Content

• To step
• Part 1 of 5: Improving your overall health
• Part 2 of 5: Reducing environmental risks
• Part 3 of 5: Breathe well
• Part 4 of 5: Exploring alternative medicine
• Part 5 of 5: Dangers that can threaten healthy lungs
• Tips

Protecting your lungs is vital if you want to keep them healthy over the long term. Over time, toxins from fungi and bacteria can harm your lung health and even lead to deadly conditions such as COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease). Fortunately, there are all kinds of natural measures you can take to keep your lungs healthy so that you can continue to breathe properly.

To step

Part 1 of 5: Improving your overall health

1. Eat foods rich in antioxidants. A healthy diet can make your lungs stronger, and a diet high in antioxidants is especially healthy. Antioxidants can increase lung capacity and improve breathing quality in lung patients.
   • Blueberries, broccoli, spinach, grapes, sweet potato, green tea and fish are full of antioxidants.
2. Move. Regular exercise helps keep your lungs working at full capacity. Try:
   • Do at least 30 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise (such as walking, swimming, or golfing) four to five times a week or
   • Do at least 25 minutes of vigorous aerobic exercise (such as running, cycling or playing football) at least 3 days a week.
3. Stop smoking. Smoking is one of the leading causes of COPD. Smoking can also cause emphysema and lung cancer. The toxins in cigarettes can cause inflammation of the bronchi, making it harder for you to breathe.
   • To protect your lungs, you should also avoid using other tobacco products, such as snuff or chewing tobacco. These increase the risk of oral cancer, gum disease, tooth decay and pancreatic cancer.
   • E-cigarettes are also bad for the lungs. Recent research has shown that some companies use a flavoring agent in the e-cigarettes made from a toxin called Diacetyl. This medicine has been associated with constrictive bronchiolitis, a rare and life-threatening form of irreversible lung damage in which the bronchi are compressed and narrowed by scarring and / or inflammation.
   • If you want to cleanse your lungs, stop all forms of smoking and tobacco products.

Part 2 of 5: Reducing environmental risks

1. Stay in well-ventilated areas. Make sure that the areas where you stay most - such as your workplace and your home - are well ventilated. If you are working with hazardous materials, such as paint fumes, dust on a construction site, or chemicals from hair dye or other treatments, provide adequate ventilation or protect your lungs by wearing a dust mask, for example.
   • Make sure to open the windows and grilles so that fresh air can enter.
   • Consider wearing a paint vapor or dust mask if you work in a small space.
   • If you're cleaning with strong chemicals like bleach, open the windows and leave the room every now and then to give your lungs a rest.
     • Never mix bleach with ammonia. These two substances together create a toxic chlorine vapor that can damage the mucous membranes of the lungs.
   • Do not use a fireplace or wood-burning stove indoors, as they can also inhale toxic substances.
2. Pay attention to your sensitivity to plants. Some plants release spores, pollen or other potentially irritating substances into the air. Make sure your lungs don't get stimulated by your houseplants.
3. Use a HEPA filter. With a HEPA filter you can purify small particles and dust from the air, so that your lungs stay healthier.
   • Ozone-based air purifiers are less effective at removing allergens and other particles from the air, and can even irritate the lungs.

Part 3 of 5: Breathe well

1. Learn to breathe efficiently. One of the best ways to naturally strengthen your lungs is to breathe properly. Inhale from your diaphragm, expanding the muscles of your lower abdomen. As you exhale, your muscles must retract your abdomen.
   • When you breathe from your diaphragm and not from your throat, you increase the capacity of your lungs and make them stronger.
2. Measure your breathing. Inhale and then out. When you do, count how long you can breathe in and out.Try to gradually increase the number of beats you inhale or exhale by one or two beats.
   • Don't overexert yourself or hold your breath for too long. Then your brain does not get enough oxygen and you can become dizzy or faint.
3. Improve your posture. If you sit or stand upright, you can breathe better and your lungs become stronger.
   • One exercise to increase your lung capacity is to sit upright in a chair with your arms above your head while taking a deep breath.

Part 4 of 5: Exploring alternative medicine

Be open to it. Some of the following tips are not based on scientific research, or have only been studied in small studies. Always consult your doctor before trying any alternative medicine, as certain herbs and minerals can affect the way normal medicines work.

