“There's so much pollution in the air now that if it weren't for our lungs there'd be no place to put it all.” – Quote by Robert Orben, an American comedy writer.

Much is unknown about COVID-19 which is caused by a novel coronavirus first detected in late 2019. Most people who get sick with COVID-19 will develop mild to moderate respiratory symptoms. There is currently no specific treatment other than supportive care available. The majority of people recover from COVID-19 within a few weeks, but it can be life-threatening. There is currently no vaccine to prevent COVID-19. The best way to prevent illness is to avoid being exposed to the virus. Those who live with lung diseases like Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), Asthma, Pulmonary Fibrosis, and Lung Cancer, while not more likely to get the COVID-19 virus, are at greater risk if infected. It is important for them to take special care to reduce the risk of infection and exposure. Hence we have put together some tips to keep the lungs healthy and safe.

Here are some easy tips to keep lungs healthy at all times especially during COVID-19 era:

1. The first tip can be the hardest to implement if a person is a smoker. The tip being quit smoking. Smoking is the bane of the lungs and the cause of many ailments including cancer and COPD. Quitting smoking at any time is welcome as it allows for the healing of the lungs to begin. Avoid second-hand smoke as well.

2. Practice deep breathing or diaphragmatic breathing exercises daily at a certain point in the day and make it a routine. Do these exercises for a minimum period of time and see the results. The side effects include a calmer soul, a reduction in high blood pressure, and stress.

3. Be regular with cardio-vascular exercises on a daily basis. Based on the person’s overall fitness, 30 – 60 minutes every day is the recommended advice by health physicians. The

exercise could be a fast-paced walk, jog, aerobics, Zumba, cycling, and so on. Choose a form of exercise which is fun and doable on a regular basis.

4. Schedule regular examinations with the family physician and discuss all concerns related to the health of the lungs. Go for an X-Ray on a regular basis.

5. Eat nutritious, well-balanced meals cooked at home to keep the body and lungs healthy.

6. Monitor the oxygen levels in your body using an oximeter electronic device on a regular basis. These can be purchased from the nearest pharmacy or using an online delivery service. The saturation of oxygen in the bloodstream should be in the range of 95 to 100% range.

We hope the above tips will act as a guide on keeping your lungs healthy at all times especially in these testing times of the COVID-19 situation.