A combination of physical changes mean that breathing can become more difficult and less efficient. But lung-boosting nutrients can help lower the risk of serious conditions, such as asthma and even lung cancer.
We may give breathing little thought, but as we get older natural changes lead to functional decline. Use the power of food to help counteract events within your body and improve respiratory health.
The air sacs – or alveoli – in the lungs are where inhaled oxygen passes into tiny capillaries to be distributed around the body, and carbon dioxide and waste products pass back into the lungs for exhalation. These sacs lose elasticity from our mid-30s, becoming less efficient at exchanging gases. If waste isn’t exhaled fully, harmful toxins can clog up the lung tissues and further damage by free radicals is likely. Luckily, antioxidants help fight the damage caused by free radicals from toxins harboured in lung tissue. In particular, nutrients such as vitamins A, C, and E, together with carotenoids, such as beta-cryptoxanthin and lycopene – all of which have antioxidant actions – have been implicated in helping to prevent an array of lung problems.
Natural ageing changes in muscles and bones have a knock-on effect on lung capacity. Bones lose minerals and thin with age, which alters the shape of the ribcage, making it harder for the lungs to expand and contract. The diaphragm, which helps to draw air into and out of the lungs, weakens as we age, so it becomes harder for air to move in and out efficiently. Support the airways and respiratory muscles with magnesium-rich foods, such as wholegrains, nuts, seeds and green leafy vegetables. Foods containing theophylline, such as coffee, dilate the airways and make breathing easier.
Nerves that trigger coughing become less sensitive. Germs may collect in the lungs and be hard to cough up.
Each part of the respiratory system – from the trachea to the bronchial tubes and tiny terminal air sacs in the lungs – can become inflamed when infected. With age, the body finds it increasingly hard to fight off infections (see here) and reduce inflammation in lung tissue. More serious infections can result, including influenza and pneumonia; in some countries, older adults are offered flu vaccinations every year to prevent serious illness. A wide range of micronutrients support the body’s immune system, including iron, zinc, selenium, copper, vitamins A, B6, B12, C, D, and folate. The 28-day longevity eating plan (see here) is guaranteed to ensure you get enough of all of these nutrients.