Joyfull Living – September 2015

Because of the monumental fires in our area, all of us in the Rogue Valley have been exposed to toxins from smoke. Some of the symptoms of smoke inhalation are headaches, dry, scratchy throat, irritated sinuses, runny nose, post-nasal drip or increased mucous in the throat. Most common is coughing, which is the body’s natural defense mechanism. Some of us with pulmonary issues have had more severe manifestations like asthma & bronchitis. Other side effects to be aware of include: feeling more tired than usual, shortness of breath and chest pain. Your body is letting you know you need more rest time to recover from activities.

As we look out into the haze, powerless, all of us feel a certain amount of stress, fear and anxiety. We cannot control the smoke, our brave firefighters are doing the best they can and even after mother nature brings the rain, the healing process continues on so many levels, long after the smoke is gone…I wanted to share some ideas to help your lungs and your body heal.

What you can do to counteract the effect of smoke inhalation:

Drink more fluids than usual. It is important to stay hydrated to help flush out toxins.

One of the most essential things you can do to keep stress down and improve lung function is yoga breathing exercises. It can rejuvenate and cleanse lungs of accumulated impurities in the smoky air.

Available at Joyfull Yoga, $24.95

Available at Joyfull Yoga, $24.95

Therapeutic Himalayan Salt Air Inhaler:
I have been using this amazing drug-free inhaler and I love it! When you inhale through the mouthpiece, the passing moisture absorbs micron particles of this incredible pure, bio-energetic and mineral-laden Himalayan Pink Salt that penetrates and cleanses the entire respiratory system, including sinuses, nasal cavities, throat and lungs. This salt air bath flushes impurities such as allergy and asthma triggers, smoke particulates and others. It also helps symptoms of allergies, shortness of breath, hay fever, cold, flu, bronchitis, sinus conditions and other respiratory symptoms caused by mold, fungus, smoke and pollution in the air (I can show you some yogic breathing techniques to make it even more beneficial.)

Practice Yoga! The JoyFull Yoga Chi Balancing Salutation is a gentle, yet powerful way to activate your lungs and create a healthy flow of energy in your body. It is part of every JoyFull Yoga class.

Foods that can help:

Increase antioxidant-rich foods and drinks, such as leafy greens, berries and green tea, which help counteract free radicals. JoyFull Kombucha is a great option!

Increase Omegas and Healthy Oils which help internally counteract the drying effects of smoke. Wild Salmon, flax seeds and walnuts are excellent food sources of Omega-3. Olive oil is a good choice of fat. Avoid hydrogenated oils.

Eat plenty of pineapples. The active ingredient in pineapple is bromelin, which helps cleanse your lungs at a cellular level—it helps to increase elasticity of the tissues so you can breathe deeper and take in more oxygen.

Eat garlic! Try it crushed in olive oil or add it to your meals. The powerful active ingredient in garlic is allicin. This compound acts by dissolving the toxic mucous left over from smoke inhalation, kills bacteria and helps you breathe normally.

Eat apples every day. Eating this fruit over time will improve your lung function while detoxifying your lungs at the cellular level. Apples contain a high amount of ascorbic acid and magnesium.

Start the day with a cup of hot water with lemon to flush toxins and drink a cup of green tea every day, preferably 1 hour after a meal. It contains powerful antioxidants, called catechins which help fight toxins. Grapes, berries, red wine, and dark chocolate also have potent antioxidants (and more calories).

Finally, get plenty of rest. Sleep is when the body heals and restores.

I want to express my gratitude to all the fire fighters and all those who worked so hard on monitoring and helping us be safe during this time. Breathe gently in gratitude. Live lovingly in joy. Namaste.

©Louise Lavergne2009-2015