Every year in New Zealand, on average 1600 people die of lung cancer, and 2200 people are diagnosed. This makes lung cancer the deadliest disease in New Zealand. Lungs are a vital part of a human’s respiratory system, they allow you to breathe, there are ways we can damage and potentially stop our lungs from working, and there are some ways to help prevent lung failure.
Lungs are a very important part of the respiratory system. Our lungs allow us to inhale and exhale carbon dioxide molecules in the air. When inhaling the oxygen, it carries through the mouth and down the trachea, also known as the windpipe. The average length of a windpipe is ten centimetres. After travelling down the trachea, the oxygen will then be divided into smaller airways, also known as the bronchial tubes. The bronchial tubes lead into each of the lungs, storing the carbon dioxide and oxygens for when you will need to exhale. A person usually breathes on average 2 litres of air every minute. When exhaling, the different oxygens will go out the bronchial tubes and up the windpipe, the same way it did when inhaling. The lungs also pump air throughout the body, as well as pumping air into the heart and allowing it to transfer blood around the body. Without both of your lungs you would not be able to breathe, causing death.
Smokers are 12 to 13 times more likely to die from lung disease than non smokers. The most common reason behind lung cancer is smoking. Even though anybody can get lung cancer, you have a much higher chance of getting a lung disease if you smoke. Four in five cases of lung cancer are due to smoking. Lung failure may be caused by damage to the tissue and ribs around the lungs. Some lung diseases and conditions are lung cancer, COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) ARDS (acute respiratory disease syndrome) pulmonary embolism, and cystic fibrosis.
Although there is no way you can be immune from lung diseases, there are ways to help decrease the chances. The most common and important way to prevent your chances of getting lung cancer is to not smoke. By smoking you are doing tremendous damage to your lungs. Your lungs may start to get covered in tar, you will get bad breath and a dry throat, your esophagus will start to burn, causing you to cough, and you will start to get chest pains. Some other ways to help prevent the chances of getting lung cancer is to eat lots of fruits and vegetables, avoid secondhand smoke and polluted areas, and exercise most days of the week. By doing these simple tasks you chances of getting a lung disease are highly decreased.
Lung cancer is the deadliest disease in New Zealand, killing 1600 people every year. Lungs are a vital part of the respiratory system, there are ways we can damage and potentially stop our lungs from working, and there are some ways to help prevent the chances of getting lung cancer.
