“Life and respiration are complimentary. There is nothing living which does not breathe nor anything breathing which does not live.”– William Harvey
Lung Function
The lungs are responsible for the miraculous and vital function of gas exchange through the process of respiration. On inhale, they take in oxygen from the surrounding air to be consumed and generate energy. The lungs cannot inflate or get bigger on their own. The process starts with a signal from the brainstem that travels down the nerves instructing the muscles of inspiration to contract. The most well-known muscle in this process is the diaphragm and each time a signal is sent, the diaphragm contracts downwards. This downward contraction pulls the thoracic cavity and the lungs with it causing a negative pressure in the trachea and lung tissue. Air immediately rushes in through the nose or mouth, travels down the back of the throat and into the trachea. From outside of the body, we see our chest expand.
Like an upside down tree, the trachea branches out into the left and right bronchi, which continue branching into the bronchioles. The inhaled air continues through tiny ducts from the bronchioles into elastic air sacs called alveoli where the gas exchange of either oxygen (on inhalation) or carbon dioxide (on exhalation) occurs. Each person has hundreds of millions of alveoli in their lungs. Through a process called diffusion, oxygen moves from the alveoli to the blood through capillaries lining the alveolar walls. From here, oxygen gets picked up by hemoglobin in red blood cells and moves to the heart where it is pumped out to the rest of the body. If the alveoli become damaged or impaired in any way by bacteria, viruses, or fungi they are not able to pass enough oxygen into the bloodstream or enough carbon dioxide out of the bloodstream and illness or disease occur.
The cells of the body produce carbon dioxide as they do their work. This waste product must be moved out of the cells into the capillaries and bloodstream. Blood rich in carbon dioxide is moved to the heart and then pumped back to the lungs. The carbon dioxide moves from the capillaries around the alveoli into the alveoli, up the bronchioles to the bronchi, and finally to the trachea to be exhaled. On exhale, the muscles of the chest wall relax, the diaphragm moves upwards, the lungs deflate and air is pushed out through the nose or mouth.
5 Main Functions
- Breathing
- Gas exchange
- Moisturizing and warming air
- Sound production and speech
- Filtering and protecting the body
Lung Infection
Upper and lower respiratory tract distress and/or infections can be caused by bacteria, viruses, or fungi that get into the lungs. This can arise from a variety of factors and exposures including lifestyle habits like levels of physical activity, smoking or secondhand smoke exposures, indoor or outdoor air pollution like radon gas, dust, mold, silica (found in materials like sand, rock, and concrete), allergens, chemical fumes, seasonal flu, pneumonia, gut health, food sensitivities (dairy and gluten are the most common culprits), dietary preferences (see our blog post on fibre) and obesity.
Regardless of cause or irritant the core issue is inflammation. Thankfully, there are a number of practices, daily habits, and even supplements that can help prevent and reduce the severity of infection.
Lung Support
The air we breathe on a daily basis can contain pollutants like sulfur dioxides, carbon monoxides, VOCs and other particulates. These pollutants and others are sources of free radicals that contribute to oxidative stress and inflammation. On inhalation the air saturates the alveoli and if these microscopic sacs become damaged from exposure to free radicals less oxygen reaches the blood and it becomes harder to breathe. You can protect yourself and offer your body support by supplementing with antioxidants. Antioxidants neutralize free radicals and halt the chain reaction discussed in our February blog post.
Supplements To Support Lung Health
- NAC (N-acetyl-cysteine)- an amino acid and precursor to glutathione (a master antioxidant in the body) that functions as a mucolytic, breaking up the disulfide bonds that form mucous in the lungs allowing it to dissolve and be cleared more easily. Particularly supportive for lower respiratory tract infections. https://feelgoodnatural.com/shop/digestion/detoxification/nac-500mg-n-acetyl-l-cysteine-240-veggiecaps-aor/
- Quercetin- a powerful antioxidant and free radical scavenger with anti-allergic properties, helping to reduce histamine levels and allergy symptoms by stabilizing mast cells and basophils in the immune system. Particularly supportive for upper respiratory tract infections. Bonus: May help reduce illness after intensive exercise/in athletes susceptible to respiratory tract infections. https://feelgoodnatural.com/shop/antioxidants/quercetin-lipomicel-matrix-60-soft-gels-natural-factors/
- Vitamin D- essential for lung and immune system development. Has been studied to reduce the incidence of respiratory tract infections. https://feelgoodnatural.com/shop/immune/super-immune-formula-90-liquid-softgels-natural-factors/
- Vitamin E- functions as an antioxidant and is depleted by smoking and various environmental factors/pollutants.
- Vitamin B6- known for supporting the immune system and reduction of oxidative stress from carbon monoxide and other chemicals.
- Vitamin B9 or B12- folate (B9) and vitamin B12- to lower risk of acute lower respiratory tract infections.
- Advanced B Complex https://feelgoodnatural.com/shop/vitamins-and-minerals/b-complex/aor-advanced-b-complex-180-veggiecaps/
- Healthology Lung Fx https://feelgoodnatural.com/shop/digestion/detoxification/healthology-lung-fx-formula-90vc/
Foods to Support Lung Health
- clean and complete proteins to help produce immune cells and strengthen respiratory muscles
- clean/healthy fats to reduce inflammation and help manage blood pressure
- complex carbs and other sources of fibre
- fresh produce for micronutrients, minerals, vitamins, and fibre
Disclaimer
The content in this post is for information purposes only and is not intended for self-diagnosis or self-treatment of conditions that your health care practitioner should assess. The products discussed may not be suitable for you. Always read and follow the label.
For additional lung health recommendations, you are always welcome to visit us in-store at 317 Brock Street S Whitby, ON L1N 4K3.
At FeelGood Natural Health, we deeply appreciate the ongoing support of our customers (returning and new) over the past 26 years. Like all small businesses, it is our customers that have allowed us to operate as long as we have and to continue doing our best to meet your natural health needs.
References:
Aligned Modern Health. 2023. “Breathing Easy: The Top Supplements to Boost Your Lung Health”. <https://alignedmodernhealth.com/supplements-lung-health/>
Charan, J., Goyal, J., Saxena, D., Yadav, P., 2012. “Vitamin D for Prevention of Respiratory Tract Infections: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis”. Retrieved from https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3543548/>