Everything You Need To Know About Lung Function

What happens when you breathe is that oxygen is taken into the lungs, where it passes into the blood and travels to your body’s tissues. The waste product Carbon dioxide, produced by your body’s tissues, is carried to the lungs, where it is breathed out. This is the primary function of the lungs.

Also called Pulmonary Care function, Lung function is a term used to describe how well your lungs are working in helping you breathe.

Your lungs mature by the time you are about 20–25 years old. After about the age of 35, it is normal for your lung function to decline gradually as you age. This can make breathing slightly more difficult as you get older.

Ways to Measure Lung function

There are many ways to measure lung function.

Pulmonary Function Tests (PFTs) show how well yourlungs are functioning. They arenon-invasive that measure lung volume, capacity, rates of flow, and gas exchange.

Based on the information obtained from these tests your healthcare provider can diagnose and decide the treatment of certain lung disorders.

What are examples of Pulmonary FunctionTests?

Pulmonary Function Tests include:

• Spirometry: It is the most common type of lung function test.
• Lung volume test: It is also known as body plethysmography.
• Gas diffusion test: This test measures how oxygen and other gases move from your lungs to the bloodstream.
• Exercise stress test: This test looks at how exercise affects your lung function.

What is Forced expiratory volume (FEV)

Forced expiratory volume is the most important measurement of lung function.

It measures how much air you can exhale during a forced breath. The amount of air exhaled may be measured during the first (FEV1), second (FEV2), and/or third seconds (FEV3) of the forced breath.

Forced vital capacity (FVC) is the total amount of air exhaled during the FEV test.

Forced expiratory volume and forced vital capacity are lung function tests that are measured during spirometry.

It is used to:

Diagnose obstructive lung diseases such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). You will have a lower FEV1 result than a healthy person if you haveasthma or COPD.

A decrease in your FEV1 value may mean yourlung disease is getting worse.

What is normal lung function?

If your FVC and the FEV1 are within 80% of the reference value, the results are considered normal. The normal value for the FEV1/FVC ratio is 70% (and 65% in persons older than age 65)

What is a good lung function test result?

FEV1 measurement

Percentage of predicted FEV1 value Result

80% or greater normal

70%–79% mildly abnormal

60%–69% moderately abnormal

50%–59% moderate to severely abnormal

Causes poor lung function

Some of the conditions causing restrictive lung disease are:

Interstitial lung disease, such as idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

Sarcoidosis, an autoimmune disease.

Obesity, including obesity hypoventilation syndrome.

Watch out, these symptoms could mean lung failure.

If you are having shortness of breath or feeling like you aren’t getting enough air, feeling fatigued, or unable to exercise as you did before and sleepy most of the time, then it could set the alarm bells off. It could mean you are heading towards respiratory failure which can develop slowly. When it does, it is called chronic respiratory failure.

Percentage of lung functionyou need to live

In healthy people without chronic lung disease, even at maximum exercise intensity, you only use 70 percent of the possible lung capacity.

Though having both lungs is ideal, it is possible to live and function with only one lung. Having one lung will still allow you to live a relatively normal life. Having one lung might limit your physical abilities, however, such as your ability to exercise.

Does Long term oxygen usage help?

Unfortunately, breathing 100% oxygen for long periods can cause changes in the lungs, which are potentially harmful. Researchers believe that by lowering the concentration of oxygen therapy to 40% patients can receive it for longer periods without the risk of side effects.

How can you improve your lung function?

Make your lungs work optimum by working out. Include both aerobic activities and Natural remedies for lungs, muscle-strengthening activities in your exercise regime.

Aerobic activities like walking, running or jumping rope give your heart and lungs the kind of workout they need to function efficiently

Help, Heal and Improve your lung function,naturally!

ü Quit smoking.

ü Exercise to breathe harder.

ü Avoid exposure to pollutants.

ü Prevent infections.

ü Breathe deeply.

ü Diaphragmatic breathing.

ü Simple deep breathing.

ü Maintain right posture.

ü Stay hydrated.

ü Laugh, a lot.

ü Stay active.

ü Practice pranayama.

Foods to help boost lung function.

ü Beets and beet greens.

ü Blueberries.

ü Apples.

ü Peppers.

ü Pumpkin.

ü Turmeric.

ü Tomatoes.

ü Green tea.

ü Nutraceuticals like Chovesafe chew gels from Oxylus that are loaded with lung function boosting ingredients.

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