Page 22 - ETU Journal Autumn 2017

hE5ALTh > LOOkING AFTER YOUR LUNGS
ways tO
fffffLOOk after
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Your lungs are balloon-like structures in your chest; they’re responsible for delivering oxygen to your blood and removing carbon dioxide from it. Oxygen is vital for every cell in your body. keep them healthy, and your lungs should work well for a lifetime.
here are five ways to look after your lungs.
f1. Stub it out
Smoking introduces thousands of damaging substances that stick to the cells in your lungs, preventing them from functioning effectively. It also increases your risk of serious and life-threatening conditions such as
lung cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary
disease (COPD).
Second-hand smoke can also damage your lungs and more studies are showing that even third-hand smoke – when you’re in an environment where people have been smoking – can be harmful.
2. Help your lungs with exercise
Exercise can make your lungs stronger and can boost circulation so that plenty of oxygen and nutrients get to your heart and muscles. If you have asthma and you’re exercising in colder temperatures, use a scarf to warm the air entering your lungs to help prevent the cold temperatures from making asthma symptoms
worse. Make sure you check with your GP if you have a medical
condition, are taking medicines or haven’t exercised for some
time.
3. When you’re inside
Pollution isn’t just an outdoors problem.
When you’re inside, construction materials, wood burning stoves, pet
hair, mold, and even air fresheners can be sources of pollution.
4. When you’re outside
Many factors like dust and particles, paint fumes, diesel exhaust and
more can damage your lungs. If
your employer has given you safety clothing and equipment, it’s important to use it.
5. Get vaccinated
Infection can wreak havoc with your lung health, so get a flu vaccination
if your GP recommends it. This helps to build your immunity to the most common forms of flu viruses that
are expected around the country; it primes your body so that if it does encounter those strains, your immune system can go into action fast to repel the invaders and prevent infection.
Remember, if you have a cough that lasts for more than a couple of weeks, have difficulty breathing, cough up blood or have chest pain, see your GP as soon as you can. n
tHE Etu > AutuMn 2016
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this health information is brought to you by the health and wellbeing team at rt health fund, Australia’s only dedicated health fund for transport and energy people. Call us on 1300 56 46 46.
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