Lung support for fire smoke

I was sitting at the Okanagan Sun football game Saturday night when my four year old asked me if there was a storm coming in. He loves storms! I looked over to the south and saw the smoke pouring over the mountains. I explained to him that there was a fire on the other side of the mountains and the smoke was being blown towards us. After about 50 more detailed questions he was satisfied with my answers. Every summer we have at least a few poor air quality days due to forest fire smoke. In this article, we will discuss some things you can do to support your lungs and feel better during these smoky days.

My approach to supporting the lungs differs somewhat depending on the health of the person’s lungs I’m working with. I would make more basic recommendations to someone who merely gets stuffed up during the smoky season compared to someone with COPD. However, you can think of the basic approach as being essentially identical. We want to support lung cleansing, enhance bronchiole dilation, and strengthen the immune system.

In this week’s article, we are discussing three of my favourite botanicals to support the lungs. I often use one supplement with these botanicals blended together that is designed to enhance lung function. In future articles, we will discuss some of the more advanced therapies like nebulized glutathione for people with COPD or other more serious lung disorders.

 

Eucalyptus

Eucalyptus is a botanical that has traditionally been used for lung support. It’s the essential oil of the plant that contains the antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and antispasmodic properties. When you inhale or ingest eucalyptus oil it decreases mucus in the bronchioles, opens up the airways, and decreases muscle spasms around the bronchioles. All of this results in clearer breathing and the elimination or expectoration of metabolic wastes from the lungs.

 

Peppermint

Peppermint is another botanical remedy that has traditionally been used for support respiratory function. The essential oils are the part of the plant that contain the active nutrients like menthol and menthone. These essential oils are help fight off infection, open up the airways, and relaxes the musculature around the bronchioles. These properties promote better breathing and elimination of waste.

 

Pleurisy Root

Pleurisy root is another one of my favourite botanicals for supporting the lungs. It reduces inflammation in the pleural membranes of the lungs, which is essentially where the oxygen from the air we breathe meets our blood. Pleurisy root promotes lymphatic drainage from the lungs to systemic detoxification.

This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.