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We usually breathe about 15 times a minute,
during which the air we inhale and exhale amounts to as much as 6.8 liters.

That is, we breathe more than four water bottles’ worth of air in just one minute.

However, did you know that different animals breathe at slightly different rates and volumes?

At a time, humans breathe for about 4 to 5 seconds, dogs for about 0.6 to 0.7 seconds, and turtles for more than 20 seconds.
Slow breathing is the secret to a turtle’s longevity.

Today, we will learn about the lungs, which control our breathing.

There are two very vital organs in our body, the heart and the lungs.

The lungs, which selectively extract oxygen from the air we breathe and deliver it to the blood,
fill the chest cavity, surrounding the heart and spreading like a protective shield.

The lungs are 25 centimeters long, which is quite large in size.
But are they heavy as well?
The answer is ‘no.’

The lungs weigh about 1 kilogram, which is relatively light for their size.
The reason lies within the lungs themselves
To facilitate the exchange of air, such as oxygen and carbon dioxide, they are filled with very thin air sacs.

So, the lungs resemble a sponge with many holes.

These tiny air sacs are also known as alveoli.
Each alveolus is about 0.1 to 0.2 millimeters in size, and there are about 300 to 500 million of them in the lungs.

Why are there so many alveoli in the lungs?
That is to maximize the contact between air and blood.

The surface of these countless alveoli is covered with capillaries.

Air is exchanged between the alveoli and capillaries.
The blood in the capillaries releases carbon dioxide to the alveoli and absorbs the oxygen from the alveoli.

When we breathe in poor-quality air or smoke cigarettes, it often leads to coughing.
Have you noticed that sometimes there's a scent of blood during these instances?

That is because the capillaries of the alveoli are damaged.

Various conditions can damage the lungs for several reasons, including lung cancer, pneumonia, and asthma.

A more common disease than lung cancer is chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

It accounts for one death every 10 seconds globally
and is a fatal chronic lung disease, placing it as the fourth leading cause of death worldwide.

This condition, characterized by inflammation in the lungs leading to shortness of breath and reduced lung function, is primarily caused by smoking.
Characterized by frequent coughing and sputum production, as well as shortness of breath, regardless of whether you have a cold or not.

Quitting smoking is the first and foremost priority for lung health.

Then, what are some ways we can keep our lungs healthy in our daily lives?
Experts have outlined several lifestyle tips as guidelines.

They recommended exercise in addition to quitting smoking and emphasized the importance of maintaining immunity and humidity.
This is because elderly individuals or children with weakened immune systems are at risk of various complications such as pneumonia.

Since the inside of the lungs is naturally moist, if the air we breathe is too dry, it can damage our lungs.
Therefore, maintaining humidity is extremely important.

In addition, smokers are recommended to regularly undergo lung function tests every 1 to 2 years.

Good habits are the shortcut to preserving our body in good health.

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