Respiratory Health

Respiratory health spans airway defence, mucociliary clearance and gas exchange. The dominant modifiable risks are tobacco smoke, indoor and outdoor air pollution, occupational exposures and untreated asthma or COPD. Supplements sit at the margins. Important safety point: breathlessness, persistent cough beyond three weeks, wheeze or coughing blood are clinical red flags requiring assessment, not self-management — and asthma medication must never be replaced with supplements.

1) Stop smoking and eliminate vaping — nothing else on this list has comparable effect. 2) Improve air quality: HEPA filtration indoors, ventilation while cooking, and avoiding exercise near heavy traffic at peak times. 3) Stay current with influenza, COVID and pneumococcal vaccination; this is the highest-yield infection prevention step. 4) Correct vitamin D deficiency — meta-analyses show reduced acute respiratory infections, concentrated in those who were deficient. 5) Build aerobic fitness and practise breathing exercises; both improve functional capacity in chronic lung disease. 6) NAC 600mg twice daily reduces exacerbations and mucus viscosity in chronic bronchitis and COPD. 7) Keep asthma controller therapy as prescribed and use a written action plan.

• •Smoking and vaping cessation
• •Indoor air filtration
• •Vaccination
• •Aerobic exercise
• •Breathing exercises
• •Avoiding occupational dust and fumes
• •Managing reflux and allergies