Exposure to air pollutants such as pollution, cigarette smoke and other irritants can potentially damage the lungs and worsen your health condition. This condition is usually caused by the accumulation of mucus in the lungs to catch microbes and pathogens that make breathing heavy. Therefore, keeping the lungs healthy is very important for the health of the body as a whole. Here’s how to clear your lungs for better breathing.
4 Ways to Clear Your Lungs
- Exercise routine
Regular exercise can not only improve physical and mental fitness but can also keep your lungs healthy. This is because during exercise, physical training can force the muscles to work harder, which increases the body’s breathing rate, resulting in a greater supply of oxygen to the muscles. This process also improves blood circulation which makes the body more efficient in getting rid of excess carbon dioxide produced by the body during exercise.
- Green tea
Green tea is high in antioxidants that can help reduce inflammation in the lungs. These compounds can even protect lung tissue from the harmful effects of inhaling smoke and airborne pollutants. 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 did not drink at all.
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- Anti-inflammatory food
Inflammation of the airway can make it difficult to breathe and cause chest heaviness and tightness. Eating anti-inflammatory foods can reduce inflammation to relieve these symptoms. An example of anti-inflammatory food is olive, nuts and green vegetables.
- Steam therapy
Steam therapy, or steam inhalation, is a method of inhaling water vapor to open airways and can also help loosen mucus. In fact, the effects of inhaling water vapor can be felt immediately after inhaling it so that the breath becomes more relieved. In addition, a number of studies have noted that inhaling steam can help relieve sore throat, nasal congestion, coughing up phlegm, loosening thick mucus and clear your lungs breathing.
Source : Kompas.com