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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Kidney disease affects millions of people all over the world and is known as a silent killer. Quite often it does not exhibit any symptoms in the initial stages and the disorder goes undetected till it has reached an advanced stage. A person suffering from kidney disease, on dialysis, or having undergone a transplant must take extra care to avoid additional stress to the kidneys. Here are some health management tips for people suffering from kidney disease

• Hydration is important but is careful

Water plays a key role in flushing out toxins from the body and healthy people are typically advised to drink about 8-10 glasses of water per day. For kidney patients, however, too much water or fluids puts excessive stress on the kidneys and can make dialysis painful, lead to water retention, fluid build-up in the lungs, higher blood pressure, and heart issues. Fluid intake includes not just water but fruit juices, milk, tea, coffee, and water-rich fruits and vegetables. Ideally, healthy urine should be pale yellow or colorless whereas dark yellow urine indicates dehydration.

Dialysis patients must consume only as much fluid as advised by their doctor.

• Watch your diet

Diet is a key factor in managing kidney disorders. When the kidneys are not functioning properly, it becomes difficult for the body to remove toxins, excess nutrients, and waste. In such patients, not everything can be digested properly and excreted by the body easily.

• Avoid Sodium-Rich Foods

Avoid high-sodium foods such as chips, fried foods, biscuits, salted nuts, pickles, sausages, certain types of meat, etc. Excessive sodium intake increases blood pressure and puts pressure on the kidneys, which can lead to further health complications. The body tends to retain water when sodium levels are high, leading to symptoms such as difficulty breathing, fluid build-up, and swelling in the feet.

• Limit Intake of Phosphorus-Containing Foods

People with kidney disease cannot process phosphorous easily however since most food items contain this mineral; it may not be possible to completely avoid it. When the phosphorous level is high, the body tries to absorb calcium from the bones in order to achieve balance. This has a direct impact on the bones and leads to bone weakening and higher susceptibility to fractures. Kidney patients can avoid or limit the consumption of food items such as bananas, milk, meat, guava, etc which are high in phosphorous.

• Restrict Consumption of High-Potassium Foods

Similarly, patients with kidney impairment cannot remove excess potassium adequately and over time this can lead to building up. Excess potassium can lead to heart failure. Foods with high potassium content such as coconut, coconut, and its water, potato, sweet potato, green papaya, spinach, coriander leaves, amaranth, chocolates, instant coffee, etc must be avoided. ORS powder is also rich in potassium and patients suffering from kidney issues or on certain medications should restrain from using that without a prescription.

• Keep a Check on Protein Levels

Protein-rich foods contain a high amount of purines which increase the production of uric acid in the body. This in turn leads to uric acid stones causing damage to the kidneys. Hence it is crucial to keep a regular check on the protein levels and follow a diet that does not contain a lot of proteins.

• Stay Physically Fit

Kidney patients are at high risk of weight gain, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and heart disorders. Regular and light physical activity such as brisk walking, jogging, skipping, swimming, cycling, etc is advised to maintain kidney health and keep potential comorbidities such as diabetes and hypertension at bay. In patients with early kidney disease, regular and appropriate exercise could also potentially reverse the damage.

• Smoking, Alcohol, and Drugs

Smoking is highly injurious to your health in any form – active or passive. It can increase the chance of heart disorders and kidney cancer. If you are suffering from kidney disorders, it is advisable that you quit smoking completely. Alcohol and other drugs can worsen the condition of the kidneys and cause irreparable damage.

• Consume Medications only as Prescribed

Long-term use of pain medications, drugs, antibiotics, protein shakes or vitamin supplements, etc can cause great damage to the kidneys. If you are diagnosed with any kidney disorder, make sure your doctor knows about any OTC medications and protein or vitamin supplements that you may be taking.

• Seek professional help and community support

Managing a chronic health condition can be tough and overwhelming. It is important to speak to your doctor, therapist, family, and friends whenever you need help. Proper medical care and support can go a long way in ensuring a patient’s overall well-being. Depression is a major indicator for adverse events, morbidity, and mortality when it comes to renal failure, and hence a positive mindset important to cope with it.

