Pwhy in winter the lungs and the health ofrespiratory system Am I more at risk of infections? In addition to the cold and humidity, it is above all the greater time spent indoors together with other potentially infected people that puts broncho-pulmonary health at risk. This is why the “Protect your lungs” educational campaign is back, promoted by Zambon Italy, with the winter edition of “Journey into the breath”. But again there is also a handbook with expert advice to take care of lung health during the coldest months of the year.
Lungs: why is it worse in winter?
«Cold ambient temperatures favor a greater transmission and development of respiratory infections due to alterations of the “mucociliary clearance”an important defense mechanism of the respiratory tract capable of contrasting and blocking the entry into the lungs of foreign bodies and pathogens such as viruses and bacteria», he explains Maria Pia Foschino BarbaroFull Professor of Diseases of the Respiratory System – University of Foggia, Polyclinic of Foggia.
The effects of cold on the lungs
The teacher Maria Pia Foschino Barbaro she is also editor of the vademecum “Breath travel – winter edition”, a new educational initiative of the “Proteggi i loro lungs” campaign, promoted by Zambon Italia to explain in a simple way why and how to take care of the health of your respiratory tract, available on the website protect your lungs.it.
According to a study by the Massachusetts Eye and Ear and of Northeastern Universitythe cold causes a considerable decrease in extracellular vesicles present in the nose, “guardians” who typically neutralize viruses before they infect cells. Lacking the natural filter of the nose, the lungs are therefore more prone to infections.
The enemies of the lungs: smoke, smog and free radicals
«To the risks associated with the action on the body of the low temperatures typical of winter must also be added the factors that damage the lungs throughout the year, such as smoketherepollution and the action of free radicals which are at the basis of oxidative stress», adds Foschino Barbaro. «That’s why, especially in winter, it’s important to adopt precautions and have good habits that help the body to counteract oxidative stressfor example by promoting the production of glutathione thanks to micronutrients rich in anti-oxidants or substances such asN-acetylcysteine».
The 5 tips to protect your lungs from the cold
The 5 moves to better face the coldest weeks and protect the lungs are described in the handbook “Journey in the breath – winter edition”: protect your mouth and nose, outdoors as indoors, especially if crowded; adopt good habits of prevention; stop smoking; check the air quality and fill up antioxidant substances.
1. Lung protection starts with the mouth and nose
Mouth and nose must be kept covered outside, but also in crowded closed places with a mask. It is also important to take advantage of the natural filter represented by the nasal ducts, inhaling through the nose and exhaling through the mouth.
2. Prevention
To reduce the risk of infections it is important to adopt some good prevention habits, how to avoid sudden changes in temperature, wash your hands often, cover your nose and mouth when you sneeze or cough, change the air frequently in the rooms, eat fruit and vegetables. They are also useful vaccinations which, although not available for all viruses and bacteria that threaten respiratory health, are an important first line of defense to avoid even serious complications, especially for the elderly and children.
3. There is no worse enemy for lung health than smoking.
«The winter months, precisely because of the low temperatures that don’t make you want to go outside to smoke, could be the right time to quit», underlines Foschino Barbaro.
4. Air quality
Spending more time indoors also requires check the air qualityboth in terms of humidity – which must not be too low – and quality: it is good to ventilate the rooms often and clean air conditioner filters.
5. Watch out for glutathione deficiency
Finally, pay attention to oxidative stress, which can lead to a greater risk of lung damage: an indicator of oxidative stress is the deficit of glutathione, the main antioxidant of human cells. It is possible to stimulate its production with antioxidant substances that act against free radicals and can thus support the body to react against bacteria and viruses.
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