With pollution and air quality levels hitting poor and severe marks in parts of India, and the choking mixture of fog and smoke, known as smog, rising, a healthy set of lungs are a boon. Smog, smoke or any kind of pollution has a direct impact on our lungs which ends up affecting our breathing. So, here are a few things that you can do to naturally clean or detox your lungs and keep your lungs healthy even if you are living in a polluted place.

With increasing levels of smog and Covid-19 trying to creep its way back in, taking care of our lungs has become the need of the hour. Our lungs have to work tirelessly to keep our system going, and we need to give importance to the intensive care that is necessary for their proper functioning.

Even though lungs are self-cleansing, they were definitely not made to handle the amount of pollution that surrounds us in these times. Giving your lungs a detox may be possible by just making some lifestyle changes and adopting a healthier diet. Let’s take a look at some natural ways to detox your lungs and these will be helpful especially if you suffer from health conditions such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), cystic fibrosis or if you are a heavy smoker.

“When secretions get lodged in airway they stagnate and attract microorganisms, leading to thick secretions, infection of the respiratory tract which can spread to other parts of the body and trouble you with breathlessness, cough or fever,” says Dr Sneha Tirpude, MD, DNB, Pulmonary Medicine Consultant Pulmonologist, Ruby hall Clinic, Pune. That is why the doctor also advises that one should clean their lungs.

How to clean your lungs?

1. Consume antioxidant rich foods

Inhalation of air pollutants can cause inflammation in your airways or lungs and the most natural way to reduce this inflammation is through including antioxidant-rich foods in your regular diet . These help in reducing inflammation. So, having green tea, berries, turmeric milk, leafy green vegetables, nuts, etc. will help to clean your lungs.

2. Exercise

Indulging in aerobic exercises, breathing exercises or yoga exercises for increasing the lung capacity, can make a difference. These can make the lungs stronger and much more capable in fighting off air pollutants. So, try to take out time for walking, running or any other exercise at least 4 times a week.

3. Inhaling steam

Inhaling the steam of boiling water helps in warmth and moisture to your internal breathing system. This helps in clearing up the mucus and clearing out the stuck pollutants in your airways and lungs.

4. Stop using scents

Using scented air fresheners, perfumes or scented candles at home is not a great idea as these are not natural scents and are made up from some or the other chemical which can be harmful for our lungs. These chemicals can irritate your lungs and make them more susceptible to infections.

5. Use air purifiers

Air purifiers are not a luxury anymore, especially if you are living in a highly polluted area, these have become a necessity. Many types of air purifiers are easily available in the market these days and that too at affordable prices, so installing one at home is easy. You will notice half of your breathing problems vanish away and there will be a lot less congestion in your chest.