Feeling breathless is a very scary sensation. But it’s a familiar one to people who suffer from lung conditions such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
Some people with lung disease use oxygen therapy to increase blood oxygen levels, but this can have unpleasant side effects. Even for people with healthy lungs, there are many benefits to increasing oxygen levels.
Optimal breathing and higher blood oxygen levels have many health and wellbeing advantages. So if you’re wondering how to improve oxygen levels naturally, read on for our helpful guide.
Let Fresh Air In
The simple act of opening a window in your house can do wonders to raise oxygen levels. If you live in an area where there is a lot of pollution, you might want to consider investing in an air filtration system.
You should avoid artificial air fresheners, incense, and other chemical aromas in your home. Beeswax candles also help with the removal of air pollutants, unlike traditional candles which emit smoke.
Get Some Exercise
Even the smallest amount of exercise can be beneficial to improve respiratory capacity. Your lungs absorb more oxygen as your breathing rate increases.
The more you increase your oxygenation, the better your performance will be. So even elite athletes should be considering how to raise oxygen levels during their workouts. The best training method to increase blood oxygen is interval training, with some bursts of sprinting.
Keep an Eye on Your Diet
Your diet can have a major impact on your oxygen levels. Iron-rich foods help to prevent iron deficiency, which will improve blood oxygen levels. You might want to consider iron supplements to further improve your iron levels and support oxygenation.
Foods high in antioxidants also help the body to use oxygen more efficiently. Foods like kidney beans, strawberries, blueberries, cranberries, and blackberries are all good foods to boost your antioxidant intake.
You right also want to consider increasing your intake of essential fatty acids. Foods containing these can help to increase the amount of oxygen that can be carried in the hemoglobin in the bloodstream. Good foods to choose for this are flaxseeds, soybeans, and walnuts.
Get Hydrated
The importance of hydration is often underestimated in terms of health benefits. But the adult human body is 60% water. Water is critical to how the body functions and this applies to oxygen levels as much as anything else.
Drinking filtered water reaps the most benefits in terms of oxygenation. This is because water that has been ionized or restructured contains smaller groupings of water molecules and this provides a higher level of hydration.
It’s important to remember that salty food, caffeine, and alcohol all lead to dehydration. So it’s best to avoid them as much as possible and drink water instead.
How to Improve Oxygen Levels Naturally
Maintaining good blood oxygen levels is crucial in keeping your lungs healthy and has much wider health benefits too. Understanding how to improve oxygen levels is critical to your overall well-being.
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