3 tricks to keep your lungs in good health
People don’t think much about their health until they find themselves unwell. Dustin Goodman, Chippewa Valley Technical College Respiratory Therapy graduate turned instructor, said the time to think about your lungs is now.
“Being sick is scary,” Goodman said. “If we can keep our lungs in good shape now, if something does happen in the future, we’ll have a better chance of getting back to our baseline.”
To keep our lungs healthy, Goodman reiterates the usual – don’t smoke cigarettes or vape. These habits put people automatically at a disadvantage.
Here are three more tricks to keep your lungs healthy:
- Get moving! Goodman said it’s not healthy for people to sit all day, every day. Moving, getting the blood pumping and the lungs stretching strengthens the heart and lungs.
- Take a deep breath. Deep breathing can help with diaphragm function and lung capacity. It also can manage stress, Goodman said, which can contribute to many health conditions. So, just breathe, he said.
- Lower your blood pressure. High blood pressure makes your lungs and heart vessels work harder, and it’s not good for your brain, Goodman said. To lower your blood pressure, consider walking at least 15 minutes a day, limiting alcohol consumption, getting quality sleep and, of course, breathing.
As a “nursing partner at the bedside,” Goodman said respiratory therapists are hyper-focused on the heart and lungs. “As part of the medical team, we help guide care,” he said. “I’m happy to share my specialty.”
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