Fiber - Breathe Easier While Working Out

Fitz always tells us we need to huff and puff during our workouts -- it's how we know we're working to full potential. In the course of all your huffing and puffing, though, make sure you're not struggling to breathe. If you are, you might want to up your fiber intake.

Fiber-filled foods like bran won't give you the lung capacity of Michael Phelps, says RealAge, but it will help you breathe easier.

Fiber gives the lungs a leg up. In one study, people who ate 27 grams of fiber had better lung capacity than those who got 10 grams. They were also 15 percent less likely to develop chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, an irreversible condition that makes breathing difficult. Maybe it's that fiber protects the lungs by reducing inflammation. Perhaps the antioxidants found in fiber help protect lung cells. Could be both. So take a deep breath, and get your fiber fix now.