Do not take for granted the lungs you breathe. While they might not be at the forefront of your mind, they're vital for life. It's crucial to give your lungs the care they deserve. These tips can help you breathe easier and keep your lungs healthy.

1. Avoid smoking

Smoking is the number one reason for lung diseases and is a major contributor to COPD as well as lung cancer. Smoking can cause chronic inflammation of the lungs, which can make breathing difficult, and also destroy lung tissue. If you're a non-smoker, don't start smoking. Talk to your physician about smoking cessation solutions to help you quit.

2. Exercise Regularly

Exercise strengthens your lungs and boosts your immune system for helping you fight off infections such as pneumonia and bronchitis. Certain types of exercises also help strengthen your diaphragm and those muscles in between your ribs to help breathe. Combining cardio workouts like walking, running and swimming along with exercises for strength to strengthen your lungs and breathing muscles.

3. Get Clean Air Breathing

Lung problems can be caused or worsened by indoor and outdoor pollutants, such as second-hand smoke, vehicle exhaust, and the radon. Be sure that your family is taking in as clean air as is possible, such as checking your house regularly for radon and taking walks off busy roads which expose you to large volumes of exhaust from vehicles.

4. Cleanse your hands frequently

Cleaning your hands frequently will help eliminate bacteria and germs which can cause illnesses like pneumonia and bronchitis which increase the risk of lung cancer. Be careful not to touch the surfaces of your hands and don't touch your mouth, nose eyes or other sensitive locations.

5. Keep up to date on Vaccines

Talk to your doctor about the recommended vaccine schedule for you and your children, and stay up to date on vaccinations--particularly the flu vaccine. If you are suffering from health issues that are chronic like asthma or heart disease, then the pneumonia vaccination may be right for you. The vaccines you receive could reduce the likelihood that lung-related diseases develop. Look at this to get breaking news on Breathing Healthier .

6. Healthy Lungs - Eat Right to Improve Your Health

Certain foods are rich in nutrients which to protect your lungs and improve lung function. Talk to your physician about adding food items that are good for your lungs to your diet. Apples, blueberries, peppers, pumpkins, yogurt, lentils, and beets can all benefit lung health. So are the green tea and coffee, turmeric and olive oil.

7. Do Breathing Exercises

Exercises in breathing and deep breathing could help improve the capacity of your lungs. This makes it easy to breathe. Diaphragmatic breathing is one type of deep breathing. It involves being conscious of the diaphragm muscle that divides organs from the lungs inside the abdominal area. Your doctor can teach you breathing exercises that will increase lung health.