6 Ways to Avoid Lung Infections

New research from the华盛顿大学医学院的圣罗uisfound that certain combined environmental factors, such as pollution and smoking, can trigger the molecule interleukin-13 (IL-13) to cause an immune response that produces excess mucous common in COPD and other respiratory illnesses.

Psychological stress has beenlinkedto restricting the effectiveness of cortisol, a key hormone for fighting inflammation. Learn to control your response to stress better, whether through meditation, yoga, or journaling.

Exercise trains your lungs to breathe better and use oxygen as efficiently as possible to optimize lung function, saysDr. Derek Byers, assistant professor of medicine of Pulmonary and Critical Care atWashington University School of Medicine.

A proper diet can do wonders for the immune system. Get plenty of antioxidants (berries and beans have high amounts) to help fight damaging free radicals that can cause illness or disease.Cruciferous vegetablesare chock full of vitamins and disease-fighting phytochemicals, along with sulforaphane, which boosts the liver’s ability to detox the body.

Some days you just don’t feel like doing your medical routine, whether it’s a nebulizer treatment, oral pills, or oxygen therapy. But consistency and compliance with your daily medications is a fundamental part of staying healthy. So even if it’s time consuming or a pain to do now, your body will make you pay tenfold later if you don’t.

You know your body best. Use good judgment on where your physical limits lie. You might have to forgo a social outing for resting at home or limit your traveling. Be honest with yourself about how you feel and make informed decisions based off of that.