Did You Ever Smoke? You Need to Detox your Lungs!
Filed under All That Needs Detox, Detox Food, Organ Detox
Good health has become top priority in the lives of many hence the rise of different diet detoxing plans and fitness programs. The phrase ‘prevention is better than cure’ has become a widely adapted mantra in hopes of avoiding getting sick specially from diseases such as cancer.
Every year, thousands die from lung cancer. A reason why a lot of smokers and ex-smokers have been trying to quit their cigarette smoking habits – which isn’t always an easy feat to do. The good news is, there’s no need to be hasty in checking into one of them detox centers to cleanse your lung system from this nasty habit!
Detox: A natural body cleansing process
Detox, short for detoxification, is the body’s natural way and continuous process of neutralizing or cleansing toxins from the body. Although detox is generally considered as a treatment for alcohol or drugs detoxification, it can also be applied to diets, herbs and other methods of removing environmental and dietary toxins from the body to achieve optimum health.
The lungs, for one thing, are an active site for the removal of gaseous wastes inside the body. If the lungs or bronchial system are heavily coated with mucus, the ability of the lungs to remove waste gases is significantly reduced, causing toxins to buildup in the bloodstream, hindering oxygen absorption.
Doing a lung detoxification cleanses the tar acquired from smoking. The human body is naturally able to break the tar and rinse it from your system but this cleansing process can actually take years. Detoxification helps accelerate the cleansing of the lungs. Below are some simple detox techniques you can do to cleanse and repair your lungs.
Go on a detox diet!
So what is a detox diet exactly? Generally, a detox diet is a short term diet that minimizes the amount of chemicals ingested and emphasizes foods that provide the vitamins, nutrients and antioxidants that the body needs for detoxification.
Eat green leafy veggies such as spinach, wheat grass, kelp and nori to naturally cleanse your lungs. Foods rich in fiber and anti-oxidants like Vitamin A, C, E & Selenium are also good to consider in a detox diet. A detox diet rich in raw foods such as fruits, which contain bioflavonoids, i.e. apricots, peaches and plums ensure you’re getting plenty of anti-oxidants which enhance lung cleansing.
Drinking plenty of quality water – 8-10 glasses per day also helps in detoxing and cleansing your system. The lungs are coated with healthy mucus that contains water and is always regenerating itself. Proper hydration improves every organ system.
Consider: Detox Herbs
Herbs such as rosemary play an important role in the detoxing process. Rosemary is an extremely helpful expectorant. It has 24 anti-oxidants that open capillaries, increasing oxygen flow to the blood. Rosemary is included in several lung cleansing blends because it also has an effect on relaxing smooth muscle tissue in the lungs. The essential oil will open lung airways constricted by histamines.
Mullein herbs, a traditional European folk remedy, are used for toning the mucous membrane of the respiratory system. It also facilitates expectoration. Extract of turkey tails mushroom and sweet violet flower and leaf are also good detox herbs as they provide great support for the lungs and reducing phlegm.
Get a Move on It: Detox and Cleanse through Exercise
Exercise that gets your respiratory system pumping and your heart rate above 130 bpm helps in the body cleansing process specially when detoxing from cigarette smoke. Cardiovascular exercises helps the body shed the unhealthy mucous layer from the lungs faster, so healthy mucous can replace it.
Breathe to Detox
Breathing exercises are also helpful in lungs detoxification. Breathing in and out increases blood flow and stimulates the body. Deep breathing exercises help in cleansing the poisons from the tissues and enhancing the immune system.
Try this: Sit quietly, back straight and breathe while counting to four slowly. Hold four counts and then try to breathe out for eight counts. Practicing this for a few minutes each day strengthens the lungs and aid in relaxation and stress relief.
Why Detoxify?
There are many benefits from doing lung detoxification. It promotes respiratory system health. It also minimizes irritation to the respiratory system caused by cigarette smoke and other environmental pollutants. Detoxing the lungs also makes for cleaner air passage and improves oxygen assimilation. Plus, lung detoxification promotes mucous expulsion. Lastly, the vitamins you take to help in the lung detoxification will act on the body where it makes you want to quit smoking.