Breathe easy, the secret power of vegetables against lung infections

Hello, science enthusiasts! Have you ever wondered how those green and cruciferous vegetables like broccoli and cauliflower can be the real superheroes of your lungs? Well, today we will tell you about it in a way that will make you love your vegetables even more. Visualize your body as a fortress, and your lungs are the guardians of the main entrance, their job is to allow oxygen to enter, but at the same time, protect you from pollution and invaders such as viruses and bacteria.

This is where the star of our show comes in, the AHR, or aryl hydrocarbon receptor, this protein is found in places like the intestine and, yes, your lungs too! It is like the commander of the troops defending your lungs. But how do vegetables help our AHR hero? Turns out those broccoli and cauliflower sprouts are like your favorite food, activating the AHR and putting it into action, when the AHR is active it can target the right genes and work its magic. Some of these genes turn off the AHR system when it has already done its job, but here comes the really cool part: researchers have discovered that the AHR not only works with the immune system, but also with the cells that line the blood vessels in your lungs, like a kind of wrecking crew for damaged barriers.

Imagine that your lung is a building with only two layers: one of endothelial cells and another of epithelial cells, this is so that oxygen can enter easily, but at the same time, it must protect you from the bad guys. The scientists did some experiments with mice to show how AHR affects these lung barriers; When the mice were attacked by the flu virus, there was a disaster in the lung building: blood in places where it shouldn’t be. But when they activated the AHR, things changed! Less blood out of place and more resistance against invaders, and they even found that mice with improved AHR didn’t lose as much weight when they were sick and could cope with both the flu and bacteria better than the others. The AHR was doing an outstanding job!

But wait, there’s more, diet also plays an important role in this story. When the mice didn’t eat their AHR ligands (those are the elements in vegetables that activate the AHR) during illness, the AHR system didn’t work as well, which is why it’s crucial to keep eating your vegetables, even when you’re sick. So, the next time you look at that bowl of broccoli, remember that not only is it packed with vitamins, but it’s also preparing your lungs for battle! Stay healthy and continue enjoying those cruciferous vegetables, your body will thank you!