Inspired to look after your
lungs like Carol did?
Here’s how...
BREATHING BASICS
Few of us give much thought to breathing until
we struggle to do it, even though it’s an
essential part of life, keeping our whole
body supplied with oxygen. Each time we
inhale, air is drawn down the windpipe
and into our lungs, which expand with
the help of the diaphragm, a muscle
that sits just below the lung cavity.
From here, oxygen moves into the
blood in our arteries, and is pumped
around the whole body by our heart.
Finally, carbon dioxide, the waste product
from processes like digesting food and moving
your muscles, is returned to the lungs via the blood
in our veins, ready to be exhaled. So you can see just how
key your lungs are to keeping your whole body ticking
over! Some everyday ways to help keep your lungs in
top condition include not smoking, keeping your home
well aired, and taking steps to reduce damp. It’s also a
good idea to look at ways to help reduce your exposure
to air pollution – visit uk-air.defra.gov.uk for information
and daily pollution forecasts. Practising deep breathing,
good posture and even singing regularly can help lung
function, while regular exercise and maintaining a healthy
BMI will also make them stronger and more efficient.DID YOU KNOW?Abdominal breathing helps you relax
and fill your lungs – place a hand on
your tummy and breathe deeply,
feeling it rise and fall with your breath
THE EXERCISE FACTOR
Exercise makes you breathe faster
and this can be scary, especially
if you have a lung condition. So
it’s reassuring to know that
pushing your body to be ‘out of
breath’ is normal. In fact, doing
this regularly will improve the
strength and function of not just
your lungs, but your heart and
muscles, too. ‘I tell patients that
their breathlessness will get
better the more they exercise
and they will also recover more
quickly, so don’t be afraid,’ says
Dr Whittamore. ‘Even if you have
asthma, it is only in rare cases
that exercise should be avoided.
For everyone else, it’s important
for your general health as well
as your lungs. If you are short of
breath rather than out of breath –
so wheezing, coughing or having
asthma symptoms – that’s when
you need to be aware.’
Experts recommend doing
30 minutes of moderate physical
activity five times a week to keephealthy, and that’s what you’ll
gradually build up to if you’re
working your way through your
Slimming World Body Magic
awards. Any type of moderate
physical activity counts, from
walking to the shops and
cleaning, to riding a bike and
playing tennis. Dr Sarah-Elizabeth
Bennett, Slimming World
research associate, says that
Slimming World members with
asthma don’t need to miss out
on Body Magic. ‘Just remember
to have your asthma medication
with you when you exercise,’ she
says, ‘and you might want to give
someone you’re with a copy of
your asthma plan so they know
what to do if you have an attack.
For some people, exercising with
asthma can be more difficult,
so talk to your GP or asthma
specialist if you’re thinking about
increasing your current level of
physical activity and they can give
you personalised advice.’l The information in this story is intended to provide general knowledge and should not
be used to replace the advice given by your healthcare team. If you’re planning to start
a new exercise programme, we recommend you check with your GP first, especially if you
have an existing health condition, such as high blood pressure or diabetes. If you’re pregnant,
check the suitability of the exercise with your midwifeWHEN TO SEE YOUR DOCTOR
If you have shortness of breath and you notice
any of these signs, whether or not you’ve been
diagnosed with breathing issues, it’s best to make
an appointment to be checked by your GP:
l It gets worse when you are active
l It gets worse when you lie down
l Your chest feels tight
l You become breathless every day
l You find breathing harder when stressed
l You get tired easily
l You’ve been coughing for three weeks or more
l You also have swollen ankles25,000
is the number of breaths
we take every single day,
mostly without even
thinking, with a resting
adult breathing rate
of about 12-20 times
a minute**health check
94 SLIMMING WORLD MAGAZINE
*PID UK. **BRITISH LUNG FOUNDATION. ASTHMA UK PROVIDES ADVICE AND SUPPORT TO PEOPLE WITH ASTHMA, INCLUDING INFORMATION ON ASTHMA AND EXERCISE. VISIT ASTHMA.ORG.UK/EXERCISE. WORDS: ALEX LLOYD. PHOTOGRAPHS: PAUL BULLER. STYLING: SHARNA VALENTINE. HAIR & MAKE-UP: SARAH BULLETT. CAROL WEARS: CARDIGAN, PRINCIPLES PETITE AT DEBENHAMS. TOP, MONSOON. TROUSERS, JD WILLIAMS. SHOES, NEW LOOK. EARRINGS AND RINGS, ALL CAROL’S OWN. SEE P113 FOR STOCKISTS