Eric Thomas has quoted that "when you want to succeed as bad as you want to breathe, then you will be successful."  Breathing is obviously mandatory for survival.  If we don't breathe, we don't live.  

Every time you breathe in, your lungs not only keep you alive but they are essential for health. 

We know that our lungs help us breathe but what else are our lungs responsible for?

What do our lungs do?

We have two lungs, one on the right and one on the left.  Their jobs are to flush new air into our body when inhaling and removing waste gases as we exhale.  

Since our lungs send air in the form of oxygen to every cell, in our body this means they affect 

Lungs provide oxygen to every cell in your body. When you breathe in air, oxygen moves into your bloodstream. Your blood takes it to the cells around your body. At each cell, oxygen is exchanged for a waste gas called carbon dioxide. Your bloodstream then carries carbon dioxide back to your lungs. It leaves your body when you breathe out.

This is an automatic process that you don’t have to think about. The cycle happens eight to 16 times every minute.

How does air travel through the body?

When you breathe in, air goes through your nose to your windpipe.² The muscles in your chest expand the lungs. The air travels from your windpipe to your lungs.

When it gets there, the air goes through tubes in the lungs called bronchi. Bronchi have tiny air sacs at their ends. These tiny sacs have small blood vessels, or capillaries. Oxygen moves from the air you breathe into the capillaries. The process goes in reverse when your body removes carbon dioxide.

Other parts of the respiratory system all have roles in the breathing process. Your nose, mouth and throat help filter and move clean air into the windpipe.

What’s the connection between your lungs and heart?

Think of it this way. The lungs are organs that bring oxygen into the body and into the bloodstream which then gives energy to our systems.  When exhaling, carbon dioxide (waste gas) that was in the blood is released.  The heart and the lungs work together to keep our body nourished and recycled. 

Here are some healthy ways you can keep your lungs healthy:

1. Do not smoke:
Smoking cigarettes is the cause of almost 90% of lung cancer cases and 40% of all other cancers in the United States.  The air sacs in the lungs become damaged and stressed.  

2. Exercise:
Exercise helps with circulation and keeps your cardiac muscle strong.  It also helps the muscles and tissues of the rib cage strengthen.  

3. Eat Fruits and Vegetables:
Eating foods that are produced from the earth and not a box promotes better health to your organs in general and keeps your SP02 within normal levels (95-100)

4. Deep breathing exercises:
This enables your body to remain relaxed and releases stress while exercising your lungs. 

Signs of lung distress:

1. Coughing frequently:
Coughing can mean you have an allergy or your lungs are trying to excrete something that is toxic to the lungs.  Having a cough that lasts over 8 weeks means something is definitely wrong and you should see a pulmonologist.  If you have thick, green or yellow mucus, this may mean you have an infection.  If blood is detected when coughing, this is an emergency situation that may mean you have pneumonia, infection or cancer in the lungs.  

2. Frequent chest pain:
If your chest is aching, it can be a sign of a damaged heart or lung. There are several scenarios that may be occuring.  Blood clots, heart distress, masses.  Getting some diagnositics done to make sure your lungs and heart are functioning properly is key.  

3. Shortness of breath:
If you find that activities you used to do easily are now difficult or you are walking up hill or stairs and are short of breath, there may be something wrong with your lungs.  

4. Wheezing or abnormal noises in chest:
If there is a whistling sound when you inhale or exhale, it could mean something is blocking airway flow.  It can be emphysema, COPD, asthma or another condition.  

Not being able to breathe properly will interupt your sleep, stress your body and organs and lead to long term illness or even death.  Keep you lungs healthy by living a healthy lifestyle.  Our doctor can help by keeping your body functioning properly and can work along side your medical doctor to perform Amino Neuro Frequency Therapy to help your lungs heal and maintain proper energy.  

Dr. Amie Gregory, DC, CCEP, ANF is a San Francisco, CA and San Carlos, CA chiropractor that understands full body health.  She works with athletes, expectant moms, office workers and everyone else in between.  Contact our San Francisco, CA chiropractic office or San Carlos, CA chiropractic office today!

Resources:
https://www.rush.edu/news/9-tips-healthy-lungs