Lifestyle Tips for Respiratory Health

With a little vigilance and diligence, you can keep your lungs at their peak condition.

Ways to Improve Respiratory Health

• Exercise Your Lungs

  To withstand respiratory problems, and feel better in general, you should build and maintain lung strength.

  • Light Aerobic Exercises

    Regular exercise may also lessen breathlessness, but start slowly, gradually increasing in intensity.

    • Walking
    • Yoga
    • T'ai Chi

    Asthma Caution

    Should exercise induce asthma, watch your salt intake. Asthmatics on a high-sodium diet have more trouble breathing while working out than do those who use less salt.

  • Healthy Breathing Exercises

    Daily breathing exercise can improve lung function. Try this:

    1. Inhale deeply through the nose, pulling in the abdominal muscles.
    2. Exhale slowly through the mouth, with the tongue pressed between the roof of the mouth and the top of the teeth.
    3. Repeat for approximately 10 minutes, several times a day.

• Avoid Common Irritants

  • Smoke

    Anyone with sensitive lungs obviously wants to avoid breathing in smoke, whether it's from a cigarette, a grill, or a campfire.

  • Household Chemicals

    Choose all-natural unscented household cleaners. Otherwise, you're adding unwanted toxins and unnecessary particles to indoor air.

• Get Fresh Air

  ...and plenty of it, on the regular. This should go without saying!