If you think smoking is the only threat to your lungs, think again. Rising air pollution, occupational hazards, lifestyle choices, and, of course, smoking all put a significant strain on respiratory health. These factors can lead to shortness of breath, chronic lung conditions, and other breathing difficulties. The good news is that many lung problems can be prevented through awareness, timely intervention, and adopting a healthier lifestyle.

On the occasion of World Lung Day, we explore what makes lungs healthy, ways to maintain them, and the tests you can take to check their strength. For insights, we spoke to Dr. Sudhir Kr. Gupta, Senior Consultant (Chest Physician & Bronchoscopist) at Kailash Hospital, Noida.

How To Know Your Lungs Are Healthy?

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Dr. Sudhir shared, “Compared to last year, we’ve seen a slight rise in lung patients. The monsoon season has brought an increase in viral infections, and influenza cases are higher than usual. Consequently, respiratory issues have grown, especially among people who had Covid previously or already have lung damage. Thus, Dr Sudhir suggests people to always take precaution by doing regular lung health tests.

Blood Tests For Lung Health

• Arterial Blood Gas (ABG) Analysis: Measures blood pH, oxygen, and carbon dioxide levels to show how efficiently your lungs are exchanging gases.
• Complete Blood Count (CBC): Evaluates different blood cells.
• White Blood Cells: High counts may indicate bacterial or viral lung infections, while elevated eosinophils can suggest allergies.
• Red Blood Cells: Increased red blood cells can signal polycythemia, often a response to chronic low oxygen levels seen in conditions like COPD.
• Comprehensive Metabolic Panel (CMP): Checks for chemical imbalances, organ function, and overall metabolic health.
• Alpha-1 Antitrypsin (AAT) Deficiency Test: Detects a genetic condition that can cause certain lung diseases.
• Tuberculosis (TB) Tests: Mantoux or IGRA tests screen for latent or active TB infection.

When Are These Lung Tests Needed?

• To determine the cause of respiratory symptoms like persistent cough or shortness of breath.
• To diagnose and monitor chronic lung conditions such as COPD.
• To evaluate lung efficiency and overall function.
• To detect infections, inflammation, or other underlying problems.

Precautions To Protect Your Lung HealthLung problems can sometimes appear before noticeable symptoms arise. Regular checkups can catch early issues before they become severe. As pollution tends to rise from October onward for several months, there’s often an increase in asthma and COPD cases. Seasonal weather also makes viral infections spread more easily. The combination of pollution and viruses can worsen respiratory health, and Dr. Sudhir predicts that patient numbers may rise further this year, along with complications.

Recommended precautions include:

• Wearing a mask in crowded or polluted areas.
• Using an air purifier indoors to reduce pollutants.
• Staying inside during peak pollution hours, particularly mornings and evenings.
• Keeping windows closed on high AQI days.
• Practicing good hand hygiene and avoiding close contact with anyone showing infection symptoms.

As temperatures drop, days grow shorter, and leaves begin to fall, seasonal viruses like influenza are set to make their annual return. With the possibility of another COVID-19 spike, the cooler months often bring an increase in fevers, sore throats, coughs, and fatigue, notes Boston University (BU).

Many people are now preparing by scheduling their annual flu or COVID vaccinations. However, with shifting vaccine guidelines at both federal and state levels, some remain unsure about whether they should get a shot—or if they even qualify.

Boston University recently announced a series of flu and COVID immunization clinics across its campuses and also released a detailed guide to help its community navigate the season’s vaccination landscape. This raises an important question: Who should get the COVID-19 vaccines?

Massachusetts’ Guidance on COVID-19 Vaccines

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) has issued recommendations to guide eligibility for the updated COVID vaccine. According to state guidance:

• Adults aged 19–64 with underlying health risks, or those living with higher-risk individuals, are advised to get vaccinated.
• Those without additional risk factors “may receive one dose.”
• Pregnant individuals, healthcare workers, and children are also encouraged to get vaccinated.
• Adults over 65 and immunocompromised individuals should receive two doses, spaced six months apart.

While the federal government approved the 2025–26 COVID vaccine season, its recommendations were less restrictive than expected, advising most people to consult with healthcare providers before getting vaccinated. This created some confusion, as many states, including Massachusetts, issued broader access guidelines to ensure widespread availability.

Navigating Conflicting Advice

Boston University healthcare experts acknowledge the challenge of conflicting state and federal guidance. “We want to reduce barriers to healthcare access when possible,” BU’s Student Health Services emphasized, noting that vaccine eligibility can differ depending on a person’s health profile.

The university clarified that very few people are advised against receiving a COVID vaccine. Only those with severe allergic reactions or recent heart conditions may need to take extra precautions or consult providers before proceeding.

Safety and Effectiveness of Vaccines

Boston University reported that research consistently shows COVID and flu vaccines to be safe and effective across different populations—including older adults, immunocompromised individuals, pregnant people, and children. Clinical trials and real-world data both demonstrate strong protection against severe illness, hospitalization, and death.

“Even studies conducted last year confirm ongoing benefits, including lowering the risk of long COVID,” BU experts stated. For influenza, the long-standing recommendation remains: anyone aged six months or older should receive the flu shot, especially those at higher risk such as young children, adults over 65, and pregnant people.

Potential Impact of Federal Changes

Boston University experts cautioned that the shift in federal vaccine guidance may lead to fewer people seeking COVID shots. Some may assume they are no longer eligible or that the vaccine will not provide meaningful benefits.

While healthy young adults may face a lower risk of severe complications, vaccines still help reduce symptoms and potentially limit transmission. The concern, according to BU experts, is that higher-risk individuals—or those living with them, may also skip vaccination.

