Avoid these 5 habits to keep your lungs healthy

New Delhi, 9-Sep-2020

Taking care of your lungs is now more important than ever. Perhaps, with the novel coronavirus primarily attacking the lungs and the pandemic continuing to wreak havoc on our lives, people living with certain conditions, including lung cancer, have been advised to take extra precautions as they face a higher risk of becoming severely ill from COVID-19, the disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Earlier, a study from Wuhan, the epicenter of the pandemic, suggested that lung cancer patients have almost twice the risk of coronavirus infection compared to the general population. Lung cancer is an uncontrollable growth of abnormal cells in one or both lungs. These abnormal cells fail to function as a normal one and form tumors which disrupt the normal functioning of the lung and spread to other parts of the body.
Do people with lung cancer have a higher risk for COVID-19 infection?
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Currently, there�s no definitive data that links COVID-19 disease with lung cancer. However, health experts warned that certain factors and commodities can put lung cancer patients at a higher risk of developing COVID-19 disease - such as older age, significant cardiovascular disease and respiratory issues, smoking-related damage, and treatment-related immune suppression. Dr Adil Akhtar, Oncologist and Palliative Care Expert and Associate Professor of Medical Oncology & Hematology at Oakland University-William Beaumont School of Medicine, told WebMD that patients with lung cancer may be at a higher risk for COVID-19 disease in lung cancer patients, as the study from China showed that lung cancer was the most frequent cancer type. A study published in the Annals of Oncology describes the need to prioritise testing for COVID-19 in lung cancer patients. Patients with lung cancer are certainly at risk of getting sicker should they develop pulmonary complications of coronavirus, added Dr Brendon Stiles, a thoracic surgeon at New York-Presbyterian Hospital and an Associate Professor of Cardiothoracic Surgery at Weill Cornell Medicine. The fact is, COVID-19 is still fairly new and there�s so much to learn about it. But what�s known from the data we have now is that older adults and individuals having underlying conditions, including lung problems, are more likely to get severely sick from COVID-19 than other groups.
What can you do to protect yourself from COVID-19 and keep your lungs healthy?
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With rapid lifestyle changes, people are now inclined towards practices that may pose a serious threat to their health. The constant changes result in increased stress levels. That said, people are adapting to practices that may help them de-stress. While some may adapt to healthy habits, some may indulge in practices that can harm their body - and smoking tobacco is one of them. Smoking tobacco is likely to increase the risk of developing lung cancer. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nearly 90 per cent of all lung cancers are due to cigarette smoking. In this article, Dr Sandeep Nayak, Director, surgical oncology, robotics, and laparoscopic surgery, Fortis Cancer Institute, Bangalore, lists five lifestyle habits that people should avoid to prevent damage to the lungs:

1. Smoking: The predominant factor that declines the health of the lungs is smoking - both in smokers as well as in people exposed to secondhand smoke, which leads to lung carcinoma. Additionally, using other tobacco products such as cigars or pipes also increases the risk of lung cancer. However, lung cancer can also occur in people who never smoked and never had prolonged exposure to secondhand smoke. It is important to understand that tobacco smoke is a toxic mix of more than 7,000 chemicals, which cause lung cancer by damaging the cells that line the lungs. When cigarette smoke is inhaled, which is full of carcinogens (cancer-causing substances), alterations in the lung tissue begin almost immediately. Initially, your body may be able to repair this damage, but with repeated exposure, normal cells that line your lungs are damaged severely. This damage causes cells to act abnormally and eventually, cancer may develop.
2. Sedentary lifestyle: Being physically inactive is linked with increased health risk, especially with a direct effect on the heart and lungs. Thus, regularly exercising is the most important thing you can do to keep your lungs and heart healthy. Exercising regularly will also keep your body in shape. When the body is physically active, the heart beats faster, while the lungs work harder. The body requires more oxygen to fuel the muscles. It is when the lungs step up their activity to deliver that oxygen while letting out additional carbon dioxide. Developing strong, healthy lungs through exercise will help you to not only resist ageing but also to keep diseases at bay. In case, you do develop lung disease down the line, exercise will help slow the progression and keep you active longer. Thus the more you exercise, the more efficient your lungs are likely to become.
3. Alcohol: Heavy consumption of alcohol is more likely to cause lung cancer. Depending on the amount consumed per day, beer lovers are at high risk, as these lead to lung carcinoma and adenocarcinoma. A clinical research study reported that all alcoholics are at a risk for lung cancer by 30 per cent.
4. Poor diet: Nutritional plans are linked to the development of lung cancer. The intake of fatty foods with alcohol consumption and cigarette exposure is said to have higher cancer risk. The risk of squamous cell cancer is directly associated with foods such as red meat, pork, fried meat with smoking cigars, and drinking alcohol in everyday life. In contrast, foods such as tomatoes, lettuce, and a few dairy products have an adverse response to lung cancer risks.
5. Exposure to pollutants: Exposure to pollution is more likely to damage the lungs and speed up ageing. The younger the person, the easier it is for the lungs to resist these toxins. With age, the resistance power decreases, and they become more vulnerable to infections and other diseases. Thus, it is vital to give your lungs a break and reduce your exposure as much as you can to secondhand smoke, going outside during peak air pollution times, refrain from exercising near traffic areas, and take safety measures accordingly. That said, specific jobs like construction, mining, and waste management are more likely to increase the risk of exposure to airborne pollutants. As per a study, indoor pollution is typically worse than outdoor. Therefore, ensure to decrease indoor pollutants by making your home a smoke-free zone, dusting the furniture every alternate day at least, and opening a window frequently to increase indoor air ventilation.

The increased rate of lung cancer is a rising concern. Thus it is imperative to incorporate healthy lifestyle habits and consult a medical professional in case of any concerns. By paying attention to these tasks, you can help reduce your risk of contracting COVID-19 and keep your lungs working optimally for life.