Lungs are undoubtedly one of the most critical organs in our body. Hence, keeping them in good shape and healthy is crucial. You can keep your lungs strong in various ways. One of them is by taking food, which is great for our lungs. So what are these foods? Read on and learn about such superfoods, which can boost your lung and immune system health.
Eating the proper food is (if not directly), indirectly connected to healthy lungs. A fat-rich diet can lead to cardiovascular problems, which may also affect our lungs and maybe a cause for lung cancer or other health conditions like bronchitis, asthma, cystic fibrosis, and pneumonia. Eating fresh fruits, low-fat food, and loads of green veggies along with indulging in some yoga, exercises and pranayama daily is a definite way to keep your lungs and immune system healthy. Listed below are superfoods that will keep your lungs healthy.
Garlic
Garlic is allicin rich and has anti-inflammatory properties, which minimizes damage caused by free radicals. Eating garlic lowers the risk of infections and inflammation, which can cause respiratory disorders like asthma or bronchitis and severe conditions like lung cancer.
Ginger
Like garlic, ginger too is rich in anti-inflammatory properties. In India, it is generally used as a spice to add taste and aroma and to the food. It is also added to tea, particularly to cure a cough and cold. It also aids in the detoxifying process of the lungs and can be great food for a lung infection.
Chilies
Chilies are spicy and hot due to the presence of substance capsaicin. This helps in the production of the mucous, thereby clearing it from the respiratory tract and shielding the mucous membrane in the upper and lower respiratory tract. Since chilies are also a good source of beta-carotene, they shield us against asthma. The anti-inflammatory and anti-carcinogenic properties keep respiratory conditions as well as lung cancer at bay.
Turmeric
Turmeric is a good source of a compound called curcumin, which has anti-inflammatory properties. It helps battle infections. Turmeric also acts as a natural barrier against asthma.
Walnuts
Since walnuts have anti-inflammatory properties and are rich in omega-3 acids eating some walnuts daily can help the body to ward off respiratory problems.
Orange Fruits
Orange fruits like pumpkin, oranges, and papayas are a powerhouse of Vitamin C and antioxidants. Vitamin C can lower inflammation and help fight infections. You should take a variety of fruits to keep your lungs strong.
Leafy Vegetables
Green leafy vegetables like kale, spinach, Brussel sprouts, etc. have phytochemicals that help in fighting deadly diseases like cancer. Due to their anti-inflammatory properties, these vegetables minimize the risk of respiratory conditions like asthma. Including spinach, in your everyday diet will boost your immune system and keep your lungs strong.
Fish
Including fish like salmon, mackerel, carp, etc. in your everyday diet can give your body the omega-3 fatty acids like DHA and EPA, that your body requires. These are reputed as poly-unsaturated fatty acids that are rich in anti-carcinogenic, anti-inflammatory, and anti-oxidative properties. All these effects in fish protect the lungs against all kinds of lung disorders and keep them healthy. In case you do not like consuming fish, you can take fish oil supplements after consulting a medical practitioner.
Chicken
Chicken can present you with lean protein and is a rich source of zinc and selenium, which can boost your immune system. Moreover, a bowl full of hot chicken soup with some powdered black pepper in it will help in thinning the mucus and clearing out the air passage, thus keeping your lungs strong.
Apricots
The fruit is an excellent way to keep your lungs healthy and free from all types of diseases and infections. Since it is a fantastic source of antioxidant compounds like Vitamin E, Vitamin C, lycopene, and beta-carotene, it helps in the removal of the free oxygen radicals, which may cause many types of lung disorders.
Broccoli
Broccoli can easily be counted as one of the best superfoods. It is known to be one of the finest foods to eat if you have recently given up smoking. It can remove the nicotine toxins which get stored in the lungs while smoking, and the sulforaphane in it cures the lungs of the damage caused because of smoking. This, in turn, can aid in the prevention of lung cancer.
Grapefruits
It is a fruit that is highly beneficial for our health as it contains several minerals and vitamins like Vitamin B6 and Vitamin C and folic acid, thiamine, and magnesium. Grapefruit has anti-inflammatory properties and is a rich source of antioxidants and. It is an excellent food for cleansing your lungs as these properties help in detoxifying the lungs and helps in preventing diseases like asthma, cancer, etc.
Onions
Onions are a great source of folic acid, Vitamin B6, and Vitamin C. Onions also have anti-carcinogenic properties that aid in the prevention of bronchial constriction due to allergy and lung cancer. Onion is also said to combat and prevent infection in the lungs and can minimize bronchial spasms during an asthma attack.
Apples
Apples are reputed to be one of the healthiest fruits and rightly so as they contain antioxidant quercetin, which helps in battling diseases of the lungs and in protecting the lungs from the harmful effects of air pollution and cigarettes.
Apart from this, they are also a great source of Vitamin C, which strengthens the immune system and keeps the lungs strong. Moreover, the flavonoid called khellin is said to clear up the air passage and aid comfortable breathing. Eating an apple each day can help in purifying and cleansing the lungs, thus making the lungs healthier in the process. Apples are an excellent fruit for those who have given up smoking and want their lungs to heal from the harm done by cigarette smoking.
Pomegranates
The antioxidant punicalagin present in pomegranates is three times more powerful than any other antioxidant. That’s the reason why the fruit is believed to be a powerful cure for lung cancer. The punicic acid, which is present in pomegranates, helps in cleaning the mucus in the chest, throat, and lungs and provides relief from cough.
Author Bio – Henna is a wellness lifestyle writer. She loves sharing her personal experiences and thoughts related to natural & home remedies, fitness, yoga, and exercises through her writing. She is the writer for How To Cure. She can connect with others experiencing health concerns and help them to improve their physical and mental health.