Why Massachusetts Took a Tailored Approach

Massachusetts slightly reframed its message, saying most adults “may” get vaccinated rather than “should.” According to BU, this nuanced approach aims to provide more individualized recommendations rather than blanket statements.

“It’s giving people information and using evidence to say, ‘Here are the groups that benefit the most,’” BU noted. For those still uncertain, healthcare providers remain the best source of personalized advice.

Do you have to spend hours sitting on your desk working away at your laptop or computer? Whether you are a student, or an office worker, you must be familiar with the feeling of absolute numbness in your butt when you’ve been sitting for a long while.

However, this is not just a feeling, this is a real medical issue. Although the name may sound funny, ‘Dead Butt Syndrome’ can have serious health implications for you. Michigan Medicine explains that this signifies the feeling of a sluggish bottom.

You may have heard that sitting is one of the worst things for your health. Being sedentary for a long period of time, whether working at a desk or relaxing at home—creates a foundation for a range of health risks. These risks include mental health issues like depression, the development of poor eating habits, and an increased risk of cardiovascular disease.

What is Dead Butt Syndrome?

The official medical term for dead butt syndrome is gluteal amnesia. Essentially, it means the muscles in your buttocks (your glutes) have "forgotten" how to do their primary job of stabilizing your pelvis and maintaining proper body alignment.

Experts at Michigan Medicine, explain that our bodies aren't designed to be seated for long to long. If you're sitting for many hours each day, it inevitably leads to these kinds of physical problems.

5 Key Facts About Gluteal Amnesia

Here are the most important things to understand about this condition:

It’s a Tug of War in Your Body

A sedentary lifestyle creates an imbalance. Your hip flexors (muscles at the front of your hip) become tight and short, while your gluteal muscles become stretched and long. This restricts your range of motion and makes your glutes inefficient, forcing other muscles to work harder to compensate.

Your Glutes Aren't Literally "Dead"

The name is symbolic. Your muscles are still physically there; they are just not activating effectively or on command. It's important to know that this "deconditioning" happens quickly, and it takes roughly twice as long to restore your glutes through exercise and movement as it did to develop the condition.

Symptoms May Appear Elsewhere

Because "everything is connected" in the body, the discomfort from dead butt syndrome often shows up in places other than your buttocks. Tight hip flexors can cause back pain, while weak glutes can lead to knee pain, foot pain, and balance problems.

It Can Affect People Who Are Fit

Even people who exercise regularly are at risk. If you work out but don't use proper form or fail to intentionally engage your glutes, the muscles may still fail to activate correctly during high-level activities. Incorporating exercises like squats and leg lifts can help, but focusing on correct technique is vital.

Prevention is Simple and Easy

The most effective way to keep your glutes active is to interrupt long periods of sitting. Set a timer to go off every hour and take a brief movement break, like walking around or going up and down a set of stairs. If you can’t get up, you can do regular glute squeezes and hamstring stretches while seated. These simple steps stimulate blood flow and help "wake up" your glutes.

In an exclusive interview with Health and Me Dr Balbir Singh, Chairman of Cardiology at Max Hospitals revealed 3 tests people should get before their 30s that can protect them from heart diseases.

Dr Singh highlighted that nowadays cases of young people with high cholesterol and diabetes have gone up. "This is not just genetics, but also because of their lifestyle," he points out. He also says that high levels of cholesterol or diabetes can put your heart at risk. However, "many of these diseases can be taken care at an early age by routine testing," he notes.

3 Tests People Under 30s Must Get Done

Diabetes Screening

"This is where look at your fasting pp and HBA1C," says Dr Singh.

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A diabetes screening test is a blood test used to check for high or low blood glucose levels, which can indicate diabetes or prediabetes. Common tests include a fasting pp, which refers to glucose fasting and postprandial test, a diagnostic test that measures blood glucose levels after an overnight fast and again two hours after a meal to assess the body's glucose metabolism.

HBA1C or the glycated hemoglobin is a blood test that measures your average blood sugar levels over the past two to three months.

As per a 2017 study published in the journal Cardiovascular Endocrinology & Metabolism, importance of diabetes screening is stressed upon for heart diseases. Research also shows that diabetes screening helps reduce heart attack and complications by three to nine cases for every 1,000 patients screened. This is because unchecked diabetes can lead to heart diseases, in fact, it is responsible for 52% of diabetes-related deaths in India for patients with heart diseases.

Lipid Profile

"It tells about your cholesterol levels, HDL and LDL," says Dr Balbir.

A lipid profile or a lipid panel is a blood test that measures the amount of fats (lipids) in your blood, including cholesterol (total, LDL, HDL) and triglycerides. The test helps assess your risk for cardiovascular diseases, especially stroke by identifying, what people usually call the "bad" fats or LDL, that can clog arteries.

Extended Lipid Profile

"If you get an extended lipid profile, we can also see the lipoprotein, from which one can see if you are genetically predisposed to heart diseases," explains Dr Singh.

An extended lipid profile test is a comprehensive blood test that provides a more detailed assessment of cardiovascular risk by measuring various fats and proteins in your blood, going beyond a standard lipid panel.

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While a basic test checks total cholesterol, LDL, HDL, and triglycerides, an extended profile has measures like Apolipoprotein B (Apo B), Apolipoprotein A1 (Apo A1), Lipoprotein(a) (Lp(a)), and sometimes high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) or homocysteine. These additional components offer a deeper understanding of your lipid metabolism and risk for heart diseases and stroke. These measuring factors are largely determined by genetics, and thus can become a predisposition to any heart health risks.

"Based on this test, predictive model can be set at any age and doctors can predict what kind of risks this person is going to have in years to come," he points out.