How do you know if your lungs are healthy? Have you heard before that as long as you can hold a breath for 10 seconds, with no breathing problem, coughing or discomfort in the process, means you are not infected with the viruses?
In fact, this is not entirely true. Experts said that the ability to hold a long breath does not indicate that your lungs are healthy. But it is just a method to show an individual’s tolerance to hypoxia and whether the cardiopulmonary is functioning normally.
Moreover, holding a breath to test the cardiopulmonary function needs 30 seconds, not 10 seconds. Therefore, don’t be misled by the hearsay.
Let’s have a look at how you can DIY test your lung:
4 Simple Lung Function Tests
- Holding your breath: Take a deep breath and hold it. If you can hold it for 30 seconds, your cardiopulmonary is functioning well.
- Blowing: Light a match or candle, place it 15 cm away, take a deep breath and try your best to blow it out. If you are not able to blow it out, you may have some issues with your lungs.
- Climbing the stairs: Climb 3 floors of staircase at one go, with no running but at appropriate pace. If there is no obvious panting and chest tightness, your cardiopulmonary is well. In contrary, if you encounter shortness of breath and chest tightness, you may have some problems with your lungs.
- Short workout test: Run in place or increase your pulse rate to 100-120 beats per minute. If you are able to return to normal condition in 5-6 minutes after the activity, your cardiopulmonary function can be said is normal. (You can use an oximeter or pulse oximeter to observe your pulse)
Certainly, the above are just general DIY tests, if you find abnormality in your lung functions, and you have no lung diseases, we advise you opt for a proper medical test on your lungs.
For a normal healthy person, lungs perform at their best at round 25 years old and decline with age. Doctors recommended that lung function tests should be performed once a year after reaching 45 years old.
If you are a regular smoker or have more exposure to indoor and outdoor pollution, you should do the test once a year after 40.
7 Common Ways to Strengthen Your Lungs
- Abdominal deep breathing: Use your nose to take a deep breath until you feel your abdomen bulges, then use your mouth to exhale until your abdomen flattens. Do this a few times when the morning air is fresh and good.
- Chest expansion/aerobic exercise: Open your arms and stretch your chest as much as possible. Regular aerobic exercise routine is good for your lungs such as running, walking, swimming, hiking, and climbing the staircase.
- Laughing: It’s often said that people who laugh a lot have better luck. Laughing can help expand your lungs, inhale more oxygen and smooth breathing!
- Singing: Singing not only relieves stress and relax your mood, but also strengthens your lungs! It’s definitely a plus to sing frequently.
- Lung health care: To nourish your lungs, eat more white food such as white radish, water pear, Chinese yam, white fungus, lotus, etc. Avoid raw and cold food, and drink plenty of lukewarm water which can moisturize and detoxify the lungs and relieve lung discomfort.
- Quit smoking: Want to get back healthy lungs, quit smoking! Smoking is harmful to the lungs, it seriously impacts the lungs and increases the risk of cancer.
- Prevent inhaling polluted air: Avoid highly air polluted areas, wear a facemask if you can’t avoid it. Using an air purifier in the indoor spaces such as office and home, can greatly reduce the burden of your lungs by removing harmful pollutants in the air your breathe in.
Have you learnt something from our sharing?
If you want to know more about daily good health information, stay tune NESH official website and social media. We have more exclusive good news and information to share with you firsthand!
