Pneumonia - Promedica

PneumoniaCall Gary Derbyshire onwww.promedica24careathome.co.uk07419 111 981g.derbyshire@promedica24.co.uk

What is pneumonia?Sadly we have lost too many older people to Covid-19 over the last year,but another serious danger is pneumonia which has almost been forgottensince the pandemic.Pneumonia is an infection that causes the tinyair sacs in the lungs to become inflamed andfilled with fluid and pus.That causes coughing with phlegm or pus,fever, chills, and difficulty breathing.The cause of the infection could be somethingas innocent as breathing in an airborne dropletwith a microscopic bacteria or virus in it.Or it could be a tiny piece of food that wentdown the wrong pipe into the lungs and breedsbacteria.Some types of pneumonia are contagious andare passed via coughing and sneezing.Other types of pneumonia are not contagious,like aspiration pneumonia which is caused byaccidentally swallowing food or water into thelungs.Who is at risk for pneumonia?There are a handful of factors that increase aperson’s risk for developing pneumonia.These include:Age – people over age 65 and children under theage of 2 are more susceptible.Smoking – smoking damages the lungs andmakes smokers more vulnerable.Certain medical conditions – adults withsuppressed immune systems or chronic illnesseslike Heart disease, COPD, and diabetes are athigher risk.Hospitalisation – breathing assistance (like inthe intensive care unit in a hospital) can increaselung exposure to bacteria or virus.Difficulty swallowing – older adults whoexperience trouble swallowing due toneurological conditions like Parkinson’s, stroke,and dementia are at increased risk of aspirationpneumonia.Call Gary Derbyshire onwww.promedica24careathome.co.uk07419 111 981g.derbyshire@promedica24.co.uk

Pneumonia symptomsPneumonia can present itself in a variety of ways.In mild cases, it may even seem like a long case of the flu.Common pneumonia symptoms include:There are a handful of factors that increase aperson’s risk for developing pneumonia.These include:Cough (sometimes with phlegm or pus)Chest pain when breathing or coughing.Fever, sweating, and chills.Shortness of breathWheezing, lung crackling sounds (heard with astethoscope)Lowered levels of oxygen in the bloodFatigueNausea, vomiting, or diarrhoeaPneumonia in older people may also causeconfusion, increased falls, and difficulty withnormal functioning.Call Gary Derbyshire onwww.promedica24careathome.co.uk07419 111 981g.derbyshire@promedica24.co.uk

Now we have reminded ourselves aboutpneumonia how can we prevent it:Quit SmokingIn order to know how to prevent pneumonia naturally,quitting smoking is extremely important. The bestway to protect your lungs is to stop smoking and evenbetter if you do not start smoking. Smoking is themain cause of pneumonia, lung cancer and chronicobstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The risk oflung disease of smokers is 20 times higher than nonsmokers.Vitamin C SupplementationVitamin C supplementation is an effective way onhow to prevent pneumonia in children as well as olderpeople. This antioxidant vitamin is very importantin supporting the body’s immune system. Scientistshave shown that taking a large amount of vitaminC can reduce the symptoms of colds and flu. As aresult, these conditions also will not get worse andpneumonia will also be reversed.Use Garlic When CookingAlthough eating raw garlic seems to be the best,cooked garlic still contains allicin that is thought tobe effective against the flu. Garlic boosts the immunesystem preventing the flu, especially in the winter.Peel and crush or chop a few garlic cloves. Leave it for15 minutes to allow the enzyme activity to activate theallicins in the garlic. Use 2-3 garlic cloves each mealwhen you have a cold. You can also try to cook garlictogether with vegetables or add garlic to rice whencooking. You can also add chopped garlic into tomatosauce or cheese sauce when you feel better. Add garlicinto meat and cook as usual.Take Frequent Deep BreathsDeep inhalation helps to supply O2 to the entire body.Deep inhalation uses the entire volume of the lungsto oxidize the blood. Although normal breathing isnot bad for health, deep breathing helps to bring theamount of oxygen throughout the body to the highestlevel. Pay special attention to the diaphragm wheninhaling and exhaling deeply. Feel the diaphragmlowered by deep breathing until you feel yourabdominal muscles tightening and your diaphragmrising.Besides, you should also breathe through the nose.The nose works as a filter and allows only very smallparticles to penetrate. Nose can filter small particleswith pollen grains with efficiency up to 100%.Therefore, breathing through the nose is much betterthan oral breathing. During lockdown I have been aregular attender of their online dementia hubs andone of the many things we do is learn to breathebetter.Laugh MoreThis sounds strange when it comes to tips on how toprevent pneumonia natural and you may think what’sto laugh about at the moment but laughing can helpyou a lot in this case. Similar to deep breathing, biglaughs help push air out of your lungs, allowing youto breathe in fresh air and provide more oxygen.Laughter also enhances abdominal health andincreases lung capacity. This helps you to improveyour lung health and prevent pneumonia. So tell a fewjokes or put on those old sitcoms and get laughing.Cardio ExercisesAerobic exercise alone will not help your lungshealthier. Even so, cardio-breathing exercises willhelp the lungs easily supply oxygen to the heart andmuscles. Cardio also puts less pressure on the lungsso that the lungs can perform its function without toomuch activity. A minimum of 30 minutes of intensecardio workout of5 days a week ormore to maintaincardiovascularand lung health.Call Gary Derbyshire onwww.promedica24careathome.co.uk07419 111 981g.derbyshire@promedica24.co.uk

