Cigarette smokers inhale tobacco mixed with aerosol particles and nicotine. This mixture penetrates deeply into the lungs. In the lungs, these harmful components are absorbed into the bloodstream. Despite the raised awareness of the lethal side effects, there has been no decrease in the number of people smoking.
Tobacco kills over 8 million people every year. World No Tobacco Day is observed on May 31 every year to spread awareness of the risk associated with the use of tobacco. The annual campaign is an opportunity to reduce tobacco use and protect the health of people as well as the environment. Tobacco smoking is one of the most significant causes of preventable illnesses and deaths in India. Smoking contributes to a range of cancers and heart diseases. It can also cause an ulcer, osteoporosis (brittle bones), stroke, and emphysema.
Smoking is not a wise choice, but many people begin smoking when they’re too young to understand the consequences or during times of great emotional stress. The habit of smoking is not just harmful to the smoker themselves; passive smoke is known to be equally harmful to a non-smoker as well.
While not smoking at all is the healthiest option, if you’re not ready to quit, you can do your best to minimise the damage to your body by planning your meals around food which proves beneficial for smokers’ lungs. These are also effective for those who have already quit smoking, since quitting alone is not enough to reverse the lung damage that has already happened.
Tomatoes and Apples
A decade-long study of 650 British and European adults suggests that diets rich in tomatoes and fruits, particularly apples, may accelerate the healing of smoke-damaged lungs. The study found that people who consumed an average of more than two tomatoes or more than three portions of fresh fruit per day, especially apples, experienced a slower decline in lung function compared to those who consumed less than one tomato or less than one portion of fruit per day.
Another research study published online in the journal Thorax found that people who ate five or more portions of fruit and vegetables every day were, respectively, 40 per cent and 34 per cent less likely to develop chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Every time an additional serving of fruit or vegetables was consumed, it led to a four per cent lower risk of COPD in former smokers and an eight per cent lower risk in current smokers.
Green Tea
Green tea has a high concentration of catechins and is about as effective as tomatoes and apples at slowing the decline in lung capacity that occurs with age, which is exacerbated by smoking. Catechins are compounds that can help regulate blood pressure, aid in weight loss, and protect the brain from certain diseases. The catechins in green tea can break up and loosen mucus deposits in the lungs. Green tea is also rich in antimicrobial properties which help in improving lung health.
Turmeric
Turmeric has powerful anti-inflammatory properties, making it effective in alleviating the damage to the lungs caused by smoking. It is curcumin, present in turmeric, that gives it its potent antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer properties, which protect the lungs from nicotine-induced damage.
Cigarette smoke can cause inflammation and obstruction in the airway. Curcumin protects against the development of inflammatory lung diseases, such as COPD. Curcumin protects the lung from carcinogens present in cigarette smoke and prevents the development of lung cancer. Curcumin in turmeric protects other organs from smoking-induced toxicity. It also protects from DNA damage caused by nicotine.
Ginger
Ginger has anti-inflammatory properties which help remove toxins from the respiratory tract. It contains many vitamins and minerals, including potassium, magnesium, beta-carotene and zinc. Certain extracts of ginger are also known to inhibit the growth of lung cancer cells. You can add ginger to many dishes as a herb or consume it in the form of ginger tea.
