There’s nothing like taking a deep breath of fresh air. But for many, breathing doesn’t come so easily during Springtime. Pollen, mold, and erratic weather patterns create the perfect storm for poor air quality. If you have a chronic condition like asthma, it can be even more challenging.
If you’re wondering how to keep your lungs in great shape through the upcoming allergy season, here are three top tips:
1. Practice Deep Breathing
Did you know that as we age, our lung capacity slowly decreases? This can lead to shortness of breath and difficulty breathing. Fortunately, you can counter this with lung-expanding exercises:
- Pursed-lip breathing. The goal is to slow your breathing and keep your airways open for longer. Just inhale slowly through your nose, purse your lips, and breathe out as slowly as you can. Breathe out for twice as long as you take to inhale.
- Belly breathing, AKA diaphragmatic breathing. To do this, place one hand on your chest and the other on your belly. When you inhale, you should feel your stomach rise. Then, exhale for a couple of seconds and feel your belly lower as you breathe out.
These exercises go a long way in keeping your lungs healthy and your nervous system calm!
2. Improve Lung Health Through Nutrition
You might not expect this connection, but what you eat has a direct impact on your lung health. That’s because the mucus membranes that line your gut are very similar to the mucus membranes in your lungs. In fact, there is something called the gut-lung axis, which represents the relationship between the microbiomes and related functions in both areas. In a nutshell, if what you eat causes inflammation in the gut, it has potential to cause the same in the lungs, as well.
When trying to support your lungs, you need avoid ultra-processed foods that might include chemical preservatives and sugar. These include deli meats, packaged items with a long ingredient list, fried foods, and carbonated drinks. And especially dairy – all cow’s milk products are notorious for causing increased mucus. Sheep’s milk and goat’s milk possibly might be better tolerated.
Instead, choose organic and nutrient-dense foods, like:
- Beets
- Apples
- Radishes
- Turmeric
- Blueberries
- Green tea
Just about anything you can choose from the produce section or make from scratch will be better for you than a processed/frozen meal or something from a restaurant. Check out our article on Dietary Choices in Allergy Season for a few more thoughts!
3. Choose the Right Lung Health Supplements
Another good choice might be to get diaphoretic (sweat-inducing) herbs in bulk and make a therapeutic herbal tea. These have traditionally been used to treat infections, beat fevers, and support lung health during a cold. Loose leaf herbs like cayenne, garlic, ginger, and elderflower can be made into a tea and consumed to keep your lungs in tip-top shape. You also might find these herbs in supplement form, such as in the Sinus Forte blend with cayenne, Garlic Forte, or Digest Forte blend with ginger.
If herbal tea isn’t your thing, consider a few other favorite supplements:
- PulmaCo. This blend includes Malabar Nut Tree leaf, Skullcap, Fennel, Grindelia, Ginkgo biloba, and Turmeric. It’s a powerful combo that is my personal favorite for exercise-induced asthma. It helps your respiratory system flourish, especially when your mucus membranes might be a little inflamed from pollen or cold temps.
- Broncafect. You can probably guess by its name that this immune-supporting formula supports your airways and cough reflex. It contains Licorice, Echinacea, White Horehound, ginger, thyme, and pleurisy root, which can all help resolve acute lung challenges.
These are totally awesome when combined with other anti-inflammatory products like Cod Liver Oil, Cal-Amo, or Turmeric Forte!
Bonus Thoughts…
You’ll also want to consider your home environment. When was the last time you changed the air filter? Now is a good time to replace the filters, and make sure you’ve got a good one that’s well suited for small allergens.
Is it time for a new air purifier – maybe one for your bedroom and for work? Once you’re accustomed to breathing clean air, you’ll never want to settle for less. Our preference is the Austin air purifier, which comes in different models for different uses. Let us know if you have questions, and we can put you in touch for a good one!
Need a little more support? Don’t forget about eucalyptus oil, which can be powerful for loosening mucus in the airways. You can apply a few drops with a carrier oil on the chest, or diffuse at home (as long as you don’t have any pets who could be harmed by it).
We Can Help You Breathe More Easily
Although you can’t control Mother Nature or the “yellow storm”, there are a few steps you can take to strengthen your lung health.
We’re here to help support your health and help you breathe easier – no matter what time of year. Try out one of the above tips or give our office a call to see how we can help you breathe freely once again.