
Foods that are rich in omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids — such as broiled salmon or oatmeal sprinkled with flax seeds and walnuts — are not only delicious: They may also help those suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) to breathe easier.
There are several natural body changes that happen as you get older that may cause a decline in lung capacity. Muscles like the diaphragm can get weaker. Lung tissue that helps keep your airways open can lose elasticity, which means your airways can get a little smaller.
Feeling like you're not getting enough air: Labored breathing, when it's hard to breath in and out, is a warning sign of trouble. Chronic cough: Coughing for more than a month, may be a signal that something is wrong with your respiratory system.
Don't Smoke
Cigarette smoking is the major cause of lung cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which includes chronic bronchitis and emphysema. Cigarette smoke can narrow the air passages and make breathing more difficult.
Exercise increases the amount of oxygen that gets delivered to cells and tissues throughout your body. Cardiovascular exercises like brisk walking, swimming, running, and cycling are ideal for helping to clear out your lungs after you quit smoking.
May improve lung function
The research associated bananas with better clinical outcomes, including less emphysema, walking scores, and forced expiratory volume — how much air a person can exhale during a forced breath.
Bronchodilators and corticosteroids
Inhaled corticosteroids are the main treatment for asthma. They reduce inflammation and prevent flare-ups. However, some people may also benefit from taking bronchodilators. These help to keep the airways open and enhance the effects of corticosteroids.
Use Pursed Lip Breathing when walking. Inhale through your nose and exhale through pursed lips. Exhale slowly and comfortably, not forcibly, breathing out twice as long as you breath in. This will keep your breathing slow and restore oxygen to your body more rapidly.
While there are many causes of shortness of breath, the most common causes are lung disease, heart disease, or deconditioning (lack of exercise, especially in people who are overweight or obese).
Consuming Too Much Caffeine
If you're drinking or eating caffeine, stop by early afternoon, Schachter says. The good news is that research, like one study published in September 2015 in the Pulmonology Journal, has not found a significant correlation between caffeine use and COPD exacerbations.