We are inhaling dangerous levels of pollution these days. Contrary to what most people believe – breathing in the polluted air just doesn’t make your skin dull and give you a cough, it can cause some serious diseases in the long-term.
So it essential to maintain healthy lungs by consuming healthy lungs food.
Foods that Keep Your Lungs Healthy
While we single-handedly cannot change the air in Pakistan, we can take preventive measures to keep our bodies and our lungs (which are at high risk) at their healthiest best. Here are 5 superfoods that will help achieve this target:
Garlic
Many people avoid the use of garlic because of its peculiar odor, but what most people are unaware of are garlic’s amazing healing properties. It is well-known that garlic is an anti-bacterial, anti-viral and an anti-fungal herb.
Use of raw garlic in your diet can reduce your likelihood of developing lung cancer by 44%. Apart from helping keep lungs healthy, garlic is also beneficial for the heart, blood pressure, infections and bones.
Ginger
Ginger is not exactly pretty to look at, but it is a powerful herb and is extremely beneficial for those suffering from lung diseases.
It is known for eliminating air pollutants and tobacco smoke from the lungs and also helps with congestion and many chronic lung diseases like bronchitis and asthma.
Being a strong antioxidant and anti-microbial agent, it is excellent for keeping lungs healthy and bettering the immune system.
Apples
Apples are Rich in an antioxidant called quercetin, apples are a great way to prevent lungs from many kinds of pollutants and irritants. According to some studies, quercetin is also highly fruitful in the prevention of lung cancer – this is still debatable among many experts but what we all know for sure that apples are a boon for not only overall health but also healthy lungs.
Pomegranates
Let’s lead with this – Pomegranate consumption in cancer patients is often known as the “alternative cancer treatment.” Rich in minerals and vitamins, pomegranates is another fruit that is a powerful source of antioxidants and anthocyanin’s.
Apart from lung cancer, pomegranates also help those with prostate, breast, colon and skin cancer. Even if you are confident about your body being at no-risk for cancer, you should try to include it in your diet – a small preventive measure can help you get healthy lungs.
Turmeric
Another item to be added to the list of healthy lungs food is Turmeric. As we are all aware, turmeric is used in centuries. It is known for its medicinal antibacterial properties around the world.
Turmeric is great for people who are at risk for lung cancer and chronic lung diseases. It can be easily introduced into your diet since it doesn’t have a very strong flavor like garlic or ginger. So don’t think twice before pouring turmeric generously while cooking your food the next time!
Eat the above mentioned foods that keep your lungs healthy. You can also consult a pulmonologist to get better recommendations.