Lung Cleanse

• Respiration — The lungs filter oxygen from the inhaled air, supply it to the blood and remove carbon dioxide from the body, which is a waste gas from metabolised food leaving the blood.
• Lungs maintain the pH of blood by facilitating alterations in the partial pressure of carbon dioxide.
• They filter small blood clots in veins and gas micro-bubbles occurring in the venous blood stream.
• Lungs serve as a layer of soft, shock-absorbent protection for the heart.
• They secret Immunoglobulin-A, which protects against respiratory infections.
• They also maintaining sterility by producing mucus containing antimicrobial compounds.

• Asthma: Asthma is a chronic lung disease characterised by inflammation of the bronchi and bronchioles, and episodes (attacks) of airway obstruction. These episodes may be triggered by exercise, cigarette smoke and other particles in the air, such as dust, mould, allergens or cold air. During an attack, mucus secretion can further inhibit the flow of air, making breathing difficult and causing the affected person to wheeze.
• Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD): This term is used for both emphysema and chronic bronchitis. With chronic bronchitis, the bronchial tubes become inflamed and scarred. With emphysema, the air sacs in the lungs are slowly destroyed. With both disorders, patients experience increasing difficulty in exhaling and inhaling sufficient oxygen.
• Pulmonary fibrosis: It is characterised by damage and scarring to the tissues between the air sacs, inflammation of the air sacs and stiffening of the lungs.
• Infections: Infections of the lungs may develop in the pleura, which are membranes surrounding the lungs. They may be acute or chronic and may be caused by bacteria, viruses and more rarely, fungi. Some commonly occurring infections include pneumonia, influenza and tuberculosis.
• Lung cancer: Uncontrolled growth of malignant cells in the lungs causes cancer. There are two main types - small cell and non-small cell lung cancers. Other cancers may also spread to the lungs. Smoking is a leading cause of lung cancer.
• Stale air in the lungs: It is a common problem that afflicts almost everyone. The inhaled air may not be exhaled out completely. There will always be a certain quantity of stale air (about 20%) blocked inside the lungs. It does not get replaced by fresh air.

• Chronic cough: A cough that you have had for a month or longer is considered chronic.
• Shortness of breath: Everyone experiences shortness of breath after exercising, but if it doesn't go away in a while, it's a problem. Or, if you experience shortness of breath after little or no exertion, you certainly have a problem in your lungs.
• Chronic mucus production: Mucus, also called sputum or phlegm, is produced by the airways as a defense against infections or irritants. If mucus production lasts a month or longer, this could indicate lung disease.
• Wheezing: Noisy breathing or wheezing is a sign that something is blocking your lung's airways or making them too narrow.
• Coughing up blood: If you are coughing up blood, it may be coming from your lungs or upper respiratory tract, which is a signal of a health problem.
• Chronic chest pain: Unexplained chest pain that lasts for a month or more, especially if it gets worse when you breathe or cough, is also a warning sign.

Ingredients (for a day's cleanse)

• Two medium sized lemons
• Grapefruit (enough to make 300ml of juice), Cranberry (same quantity as above)
• Carrot (same quantity as above)
• Noni juice 60 ml (300ml for five days), Rose, ginger and peppermint powder (for five days)

Procedure

• Squeeze two lemons into 250ml of water and drink it before your first meal of the day, i.e., your breakfast.
• Drink 300ml of grapefruit juice with breakfast. Grapefruit juice contains natural antioxidants that promote a healthy respiratory system.
• Drink 300ml of carrot juice between breakfast and your second meal. Carrot juice is high in beta-carotene and helps alkalise your blood.
• Mix 60ml of Noni juice with 250ml of spring water. Noni juice can be purchased from health-food stores. It is extracted from the Noni tree, which grows in Southeast Asia. It is extremely high in potassium and aids in repairing damaged tissue.
• Drink one cup of mucus-cleansing tea before dinner. This tea is made up of rose hips, ginger and peppermint, which are all strong fighters against congestion and mucus build-up.
• Drink 300 ml of pure cranberry juice before bed. Cranberry juice is a powerful antioxidant and will aid in fighting bacteria in the lungs. Cranberries also help in cleansing blood.

Cleanse with Watercress

• This cleanse includes a simple and delicious soup, which efficiently removes toxins from the lungs. It is recommended to consume this soup twice a month.

