How to Clean up Your Lungs
Effective Ways to Clean Lungs Due to Pollution and Cigarettes Smoking
Inhaling air pollution, cigarette smoke, and other toxins can damage the lungs and can even cause other health problems. Maintaining lung health is very important in maintaining a healthy body.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), exposure to air pollution results in 4.2 million deaths worldwide each year. In this article, we discuss several methods people can use to try to clear their lungs.
Cleansing the lungs can help people who smoke, people who are often exposed to air pollution, and those with chronic conditions that affect the respiratory system, such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and cystic fibrosis.
Is It Possible To Clean The Lungs?
Lung health is very important for a person’s ability to move. The lungs are self-cleaning organs once exposure to pollutants is stopped, for example, when a person stops smoking. After the lungs are exposed to pollution, such as cigarette smoke, a person’s chest may feel full, tight, or inflamed.
Mucus collects in the lungs to attest to the pathogens and microbes, which contribute to this feeling of heaviness. People can use special techniques to help clear the lungs of mucus and irritation to relieve nasal congestion and other uncomfortable symptoms. Some of these methods can also open airways, increase lung capacity, and reduce inflammation, which can help reduce the effects of pollution and smoke on the lungs.
How To Clean The Lungs
The healing speed depends on how long you smoked before and how much damage was caused. While there is no way to reverse the scarring or lung damage caused by smoking over the years, there are things you can do to prevent further damage and improve lung health.
Below, we can perform some lung cleansing techniques that can help remove excess mucus from the lungs and improve breathing.
1. Quit Smoking
The first and foremost step of course is to quit smoking. Cigarette smoke contaminates your lungs by coating them with a sticky, dark tar, which can cause serious respiratory ailments such as lung cancer. By quitting smoking; your lungs will not suffer further damage. Whatever effort you make next to cleanse your lungs will be optimal.
For those of you, who are passive smokers, tell family members at home or co-workers to stop smoking. Even if they have to smoke, leave the room and immediately change clothes when they enter the house. So the first step is to say “NO” to a cigarette. Quitting smoking will definitely be hard work, but not impossible if you put your mind to it. There are millions of smokers – in fact, chain smokers – kicked the butt, and you can too.
2. Steam Therapy
The first effective way to cleanse the lungs is with steam therapy, or steam inhalation, which involves inhaling water vapor to open airways and help the lungs dry out mucus. People with polluted lungs may find their symptoms deteriorate in cold or dry air. This is due to the drying of the mucous membranes in the airways and limited blood flow to the lungs.
With steam therapy, applied moisture adds warmth and moisture to the air, which can improve breathing and help, loosen mucus in the airways and lungs. Inhaling water vapor can provide an immediate sense of relief, and help a person breathe easier. A 2018 study found that in a small group of COPD patients, the use of steam masks significantly improved their ability to breathe.
It is important to note that although the symptoms experienced by this group subsided immediately, they did not see any change in their overall lung health after the steam therapy was stopped. This therapy may be an effective temporary solution, but more research needs to be done before the benefits of steam therapy on lung health can be fully understood.
3. Controlled Cough
Coughing is the body’s natural way of expelling toxins trapped in the mucous membranes. A controlled cough loosens excess mucus in the lungs and expels them from the airways. According to the head of thoracic surgery from George Washington Medical Faculty Associates in Washington DC, Dr. Keith Mortman, a smoker is likely to have a lot of mucus in his lungs. This buildup may persist after the person stops smoking.
However, coughing works by helping the body get rid of excess mucus, opening up the smaller airways, and opening them up for oxygen. Medical News Today mentions several steps that sufferers of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) can take to help clean the lungs. To note, COPD is a condition that is mostly caused by long-term smoking or inhaling cigarettes. To clear the lungs from excess mucus, do the following steps:
· Sit in a chair with relaxed shoulders and feet on the floor.
· Fold your arms over your stomach.
· Inhale slowly through your nose.
· Slowly exhale as you lean forward and push your arms toward your stomach.
· Cough 2-3 times while exhaling with your mouth slightly open.
· Inhale slowly through your nose.
· Take breaks and repeat these steps as needed.
Controlled Cough
While performing this technique, you may feel the need to cough or clear your throat of the accumulated mucus. Try not to respond to these coughing impulses; repeat the above movement and cough in a controlled and deep manner.
4. Prevent Lung Infection
Lung infections in active and passive smokers will increase lung damage. One of the most common types of lung diseases is called pneumonia. Pneumonia, which affects the small air sacs of the lungs, is usually caused by contagious bacteria, but can also be caused by a virus. A person becomes infected by inhaling a bacterium or virus after a person sneezes or coughs. Therefore, another step that must be taken to clean the lungs is to prevent infection. One way is to carry out immunizations, especially to prevent lung diseases such as influenza or pneumonia.
