Detoxing your lungs the Natural Way
The functions of the lungs
The purpose of our lungs is to take in oxygen. As we inhale our lungs take in this oxygen which is carried by the blood to cells that are in our bodies if our lungs cannot carry out their functions the rest of our organs will not function properly which will cause a breakdown and that spells bad news. While this post is not on the anatomy of the lungs we will be discussing ways in keeping our lungs healthy and strong.
Maintaining a healthy lung in this day and time is a challenge because there are factors that we can’t control. The environment, as well as our homes, are filled with toxins and pollution.
This is a growing concern that has been going on for many years and what is even more disturbing is there seems to be an increase in pollution so the question is how can we counter-attack to keep our lungs healthy and strong?
At one time it was believed persons which smoked got lung cancer but studies have shown that secondary smoke is one of the mean causes of cancer, in fact, many years ago research also showed that persons who are exposed to secondary smoke are more likely to have cancer than those which actually smoke.
This was a surprise to me because I thought the person who actually smoked was more at risk. Now don’t get me wrong I am not endorsing smoking because smoking is a bad habit that kills.
What I also found so surprising is there are many products in our homes that seem user-friendly but the truth is these products are doing much damage to our lungs. Products such as paints and I am sure a lot of persons will be getting a fresh paint job done to their homes seeing Christmas is several weeks away.
While that fresh coat of paint may look beautiful the scent that comes from these paints is not good for our lungs. Papers, oven, toilet bowl and other cleaning products can be harmful, air freshener which was such a surprise to me, pieces of furniture, dry-cleaned clothes, and so on can be damaging to our lungs.
So it seems nearly impossible not to come in contact with these toxins when they are all around us even at our workplace. The question again is what can we do to at least help our lungs from being poisoned?
Detox Your Lungs With Plants
10 Plants That Brings Natural Healing
Below we will be looking at a list of plants that can bring natural healing keeping our lungs healthy and functioning at their best.
1. Thyme is a herb that can really give your food recipes that much needed flavors. But what I have come to discover is beside its great taste thyme can also be used to detox our lungs.
The antiseptic oils that thyme produces are said to be a natural antibiotic that helps to remove impurities helping to keep the lungs functioning at their best.
2. Sweet Potatoes have such a unique flavor. I love to include this veggie in my soups that’s so delicious but besides its amazing taste sweet potatoes are a rich source of beta-carotene that helps to fight against lung cancer. When preparing sweet potatoes do not overcook because of the loss of this important( beta-carotene) compound.
3. Eucalyptus compounds or ingredients are used in cough lozenges and syrups to bring relief to coughs and chest congestion. But what I also found out about these herbs is it also helps to promote lung health. The compound that makes this herb so great is cineole.
4. Green tea has made its mark and has proven to work wonders. Green tea is high or rich in antioxidants which helps to promote lung health.
5. Ginger has a unique flavor and is used in many food recipes and teas but do you know that this herb can also be used to eliminate toxins from our lungs.
6. Cranberry juice is known for fighting against urinary tract infections but this juice also acts as a lung cleanser so include cranberry juice in your diet for healthier lungs.
7. I love the aroma of peppermint and the taste is very refreshing, I am sure you will agree. Peppermint is also used as a lung cleanser, in fact, it is suggested that chewing on a few leaves on a regular can help to cleanse the lungs.
8. Squeezing a quart of lemon juice in a glass of warm water acts as a lung cleanser.
9. I love pineapple juice. This juice tastes really great when chilled. Drinking pineapple juice a few times a week promotes lung health.
10. Oregano has a great flavor that will spruce up your food recipes. The compounds which are found in this herb have been known to promote the respiratory tract a well as aiding in a better nasal flow.
The POWER of indoor plants
Many years ago I worked as an interior plantscape designer at a five-star resort which brought me in contact with so many people from around the world. Besides designing and installing plants my responsibility was to also maintain them.
But what I did not know and discovered years later was these plants that transformed the interior were also natural air purifiers by pulling toxins out of the air filtering these toxins through their root system.
Again we see the power of plants that can help promote lung health. For more on these plants and installing them in your home to filter toxins from the air follow this link. Cleaning the air that we breathe.
The Final word
Our lungs play an important part in our health so we should do all that we can to ensure we have healthy lungs by taking advantage of those plants which bring natural cleansing and healing.
