Hello everyone ! Have a wonderful and safe day 🙋🏻
Our lungs are contaminated every day with environmental toxins, pollutants, dust, second-hand smoke, chemicals, microbes (bacteria, viruses) and the list goes on and on. During this corona virus pandemic, the risk is even higher. Such health hazard, often, lead to various chronic and acute lung issues like Asthma, pneumonia, bronchitis, COPD, lung cancer. Usually, our lungs can detox and heal themselves once the sources of pollutions are eliminated or significantly reduced. So, nowadays, we often hear about shifting home location towards the outskirts or semi-rural areas rather than staying in urban cities. Whether, we have the option of moving site or not, but we can take necessary steps of detoxifying and cleansing the lungs easy ways and prevent us from chronic respiratory issues and diseases. Lung cleansing can promote healing, normal lung functioning, reduces inflammation of bronchial lining, clear mucus and improves lung circulation.
So the simple steps that we can regularly adapt to detox and keep our lungs healthy:
1. Perform deep breathing exercises daily. Though breathing is normal but deep breathing involves diaphragmatic breathing which helps to strengthen the diaphragm and oxygen-carrying capacity of the lungs. Oxygen is nourishing for all cells and all vital processes to carry out smoothly. As we age, diaphragm, which is a muscle, start to become weaker. So, when we perform diaphragmatic breathing, it’s like trying to deep breathe into the belly. In the process, the diaphragm gets contracted, and air fills up. Slowly, as we exhale, the diaphragm relaxes. It creates a back pressure in the alveoli, which in turn improve the lung compliance and help to detox the lungs. Deep breathing also reduces stress significantly. It is essential to do daily 9-10 times of deep breathing exercise. You can get more information on this type of breathing technique from my previous post https://healthhappinesshealing.org/wp-admin/post.php?post=3659&action=edit
2. Another critical factor is to improve air quality at home. It is just not possible to control the external environment, but we can maintain the quality of air in the space we live every day. We need to make sure to change the air filters of the electrical appliances at home regularly. It’s essential to limit the use of air fresheners and scented candles as they contain harsh chemicals which may be harmful. Ensure adequate air ventilation and regular vacuum cleaning to maintain clean airflow at home.
3. Quit smoking: Cigarette smoke contains more than 7000 toxins. Researches have shown a direct link of smoking associated with lung cancer. Smoking also causes chronic inflammation of the bronchial linings and the lungs. So, there is a lot of health hazard associated with smoking rather than any health benefit.
4. Second-hand smoke: Even if you or I do not smoke, but, we are exposed to second-hand smoke, then we carry the same risk of health hazard like smoking a Cigarette. So, it’s essential to stay away from exposure to second-hand smoke. Therefore, always avoid places where you have a risk of inhaling second-hand smoke.
5. Apart from breathing exercise, doing physical activity regularly outside of your home, preferably in a park or open area, to ensure that your cardiovascular system is activated and you can breathe the fresh air every day.
6. Personal care: Having a hot shower, or using a heating pad on the back eases the intercostal muscles of the rib cage and help to soothe during breathing. Getting percussion or vibration on the backside will also accelerate breathing and healing process of the lungs during chronic ailments.
7. Food: Like all organs, lungs also required proper nutrients, vitamins, antioxidants for healing and proper functioning. Adequate nourishment from food rich in vitamin C, D, antioxidants, polyunsaturated fatty acids, drinking enough water, exposure to sunlight and limiting the intake of sugar and dairy products, all helps in the proper functioning of the lungs.
8. Some familiar sources which are nourishing and healing for lungs are ginger, green tea, oregano, peppermint leaves, liquorice, and lemon. Measures like eucalyptus oil steam inhalation and castor oil packs found to have a beneficial effect on the lungs.
Thanks for reading.
Blessings and much love to all 💐