“Make sure that you love lungs as they are there to support you in every activity that you do, from walking to talking, you need your lungs for everything,” explains Ulster Hospital Respiratory Nurse Specialist Kevin O’Brien.
As part of ‘Love Your Lungs Week’ 2024, Kevin explained how there are a number of medical, practical and above all – fun tips for lung health that we can incorporate into our daily routines.
“The top tip to maximise lung health is to stop smoking. Avoid anything going into your lungs that could potentially harm them. Smoking cessation is the most positive thing you can do for lung health. It’s also really important to hydrate. Your lungs are coated in mucus which allows them to move and being hydrated will ensure that the lungs are happy and healthy as well,” said Kevin.
Kevin added that any activity in which you are using your diaphragm such as yoga, swimming and running is beneficial as the harder you breathe, “this will help the lungs and overall health of your body.”
We have often heard that laughter is the best medicine and when it comes to lung health this is very much true! Kevin explained how when we, “Laugh, giggle and chuckle, when you are laughing heartily you are taking in big, deep, gasps and this is a way to engage the diaphragm which raises our heart rate and helps boost our lung capacity.”
Kevin continued: “There is no better exercise for your lungs than singing. Sing about the house, sing about your home and sing with friends. Lung health has been shown to be improved with those who have COPD (Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) as they have taken part in the ‘Sing For Health’ choirs as part of the British Heart Foundation.
“The important message is to make sure that you love your lungs. They are there to support you in every activity that you do, from walking to talking, you need your lungs for everything. They maybe an unseen organ in our bodies but that organ supports every function that we have.”