Ingredients

• A kg of watercress (flowers and stems), Half kg chicken breast
• Two cups of dates
• Four cups of water

Preparation

• Put all ingredients in a pot or cooker, bring them to a boil, remove any scum floating at the top and let the soup simmer at a low heat for one hour.
• It is important to use a large quantity of watercress and to simmer the soup for one hour, so that the strong cooling properties of watercress are removed.
• The soup becomes tasty, nutritious and potent to detoxify our lungs. It can be served with rice and other dishes.
• If you want to use a lesser amount of watercress, boil it in some chicken stock and season to taste. This soup cools your body and helps alleviate sore gums, sore throat, headaches and flu.

Cleanse with Castor Oil Pack

• Castor oil packs are easy to make and draw toxins out of the body. Castor oil has long been appreciated as a general health tonic and is believed to stimulate lymphatic circulation and waste elimination. Castor oil packs are placed on the chest, like vapour rubs, and can remove congestion and toxins.

Ingredients

• Castor oil
• Wool flannel

Procedure

• For lung cleansing, you can make use of a homemade castor oil pack. Soak 2-3 pieces of wool flannel in one cup of warm castor oil.
• Lie down on a large plastic sheet.
• Put the soaked wool flannels over your chest and sides, covering the lung areas.
• Cover the flannels with a large plastic sheet.
• Put a heating pad over the plastic sheet for 1-2 hours.
• Remove the packs and rinse your body with warm water to get rid of the oil residue.
• Repeat twice a week for at least a month.

• Do a mucus cleanse at least once a day, or as needed. Place five to ten drops of eucalyptus oil into two quarts of simmering water. Drape a dry hand towel over the back of your head and slowly inhale the steam until the water cools. The oil's properties in the steam will help loosen mucus. Also, doing Jal Neti using a Neti pot will cleanse the sinuses and remove unwanted mucus from your lungs (to learn more about Neti, read Nose Cleanse).
• Enjoy a 20-minute sauna at least once a day during your lung cleanse. A sauna will help open your pores, allowing toxins to leave the body through perspiration. If you don't have access to a sauna, sit in a hot bath.
• Take a brisk walk at least once a day for 30 minutes. Maintain a rhythm, inhaling deeply and exhaling slowly without becoming dizzy.

• Take a standing position. Be relaxed. Keep your arms at your sides and your feet slightly apart.
• Take a few deep breaths and exhale through the nose.
• Now breathe in through your nose and exhale slowly through your mouth until you cannot exhale anymore. Do not stop, because there is still air remaining in your lungs.
• Some of the air remains in the lungs and is not replaced as we breathe. Force your diaphragm to exhale all the air from your lungs with wheezing. Exhale several times through the mouth making the sound of 'ha.....ha.....ha...' until you feel there is no more air in the lungs. At this point, you will feel as if you have pulled in your belly toward the spine.
• Now inhale fresh, clean air slowly through the nose and completely fill your lungs. Hold your breath for five seconds, counting them slowly. Exhale through your mouth until there is no air left in your lungs and repeat step 4 to expel the stale air out of the lungs.
• Repeat the whole procedure as many times as you like. Besides purifying the lungs, this exercise also has other benefits - your stomach will become strong and flat, and your skin will look radiant and shiny.

Water

• Plain water is the best means of cleansing. Proper hydration is a key to good health. It speeds up the process of detoxification.

Chilli

• Chilli helps break down excess mucus in the lungs, and the body in general, by irritating the tissues, helping our body to eliminate them easily.

Onions

• It prevents many diseases, including cancer and lung infections, and helps break down mucus and expel toxins from the body.

Ginger

• It is a powerful tool for detoxification of the lungs and you can use it in many ways. Eat a small piece of ginger with every meal to improve your digestion. Ginger root tea mixed with lemon facilitates breathing and promotes elimination of toxins from the respiratory tract. You can also take a twenty-minute warm bath with powdered ginger. The steam you inhale goes directly into the airways and eases the process of purifying the lungs.

Mullein (Verbascum Thapsus)

• Tea made from mullein brings relief to people whose lungs are clogged with toxins and tar, which is common among smokers. Strain the tea carefully so as not to leaves any tiny hair that are on the leaves of mullein, as they can irritate you while swallowing.

• Relief from allergies, asthma and harmful organisms
• Relief from upper respiratory problems
• Relief from chest congestions
• Relief from breathing difficulties and irritated nasal or throat passages