Oxygen is the most important thing for life. The lungs work almost every second to obtain the air you need. But when was the last time you check in on your lungs?
In fact, maintaining the health of lungs is one of the keys to our overall health! Most people don’t pay attention to their lung health because breathing is automatic. Then the COVID pandemic reminded us – it’s time to protect our lungs!
Natural ways to improve lung health:
1. Don’t Smoke
The very first thing to improve the health of lungs is to stop smoking. Smoking is linked to most lung diseases, such as asthma, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.
Just imagine, each time a smoker has a cigarette, they take in thousands of chemicals with each inhalation. These toxins including carbon monoxide, nicotine, and tar can damage your lungs. Therefore, quitting smoking is definitely beneficial for the lungs!
2. Breathe deeply
Many people take shallow breaths unconsciously. Shallow breathing may be caused by long sitting hours, lack of activity or anxiety and stress. Shallow breathing means you only use a portion of your lungs.
A study concluded that deep breathing can be beneficial for lung function, even just for a few minutes. Try breathing deeply for a couple of minutes every day to help clear the lungs and reduce stress. (Related blog: breathwork: It’s real! Practice breathing to reduce stress, manage pain and more!)
3. Prevent infections
Some infections can be very harmful to the lungs, putting those who already suffer from lung diseases at high risk. Try to keep your hands clean and avoid touching your face as much as possible. Also, drink plenty of water and eat lots of fruits and vegetables to help improve your immune system and prevent infections.
TIPS: Black Garlic can be a great snack food to help fight against infections and boost your immune system!
4. Regular exercise
Many studies prove regular exercise can help improve your physical and mental health. It can also decrease the risk of many health problems, such as heart diseases and stroke!
Exercising regularly can be one of the best ways to help your lungs work harder to increase the breathing rate and fuel the muscles. The result is you can create healthier and stronger lungs that help you resist disease and aging! (Study 1)
5. Avoid exposure to pollutants
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 3.8 millions deaths are linked to exposure to air pollutants worldwide every year. The pollutants in the air can damage your lungs and accelerate aging. Try to avoid or reduce your exposure to air pollutants including secondhand smoke and heavy traffic to keep the lungs healthy.
6. Eat more anti-inflammatory foods
Inflammation is one of the many stressors that can cause difficulty in breathing and a congested chest. Therefore, getting the right nutrients is a very easy way to reduce inflammation and keep the lungs healthy.
These natural remedies can help to support lung health:
– Ginger
Due to its anti-inflammatory qualities, ginger not only can break down and expel thick mucus but also offers many other health benefits to the lungs. Ginger may reduce lung damage and protect from severe damage and infections. Many studies show ginger causes bronchodilation in asthmatic patients.
– Garlic
Garlic has rich anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties that are beneficial in lung diseases like asthma, lung cancer and bronchitis.
Shop Black Garlic Cloves and Puree
– Turmeric
Due to its high anti-inflammatory qualities, it effectively helps relieve chronic respiratory disease and lung injury.
→ Shop Turmeric Powder
– Green tea
Green tea contains many antioxidants that can protect lung tissue from harmful effects of smoke! Also helps reduce inflammation in the lungs.
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– Blueberries
Blueberries include many nutrients that are essential to optimum lung function. They can also protect lung tissues from oxidative damage.
The Takeaway
A healthy respiratory system depends on your body effectively removing mucus from the lungs and airways. Try to incorporate these six habits into your everyday routine to help you cleanse your lungs, which in turn can improve the health of lungs!