Change Your DietNo wonder, to know how toprevent pneumonia naturally,you need to know the right dietto plan. Studies show that dietsrich in fruits, vegetables and fish arebeneficial for the health of the lungs.This is especially true for people with pneumonia,asthma, COPD and other lung diseases. A 2010 studyproved that diets which are high in cabbage, broccoli,and kale can reduce the risk of pneumonia.Keep The Nose Well VentilatedDrinking soup or hot soup is the best way to put foodinto your body without disturbing your stomach.Studies have shown that chicken soup can reduce theinflammation occurring in the respiratory tract, so ifyou feel well enough, you should eat one to two bowlsof chicken soup, which will be good for the body. Ifyou get nausea, you may lose electrolyte balance. Usesome rehydration products, such as Oresol (availableat the pharmacy) or sports drinks that can provideelectrolytes to restore your body. You need to payparticular attention to the treatment of the flu toprevent ies and many other illnesses can cause a blockednose. Nasal congestion means you are 100% directlyexposed to germs and pulmonary contamination dueto breathing through the mouth. Oral breathing cancause diseases such as pneumonia, asthma or othercomplications of the lungs to become worse, or evencause lung complications. You can treat commonallergies with antihistamines or other congestiveremedies to keep your nose clean. On the other hand,a nose that is too dry due to illness can also reducethe ability of the nose to filter the air. Therefore,consider using humectants or a nasal spray to providemoisture to the nose, which will help to filter the airyou breathe better.Drink A Lot Of WaterThis is another must-try treatment in this list of tipson how to prevent pneumonia naturally. In addition toother positive effects, drinking plenty of water is goodfor the lungs. Water supply helps to keep the liningof the lungs thin, so that the lungs can perform moreefficiently. As a result, pneumonia is also repelled.As you know, flu virus is one of the causes ofpneumonia. Flu can cause fever that makes yourbody dehydrated so it is important to drink plentyof fluids. Drink hot water like tea or lemon juice. Itnot only provides water to the body but also helpsthe throat soften and clean the sinuses. Limit drinkswith caffeine, alcohol and soda. Choose water thathelps restore the body’s nutrients and minerals, notexhausting them. You can also drink hot soup. Youmay feel nausea and anorexia when you get the flu.Avoiding exposure to outdoor air pollution is a mustknow tip on how to prevent pneumonia in child andthe elderly naturally.Although it is almost impossible to avoid exposure toCO2 and common air pollutants, you can limit theirexposure. You can search for air quality informationin the city where you live before planning outdooractivities. Ozone (O3) is a gaseous pollutant, andsummer weather can cause O3 and other pollutants tobuild up in the air. Because of this phenomenon, youneed to be careful about the quality of the air from theend of spring to the hot summer months.Avoid areas prone to traffic jams. For people living inlarge cities, people often walk or bike on jams easilyas a form of exercise. Exhaust emissions from vehiclesand other pollutants can be harmful to the lungs,especially when you have to breathe through themouth during intense exercise. This causes the naturalfiltration of the nostrils cannot take place. Find out theforecast of air pollution to determine the air quality inyour area.Call Gary Derbyshire onwww.promedica24careathome.co.uk07419 111 981g.derbyshire@promedica24.co.uk

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Quit Smoking In order to know how to prevent pneumonia naturally, quitting smoking is extremely important. The best way to protect your lungs is to stop smoking and even better if you do not start smoking. Smoking is the main cause of pneumonia, lung cancer and