1. Eat more oregano. Oregano is especially healthy because it contains carvacrol and rosmarinic acid. Both ingredients act as a natural expectorant and reduce histamine, making them good for the respiratory tract.
   • The volatile oil in oregano, thymol and carvacol has been found to inhibit the growth of harmful bacteria such as staphylococcus aureus and pseudomonas aeruginosa.
   • Oregano can be eaten dried or fresh, or you can add two to three drops of oregano oil to milk or juice daily.
2. Steam with eucalyptus to take advantage of its expectorant properties. Eucalyptus is often found in cough syrups and lozenges. It is effective due to an expectorant called eucalyptol, which can relieve a cough, counteract congestion and soothe irritated nasal passages.
   • To steam, add a few drops of eucalyptus oil to hot water and inhale the steam for 15 minutes.
   • Beware: Eucalyptus oil can slow down the rate at which the liver breaks down certain drugs. Before using eucalyptus oil, talk to your doctor about whether you are taking any medications that may be affected.
     • These are drugs such as Voltaren, Ibuprofen, celecoxib and fexofenadine, among others.
3. Take a hot shower to free your lungs. A sauna or hot shower makes you sweat a lot, and it ensures that your lungs can get rid of waste products.
   • Drink plenty of water after a long hot shower or sauna, as you shouldn't get dehydrated.
   • Make sure hot baths are clean to avoid infections. High temperatures allow bacteria to grow quickly, and even though the water smells like chlorine, it can be difficult to put enough chlorine in hot water to kill bacteria. When tested, the bath may contain a lot of chlorine, but most of it may be in a form that has little effect on contaminating organisms.
4. Use peppermint to soothe your airways. Peppermint and peppermint oil contain menthol, a soothing ingredient that relaxes the muscles of the airways so you can breathe easier.
   • Peppermint acts as an antihistamine and menthol is a great expectorant. Chew on two to three leaves of mint (and preferably not on mints) for the fastest effect.
   • Many people find that a balm with menthol that can be smeared on the chest is a good help against stuck mucus.
5. Drink mullein tea. Mullein is a plant that helps against phlegm and blocked bronchi. Both the flowers and the leaves of the Mullein can be processed into a tea that strengthens the lungs.
   • Mullein is used in herbal medicine to remove excess mucus from the lungs, clear the airways and reduce respiratory infections.
   • You can make a tea from a teaspoon of dried mullein and 250 ml of boiled water.
6. Try licorice root. If you have mucus in your lungs, licorice tea can be very soothing. Licorice root reduces swelling, thins mucus, and relieves coughs.
   • Licorice root can help thin the mucus in the airways to make it easier to cough up.
   • It is also believed to have antibacterial and antiviral properties, which can help you fight infections.
7. Take ginger. Ginger is a powerful tool for cleaning the lungs. It is currently being investigated whether ginger can help prevent certain types of cancer, including lung cancer, as it has been proven to inhibit the growth of certain cancer cells.
   • Drinking ginger and lemon tea makes it easier to breathe.
   • Raw ginger is also good for digestion.

Part 5 of 5: Dangers that can threaten healthy lungs

1. Watch for symptoms. If you have to cough and the cough lasts for more than a month, or if your breathing becomes increasingly difficult, see your doctor.
2. Learn about it COPD. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease refers to both chronic bronchitis and emphysema, and most people with COPD have both conditions. The disease is usually progressive, meaning it develops over time. COPD is the fourth largest cause of death in the Netherlands.
   • COPD affects the lungs, especially the alveoli, which are tiny air sacs that facilitate the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide.
     • Pulmonary emphysema is a condition in which the bronchi become inflamed, and are always swollen and blocked. This causes the alveoli to swell. These fragile air sacs can burst and stick together. The damage to the alveoli makes it more difficult to exchange oxygen and carbon dioxide.
     • Chronic bronchitis causes the lungs to produce more mucus, clogging the airways and coating the alveoli with mucus, making breathing difficult.
3. Know the risk groups. While anyone can get COPD, there are a number of populations who are more likely to get it. COPD mainly occurs in adults, often over 40.
   • Men and women are equally at risk, but smokers have a much higher risk of COPD.

Tips

• Commit to better air quality. Many places in the Netherlands have poor air quality due to air pollution. While you may think there is nothing you can do about it, you can look into local legislation to see if enough is being done to improve air quality.
  • You can also join a local action group that fights for better air quality. Or if you suffer from asthma, find others with the same condition and exchange tips on how to live better with poor air quality.