Respiratory diseases are the second-leading killer of people worldwide, and in some countries, they are the leading cause of death, according to the European Lung Foundation. Pollution, aging and disease can all conspire to make it harder for you to breathe, but changing your diet may be able to help keep your lungs healthy. If you have asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, you shouldn't rely on food and supplements alone for treatment, but certain foods do appear to be better than others in boosting your lungs' defenses.
Lung Function
Your lungs move fresh oxygen into your body and remove waste gases such as carbon dioxide to help you breathe at a rate of approximately 15 times a minute, or 6 million breaths a year. Your lungs also keep your body temperature normal, protect you from harmful substances and contribute to your sense of smell. The various types of diseases that can affect lungs number more than a hundred, with many of them debilitating and potentially fatal.
How Diet Helps
Oxygen you breathe in reacts inside your cells in a process called oxidative stress, which is the same chemical process that causes metal to rust over time. As molecules in your cells react with the oxygen, they turn into free radicals that steal electrons from other healthy molecules. Antioxidants are substances that can help fight this process and protect your cells from damage. These antioxidants include hundreds of different types found in various plant foods. Increasing the antioxidants in your diet by adding more fruits, vegetables, nuts and grains may help reduce your risk of diseases, including those that affect the lungs.
Beneficial Foods
The European Lung Foundation and the American College of Chest Physicians recommend lung-protecting foods that are high in vitamin C, found in citrus fruits, broccoli and green pepper; vitamin E, contained in grains, vegetable oil and nuts; vitamin A in spinach and orange fruits and vegetables; and selenium, from grains. Other helpful nutrients include the magnesium in nuts, seeds, legumes and whole grains and the omega-3 fatty acids in walnuts, flaxseed and salmon.
Mediterranean Diet
A study published in the journal "Thorax" in February 2000 found that a Mediterranean diet halves the risk of serious lung diseases such as emphysema and bronchitis. The diet is centered on fruit, vegetables, grains and fish, with low levels of sugar and nitrates, which are linked to impaired lung function.
Supplements
Dr. Renee D. Stapleton, with the Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, wrote in the April 2007 issue of the journal "Chest" that human trials with supplements had not found much effect on lung disease, despite an alleged link between vitamin intake and lung health. Stapleton believes that purified supplements don't have the complete range of vitamins, antioxidants and other unknown factors that whole foods can, which is why they're not effective at preventing lung disorders. One study, published in the "Journal of Agricultural & Food Chemistry" in 2009, did find that licorice extracts showed promise in lab tests for treating inflammation that causes asthma.
References
- American Lung Association: How Lungs Works
- European Lung Foundation: Diet and Nutrition
- European Lung Foundation: Lung Diseases
- "Chest": Vitamins and Dietary Cofactors in Lung Health and Disease; Renee D. Stapleton, M.D.; April 2007
- BBC News; Med Diet Cuts Lung Disease Risk; May 2007
- "Thorax"; Diet, Lung Function and Lung Function Decline in a Cohort of 2,512 Middle Aged Men; B.K. Butland, et al.; February 2000
