10 Foods That Can Help You Breathe Better | Boost Your Lung Health

We all know how important our lungs are for our survival.
They’re vital organs! Your lungs don’t just suck in air, they also inhale harmful pollutants like smoke and dust.
These pollutants can increase your risk of developing respiratory illnesses. So, what can you do to keep your lungs fit and healthy?
In today’s, we’ll talk about foods that can help you breathe better.
Why are apples on the top of our list?
How do walnuts help make your lungs healthier?
What about broccoli and cayenne pepper? We’ll talk about all of these AND more…

1. Apples
Yes, the fruit that’s supposed to keep you away from the doctor is actually good for your lungs.
Apples offer a generous amount of vitamins C and E, and antioxidants like beta carotene.
But before you reach out for caramelized apples, apple sauces, and candies, you need to know there’s a good and bad way to eat them.
In order to get the most nutrients from apples, eat them with their skin on.
That way, you’ll get the maximum nutrients from this humble fruit.
Studies have also shown that eating apples can help slow the decline of your lungs among people who once smoked heavily.
If you eat five apples or more in a week, you’ll be able to improve the functionality of your lungs.
Another advantage of eating apples is that it can reduce the chances of asthma and lung cancer.
This is because apples are packed with antioxidants, including flavonoids.
Do you like eating apples? Do you eat them on their own, or add them to your fruit salads and smoothies?
Share your preferences in the comments below…

2. Walnuts
Walnuts are packed with Omega-3 fatty acids. Usually, this nutrient is found in fatty fish, but walnuts are a great substitute for vegetarians.
When you eat a few walnuts each day, you can reduce the chances of suffering from asthma.
This is because omega-3 fatty acids have nutrients with anti-inflammatory properties.
These can protect you from illnesses caused by inflammation.
Along with helping you with your lung health, walnuts also act as a great snack, especially when you’re on the go.
Make sure you eat walnuts in their natural form.
Deep frying would kill all the nutrients. You can prepare a healthy snack using walnuts, almonds, and pumpkin seeds.

3. Berries
Berries, especially acai and blueberries, are also very useful in keeping your lungs healthy.
These berries are packed with antioxidants, which can fight any harmful effects from the free radicals in your body.
Additionally, blueberries also have anthocyanins.
Studies have shown that anthocyanins can help protect your lung tissue from damage caused by oxidative stress from free radicals.
In a study of more than 800 veterans, it was found that eating blueberries helped slow down the decline of the lungs.
When two or more servings of blueberries were consumed in a week, it slowed down the decline by as much as 38%, compared to those who did not eat blueberries.
There are so many awesome ways to eat blueberries. You can have them on their own, in a smoothie, or sprinkled over your oatmeal.

4. Broccoli
Broccoli may not be everyone’s favorite, but it certainly has a lot of healthy properties. For instance, broccoli is packed with vitamin
C and carotenoids. It also has folate and phytochemicals, which can help fight off chemicals that damage your lungs.
Additionally, broccoli has L-sulforaphane, which helps by telling your cells to turn on the anti-inflammatory genes.
This reduces your chances of getting respiratory illness due to inflammation.
Broccoli, like other cruciferous veggies like cabbage and cauliflower, has chlorophyll.
This can clean up your blood and pack it with antioxidants to help deal with any respiratory issues.
How you eat broccoli is important. To get the maximum benefits, eat them raw, steamed, or very lightly sauteed.
Cooking them at high temperatures kills the antioxidants.

5. Cayenne Pepper
Cayenne pepper has capsaicin in it.
Capsaicin helps protect the mucus membranes from both the upper and lower respiratory tract.
Cayenne pepper can also be had with your tea, which is packed with beta carotene.
Peppers also are a great source of vitamin C.
Vitamin C is absolutely necessary for people who smoke a lot.
Cigarette smoke can damage the antioxidant storage in your body.
Studies have shown that smokers who consume a higher amount of vitamin C have better lung functionality compared to those who take a lower dose.
In fact, just eating one medium-sized pepper can give you all the vitamin C you will need for the day.

6. Ginger
Ginger has anti-inflammatory properties, but additionally, it also detoxifies your lungs.
This particular spice can remove all the pollutants from your lungs, and ensure that you do not have any respiratory issues.
When you consume ginger regularly, it can remove the congestion and unclog your air passages, improving your air circulation.
This way, your lungs stay in good condition.
Eating ginger on a regular basis can help improve your breathing. It also has many other benefits for the rest of your body.

7. Flaxseeds
Flaxseeds are packed with Omega-3 fatty acids and magnesium.
Omega-3’s have an especially positive effect on people with asthma.
Magnesium also assists in relaxing your bronchi muscles.
This ensures the muscles can get the air they need without anything getting in the way.
In one study, mice were given flaxseeds. The results showed a diet of flaxseeds can protect your lung tissues before they get exposed to radiation.
More importantly, the flaxseed diet also reduced the damage to the lungs even after exposure.

8. Garlic
Garlic is packed with flavonoids. These flavonoids can help in the production of glutathione in your body.
Glutathione can remove toxins and carcinogens, which in turn can help your lungs perform at the best level possible.
Additionally, garlic can bring down inflammation levels and reduce cholesterol.
Garlic also has powerful anti-inflammatory properties.
In one study, it was shown that smokers who consume raw garlic had a 40% lesser chance of getting lung cancer than those who did not eat garlic.
People who eat garlic on a regular basis won’t see as many symptoms of asthma and bronchitis.
This is because of the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties present in garlic.
Garlic also has a compound called allicin, which is known to kill bacteria that causes lung infection.
Even a mild lung infection can be life-threatening
if it’s not treated right. It’s especially helpful for people with cystic fibrosis, a genetic disorder that can hurt the lungs.

9. Water
This may seem like an obvious option, but drinking water can actually help detox your lungs.
Your body needs the right amount of water to get rid of all the toxins in your body.
If you don’t drink enough water, you might find yourself unable to breathe properly.
Apart from hydration, not drinking enough water in a day can cause your lungs to dry up.
Dry lungs are more susceptible to irritation, and increased chances of inflammation.
Drinking six to eight glasses of water is needed if you want to avoid these issues.

10. Turmeric
Turmeric is a spice used in many different cuisines.
This is because of all the anti-inflammatory properties in turmeric.
It has a curcumin compound that can reduce inflammation in your lungs.
Additionally, turmeric can help relieve any tightness in your chest.
This is something people with asthma deal with all the time. Turmeric also has many other benefits apart from just helping the lungs.
Like all other foods on this list, it’s packed with antioxidants that will bring down inflammation.
In one study of nearly 2,500 people, it was shown that eating curcumin improved the way your lungs functioned.
While it was beneficial to everyone in some way, it benefited smokers the most, helping them breathe better.
The study showed that smokers who took more curcumin improved their lung function by nearly 10%.
This was compared to the smokers who didn’t take any curcumin at all. So, if you’re a heavy smoker, you would be doing yourself a favor by having turmeric on the regular.
Your lungs are needed for you to live. If they’re not in good shape, good luck breathing properly.
This is why you need to make sure they’re healthy.