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Time and again the message of caution that smoking is injurious to health has been propagated over various mediums of communication. Smoking alone puts an individual at the risk of developing over 50 percent of serious illnesses.  Some of these illnesses can be fatal and others can cause long-term irreversible damage to your health. Second-hand smoking is also as good as direct smoking and exposes individuals to the same health risks as smokers. In fact, the death rate for any kind of smoker is two to three times higher than that for non-smokers. Half of the smokers eventually die as a result of their smoking. Despite these dramatic and proven health risks, there are many people who find it hard to kick the habit and put themselves at a high risk of developing smoking-related diseases.

 Let us explore the top 3 ill effects of smoking:

 1. Lung Cancer: Smoking is the number one risk factor for lung cancer. It doesn’t matter if a person smokes only one cigarette or multiple times a day, or only smokes occasionally, the chances of developing lung cancer increase for sure. Smoking produces more than 4,000 chemicals including carbon dioxide, tars, and nicotine and these are capable of transforming normal cells into cancer cells over time. The cancer risk is directly proportional to the number of cigarettes one smokes every day. People who quit smoking have a lower risk of developing lung cancer, and this risk gradually decreases over time. Do not continue the habit by thinking that you are already too far in. Stopping can slowly reduce and reverse the damage already caused to your body.

 There is a misunderstanding among people that smoking can only lead to mouth cancer. However, smoking can contribute to cancer anywhere in the body and lung cancer is one the most common and dangerous ones caused directly by smoking.  

 Symptoms of Lung cancer will show up only when the disease is in an advanced stage. Some of the symptoms are:

• Bone pain
• Shortness of breath
• Weight loss
• Coughing up blood

 2. Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD): When we smoke, the airways, air sacs, and the lining of the lungs get damaged. Though long-term exposure to lung irritants can lead to COPD, a common risk factor of it is smoking. The airways lose their ability to stretch and shrink back and the walls between the air sacs are destroyed. In the initial stages, there will be hardly any symptoms or mild symptoms which worsen over time. The symptoms are: 

• Difficulty in breathing
• Wheezing
• Tightness in the breath
• Prolonged cough
• Breathing difficulty 

3. Pneumonia: Our body has a natural defense system against bacteria and viruses. But when you smoke, the body’s defense system gets compromised. With compromised immunity, you are susceptible to any infection. The action of the cilia or hair-like projections in the trachea to sweep fluids and any foreign particles out of the airways gets impaired leading to pneumonia.

 Symptoms of Pneumonia are:

• Fever
• Coughing up mucus
• Chest pain 

Early detection is the key:

Catching the above three diseases in their early stage often allows for a higher likelihood of successful treatment. This is also when the treatment is easy and the body’s response to it will be more favorable. Pneumonia, COPD, and lung cancer are closely related and have similar symptoms. The common culprit of smoking can worsen the symptoms and the impact of these diseases on the body. The lungs, which is the primary organ in the respiratory system, bears the brunt of the attack of such diseases.

 It is also a known fact that COPD is a significant risk factor for lung cancer. That’s the reason why to prevent both the diseases, COPD screening in smokers should be started at the earliest, and quitting smoking should be the first thing to do.

 Why is prevention important?

All the above diseases if not prevented in their early stages can be fatal and a key factor to this is to quit smoking immediately. All those patients who get hospitalized when the symptoms worsen lament over holding on to the unhealthy practice of smoking. It will all be fine until the day your body says it can no longer take smoking and then teach you the smoke-free lesson at the hospital bed in the hardest way possible. Not to forget the cost of treatment and the valuable time you end up losing due to the unhealthy practice. It’s not only the above three diseases, but smoking is also linked to diseases of nearly all the organs of the body.

 Remember that you are not only compromising your health by smoking but are also threatening the lives of people near you, especially children, pregnant women, and the elderly as passive smoking is as harmful as taking the real puff.

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