Natural Ways to Support and Protect Your Lungs
It is devastating to see the number of fires in the western US. I pray everyone stays well and healthy; I am sending positive thoughts your way. I put together a hopefully helpful list of
natural ways you can support your lungs after smoke inhalation, whether you live in an area close to the fires or the path of the air currents spreading the smoke across the states. Smoke from wildfires releases thousands of compounds - including dangerous gases like carbon monoxide and formaldehyde and dangerous ultrafine Particulate Matter (PM).
My son has allergy-induced asthma. After the month-long fires miles from our home in Southern Arizona, we implemented naturals ways of supporting his lungs and sinuses to mitigate flairs.
Here some ways, we kept him and ourselves healthy while living close to the fire and smoke:
We have our AirDoctor air purifier running 24/7, and I move it around the house to make sure all parts of our home we covered. The AirDoctor has an UltraHEPA filter, which can effectively capture 100% of airborne particles at .003 microns, and a Carbon VOC/Gas Trap filter removes dangerous gasses from the air. AirDoctor effectively reduces toxins such as pollen, dust, bacteria & viruses, pet dander, mold spores, and smoke combined with ozone, invisible gases, and volatile organic compounds emitted by building materials and furniture, carpeting, paint, cleaning, and personal care products. If you are interested in purchasing the AirDoctor use * this link * for $300 off.
Use a saline nasal spray or neti-pot to remove any irritants from your nasal cavity.
Drink plenty of purified water to flush toxins through your system.
Drink nettle and mullein tea; our doctor recommended this for our son as it's known for being a nature antihistamine that calms sensitive and inflamed tissue; warm liquids also moisten the lungs and digestive tract when air is dry.
Drink Green Tea, the benefits of matcha are numerous, from antioxidant properties to reducing inflammation. Here is more info on the numerous health benefits of green tea.
Eat foods rich in beta-carotene, which can decrease inflammation and keep our immune system strong, skin healthy, play a role in fostering a healthy gut microbiome and are said to protect lung and colon cells against pathogens. Incorporate more carrots, orange bell peppers, pumpkin, turmeric root, squash, ginger root, oranges, cantaloupe, papaya, etc.. into your diet.
Incorporate garlic into your meals- a 2013 study found that participants who consumed raw garlic regularly (2x+/week) had a 44% decreased risk of developing lung cancer than those who consumed it less than twice a week. Here is my pesto recipe you can eat numerous ways that contain a fair amount of garlic.
NAC supplements -N- acetylcysteine is a precursor to glutathione, the most potent endogenous antioxidant. NAC is a powerful mucolytic, breaking down and eliminating accumulated mucus from the lungs. It is believed that NAC can decrease the frequency of aggravations and improve symptoms in patients with chronic bronchitis. You can email me for more info and places to purchase NAC if you are interested.
Mushrooms- Cordyceps, Reishi, and Chaga, support free and easy respiration, enhances energy and oxygen uptake, may help modulate reactions to environmental triggers and supports a balanced immune response in the lungs and respiratory tract, as well as the whole body. My son uses Host Defense's Breathe for respiratory support; email me for more info if you are interested in this product.
An Apple a Day...Snack on apples and pears! Apple consumption has been inversely linked with asthma and has also been positively associated with general pulmonary health. A recent study involving 1600 adults in Australia, apple, and pear intake was associated with a decreased risk of asthma and a decrease in bronchial hypersensitivity.
Breathing exercises to calm the nervous system, a go-to for years has been Dr. Andrew Weil's 4-7-8 technique; it's simple yet effective and can be done anywhere.
4-7-8 Breathing Technique
Inhale for 4 seconds through your nose (be sure to breathe into your belly)
Hold for 7 seconds
Exhale through your mouth for 8 seconds
Repeat 4 times
As you can see, there are many natural ways to support your body's natural healing capabilities from smoke and air pollution, and there are many more I did not list. Please find what works best for you to support your health and as always, before taking any herbal supplement, check with your doctor to make sure it's right for you. I am thinking of everyone that us being affected and hope you stay healthy and well. Take care of yourself, take care of your loved ones, and take care of mother nature.
In good health,
Amanda
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* The AirDoctor link is not my affiliate link. I am simply passing on the same savings (50% off) to you we recevied when we purchased ours.