in the covid era: expert advice
How do today's doctors take care of lung health-especially these days, when this delicate organ is under attack from the coronavirus?
How do you preserve your lungs in the covid era?
1. With a light heart.
I knew I was leading a non-ideal lifestyle, but the issue really came to a head when I started working in the ICU and was literally exhausted during my shifts. It gave me a good kick: I lost 10 kilos and worked on my lungs and heart. Now I have high-intensity interval training every other day, and during my breaks at work I try to either take a brisk walk around the hospital or run up and down the stairs. I also work out regularly with a trainer - strengthening my chest muscles and my diaphragm in particular. All of this is necessary to keep the respiratory system functioning properly.
2. Movement is life.
If I have to work from home, I try to move as much as possible. (When we slouch at our desk for long periods of time, our chest compresses our lungs and prevents us from taking a full breath - it's not good.) At least once an hour I change positions, even if it means moving from the office chair in my home office to the dining room table in another room. When I stand up, I make sure I straighten my shoulders, breathe in deeply and feel my circulation improve.
3. the mask regimen
Over the past year we have somehow gotten used to wearing masks, they no longer seem like something strange - and that's fine. After the pandemic, I'm going to wear a mask when I travel to cities with bad environmental conditions, with highly polluted atmospheres. I always wear a mask when I'm doing chores in the yard or cleaning the house - the dust irritates the airways, which can lead to chronic illness. I try not to use cleaners and other products with high levels of chlorine, ammonia and other volatile substances. There are reports that people who are regularly exposed to them often develop chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, which eventually causes their death.
4. The simple solution
If I catch a cold, I first of all try to blow my nose more often and make sure that mucus doesn't drip down my nasopharynx (this only makes it worse). I always have paper handkerchiefs and common runny nose drops from the drugstore.
5. Breathe steady.
Whenever possible, I practice mindful breathing. I don't know how good it is for my lungs, but I do know that it has helped and is helping me cope with the shaft of work that my colleagues and I have faced since the pandemic began. I love using the Breathe app, which is compatible with the Apple Watch: it just requires you to sync your breaths and exhales with the circles that appear and disappear on the watch screen. It's amazing how soothing this thing actually is.
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