8 Ways to Improve Your Respiratory

System Health
Posted on September 25, 2013 by Dr. Mike Moreno
Watch your kids sometime as they dash up and
down stairs or dart across the playing field effortlessly. They dont even need to stop to catch
their breath! We grownups on the other hand might have to pause mid-activity as we gasp for air,
breathless. What causes this? The lack of aerobic conditioning and good health habits, thats
what. ach and every day, we breathe in and out about !",""" times. #ll this breathing uses
every aspect of the respiratory system$ the nose, throat, voice bo%, windpipe, and lungs. &any
factors including genetics, smoking, pollutants, irritants, and infectious diseases can cause your
lungs to develop problems and age faster than normal. 'f the air you breathe is dirty or polluted,
your respiratory system will filter out the to%ins( but only if your respiratory system is healthy.
The good news is that damage to your respiratory system is often not permanent, and can
actually grow healthier and stronger with age. )ere are * ways to improve your respiratory
system health.
1. Increase Your Walking Speed
+ight now 'm going to talk specifically about the simple act of walking, but not ,ust a little stroll
down the street. )ow fast-or how slowly-you normally walk may predict how long youll live,
according to a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. 'n this particular
study, researchers clocked the alking speed of more than ./,""" people, age 01 years and
older. The sub,ects who averaged !.!1 mph or faster lived longer than those who walked more
slowly. 2ow, 'm not necessarily saying this means that if you increase your walking speed youll
automatically live longer. &ore importantly, if you notice you simply cant speed up, that could be
an indicator that you have an underlying health issue. Try picking up your walking speed and if
you find yourself really struggling, have a talk with your doctor about what may be going on.
2. Maintain a !ealt"# Weig"t
%cess weight puts more stress on your lungs and compresses all respiratory muscles, making
them work harder and less efficiently. &ake sure your diet is nutritionally sound, easy to follow,
and most importantly, that it works so you can maintain a "ealt"# eig"t. Whatever nutrition and
e%ercise program you choose, take it seriously and lose the e%tra pounds.
3. Sta# !#drated
3rinking plenty of water every day helps maintain a healthy weight and gives a thin consistency
to the mucus lining your airways and lungs. 3ehydration can cause that mucus to thicken and
get sticky, which slows down overall respiration and makes you more susceptible to illness.
$. %&oid Smoking and Smokers 'ungs
4moking damages lung and respiratory health by inducing inflammation, speeding o%idative
stress in respiratory cells, and even causing cell death, potentially taking you down the road
toward emphysema, chronic lung disease, chronic bronchitis, and lung cancer. 't is important to
5uit smoking and avoid having smokers lungs as you age. There are numerous methods to 5uit
smoking. The trick is to keep trying until you find one that works for you. 'f youve tried to 5uit
before, its time to try again, because the single best thing you can do for your lungs is to stop
smoking. 4moking does great damage to your respirator# s#stem, but the good news is that your
damaged smokers lungs can actually be undone. +emember, even if youve never picked up a
cigarette, cigar, or pipe, you may still be breathing in an alarming amount of pollutants every day.
4o, strengthening your respiratory system is helpful even for nonsmokers because youll be
armed against all possible invaders$ allergens, bacteria, and viruses. 6lus, you dont want to be
tethered to an o%ygen machine when youre 7"" years old, do you? 4trong lungs are a key
component to overall good health as we age. 5. (ake Supplements8our lungs are highly sensitive
to methylation, a process that, when balanced, occurs within the 32# of cells and prevents
abnormalities in how 32# functions. When unbalanced, 32# methylation is serious business
and can lead to cancer, including lung cancer. To prevent serious lung diseases, weve got to
make sure our bodies are methylating properly. To do this, make sure your multivitamin has at
least !./ mcg of 9-7!, 7.. mcg of 9-0, and ./ mg folic acid per day. 'f not, you should add an
e%tra 9-comple% supplement to your regimen.
). 'earn Yoga *reat"ing (ec"ni+ues
#re you a shallow breather? 8ou might be if most of your breaths come from your chest area. '
suggest learning to take deep, long breaths, sending fresh o%ygen deep into the bottom of your
lungs. This not only helps your lungs function better, but it can also bring on a sense of calm.
This can be 5uite renewing, and is e%cellent e%ercise for your lungs. :ver time, it can help
increase your lung capacity.
,. -"allenge Your 'ungs to Impro&e Your .espirator# S#stem
4imple yet challenging e%ercises like breathing through a straw can improve your lung function
by increasing your lung capacity. :verall, ' want you to become more aware of your breathing so
you can improve it over time and have strong lungs for a lifetime.
/. -onsider -"iropractic -are
#fter having a chiropractic ad,ustment, many people comment along the lines of, ;' feel like 'm
taking in more air.< :ne study on over 1,""" people showed that chiropractic intervention
improved overall breathing in !1= of the study participants. ' truly dont want you to be on
o%ygen when you are much older> being tethered to a tank is no way to go about life, and our
goal here is to help you feel fit and active when youre 7"" years old! 9y taking these simple
steps earlier in life, you are setting yourself up for many years of healthier, heartier lungs. 4o to
keep your respiratory system strong, dont smoke and avoid smokers lungs, maintain a healthy
weight, avoid e%posure to pollutants, stay active, and eat healthful foods-all easy-to-follow
lifestyle measures you can take to ensure a healthy, vibrant respiratory system.