Table of contents:
- How to clean the lungs of second-hand smoke
- 1. Regular exercise
- 2. Maintain clean air at home
- 3. Frequently breathe fresh air
- 4. Consuming antioxidants
- 5. Drink lots of water
- 6. Frequent deep breathing exercises
- 7. Put the plants in the house
Even though it only gets to inhale the smoke, passive smoking is just as risky as active smokers. So if you are one of the passive smokers, let's find a way to clean the lungs of cigarette smoke! Don't let your health deteriorate by ignoring this and taking it lightly.
How to clean the lungs of second-hand smoke
Cleaning the lungs is important if you think you are a secondhand smoke. The reason is, cigarette smoke can damage the lungs slowly but surely.
Secondhand smoke is at high risk for a variety of chronic respiratory problems, from asthma to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), exposure to air pollution including cigarette smoke results in 4.2 million deaths worldwide each year.
For this reason, as a passive smoker, do not delay to clean your lungs in the following ways:
1. Regular exercise
Regular exercise helps improve one's physical and mental health. In addition, regular exercise also reduces the risk of many health conditions, including stroke and heart disease.
Exercise forces your muscles to work harder, which can increase your body's breathing rate. That way, the oxygen supply to the muscles will also be greater.
In addition, exercise also helps improve circulation. This makes the body get enough oxygen including the heart, lungs, and muscles. If done regularly, this method can help clean the lungs of passive smokers.
So, do people who suffer from chronic respiratory problems still need exercise? Of course! In fact, regular exercise helps improve respiratory health. However, consult your doctor first about the types of sports you can and cannot do.
2. Maintain clean air at home
The house is a place to rest and spend the longest time. Therefore, keeping the air in the room clean is an important thing that needs to be done.
Routinely vacuum or sweep the room. Don't forget to be diligent in mopping the room once a day to make sure no dust builds up.
Also clean all vents in the house such as those in the room and bathroom. Don't forget to clean the air conditioner and fan regularly so that the air that comes out is clean.
Try not to use air freshener or air freshener. The reason is, this fragrance is full of harmful chemicals that can irritate your lungs. In addition, it is equally important to make sure to prohibit anyone, both family and guests, from smoking in the house.
3. Frequently breathe fresh air
Fresh air is air that has a low level of pollution and is usually found in green areas. Areas or land with trees in them generally have lower levels of pollution and are healthier to breathe.
Getting lots of fresh air can help expand the tissues in your lungs to work properly. But unfortunately, currently green open land in urban areas often has high levels of pollution.
To get fresh air, occasionally you can take the time to go to the highlands or mountains. Usually the air quality in the mountains is still natural and fresh, so it is healthy for the lungs. This method will help clear your lungs as a second-hand smoke.
4. Consuming antioxidants
Antioxidants are free radical-fighting compounds, one of which comes from cigarette smoke. Apart from warding off free radicals, antioxidants also help reduce inflammation in the body.
As a passive smoker, you may have lung problems without realizing it. One of them is characterized by difficulty breathing so that the chest feels heavy and tight. To help relieve inflammation in the body, consume a variety of foods and drinks that contain antioxidants such as:
- Green tea
- Green vegetable
- Turmeric
- Walnuts
- Olive oil
- Cherry
- Strawberry
- Apple
Resetting your diet by eating healthier foods helps cleanse the lungs of second-hand smoke. This method also helps prevent existing inflammation from getting worse.
5. Drink lots of water
Drinking lots of water will help hydrate the body and get rid of toxins and chemicals in the cells including the lungs. Apart from that, drinking lots of water also helps you to be more energetic.
Therefore, drink 8 to 12 glasses of water per day. You can add lemon or lime juice to the water for more deliciousness and more benefits.
6. Frequent deep breathing exercises
To increase the amount of oxygen getting to your lungs, try doing deep breathing exercises. Research published in the journal Chest found evidence that deep breathing after heart surgery helps nourish the lungs.
This breathing technique carries more oxygen and speeds healing. Taking deep, slow, and deep breaths will help nourish your lungs. Not only that, the technique also helps distribute oxygen-rich blood throughout the body.
7. Put the plants in the house
Keeping plants indoors could be a way you try to clean your lungs if you are a secondhand smoke. Plants produce oxygen, a vital substance that humans need to breathe. Not only that, plants also help filter out toxins in the air in the house.
However, when placing the plant indoors, make sure it gets enough sunlight. If not, plants will breathe in oxygen instead of producing it. As a result, the oxygen that you should consume will decrease because plants breathe it too.
According to the International Association of Certified Home Inspectors, a study in India found concrete evidence that keeping plants indoors can help reduce eye irritation, breathing problems, and headaches.
