Lung function and breathing are major problems for people with COPD and other lung diseases. But improving aerobic fitness through exercise can greatly improve quality of life and lung function for people with lung diseases. It doesn’t take a lot of exercise to make a difference. Walking even one and a half miles per day can have significant impacts. Just putting one foot in front of the other starts the benefits, though it might take time to feel comfortable. Lung diseases can make it hard to exercise, but there is no other way to improve lung function since diseased tissue cannot be replaced with healthy tissue. It may be necessary to carry a bottle of oxygen to improve breathing at first. Improving aerobic fitness by just 10 percent can improve quality of life. Exercise is important for lung function. A healthy diet also can help. Supplements, including CoQ10, vitamin D, B vitamins, fish oil, probiotics and plant-based antioxidants have been shown to help.
Key Points of Video:
- 1For COPD sufferers, walking as little as 1 mile a day can significantly reduce hospital stays.
- 2As diseased lung tissue cannot be replaced with healthy tissue, it is imperative that COPD sufferers improve their exercise tolerance–no matter how uncomfortable–by starting slowly and even taking along their oxygen, if need be.
- 3Along with exercise, dietary supplements and a healthy diet can help improve a COPD sufferer’s condition by 10%.
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