Lung Disease

 

Some facts about your lungs

  • Every part of your body needs the oxygen you breathe in through your lungs.
  • Your lungs get rid of 70% of the waste your body makes, just by breathing.
  • Your lungs have very delicate structures inside that help them do this.
  • We breathe about 22,000 times a day.

What is lung disease?

Lung disease is a problem with the lungs that stops them from working properly. Nearly 1 in 3 people have lung disease in Australia.

There are different types of lung disease. Types you have probably heard of are:

  • Asthma
  • Chronic obstructive airway disease (COPD)
  • Lung cancer

If you are diagnosed with a lung disease, there are lots of things you can do to reduce the symptoms.

How will I know if I have it?

Symptoms of lung disease can get worse over a long time and people sometimes don’t notice. Things to look out for are:

A wheeze or whistling sound in your chest Being more breathless than other people your age Feeling tightness in your chest A recent cough that won’t go away or cough that has changed Coughing up mucus or blood Chest pain and tiredness Sudden weight loss.

If you are worried about any of these symptoms talk a nurse in the health centre.

How can I prevent it?                                                           lung disease prevent woman.JPG

Lung disease is a risk if you:

  • Smoke
  • Have worked in a job where you have breathed in dust, gas, fumes or chemicals
  • Have lung disease in your family

The best thing you can do to improve your lung health and your general health is quit smoking and stay quit.         

Ways of improving your lung and overall health in gaol

Get moving

  • Being active for as little as 30 minutes a day is enough to improve your health and wellbeing.
  • You don’t have to do 30 minutes all at once, you can break it up over the day.
  • Getting moving with mates in the yard can help everyone get motivated and make exercise more fun.
  • Exercising or training with a buddy like your cellie is a good way to help each other.
  • Moving more can help if your emotions are up and down or you get stuck doing head miles.
  • A daily routine is a good thing too. And don’t forget, walking is great exercise.

Re-think your buy-ups

  • Eat less sugar, salt and fat
  • Look for the OK sign on the buy-ups list
  • Tinned vegetables are a great alternative if you can’t get fresh ones
  • Try adding things like rice, beans and tinned fish to your gaol food
  • If you buy a treat, share it.
  • Swap food with lots of sugar and fat, for foods with less, like chips for popcorn.
  • Make water your main drink, and drink plenty of it.
  • Aim for a waist measurement of no more than 88cm.