The lungs were not given the importance as they ought to be until the second wave of Covid 19 surfaced. They are often taken for granted. The wellness of the lungs is given priority only when any complication arises. Lungs are the vital organ in our body that converts the oxygen from the air which we inhale and transfer to the bloodstream. For many years healthcare professionals have stressed the importance of maintaining healthy lungs and advising people to quit smoking. However, many have not paid heed to this advice.

All of us are aware that the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19 disease obstructs the respiratory system majorly affecting the lungs. This infection is certainly testing our lungs. As lungs play a major role in the overall working of the body, it becomes very crucial to ensure lung health to put up a fight against this infectious disease.

COVID-19 can cause lung complications like pneumonia, acute respiratory distress, and in some fatal cases, total collapse of the lungs. In cases of pneumonia, the air sacs in the lungs are filled with fluid and the valves of the lungs get inflamed resulting in difficulty in breathing and severe cough. Many people recover from pneumonia without much effect on the lungs. But in cases of pneumonia due to Covid 19, people face severe breathing difficulties which take a longer time to recover putting an extra burden on the lungs. If pneumonia progresses it can lead to acute respiratory diseases in which more of the air sacs will get filled up with the fluid leaking from the blood vessels in the lungs. This can lead to severe shortness of breath.

As Covid 19 infection takes the respiratory route to enter a person, the burden on the lungs is phenomenal. This burden on the lungs increases among people who smoke. As the smoke moves into the respiratory tract, more soluble gases are adsorbed and particles are deposited in the airways and alveoli. This is the long run can lead to severe problems related to the lungs. Smoking can increase the chances of COPD among people leading to the faster decline of lung functioning. The chemicals in the cigarettes can also cause irreversible lung damage. In addition, smoking can destroy the cilia or tiny hairs that are present in the airways. These hairs keep dirt and mucus out of your lungs. When these cilia are destroyed, one can develop a chronic cough that is often seen in long-term or daily smokers.

Though there is no proof that smoking can make a person vulnerable to develop Covid 19 or the severity of the infection increases if the person is smoking, it is a known fact that both smoking and Covid 19 infection are putting an extra burden on the lungs. As the lungs of a smoker are already in a bad shape, Covid 19 can further worsen its health. Therefore, it is advised to quit smoking and take all precautions to safeguard the lungs.

Two functions determine the overall health of lung health – Lung capacity and lung function. While lung capacity is depending on the genes, making the lungs function properly is up to us. Here are a few tips you can follow to have healthy lungs.

Exercise – At least 30 minutes of exercise on a daily basis is imperative for adults to avoid any lung distress. Physical activity that makes you breathe heavily. It increases the flow of oxygen in your bloodstream that then increases airflow to your muscles, heart, and lungs. Running, brisk walking, cycling, swimming are the few suggested exercises.

Diet – Choice of food is very important for lung and immune system health. It is being noticed that people with underlying ailments have been affected badly due to corona. It could be due to Chronic inflammation. There is much food that assists the body with decreasing inflammation in the airways. Ensure to consume proper nutrition, particularly food high in antioxidants like fruits and vegetables.

Quit smoking – It is not only lung cancer but inhaling anything other than air into your lungs causes them to become inflamed. This can lead to mucus build-up which impacts the lung’s ability to process oxygen into the bloodstream. For a person already having lung damage, treatment becomes a factor and the recovery may get delayed.

Oral health – Maintain good oral health. Avoid the buildup of plaque and infection in the mouth. These infections could also affect the lungs. With Covid 19 second wave affecting both the young and older generations, the number of hospitalization and people needing oxygen support has been increased. We are at a juncture where paying attention to our lung health and working towards its betterment gains utmost importance.

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Water is undoubtedly the most important element that we need to live. Keeping ourselves hydrated, especially in summer months is one of the most common pieces of advice that we constantly come across. We have all heard and read enough about the importance of consuming sufficient and more water on a daily basis to maintain better health of our body.

Water is an essential component for the effective functioning of our body as approximately more than half of our body mass is made up of water, including skin, tissues, cells and the organs. Throughout the day we lose a lot of water, be it through the skin in the form of sweat, or through urination, making restoring the lost amount, crucial. But still, water is something that is often underestimated or taken for granted. Water affects every organ system of the body, from the muscular to the digestive, and of course, the skin.

We know water is life but did you know it could also give a new life to your skin? Experts continuously stress how water is one of the easiest and best beauty treatments. The skin is also an organ, rather it’s the largest organ in the body. If the skin doesn’t get enough water, it will not function properly. If your water intake is right and adequate, then one can even stop worrying about acne, dark spots or dark circles or any such skin-related issues that can bring down one’s beauty.

On average, 2 to 3 liters of water should be consumed in a day. The amount of water needs for a person tends to change through his/her lifetime depending on age, diet, environmental conditions, physical activity, etc.

