As we breathe in and out 23000 a day, we go through a process of filtering out the toxins from the lungs. And allowing the oxygen to enter into our cells and carbon dioxide to pass out. Congestion in the lungs deprives of the exchange of gases through the respiratory tract if the congestion is allowed to persist then it can turn into higher risks and complications for health.

9 Natural Ways to Keep your Lungs Healthy:

1. Controlling Smoking

Quitting smoking is necessary to keep your respiratory tract clean. Smoking for a longer time will hurt the lungs and make the person suffer from cancer or COPD. And that makes the person severely from various complications you must be on alert and avoid the smoking zone. Because inhaling second-hand smoke would make you suffer from respiratory infections and chronic diseases.

You will experience a positive transformation within yourself after you give up smoking within 24 hours. Your body will start repairing on its own and thereby you will no longer experience the threat of life after quitting smoking.

2. Involving in Regular Workouts

Make little physical efforts in your life regularly for 10 to 15 minutes thrice a day so you can get oxygen into your muscles.  It does help in making your heart stronger.  It will become easier for you to absorb the oxygen from the environment after any physical activity. Jogging, cycling and swimming will enable the circulation of oxygen throughout the body, strengthen the lung tissues and increase its potency..

3. Maintaining Healthy Diet

Strong and healthy lungs will always keep away from letting any infection inside through the respiratory tract. If anyone gets affected by TB or Tuberculosis then his or her life will be in danger. An illness like this will not let you breathe easily. 

In India, more than 2 million are affected with such a lung disease. Pollution is the major cause behind the problem of TB which involves frequent coughing, the discharge of phlegm, rapid weight loss and high temperature.

A properly balanced diet serves as fuel to run the metabolism of the body including the lungs. Tissues of the lungs get worn out during the illness of tuberculosis or any other lung disease. Eating protein-rich foods items will develop, repair and maintain the tissues.  Eggs, lean meat, poultry, chicken, lentils and nuts are such instances. You can also take ayurvedic medicine for Lungs like, Vayu Shuddhi post-meal to keep your lungs healthy. You will not experience any side effects.

4. Undergoing Check-Ups Regularly

Consulting any pulmonary expert will help in getting the correct assessment of the lungs. Doctors might analyze by checking non-stop coughing, and difficulty in breathing, determining the chest pain or congestion, wheezing and chronic inflammation. In case, you have a family history of asthma, pneumonia or TB, you must get an immediate assessment. It will make you alert and help you take precautionary measures against the diseases.

5. Keeping Away from Outdoor/Indoor Pollution

Venturing outdoors can make you sick or suffer from different lung problems without wearing masks. Because you will be readily exposed to harmful bacteria and viruses. And you will never know how quickly your lungs can get affected by serious illnesses like asthma, inflammatory bronchial tubes, blockage in lung arteries, and many more. Industrial smoke, smoke emissions from vehicles, crowded places, density of traffic and even natural calamities like volcanic eruptions or thunderstorms may cause severe breathing problems.

Indoor pollution plays worse on the lungs than outdoor pollution owing to the limited ventilation process. Kitchen smoke, heating, cooling equipment and household cleaning equipment can raise the level of indoor toxicity and block the nasal passages and weaken the lung tissues. Other indoor enclosures like railway waiting rooms, offices, schools and the rest of the buildings require attention with air purifiers, exhaust fans and some indoor plantations like Areca palms and lavender.

6. Maintaining Good Hygiene

Often your hands become dirty and carry viruses and bacteria. You may be touching your face with your unclean hands.  Cleansing your hands with a sanitizing solution is necessary if you want to keep your lungs healthy. Even hot showers are helpful in cold and respiratory symptoms.

7. Breathing Exercises

Such exercises will improve our breathing capacity which is vital for the lungs. To a certain extent, we can stay without food or water, we can survive without these two vital things for a few days but we cannot hold our breathing process for more than 1 or 2 minutes. In the age of early 20’s, our breathing capacity is active due to healthy lungs.

Increasing age makes the lungs and breathing capacity weaker. Kamba pranayama is one of the excellent pranayama to keep your lungs healthy and increase your breathing capacity. It is good for your circulation and also calms down your nervous system. 

How to Do Kumbhaka Pranayama?

1. Inhale for 5 seconds.
2. Hold your breath for 10 seconds and then breathe out smoothly and slowly.
3. And then continue with your normal breathing mechanism. .

However, on a precautionary note, you should avoid this specific pranayama during pregnancy and any other physical illness.

8. Steam Inhalation

You can use warm water for steam inhalation. It will aid in smoothening your irritated and blocked airways and releasing the mucus from the lungs. Administering eucalyptus or peppermint oils in warm water can further improve the pattern of inhaling smoothly.

9. Drinking Water and Natural Beverages.

Hydrating yourself with 10 to 12 glasses of water will not let the mucous thicken further.  Thick mucus lining would not let the person breathe easily. You can drink lemon water or fruit juices to help further cleanse the internal germs and activate the lungs. You must also drink tea made from different herbs which will hydrate your body and nourish your respiratory organs.  Ingredients like peppermint, ginger and licorice will remove cough and congestion.

Conclusion 

Lungs are highly active during the ’20s and become weaker with increasing age. As a result, an elderly person undergoes different complications owing to weak tissues of the lungs. A protein-rich diet helps prevent infections and maintain tissue growth. Regular cleaning and avoiding pollution should also be regularly done to keep lung tissues healthy and active. You can explore different breathing techniques and sanitize your soiled hands often to keep control of the spread of infections into the lungs. Drink enough water to unblock the air passages.