Table of Contents
Overview
Lungs detox is a process of cleaning the harmful substances from the lungs. The pollutants in the air cause the lungs to be filled with toxic materials, which disrupts breathing and may cause shortness of breath, coughing, angina( chest pain).
What Lungs Do To Our Body?
Our lungs do more than we think, it brings out oxygen to the body and helps in releasing carbon dioxide out. Thus, maintains a breathing pattern. In addition to gaseous exchange, it also brings the air to proper temperature and moisture to adequate humidity levels. Defending your body from harmful materials.
Though lungs are self-cleaning organs, there is still a lot you can do to help them function better.
Who Needs Lung Detox?
Lung detoxification is good for everyone, as all of us come in contact with contaminated air. But as we know that our body mechanism is strong enough to fight with them. The issue happens with people with respiratory diseases such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), short breathings.
There are a number of remedies that can help you out in lung detoxification.
If you smoke, then you may feel a congested chest sometimes. Or sometimes coming from outside, you feel shortness of breath, or irritation in the chest. If you feel those symptoms please do follow the tips.
How To Detox Your Lungs Naturally?
1. Try steam therapy
Steam includes the inhalation of water vapors, which opens the airways and helps the lungs drain the mucous. People with lung diseases may notice the symptoms worsening in dry or cold air. This kind of climate can make the mucous membrane dry in the airways and interfere with the blood flow.
Steam provides warmth and moisture to the air that may help in loosening mucus inside and improving breathing.
Though it is considered an effective method to detox lungs, there is a need for further study to fully recognize the benefits of steam therapy on lung health.
2. Drain mucus from lungs
It involves the draining of mucus with postural lying in different positions. It uses gravity to remove out the mucus. This practice helps in improving breathing and preventing lung infections.
On your back
- Lie down on the bed or floor.
- Place pillows under your hips to ensure that your chest is lower than your hips.
- Inhale slowly through the nose and exhale through the mouth. Every exhale should be longer than the exhale.
- Continue this process for a few minutes.
On your side
- Lie on one side, resting your head on an arm or pillow.
- Place pillows under your hips.
- Practice the same breathing as above.
- Continue for a few minutes.
On your stomach
- Place a heap of pillows on the floor.
- Lie down, with the pillows, placing the stomach over the pillows.
- Fold your arms under the head for support.
- Practice breathing the same as earlier.
- Continue for a few minutes.
These breathing exercises are quite helpful in relieving the lung’s discomfort.
3. Green tea
Being an anti-inflammatory agent, green tea helps in getting rid of lung inflammation. This product may help in protecting the lung tissue from harmful effects after smoke inhalation.
A study in Korea revealed that people who consumed green tea at least two cups a day had enhanced lung functions.
4. Cut off dairy products
Consuming dairy products may worsen the symptoms of lung diseases. Though milk is a good calcium product, it contains a component called casomorphin which is a breakdown product of milk. Which may increase the mucus in the intestines.
Scientists have researched it by stimulating mucus production from respiratory cells, by adding this breakdown component of milk in the laboratory.
Hence, to detox lungs avoid dairy products.
5. Ginger
Do you take ginger tea while having a cold or cough? This is how ginger works. It helps in unclogging the respiratory tract removing the harmful toxins from the lungs. The best method to consume ginger in its raw form or mixing it in a cup of your tea. Ginger promotes sweating and excludes toxins from the body.
6. Consume warm fluids
Staying hydrated is crucial for your lungs, according to a study by the American association. Drink at least 8 glasses of water, which will help in keeping your mucus thin, and help in getting rid of when you cough.
Also, drinking some warm liquids such as tea, broth, or just a glass of warm water helps in thinning mucus membranes. This makes it even easier to clean your airways.
How Smoking Affects Your Lungs?
While smoking increases the amount of carbon monoxide in your lungs and deprives lungs of oxygen. And many other substances such as acrolein may bring out irreversible lung damage. Even after a few minutes of smoking, a sore throat might be felt.
Your every part is affected due to smoking. I will share how smoking cigarettes affects your organs?
Heart:- smoking causes narrowed blood vessels, which makes it harder to deliver oxygen to the rest of the body. This makes the work hard for your heart.
Brain:- nicotine withdrawal may interfere with your concentration power.
Respiratory system:- after smoking your lungs felt congested and inflamed. Makes it harder to breathe.
Reproductive system:- long time smoking may lead to infertility and less sexual ability.
Do Lungs Detox After Quitting Smoking?
Good news! As I said earlier the lungs are self-cleaning organs and clean themselves after you smoke your last cigarette. But it depends on the level of damage you have caused to them. It may take a while to repair itself, you can follow some routine to pamper your lungs.
If you have decided on lung detox after quitting smoking, you have come up with a wonderful decision undoubtedly.
Here are some easy methods to detox lungs after you quit smoking:-
1. Coughing
smoking leads to building up a thick layer of mucus in the lungs. This build-up may carry on even after quitting smoking.
This was studied by Dr. Keith Mortman, Chief of thoracic surgery at George Washington.
Coughing can help you out in getting rid of the excess mucus and unblocking the small airways. Opens your air passage for respiration.
2. Anti-inflammatory foods
According to a study, eating a high diet of anti-inflammatory foods and components will help in reducing inflamed lungs and inflammation.
Some of the anti-inflammatory foods are as follows:-
- Cherries
- Ginger
- Spinach
- Almonds
- Turmeric
- Green tea
- Olive oil
- Cocoa
And many others are there to help you in clearing airways.
3. Exercise
A simple walk outside may help in improving lung function. Your lungs get filled with air which makes the lungs open. When they stay open, more air exchange will be gained.
Or either if you do any other workout, then it will be the cherry on the cake. Good exercise will keep your breathing pattern well and your lungs clean.
Conclusion
It’s great if you have decided to quit smoking or detox your lungs for better breath. Lung detox is the process of cleaning your lungs and airways for better breath and body. Lungs do a lot for us, exchanging gases to make the temperature and moisture of air suitable for humidity levels. Defend your body against harmful substances in the environment. Though lungs are self-cleaning, it cleans itself but for those who have lung diseases such as asthma, obstructive compulsive pulmonary disease, it can create a hard breath. There are a number of things you can do to detox your lungs. Try steam therapy, to clean the air passage with water vapors. Consume more anti-inflammatory foods. Stay hydrated. Drink warm drinks. Lung detox after quitting smoking is however depends on the damage of the lungs. However, the smoker has damaged lungs, but thankfully your lung can repair itself with some effort and tips. Don’t worry your lungs will be safe and healthy, by following the necessary points above.