How to keep the lungs naturally?

အောက်ဆုံးထိ ဆွဲကြည့်​​ပေးကြပါ ခင်ဗျာ

You know that your lungs help you breathe. But how exactly do they work, and how can you keep them healthy? Our expert-backed guide walks you through the ins and outs.

What do your lungs do?

Your lungs are two pink, spongelike organs in your chest. They’re the centerpiece of your respiratory system. Their main job is to move fresh air into your body (when you breathe in) and remove waste gas (when you breathe out).¹

Lungs provide oxygen to every cell in your body. When you breathe in air, oxygen moves into your bloodstream. Your blood takes it to the cells around your body. At each cell, oxygen is exchanged for a waste gas called carbon dioxide. Your bloodstream then carries carbon dioxide back to your lungs. It leaves your body when you breathe out.

This is an automatic process that you don’t have to think about. The cycle happens eight to 16 times every minute.

Ways to clear the lungs

Below, we look at breathing exercises and lifestyle changes that can help remove excess mucus from the lungs and improve breathing.

1. Steam therapy

Steam therapy, or steam inhalation, involves inhaling water vapor to open the airways and may also help to loosen mucus.

People with lung conditions may notice their symptoms worsening in cold or dry air. This climate can dry out the mucous membranes in the airways and restrict blood flow.

Conversely, steam adds warmth and moisture to the air, which may improve breathing and help loosen mucus inside the airways and lungs. Inhaling water vapor can provide immediate relief and help people breathe more easily.

Some evidence notes that steam inhalation can be helpful for soothing a sore throat, loosening thick mucus, and provide benefit after being in an environment with pollutants.

This therapy may be an effective temporary solution, but researchers need to carry out more studies before they fully understand the benefits of steam therapy on lung health.

2. Controlled coughing

Coughing is the body’s way of naturally expelling toxins that it has trapped in mucus. Controlled coughing loosens excess mucus in the lungs, sending it up through the airways.

Doctors may recommend that people with lung conditions, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), perform this exercise to help clear their lungs.

People can cleanse their lungs of excess mucus by:

• sitting down on a chair with the shoulders relaxed, keeping both feet flat on the floor
• folding the arms over the stomach
• slowly inhaling through the nose
• slowly exhaling while leaning forward, pushing the arms against the stomach
• coughing two or three times while exhaling, keeping the mouth slightly open
• slowly inhaling through the nose
• resting and repeating as necessary

3. Draining mucus from the lungs

Postural drainage involves lying in different positions to use gravity to remove mucus from the lungs. This practice may improve breathing and help treat or prevent lung infections.

Postural drainage techniques differ depending on the position:

1. On your back

• Lie down on the floor or on a bed.
• Place pillows under the hips to ensure that the chest is lower than the hips.
• Slowly inhale through the nose and exhale through the mouth. Each exhale should take twice as long as the inhale, which is called 1:2 breathing.
• Continue for a few minutes.

2. On your side

• Lie on one side, resting the head on an arm or pillow.
• Place pillows under the hips.
• Practice the 1:2 breathing pattern.
• Continue for a few minutes.
• Repeat on the other side.

3. On your stomach

• Place a stack of pillows on the floor.
• Lie down with the stomach over the pillows. Remember to keep the hips above the chest.
• Fold the arms under the head for support.
• Practice the 1:2 breathing pattern.
• Continue for a few minutes.

4. Exercise

Not only can regular exercise improve people’s physical and mental health and decrease the risk of many health conditions, but it can also help a person to keep their lungs healthy.

Exercise forces the muscles to work harder, which increases the body’s breathing rate, resulting in a greater supply of oxygen to the muscles. It also improves circulation, making the body more efficient in removing the excess carbon dioxide that the body produces when exercising.

The body will start to adapt to meet the demands of regular exercise. The muscles will learn to use oxygen more efficiently and produce less carbon dioxide.

Although exercising may be more difficult for people with chronic lung conditions, these individuals can also benefit from regular exercise. It is advisable for people with conditions such as COPD or asthma to consult a healthcare professional before starting a new exercise regimen.

5. Green tea

Green tea contains many antioxidants that may help reduce inflammation in the lungs. These compounds may even protect lung tissue from the harmful effects of smoke inhalation.

A 2018 study involving more than 1,000 adults in Korea reported that people who drank at least two cups of green tea per day had better lung function than those who drank none.

6. Anti-inflammatory foods

Inflammation of the airways can make breathing difficult and cause the chest to feel heavy and congested. Eating anti-inflammatory foods can reduce inflammation to relieve these symptoms.

Foods that help fight inflammation include:

• turmeric
• leafy greens
• cherries
• blueberries
• olives
• walnuts
• beans
• lentils

7. Chest percussion

Percussion is another method to help remove excess mucus from the lungs. A healthcare professional or respiratory therapist will use a cupped hand to rhythmically tap the chest wall to dislodge trapped mucus in the lungs.

Combining chest percussion and postural drainage can help clear the airways of excess mucus.

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