"Do you know, Lao Liu, I went for a physical examination two days ago, and the result almost scared me!" Lao Zhao sat on a park bench, holding the red apple he had just bought.
told his friend Lao Liu about his experience vividly. "I said that I had a problem with my lungs, and it had nothing to do with the sweets and processed foods I usually eat. You say, we usually eat these things, who would have thought that it would affect the lungs?"
1. The threat of refined sugar and processed foods
The "sweet trap" that accompanies us every day to enjoy the dinner table time may be the "invisible killer" that quietly damages our lung health.
Tempting-looking, delicious-tasting processed foods and sweet beverages aren't just about satisfying your taste cravings.
Refined sugar, like a cunning "lurker", quietly enters the body, rapidly pushing up blood sugar levels, causing insulin resistance, which may affect the function of various organs in the body, including our lungs.
Chemical additives in processed foods are also fuel-efficient, and they may give food an attractive color, taste and shelf life, but they can cause long-term chronic damage to the lungs.
After digestion and absorption, it is difficult for the body to completely decompose, and some residues will accumulate in the body, and over time, the lung tissue may be attacked by inflammatory response and oxidative stress, affecting the normal function of the lungs.
This round little guy is full of antioxidant troops, such as vitamin C and polyphenols, ready to fight free radicals in the body and reduce their oxidative stress on lung cells.
In this way, the aging process of the lungs is effectively delayed, just like an invisible protective umbrella for the lungs to resist the ravages of time.
2. Eat a healthy diet for the lungs
Instead of the sweet cakes, biscuits, or processed meats full of additives, the tables at his house are replaced by colorful fresh fruits and vegetables and whole grains.
The plates of green vegetables, golden fruits, and brown rice with the aroma of grains are all "nutritional fortresses" carefully built by Lao Zhao for lung health.
Every time you take a bite of an apple, it's like feeding your lungs a mouthful of "good medicine", full of antioxidants in the body to fight a cleansing battle to help the lungs resist the dual attack of external pollution and internal oxidative stress.
Lao Zhao is well aware of this, and he also pays special attention to the intake of foods rich in vitamins C, E and β-carotene. For example, the sour citrus fruits and the red tomatoes are the strongholds of vitamin C.
Nut seeds are a good source of vitamin E, which together build a strong antioxidant line of defense for lung cells.
As for β-carotene, it is hidden in those bright orange fruits and vegetables, such as pumpkin and carrots, which can not only satisfy the taste buds, but also convert into vitamin A to maintain the health of the respiratory mucosa.
After insisting on a diet adjustment for several months, Lao Zhao was pleased to find that he was breathing more freely, and he was no longer out of breath when he walked.
He even joined the community's walking team and was actively involved in outdoor exercise. This series of changes made him truly experience the truth of "illness comes from the mouth, and so does health", and also made the surrounding neighbors follow suit, setting off a wave of caring for lung health.
"An apple a day, the doctor stays away from me", this sentence has been completely interpreted in Lao Zhao. His story shows us that it is not difficult to focus on lung health, but the key is the accumulation of small bits and pieces of daily life.
From today onwards, eat an extra apple, take a few deep breaths, and don't forget that a healthy lifestyle is the most precious medicine. Take care of your lungs, start from the small things around you, make every breath full of strength, and make life better because of health.
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