With all the natural fires, its really important to keep our lungs healthy and strong.
There are many different research findings that link the relationship of diet with respiratory disease.
There are 4 things to practice to improve your respiratory health
1. Yoga- Breathing Exercises
What happens to our bodies when we are breathing? Our diaphragm does about 80 percent of the work to fill our lungs with a mixture of oxygen and other gases.
Over time, stale air builds up, leaving less room for the diaphragm to contract and bring in fresh oxygen. When the diaphragm is not working properly the body becomes compromised and starts using other muscles in the neck, back and chest for breathing.
This is why it’s important to practice breathing exercises regularly to get rid of accumulated stale air and increase oxygen levels.
2. Hydration
Two-thirds of our body is made up of water. Water helps to keep the cells hydrated, allowing waste to move freely in and out of cells. It helps to keep our respiratory and circulatory system intact.
Water supports waste removal through the digestive and excretory systems. It allows metabolized nutrients to easily transport through the body.
This is why it’s important to keep body hydrated at all times. Feel free to get creative and infuse it with ginger, turmeric or lemon to build immunity and flavor.
3. Fruits & Vegetables
Recent reports from the American Thoracic Society concluded that an increase intake of fruits and vegetables reduces incidence of lung disease.
There are many vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and phytonutrients in fruits and vegetables which help to protect the cells in our bodies and reduce incidence of disease.
The key is to eat a variety.
4. Balanced Diet
Eating a balanced diet helps to maintain weight and allows the body to better utilize what it needs though digestion and metabolism.
Eating a diet rich in whole foods, nuts and seeds. Reducing intake of refined and enriched products helps to balance the body.
A diet high in carbohydrates puts more stress on the respiratory system by requiring the lungs to release an abundance of carbon dioxide.
Therefore it’s important to practice balance and moderation at all times.
