Published By: Gurpreet Kaur

Follow these dietary tips to cleanse your lungs

Always keep these things in mind if you want to have healthy lungs

As we all know that the rising levels of pollution are damaging our lungs. While your diet is essential lungs stay disease-free, you have to be extremely careful in prevention and management of healthy lungs considering the toxicity of pollutants.

So follow these dietary tips and include these foods in your diet:

Vitamin A and carotenoids

Sources of animal protein (milk and eggs) and orange/yellow fruits and vegetables are the main dietary sources of carotenoids, which are known as antioxidants. They not only act as inflammatory mediators but also decrease the pro-inflammatory cytokine release in the airway, which in turn protects your lungs from free radical damage.

Vitamin C and E

Low levels of vitamin C and E can cause increased levels of O3 in the body, which can lead to obstructive and allergic respiratory diseases. So make sure to eat fruits and vitamin E rich foods to prevent further inflammation. Lastly, Vitamin C is proven to be beneficial in the prevention of COPD and lung cancer.

Vitamin D

Vitamin D leads to calcium and phosphorus metabolism, which in turn decreases the severity of symptoms in already affected cells. It regulates allergic responses and leads to better lung capacity. Hence, make sure to have a weekly dose of vitamin D apart from calcium and phosphorus-rich food. Sun exposure is also a must for people with liable lungs.

Curcumin

It is a type of phytochemical found in turmeric. It has potent anti-inflammatory effects apart from being anti-tumor, antifungal and antioxidant, thereby protecting you against pulmonary fibrosis. Curcumin can also lead to lesser DNA damage which happens due to arsenic, diesel exhaust, etc.

Fats

Omega-3, found in fish oils, are known to reduce inflammation due to fine particles present in them, which lead to direct alveolar epithelial injury. Fats also have anticoagulant properties which cause less damage in terms of indoor and outdoor pollution exposure.

Choline

Found in sources like meat, liver, eggs, poultry, fish and shellfish, etc, choline reduces the risk from reactive oxidant species which lead to collagen degradation.

Apple

An apple a day keeps the doctor away is totally correct. Rich in fibre and low in calories, Apples are packed with an abundance of vitamins and flavonoids. They help in maintaining a good respiratory system.

Peppers

Peppers are a rich source of vitamin C, which keeps the lungs healthy due to them being potent antioxidants. They also remove toxins from the body and lower the rates of lung tissue damage.