This document discusses ways to improve lung function after quitting smoking. It finds that lung function can improve by over 15% within 8 weeks of stopping smoking. Regular exercise, deep breathing exercises, a healthy diet with vitamins C and E, and avoiding smoke-filled environments can further help lung recovery over time. The lungs will gradually heal and repair themselves after quitting, though it may take over a year to fully recover lung capacity to levels of a non-smoker.

1. Improving Lung Function After
Smoking Cessation
By
http://2stopsmokingtips.com

2. Introduction
• Experts say kicking the smoking habit is
enough to improve lung function but many ex-
smokers what to know the little little things
they can do to improve their lung function
after smoking cessation. That is the basis of
this article.

3. Stop Smoking Improves Lung Function
• Findings of a research conducted at the
University of Glasgow indicate that kicking the
smoking habit can better lung function test
scores by over 15% in less than 8 weeks. The
test was conducted on smokers with asthma
and published in the July 2006 edition of the
American Journal of Respiratory and Critical
Care Medicine.

4. Stop Smoking Improves Lung
Function(2)
• The researchers examined 11 smokers who
had asthma and continued to smoke and 10
who dropped off cigarettes for one and a half
months. After only 7 days of no cigarettes, the
study group of 8, led by Neil C. Thomson,
M.D., of the Departments of Respiratory
Medicine and Immunology at the University of
Glasgow concluded that the lung function test
outcome of the non-smokers had developed
to an appreciable level.

5. Other Ways to Improve Lung Function
• Tip No 1: Just like nature, your lungs will take
time to heal. Be prepared to give it the time it
needs. No matter what you do, your lung capacity
will not improve overnight. The American Lung
Association states that your lungs utility should
improve on its own by about 30% in less than 14
days to 12 weeks after dropping off cigarettes.
And that shortness of breath will decrease in one
to nine months. Lifestyle changes, including
regular exercise, a healthy diet and continued
abstinence from smoking will help improve the
capacity of your lungs over time.

6. Other Ways to Improve Lung
Function(2)
• The respiratory system is lined with thin and hair-
like structures called cilia which constantly move
to sweep toxins, mucus and debris out of your
lungs. Smoking immobilizes and destroys the cilia.
That is why you acquire a smoker’s cough. It will
take a few months after smoking cessation for
the cilia to re-grow and commence their job
again. You really can’t do much besides regular
exercise, eating a healthy diet and getting
adequate sleep to raise your total metabolism.
Just be patient, don’t push it too hard.

7. Other Ways to Improve Lung
Function(3)
• Tip No 2: Make exercise a daily habit. In the initial
phase of quitting, aerobic or cardiovascular
workouts may assist to desiccate your desire to
smoke. Making exercise a daily routine will make
going back to cigarettes less fascinating. Experts
say participating in aerobic exercises like cycling,
walking, hiking, running, swimming or other
cardiovascular activities for 30 to 60 minutes a
day can better your lung function after you kick
the smoking habit.

8. Other Ways to Improve Lung
Function(4)
• Swimming is said to be the best sport to
strengthen your cardiovascular fitness as
swimmers’ lungs will utilize oxygen three
times more expeditiously than a non-
swimmer. Swimming also uses more muscular
tissue and requires greater lung capacity than
any other type of cardiovascular exercise.

9. Other Ways to Improve Lung
Function(5)
• When exercising, make sure it is consistent
and regular. 30 minutes to one hour daily.
Don’t go off for 7 days and abruptly try to
make up for it by running hard for 3 hours.
That’ll do you no good. Meanwhile, check out
how to establish a daily exercise routine
before you kick the smoking habit.

10. Other Ways to Improve Lung
Function(6)
• Tip No 3: Inhale deeply and exhale completely. This will
better your lung function. Take a deep breath and
recite the alphabets for as long as you can. Practice it
when you have time and each time recite the
alphabets and start another round of recitation. For
instance, if you were able to recite all the alphabets the
first time, the second time, recite all the 26 alphabets
twice and then go higher. Also, take in more air with
each breath. When you want to breathe out, do so
completely, without any reservations. Don’t let any air
remain in your lungs. This allows you to take in more
air on the next breath.

11. Other Ways to Improve Lung
Function(7)
• Tip No 4: Change your diet to improve your lung
capacity. Eat a lot of foods containing Vitamins C and E
as well as omega-3 fatty acids. They strengthen the
health of your lungs, reduce redness and defend the
lungs. Foods high in omega-3 fatty acids include
mackerel, tuna, herring, lake trout, salmon, and other
cold-water fish. Foods high in vitamin E include
spinach, tomatoes, kiwi, peanuts, almonds, broccoli,
sunflower seeds, hazelnuts and oils, like safflower,
corn, soy bean. Foods high in vitamin C include lemons,
oranges, grape-fruits, mangoes, papayas, kiwi,
tomatoes, jicama, broccoli, potatoes, red peppers,
orange peppers and yellow peppers.

12. Other Ways to Improve Lung
Function(8)
• Tip No 5: The popular saying that “an apple a day,
keeps the doctor away” also rings true in the stop
smoking process. A British study of 2,500 men
documented in the journal “Thorax,” indicated
that regular intake of apples was connected with
increased lung function. The men who ate five or
more apples per week had the strongest lung
capacity. Other studies hint that consuming
apples may bring down your risk of lung cancer
and strengthen your immunity to respiratory
problems or infections.

13. Other Ways to Improve Lung
Function(9)
• Tip No 6: Playing a wind or brass instrument is
a great way to exert the lungs and improve
lung function or capacity. Highly
recommended musical instruments for
accelerating lung strength include a flute,
oboe, tuba, clarinet, trombone or trumpet.
Singing may also assist.

14. Other Ways to Improve Lung
Function(10)
• Tip No 7: A word of caution, though. Abstain from
smoke-filled environments to keep your lungs in
perfect working condition. Don’t expose your
lungs to passive smoke. It could lead to
diminished lung capacity.
• Tip No 8: Aside increasing lung capacity, exercise
also helps keep off weight gain after kicking the
smoking habit but please consult your doctor
before commencing any concentrated or vigorous
physical workout.

15. Other Ways to Improve Lung
Function(11)
• Tip No 9: If you recently quit and find yourself
coughing all the time, please allow your Doctor
check you for lung cancer and COPD, as delaying
treatment for either condition considerably
reduces the success of treatment. In some cases,
it’s just a smokers’ cough that will eventually go
away but you don’t want to leave anything to
chance,so, see your doctor right away.
• Tip No 10: Drink a lot of water daily. This will help
your cough expel mucous more easily.

16. Conclusion
• Aside improving your lung function, you may
want to know if lungs do heal or repair
themselves after quit smoking. I dare say they
do. The human body is an amazing machine
which quickly sets out to reverse any damage
that may have been done to your lungs as a
result of smoking. Find out how the lungs heal
after stop smoking and if your lungs, as an ex-
smoker, can ever be like that of a non-smoker.

17. Thanks For Reading!!!
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