Keeping your lungs healthy involves more than avoiding smoking or polluted environments. Dr Kunal Sood, an anaesthesiologist and interventional pain medicine expert, shares three daily practices he follows to maintain strong, resilient lungs. These simple habits focus on movement, breathing techniques, and gut health, each playing a key role in supporting long-term respiratory function.
Daily Cardiovascular Activity
Dr Sood emphasizes the importance of regular cardio exercises such as walking, cycling, or light jogging for 20 to 30 minutes daily. Engaging in cardio strengthens the lungs, increases lung capacity, and improves the diaphragm’s efficiency. These activities also aid in clearing airways of mucus and environmental pollutants while enhancing overall endurance.
Breathing Exercises
Practicing intentional breathing routines can significantly boost lung efficiency. Techniques like slow nasal breathing, deep inhalations, and structured box breathing enhance lung volume, improve oxygen exchange, and increase CO2 tolerance. Regular breathing exercises can also reduce airway reactivity during stress or physical activity.
Supporting the Gut-Lung Connection
A healthy gut microbiome directly influences respiratory health. Dr Sood highlights the gut-lung axis, explaining that a balanced gut helps manage inflammation and promotes airway resilience. Integrating probiotic supplements that target the gut-lung axis can further support immune signaling and improve overall lung function.
By incorporating these three daily habits—cardio activity, breathing exercises, and gut support—individuals can actively protect their lungs and strengthen respiratory health for the long term.