Tag: healthy lungs

Breathing Space for Healthy Lungs
Healthy Inside/Healthy Outside

Breathing Space for Healthy Lungs

Dawn Silva/InitiateWellnessLeave a comment

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Breathing Space for Healthy Lungs

Fall weeds and molds, winter dampness & closed indoor allergens, spring pollen and the pollution from daily living can wreak havoc on your lungs. The pollution doesn’t stop there; electronic gadgets such as computers, TV, tablets, e-cigarettes, space heaters affect the air quality. Then there are toxic cleaning supplies, pesticides in the air and on produce that we ingest through the mouth and through the nose. What can you do to ensure healthier lungs and easier breathing?

There are a few simple steps you can incorporate into your daily habits for healthier lung function, and there are bigger steps you can take if you’re up for making major changes – you choose but please, make some type of change for your better health. If you smoke, consider kicking that habit too-need help? I have a few tips on how to help eliminate cravings for that next butt – just ask!

Breathing space in your home begins with clean surroundings by removing dust, debris, and dirt from your walls, window hangings & bedding, furniture and floors on a regular basis. If you’re surrounded by electronics daily at work and home, it’s helpful to invest in air cleaners & Himalayan salt lamps – for more information on which one to buy, read here:  http://www.arb.ca.gov/research/indoor/cr-05-2005.pdf

Breathing space for your lungs begins with food. Some foods cause congestion and gunk in your lungs while other foods help to open up your airways by reducing inflammation. Some foods help oxygenate and purify the blood helping you breathe easy and feeling energized.  The following is a list of the foods you should be eating every day for healthy lungs.

  • Vitamin A foods: pumpkin, spinach, carrots, dark leafy greens, lettuce, fish, bell peppers, winter squashes & sweet potatoes
  • Vitamin C foods: citrus, watermelon, celery, parsley, kiwi, papaya, broccoli, berries, melons
  • Vitamin D foods: egg yolks, fortified milk & juice, fortified grains/cereal, cod liver oil, sunshine. If you take a D3 supplement it is good to take a magnesium supplement too so that the D3 will get absorbed.
  • Vitamin E foods: seeds, nuts, peanut butter, mango, broccoli, spinach, beet greens, red peppers, avocado, swordfish
  • Magnesium foods: tuna, halibut, beans, milk, yogurt, brown rice, prunes & other dried fruit, dark leafy greens, broccoli, avocado, bananas, dark chocolate (70% & higher)
  • WATER: Water helps hydrate your lungs and keep it free of mucous. Drink at least 6-8 10 ounce glasses per day.

As you can see, many of the same foods are in more than one category so eating healthy isn’t very difficult to do. You are what you eat so be wholesome, natural, fresh, light and energetically affected by what is around you and what is inside of you.

Taking Time to Breathe
Healthy Inside/Healthy Outside

Taking Time to Breathe

Dawn Silva/InitiateWellness1 Comment

Having been exposed to poor breathing issues both personally and secondary to family members since childhood, I’ve come to appreciate the art of breathing more than ever. As a young child I was hospitalized for 21 days with pneumonia and my lungs haven’t been the same since. My younger brother has suffered from severe asthma since infancy and as an adult I was diagnosed with exercise induced asthma. Illness can affect the nature of your lungs greatly.

Smoking. Those who smoke never want to hear the words, “you should quit” and most often they already know they should but as I’ve been told many times over, quitting isn’t easy. I’ve never smoked so I cannot and will not judge; I will only urge and offer my best support.

Most recently I’ve experienced close up the effects that a long term smoker is suffering; this makes me want to be able to wave a wand over those I know and love who smoke causing them to quit cold-turkey without cravings or urges to ever smoke again. In order to help you imagine what I saw/see and experienced this person dealing with, name & character withheld for privacy reasons, I’ll mention that this person has been in and out of the hospital often for the past year and a half, they suffer from severe COPD and without going into details, they are suffering greatly. COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) is a combination of chronic bronchial infections and emphysema. COPD affects your breathing through the breakdown of lung tissue and as it advances it causes breakdown of the capillaries in the lungs. Oxygen going to the heart decreases causing the body to make more red blood cells that the heart has to pump at a higher rate which often leads to heart conditions and failure.

If your resolution for the year or the month or even for the day is to quit smoking, take it seriously. Do anything you can that will help you quit and learn and practice ways to increase and deepen your every breath. Even if you don’t smoke begin a practice as well. Meditation and yoga practices are great ways to learn to breathe.

When you learn to breathe fully and practice doing it on a daily basis you can experience, less fatigue, less fogginess, you’ll feel less tired and less depressed. Proper breathing helps you center yourself, detoxify your body and become one with your thoughts. Breathing affects every aspect of your life because life is breath; it sounds crazy maybe but we need to remember to just breathe.