Lung disease kills more than 400 thousand people every year, the National Lung Foundation reports. To maintain healthy lungs, avoid tobacco, maintain a healthy body weight and limit your exposure to air pollution. If you're having issues breathing, talk to your doctor about it. Also, consider adding healing foods to your diet for improved lung function.
Mushrooms
Mushrooms are one of the few foods that are rich in vitamin D. Vitamin D is the "sunshine vitamin" that we produce from exposure to the sun. However, the Vitamin D Council reports that most Americans don't get the vitamin D they need. Vitamin D deficiency increases the risk of osteoporosis, certain cancers and poor lung function. According to P.N. Black of the University of Auckland, getting enough vitamin D is necessary for optimal lung function. In research published in the December 2005 issue of "Chest," Black and colleagues compared vitamin D levels and overall lung function in a group of 14,000 adults. The lung function of people with adequate vitamin levels was more than 50 percent higher than the vitamin D-deficient group.
Tomatoes
Tomatoes are bursting with vitamin C. Vitamins C is a powerful antioxidant that protects the vulnerable cells in your lungs from damage. According to J.R. Britton of the University of Nottingham, eating vitamin C-rich foods promotes healthy lungs. In his research found in the May 2005 issue of the "American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine," Britton found that vitamin C intake is significantly associated with healthy functioning of lungs. Other vitamin C-rich foods include broccoli, spinach, lemons and oranges.
Pistachio Nuts
Pistachios are rich in vitamin E. Like vitamin C, vitamin E acts as an antioxidant in the lungs, keeping them healthy. According to the Council for Responsible Nutrition, eating vitamin E-rich foods like pistachios can prevent free radicals from damaging healthy lung tissue. Free radicals are misinformed molecules that destroy normal cells. Vitamin E's job is to fight free radicals. Also, eating at least one serving of pistachio nuts per day may reduce lung cancer risk, ScienceDaily reports. Pistachios may also reduce the risk of prostate cancer, heart disease and diabetes, ScienceDaily adds. Other vitamin E-rich foods include almonds, sunflower seeds and olive oil.
References
- ALA: Epidemiology and Statistics
- "Chest": Relationship Between Serum 25-Hydroxyvitamin D and Pulmonary Function in the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey
- "American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine": Dietary Antioxidant Vitamin Intake and Lung Function in the General Population
- Council for Responsible Nutrition: Vitamin E Protects Eyes and Lungs
- ScienceDaily: Pistachios May Reduce Lung Cancer Risk
