Smoking has a deep-seated effect on body, specially the lungs. Everyone knows that smoking is injurious to health but the smokers take it lightly until they themselves don’t feel the cigarette affecting them. But by then, when they feel the urge to make some changes, they are so addicted to smoking that they feel it very puzzling to quit. The cigarette smoke has carbon monoxide and many toxic chemicals which are carried into the lungs. Thus the lungs start to pump lesser oxygen which leads to higher blood pressure, higher heart rate, and less amount of oxygen for the cell functioning.
Quitting smoking is one of the best things you can do in order to have a good health, but is also one of the hardest things to achieve. But if you’ve already taken a step towards your smoke free life, Bingo! You’ve chosen the best way of cleaning your lungs.
Do The Lungs Actually heal After Quitting Cigarette?
Yes!! When you start living a smoke free life, your lungs will definitely heal but after a certain period of time. In a matter of 12 hours after you had your last puff, the carbon monoxide levels in your blood returns to normal. Thus the right amount of oxygen required for all cellular functions starts circulating in the body.
Though the lungs begin to heal after 2 weeks to 3 months, the cilia (tiny hair-like organelles that help in sweeping out the impurities) in your lungs take up to 9 months to repair.
Healing your lungs after quitting smoking is going to take some time. You might feel heaviness in your chest or a mild pain as soon as you quit cigarette, but there are some tips and tricks to help your lungs have a speedy recovery.
Diet to Follow for Lung Detoxification:
Your lungs have already gone through a lot. On the way to their detoxification, try to avoid the foods that generate mucus in our body and the dairy products are the biggest culprit here.
Foods to Avoid forLung Cleaning Treatments–
- Dairy products like yogurt, cheese, butter, milk, etc.- these foods produce a lot of mucus which is not good for the body. Mucus formation inhibits the detoxification process leading to slow repair of lungs. Due to the presence of mucus in the lungs, they are not able to pump right amount of oxygen for proper functioning of the body cells.
- Processed foods like sausages, hot dogs, bacon, canned meat, etc. – these processed foods are also heavy mucus producers. Processed foods are usually unhealthy and hinders the self-healing of the lungs after you quit smoking.
- Candies and sweets – Sugars are also mucus generators. Avoid eating candies, cakes, pastries etc. as they might cause heavy mucus formation and thus seeds pain in the lungs.
- Caffeine leads to dehydration. Avoid coffee and tea. Drink lots of water instead. You can also have green tea. It is rich in anti-oxidants which can help lessen the pain caused in the lungs.
Foods to Consume Lung Cleaning Treatments–
- Pineapple and other citrus fruits and berries like blackberries, lemons, oranges etc. – citrus fruits contain lots of compounds that are helpful in reducing inflammation. They increase the lungs elasticity thereby making them eligible for easy pumping of oxygen.
- Leafy green vegetables–green leafy vegetables have high fibre content that help eradicating the mucus out of the body.
- Honey – honey has components that help in removing the pollutants out of the body. It thus helps in eventually removing the mucus and all impurities present in the lungs.
- Carrots and radishes – these veggies help in clearing sinuses and decreasing the congestion in the respiratory system by removing the mucus thus lowering the lung pain.
Other Lung Cleaning Techniques:
- Avoid smokers – smoking is harmful where you are an active smoker or the passive one. Passive smoking also generates mucus in the body. Try to avoid smokers as it will not only help your lungs heal faster but also your will power might get weak and you might step back from your smoke free journey. So it’s better to stay away from them.
- Add lots of green plants to your house – green plants release fresh oxygen and will remove all the pollutants present in the air. Get green plants for your surroundings and the fresh air you inhale will help your lungs heal.
- Bring home indoor plants like snake plant, spider plant etc. that purifies the surrounding air. When the surrounding air will be clean, your body will have lesser mucus and thus the lungs will heal faster.
- Practice breathing exercises like pursed lip breathing and diaphragmatic breathing and practice light yoga asanas. These exercises will improve your lungs elasticity and the blood pressure will thus become normal.
- Start doing some sort of physical activity which will help improve the cardiovascular health.
It’s never too late! If you haven’t started your smoke free life journey, take the step now. It’s high time!