Let’s be good to our lungs by giving it what it needs because when we take care of our lungs, our lungs will take care of us by helping in keeping us healthy and strong.
About the author
Norman loves being in the garden, both at home and for his job....
he is 'Natures Little helper' being outdoors, growing his vegetables and flowers from an early age.
Now having spent over 22 years in the profession he want to give some of his knowledge to others...
his vast array of hints and tips you will find scattered over this site will help you no end growing plants in your garden.
Hi Norman,
Good article..as a fellow plant lover I throughly enjoyed it.
You mentioned that squeezing a quart of lemon juice in a glass of warm water acts as a lung cleanser. Could you explain how? is it drinking the water or the smell of lemon that acts a a lung cleanser?
Which are the best indoor plants to have and how many should you have in a room? Doing a combinations of plants – is that better than just having 1 of the same kind but many?
Hello Tarun so happy to connect with you. Drinking this mixture will help. I would say half a lime. As for plants here is a short list that I have put together there is more.You can also check with you garden center for more plants that can be used. You want to create balance so add two plants that are alike and another two that are alike will help to bring balance.
https://gardenofedengardencent…
For example install two peace lilies and two crotons. The amount of plants depends on the size of the room. A room that is small may take two maybe three plants. Hope this help. All the best to you and have a good day.
Thank you for sharing this wonderful post on plants which can detox our lungs.Our environment is full of pollution which can be caused y many factors like industrial ,vehicules,cigarette smoke,…..
As we live in this environment it is inevitable to face such pollution and that’s why we are having many people suffering from lung cancer.
Fortunately,that same environment has plants which can heal us naturally and you have done a great job by recommending some of those plants .
Hello so good to see you again. Plants are really amazing in what they can do. So happy that I can help and thanks so much for sharing this information with me also. Wishing you the best of good health.
Hi,Thanks for creating this review. I want to know if these paints, papers, dry cleaned clothes etc may cause asthma? If they do then will these plants help me completely or should I seek a doctor as soon as I see some sort of change in my body?
I’d be so happy if you replied fast because I am exposed to most of these things
So happy to hear from you and it is possible for these products to affect your asthma. These plants are not a cure all but will contribute to you health other than that seek and listen to your doctor’s advice. Have a good day.
It’s good to see that some of the things we eat at home are good for detoxing our lungs. We grow and routinely eat mint, and eat lots of ginger, and occasionally pineapple and sweet potato. I include sweet potato in our dog’s diet. Also, I am interested in indoor plants that clean the air. While there are a number of plants that help improve the air, we have to be careful and not have those plants that are toxic to our pets. Our favorite air-cleaning plant is the spider plant, which is easy to grow.
Hello Glen so happy to hear from you and it is so good to know that you are on the road to good health. All the best to you and have a good day.
Hi Norman! How are you? I really enjoyed reading this blog post on “DETOX YOUR LUNGS WITH PLANTS” as its informative. From my perspective, I tend to think that adding Ginger to your diet is one of the many ways in which you can remove harmful and toxic substances from your lungs. I love to incorporate ginger in my tea and while having main course meals as well. Ginger is also good for your throat.
Thank you for taking your time in writing this post. Well done Norman!
Hello so nice to meet you and I am so happy that I could help. It is always good to go natural because this is a safe way in promoting your health. All the best to you and have a good day.
The lung is a very important part of the human system and should be kept healthy no matter what it will take. Thanks for sharing this post to help us detox our lungs the natural way with plants. I was so happy Knowing that most of these plants you recommended are what I love using to prepare my meal. These include Thyme, sweet potatoes and ginger.
Farewell Norman and thanks.
Hello Berry so nice to meet you. Using these natural detox to keep our lungs healthy is so important. So happy to here that these foods are already a part of your diet. All the best to you.
Hi! Yeah, I agree with you concerning the importance of our lungs. I know there are a lot of natural ways to take care of them but I wanted to see specific plant recommendations. I’m glad I found your post and I greatly appreciate this list.
I love Eucalyptus, and have used it for chest congestion. And Oregano is also one of my favorites, especially in foods. 🙂 But many of the others, I hadn’t thought in their ability to detoxify our lungs. Thank you very much!
Hello it is so good to meet you. Our lungs are so important and we should do all that we can to make sure that our lungs are well taken of. So happy that I could help. Wishing yo the best of good health. Have a wonderful day.