Some benefits for the skin from drinking more water include:

• Reduces wrinkles: The more water you drink, the fewer wrinkles and fine lines you see. This is so because water helps in maintaining the skin moisture, which increases elasticity and the more elastic the skin is, the lesser are the wrinkles. Keeping your skin hydrated also smoothens it.
• Improves Complexion: Many skin issues like can be dealt with by drinking more water as it helps the digestive system in flushing out toxins from the body. This, in turn, increases the blood flow and aids in improving the complexion for healthy and glowing skin.
• Diminished puffiness: Our body retains water which is why our skin tends to swell sometimes. Nobody enjoys those puffy eyes at any time of the day. However, you can have your eyes looking sparkly and clear with reduced puffiness by consuming enough water. As the dehydration will lessen, the eyes will appear clearer and the puffiness around them will decrease.
• Increases the speed of healing: This is true particularly in case of sunburn. Drinking more water helps in speeding up the healing process for sunburn.
• Clears acne: Acne is an incredibly common problem when it comes to skin. Water also aids in flushing toxins from the skin and shrink the pores, in turn, making them less likely to clog and cause a zit. Hence reduces the chances of acne on your skin.
• Slows ageing: Drinking enough water not only reduces wrinkles and acne, and makes the skin smooth but it can help in keeping the skin cells hydrated and healthy, hence delay the ageing process for the skin. Plump skin cells also help to hide the already present signs of aging.
• Reduces pore size: Throughout the day our skin is exposed to a lot of sun, dust, smoke, etc. and through the day our pores can get clogged and enlarged. By drinking more water, one can maintain a better balance of oil and water on the surface of the skin. This further helps in reducing the pore size, decrease acne breakouts, and reduce blemishes.
• Gets rid of dry skin: Dry skin tends to crack, flake, and itch and just by hydrating your skin, this problem can be taken care of. When you stay hydrated, your skin is less likely to crack and become itchy.
• Tightens skin: A great way to get away with sagging of your skin and help tighten the skin around your jawline, stomach, arms, and legs are to drink more and more water. This is so because water helps in improving skin elasticity, and makes it bounce back from sagging too much.
• pH balance: Maintaining a healthy pH balance is essential to keep one’s skin blemish-free and glowing and by drinking more water, one can help in balancing the pH level and in return gift yourself a healthy skin.
• Puts skin disorders at bay: If you keep your skin hydrated, it will enhance the metabolic rate and improve the digestive system which will be further flush out toxins from the body, leaving you with healthy and glowing skin.

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Diet for the Chronic Kidney Disease is a bit complicated but still, it can be managed by following a proper diet. Kidney disease can be categorized depending on the GFR(Glomerular Filtration Rate, a measure of your level of kidney function) and kidney damage. There are 5 stages of Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) starting from CKD stage 1 to stage 5. Treatment including medical and nutritional plan also varies depending on the stages of kidney disease.

Why Nutrition is important for CKD

Nutrition requirement varies from individual to individual. Though diet is very much important for those individuals who are on medication or not as because,

• To get energy
• To maintain the healthy weight
• To prevent from infections
• To maintain blood parameters

Nutrients and CKD

Those individuals having CKD should follow a Renal diet. But the diet is always individualized in terms of calorie requirement, protein requirement, and micronutrient requirements.

Protein:

 Protein helps us to build muscle, repair tissue and fight against infections. Protein intake for kidney disease patients depends on the muscle mass and stage of kidney disease. Those who are undergoing dialysis require more protein because dialyses filter out wastes from the blood, it also removes proteins and due to that muscle starts to break down. This break down of muscle can make the individual fatigue and make them more prone to infections.

Protein is divided into two categories. One is the first class and the other one is the second class. First-class proteins are generally absorbed easily in the body compared to second class proteins. Through a combination of protein is recommended for these patients, of course, considering the blood reports.

 Sources:

First-class protein source includes Egg, Chicken, Fish, Red meat. Second class protein includes Milk and milk products, Soya, Tofu, Beans, Legumes and Pulses, etc.

Sodium:

Sodium affects blood pressure & water balance in the body. If individuals suffering from CKD, Sodium & Fluid buildup in the body, which can lead to swelling Sodium should always restrict from diet regime for those individuals suffering from kidney disease.

Sources: All packaged food including Ketchup, Soy sauce, Processed meat, Salted snacks including chips or namkeens, Papad, Pickle, etc.

Always read the food labels before using it.

Potassium:

A potassium-rich diet is always restricted to an individual with CKD. A normal kidney removes potassium through urination. Kidneys that are not functioning properly cannot remove potassium in the urine, so it builds up in the blood. High potassium can cause irregular heartbeat & can even cause a heart to stop working.

Sources: Banana, Fruits and fruit juices, tender coconut water, Ragi, Green leafy vegetables except for Fenugreek leaves, Tomato, Potato, etc 

Phosphorus:

A person with kidney disease may not be able to remove the excess Phosphorus from the blood. For a safer side food high in Phosphorus can be restricted. A high level of Phosphorus in the blood can cause Calcium to build up in the blood vessels, heart joints, muscles and skin which can lead to poor blood circulation, bone pain and skin ulcers.

Sources: Dairy products including Milk, Cheese, Yogurt, Curd; Nuts; Dried beans; Beverages like Cocoa, Beer & Soft drink, etc.

Fluids: Depending on the Chronic kidney disease stages and urine output fluid intake can be calculated. To control intake individual should

Not drink more than the Doctor’s advice. Fluid intake can be calculated including Tea, Coffee, Sambar, Rasam, etc.

An individualized diet plan should help the individual to maintain optimal nutrition. Doctor and Dietitian plan the treatment depends on the condition and it varies from person to person.

Always refer to your personalized meal plan prescribed by your Dietitian.

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