5. Routine Aerobic Exercise
Regular exercise can improve people’s physical and mental health, and reduce the risk of many health conditions, including stroke and heart disease. Some scientific evidence shows, especially aerobic exercise can make the heart beat faster and help the lungs function better.
Experts suggest exercising at least 30 minutes a day for five days a week. You can choose moderate-intensity exercises, such as walking, running, bicycle, or swimming. Exercise forces the muscles to work harder, which in turn increases the body’s respiratory rate, leading to a greater supply of oxygen to the muscles. It also improves circulation, making the body more efficient at removing the excess carbon dioxide that the body produces during exercise.
The body will begin to adapt to meet the demands of regular exercise. Muscles will learn to use oxygen properly and produce less carbon dioxide. Although exercise can be difficult for people with chronic lung disease, they can also benefit from regular physical activity. People with COPD, cystic fibrosis, or asthma should consult a physician before embarking on a new exercise program.
6. Consume Food Sources Of Antioxidants
Antioxidants cannot heal the respiratory tract that has been damaged by smoking. However, various studies have shown that antioxidants can help protect the respiratory tract from further damage.
Therefore, active and passive smokers need to eat foods high in antioxidants. Fruits and vegetables are known to be rich in antioxidants, especially green vegetables, strawberries, and blueberries. If it’s hard to find, you can eat any fruit because basically all fruits contain antioxidants.
7. Sports
Keeping the body active is one of the best ways that can be done to maintain and improve lung function. Even light activity like taking a walk outside the home can help keep the air pockets in the lungs open. If the bag remains open, the lungs can exchange oxygen and carry it to where the body needs it. Exercise can improve oxygen circulation and allow the body to more efficiently removes excess carbon dioxide that the body produces during exercise.
8. Avoiding Pollutants
Avoiding passive smoke, dust, mold, and chemicals promote healthy lung function. Animal studies have found that exposure to clean; filtered air can decrease mucus production in the lungs. The mucus can block the smaller airways and make it difficult for the body to get oxygen. Before going outside, check the air quality first. If it’s a day with poor air quality, then consider going out another day.
9. Drink Warm Water
Drink warm water throughout the day to decongest your lungs. Staying hydrated by taking fluids throughout the day helps to keep the mucosal membrane in the lungs thin. The thinner lining helps the lungs to function better. According to the American Lung Association, keeping the body hydrated is important for maintaining healthy lungs.
Drinking about 2 liters of water per day will help to thin the mucus in your lungs, which will make it easier for you to get rid of it when you cough. Drinking warm drinks, such as tea, broth, or simply warm water, can cause mucus to thin out, making it easier for mucus to clear through the airways.
10. Green Tea
Green tea is a popular healthy beverage that makes an easy solution to cleanse your lungs. Green tea contains many antioxidants that can help reduce inflammation in the lungs. These compounds can even protect the lung tissue from the harmful effects of passive smoke.
Therefore, consuming green tea is also an effective way to cleanse the lungs. Packed with the benefits of polyphenols, green tea has anti-inflammatory properties that can help reduce inflammation in the lungs. According to a report published in the Journal of Nutrition, there is a strong link between green tea and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
However, there are several respiratory problems; but in particular, there are two main types of COPD: Chronic bronchitis, which causes chronic cough and mucus, and emphysema, which damages the lungs over time. Both make it difficult to breathe.
Studies have found that drinking two cups of green tea a day is associated with a reduced risk of COPD. A recent study involving more than 1,000 adults in Korea reported that people who drank at least 2 cups of green tea per day had better lung function than those who didn’t.
11. Eat Anti-Inflammatory Foods
Smokers’ lungs are prone to inflammation, which can make it difficult for them to breathe. Although there is no scientific evidence to suggest that consumption of a high-anti-inflammatory diet can prevent lung inflammation, research suggests that it can help reduce inflammation in the body.
So, it doesn’t hurt to try to eat some of the following foods:
Blueberry
Cherry
Spinach
Cabbage
Olive
Almond nut
12. Installing the Air Purifier
The last thing you can do is install an air purifier in the house so that the quality of the air you breathe is better. Indoor plants such as fern, spiders, or aloe vera can help cleanse your air. However, keep in mind that the presence of an air purifier cannot replace the previous steps.
Those are seven ways to help clean the lungs of active and passive smokers. This method does not automatically eliminate or reduce existing damage but also can protect and prevent further damage. If you have a history of smoking, talk to your doctor about how often your lungs should be tested. The good news is that if you quit smoking, you can recover from the damage, and further testing will show your progress.
