When was the last time you considered the health of your lungs? Aside from the knowledge that smoking and vaping are bad for them, and maybe wishing that we had a bit more lung capacity for our weekly 5k, it’s clear that not enough is known about these essential organs.

According to research from the charity Asthma + Lung UK, lung conditions kill more people in the UK than in any other country in Western Europe, and they’re the third-biggest cause of death in this country (after cancer and cardiovascular disease).

Our lungs are intrinsically linked to our cardiovascular system (the heart, blood vessels and blood), responsible not only for supplying oxygen to the body, but also for filtering out carbon dioxide and other harmful gases.

“The lungs are remarkable organs that work quietly and continuously to keep us alive,” says Dr Giuseppe Aragona, GP and medical adviser for Prescription Doctor. “Their primary role is gas exchange: they allow oxygen from the air we breathe to pass into the bloodstream, where it fuels every cell in the body, and they remove carbon dioxide, a waste product of metabolism. Healthy lungs are therefore essential not just for breathing comfortably, but for energy levels, brain function, heart health and overall wellbeing.”

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