Today, September 25, is World Lung Day in the Republic of Belarus. Every year, 7 million deaths worldwide are caused by diseases related to air pollution. These include chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer, and respiratory infections.
Every cell in the human body needs oxygen. A person obtains it thanks to the lungs, which perform 22,000 inhalations and exhalations per day. In the Republic of Belarus, the social significance of chronic non‑specific diseases of the respiratory system, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, bronchial asthma, chronic bronchitis, and pulmonary emphysema, remains. The incidence of these diseases is closely linked to such risk factors as tobacco smoking, indoor and outdoor air pollution, as well as exposure to dust and chemicals in the workplace.
Representatives of Belarusian medical scientific schools are actively working to improve treatment protocols for patients with fibrotic changes in the lungs, which are detected during radiological examinations (primarily computed tomography of the chest organs), including those following past pneumonias, and interstitial lung diseases.
New versions of diagnostic and treatment protocols for patients with respiratory diseases are also being developed. In 2024, an updated clinical protocol for the treatment of bronchial asthma was officially approved; it was registered at the National Center for Legislation and Legal Information of the Republic of Belarus and regulates the standards for providing medical care to patients with this pathology, along with the management of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
To maintain lung health, you need to follow these rules:
do not smoke indoors;
ventilate the rooms several times a day for 5–10 minutes.
Avoid having “dust collectors” in your home — wall-to-wall carpets, soft toys, and open bookcases;
plant live plants in your home (they absorb carbon dioxide and enrich the air with oxygen);
follow safety precautions when working with household chemicals;
use high-quality building materials and furniture;
monitor the humidity level and prevent mold formation;
use air purifiers.
Also, don’t forget about proper nutrition. To improve lung function, you should include the following in your diet:
fruits and vegetables;
fish and seafood;
lentils, peanuts, champignons, broccoli, pumpkin, garlic;
greens, almonds, strawberries, prunes, feta cheese, cottage cheese.
Take every opportunity to be closer to nature: go to the forest on weekends, take evening walks in the park. Periodically relax in ecologically clean places (resorts, sanatoriums). Don’t forget about exercising and get your teeth treated in a timely manner. Bacteria from the oral cavity can enter the respiratory organs and lungs. This disrupts their functioning and leads to various diseases.
Also, take care of your health. An untreated cold, cough, or runny nose can develop into serious complications. During seasonal epidemics, follow personal hygiene rules, wash your hands more often, rinse your nose with saline solution, and wear masks when visiting hospitals or other places with large crowds. Get all the necessary vaccinations.
Get regular preventive examinations of the chest organs. An annual X‑ray or fluorography will help detect serious pathology at an early stage of development, when the disease is still treatable.
Caring for your lungs is an investment in a long and active life, and it doesn’t start with major decisions but with everyday habits. It’s important to remember that the health of the respiratory system largely depends on us — on what we breathe, what we eat, how often we spend time outdoors, and when we last had a preventive examination. Take care of yourself and breathe easy!
