Get two doctors in a room, bring up the word “lungs,” and you can guess what the first words out of our mouths are going to be: Ditch the damn cigarettes. But we’re not going to go on an antismoking tirade, because, well, you already know this and don’t need us slapping your wrists for inhaling mini-death sticks. (If you want help quitting, see This Is Your Do-Over or YOU: The Owner’s Manual, revised edition, for a plan that works.)
What we will say is that lung health is largely dependent on what in the world people are exposed to. On the downside, there’s smoke and other environmental toxins; on the upside, there’s deep breathing and intense exercise, which improves function. What you give to your lungs, you will get back.
Here’s the problem: Breathing is like toilet paper. Sometimes, you take it for granted—and you don’t realize there’s a problem until it’s no longer there.
Although you may not think about your lungs too much (except maybe after climbing eight flights of stairs), you do know the importance of them. They are working all the time, pulling in air. This happens as your diaphragm moves down to allow them to expand. That inhale is what pulls in the oxygen you need to live, along with any other microscopic gunk and the occasional bug that may be in your path. When you exhale, your lung tissue gets rid of carbon dioxide and other dangerous substances. Most of us don’t perform this inhale-exhale process correctly as we age or sleep; therefore, a warm-up period is needed to avoid the shortness of breath and feeling of breathlessness that comes from sudden need for more oxygen—as when you climb a hill or bike 15 miles.
Your lungs also serve an important function when it comes to your immune system, protecting your body from the outside world—specifically, with little brushes in your tubes (think of your lungs as upside-down trees with an intricate branch system leading down from your airway). These brushes, called cilia, clean up the pollutants that you breathe in. But they can also be damaged (by smoke, for instance), making them less effective at protecting your lungs for the long term.
Without question, following the lifestyle of no to smoking and yes to exercising is paramount to healthy lung function and prevention of lung diseases. In addition, you can use foods to help bolster their function, too.
MVP: Gulp it on up. As well as providing hydration, water helps keep blood flowing to and from the lungs. This is important because it allows the mucus collected there to move freely and get dispelled, rather than to allow a buildup. Because mucus is removed along with toxins, pollutants, and microbes, you need it to be thin and easy to move through your system of waste disposal (that’s your lymph system). You should make water your primary hydration choice anyway, but we can see the effects very tangibly when it comes to having high-quality lung function.
Key Players: Spice up your food. Why? Many spices help reduce inflammation throughout the body. That’s important to lung function because foreign invaders can enter the lungs, which become battlegrounds for wars between the immune system and those invaders. Too much inflammation creates free radicals, which can permanently damage the delicate tissues of the lungs where the gas exchange occurs, decreasing your ability to take in oxygen. That’s why spices can help. For example, garlic, onions, and turmeric have been shown to reduce inflammation,67,68 and ginger has properties that may help the small lung tubes relax (which is important in lung disease like asthma).69 Add in some tomatoes: Research suggests that people who eat more than two tomatoes a day had a slower decline in lung function.70
Cut From the Team: Fried foods. Not that they should ever be on your roster. When you gain weight, that extra fat in your belly restricts deep breaths and can put undue pressure on your lungs, forcing them to work harder with every breath. Over time, that wear and tear takes its toll. The best functioning lungs are well hydrated and can operate freely without fat working against them. So sorry: no funnel cake at the fair.
| SUB OUT… | SUB IN… |
| Pretzel sticks | Celery sticks. Celery has been linked to reduced inflammation, which may help decrease the chance of tumor development.71 |
| Corn | Cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, and kale may help cut the risk of developing lung cancer by about half in people who never smoked and 40 percent in people who quit.72 |
| A bite-size piece of candy | Harmless enough every once in a while, but why not go for an apple? Apples contain quercetin and vitamins E and C, which have been shown to help protect lung function.73,74,75 Oranges and grapefruit are also good choices. |
| Carbonated drinks | Go for the still water here. Bubbles aren’t the best for lung health because they can cause gas and bloating, which pushes your abdomen up and adds undue pressure on your lungs. |