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Ayurveda Lung Support for Smoky Skies...

herbs lifestyle Sep 14, 2020
Ayurveda Lung Support

What to do to support your lungs during a smoky air wildfire crisis?

The epithelial cells of your lungs are the delicate inner "lining" where the environment and lung cells interface.  It's here that toxins and damage from what we breathe in will first create an imbalance and deposit toxins.

Here are few simple protocols, herbs and foods to arm you with some ayurvedic lung armor during this time: 

  1. avoid deep breathing exercises-that includes deep pranayam, this seems like a no brainer, but it bears repeating - ayurveda says the first tenant of disease removal/prevention, is to remove the root cause.  If we can't remove the smoke, the second best option is to not perform any outdoor exercise or deep pranayama exercises indoors unless you know air quality is safe.  The deeper we yoginis breathe, the deeper we will potentially drive the toxins in during times of smokey/poor air quality
  2. oil your nose - one reason nasal breathing is beneficial is because it helps to capture debris and pollution before they reach your lungs. Another reason is that nasal breathing moistens the air you breath before it reaches and dries out your lungs.  Keeping your nasal passageways gently lubricated by applying a few drops of oil each day to each nostril will support the capture of potential irritants, reduce the dryness of the air reaching the lungs and generally soothe your nasal passages.  To perform:  place a few drops of ghee, olive oil or sesame oil to the tip of your pinky and insert into your nostril and massage the oil gently onto the inside your nose (repeat on other nostril using other pinky). Alternately, place one of these oils (be sure ghee is liquid and warm but not hot or solid) into a dropper bottle or tip of a Q-tip and drip a few drops into each nostril while lying on your back then massage the outside of your nostrils gently to disperse inside. Best done in the morning before breakfast and/or before bed, kept away from food and bathing (wait at least 15 minutes). My Favorite Nasya Oil is Tridoshic Nasya Oil HERE.
  3. sip on "hydrating elixir":  this will hydrate the epithelial lining of your lungs and GI tract.  Recipe:
    • 1 quart room temperature water
    • juice of 1-2 limes to taste
    • 1-2 Tbs sweetener of choice (maple syrup, sucanat, brown sugar are cooling/soothing choices for lungs)
    • 2 pinches salt (will hold the water in your system longer enabling you to feel more hydrated throughout your whole system)
    • 1-2 pinches marshmallow root (lung tonic, demulcent, lubricator, vulnerary, expectorant, prebiotic to build healthy epithelial environment in lungs to fertilize lung lining for healthy "forest" of probiotics to live there). It'll also help keep the toxins from settling into the lungs by nourishing the lubrication layer of the lungs so the toxins become trapped there where they can be eliminated more easily.
    • 2 4 mint leaves chopped (digestive to help the fluids absorb and keep the lung channels/bronchial tree open) They'll help the marshmallow to lubri cation laher to stay open and "flowing" toxins through the bronchial channels/tree and support expectoration of them.
    • small handful of rose petals (always unsprayed, fresh pink/red is best-heal your vibrational heart and soothe your emotions when under stress).
  4. drink milk daily - milk is ayurveda's favorite food for nourishing, lubricating and anti-inflamming the lungs, additionally, milk has the added benefit of building our ojas (immunity) as well as supporting deep sleep and sattva (peace).  Whenever the lungs are in trouble from dryness, burning, irritation - consider milk.  The key is, the milk should be raw or unhomogenized whenever possible, boiled with spices and cooled to warm before drinking.  It's great taken nightly before bed or as an afternoon snack.
    • Here's a recipe for wildfire smoke protection for your lungs: 
    • 1 cup milk boiled with...
    • 1/4 tsp turmeric - heals epithelial lining of lungs and colon, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant to protect the lungs from air pollution/smoke, it's also a natural vulnerary (wound healer), contains 300 constituents which work synergistically on so many bodily systems.  Turmeric is considered a panacea ("cure all") of sorts in the herbal world, but we typically recommend it as a whole herb (not an extract of just cucurmin) and almost always taken with food/ghee/milk etc otherwise it can overheat the liver and dry out the system from the wrong person.
    • 2 pinches -  licorice root powder - provides extra demulcent, nourishing, lubricating, anti-inflammatory, wound healing (vulnerary) qualities to the lungs (can omit if you notice too much mucus/lubrication forming) - if you're going to be on the licores for more than a few weeks, you may consider DGL licorice which will avoid any potentials for increasing your blood pressure. Licorice is so lubricating, it actually builds blood volume which for the wrong person could be dangerous long term.
    • 1 pinch black pepper - yes black pepper will help turmeric to be absorbed by up to 2000% more effectively, but we're using it because black pepper is pungent (hot) and that means it will keep the lubrication we're adding to the lungs with the above ingredients moving, assimilating and keeping the bronchial tree (channels or pranavaha srotas) from congesting and helping us to expectorate out any of the toxins/ash from the smoke debris we might have breathed in.
    • If you want additional help digesting the milk and prevent it from closing down the lungs, add another pinch of cardamom and even a small piece of cinnamon stick - they will not only help your lungs to stay clear, but will also enhance the absorption of the milk nutrients and make the milk taste oh so delicous.
    • Lastly, you may consider adding 1 tsp ghee to add extra lubrication to your lungs and whole bodily system, as well as boosting your immunity.
  5. Chyvanprash - this is ayurveda's daily multiple vitamin, except it's in the form of a delicious and nutritious sweet jam made with amalake berries, ghee, and 52 herbs,  it's a revered long tonic in ayurveda which also provides phytonutients and prana for many other bodily organs such as liver, kidneys, etc.  Experiment with the dosage that works best for you, usually 1 tsp once-twice daily (with or between meals or AM/PM)  Amalaki is an incredible antioxidant for the lungs and entire system and it contains 10-20x more vitamin C than an orange, along with tannins, Vit E (another fat soluble vitamin) and so much more

Lastly, the inside of the lungs and colon are intricately linked. 

Think of your digestive and respiratory systems like your skin turned inside out.  This means they are sensitive and require moisture and continuous lubrication to allow them to process and digest what they take in - oxygen and food respectively and to release what they need to - carbon dioxide and feces respectively.  Essentially, what you do to the lungs, will effect your colon, and the opposite is true.

Therefore, it's important anytime that one of these systems is under stress, that you can access and heal it through it's sister system.  In this case, we can help to balance the lungs through the colon.

This means - take your daily probiotics in whatever form you find works best for you.  Again, ayurveda loves homemade yogurt for this. We mix it with a minimum of 1 part water or more and usually a few pinches of digestive spices.  My favorite is "Mom's Masala".  You can try Natren if you're looking for a probiotic or yogurt starter brand you can trust.

I'll write more at the end of fire season for suggestions to heal the lungs deeper at that time. Until then be safe, 

Traci

* The information provided on this website does not provide medical advice. It is intended for informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Never ignore professional medical advice in seeking treatment because of something you have read.  If you think you may have a medical emergency, immediately call your doctor or dial 911.

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