Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a group of chronic inflammatory lung diseases that lead to obstruction of airflow from the lungs, making breathing difficult.
Emphysema and chronic bronchitis are two common conditions that fall under the dangerous category of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). Common symptoms of COPD include difficulty breathing, activity limitation, cough, excessive mucus production, and shortness of breath. If you have these symptoms, you should consult a doctor immediately.
- What are the causes of COPD?
- Risk factors for non-smokers
- Prevention and diagnosis of COPD in nonsmokers
- Precautions for maintaining lung health
- No smoking
- Avoid indoor pollution
- Avoid outdoor air pollution
- Treatment
- Exercise
- Yoga and Pranayama
- Vaccination
- Pulmonary Test
- How To Purify Lungs in 72 Hours
- Exercise is Essential
- What to avoid?
What are the causes of COPD?
COPD is caused by long-term exposure to harmful gases or particles. However, most of the time this disease is associated with people who indulge in the unhealthy habit of smoking. But tobacco smoking has long been an established risk factor. Evidence suggests that it accounts for only 35% of cases worldwide. In fact, recent studies show that half of all COPD cases worldwide are caused by non-tobacco hazards such as air pollution, occupational exposure to fumes or gases, and passive smoke inhalation.
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Risk factors for non-smokers
- Second hand smoke: Passive smoking known as second hand smoking can lead to COPD in adults.
- Chemical and fume exposure: Occupational exposure to dust, gases and fumes is strongly linked to the risk of developing COPD. Their continued exposure can gradually damage the lungs over time.
Prevention and diagnosis of COPD in nonsmokers
If the first step is to identify the risk factors for COPD, the next step is to find out what effect they have on your lungs and determine the level of your exposure. To get an accurate diagnosis and assess the severity of the disease early, the best course of action is to visit your doctor to request a spirometry test. Early diagnosis is key to effective management of this chronic respiratory disease. A spirometer is a diagnostic device that measures the amount of air a person can inhale and exhale and the time it takes to exhale completely after taking a deep breath. This is the recommended pulmonary function test for diagnosing COPD.
Precautions for maintaining lung health
There are some necessary precautions to take better care of your lung health. Some of the important preventive measures are
- Non-smokers can reduce their risk by trying to stay away from second-hand smoke.
- Stay away from air pollution hot zones – areas with high levels of pollutants and dust, toxic fumes, high exhaust fumes and strong chemicals.
- If you cannot avoid polluted environment , wear a mask. This is especially true for people who are occupationally exposed to fumes or dust, like construction workers.
- Protect yourself by avoiding large crowds, especially in winter and getting vaccinated against chest infections annually.
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No smoking
Exposure to cigarette, beedi or any form of tobacco smoke leads to cancer and many other lung diseases. Avoiding such smoke exposure is a key element of prevention.
Avoid indoor pollution
Scented candles and sulha smoke damage the lungs. Allergies to dust or strong odors are frequent problems that manifest as runny noses or breathing problems. Use a damp mop or cloth to prevent it, which can catch dust while cleaning. Ensure proper ventilation by using windows and doors. Stop bird droppings, especially pigeon droppings.
Avoid outdoor air pollution
Avoid burning wood, garbage etc. on a personal level. Use bicycles, carpools, and trains to reduce carbon emissions. Plant trees to save the earth and save yourself.
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Treatment
There is no cure for COPD, but it can be managed and prevented from getting worse. The most important steps to slowing the progression of your COPD are identifying triggers and keeping a safe distance from them, early diagnosis, and following a doctor-prescribed treatment plan.
Exercise
Avoid exercising in polluted environments. Get at least 20 minutes of regular, moderate exercise, which is good for your lungs and heart. Patients with lung disease learn exercises from experts such as pulmonary rehabilitation.
Yoga and Pranayama
Simple breathing techniques and pranayama have been proven to protect lung health for centuries. Practicing these simple techniques is a healthy lung lifestyle.
Vaccination
For people at high risk of infection, influenza virus and pneumococcal bacteria vaccines are very important to prevent pneumonia. Consult your doctor for more information about these vaccines.
Pulmonary Test
Regular lung screening is recommended to protect the lungs, especially in people with a family history of lung disease, occupational exposures, current or reformed smokers, and people who live in polluted areas.
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How To Purify Lungs in 72 Hours
You may ask how to clean the lungs. There are many ways to clean the lungs. But not all of them give immediate and lasting results. However, there are some mechanisms that can flush out most of the toxins in the lungs within 72 hours or 3 days. Now we are going to look at those methods. If you want to cleanse your lungs in 3 days, do as given below.
Step #1
First of all, dairy products should be completely avoided. Because dairy products contain certain toxins. So first of all dairy products should be avoided during lung inflammation.
Step #2
Drink 300 ml of grape juice or pineapple juice. Both these juices contain natural anti-oxidants. These regulate the respiratory system and its function.
Step #3
Drink 300 ml of carrot juice between breakfast and lunch. This juice helps to alkalize the blood during lung cleansing.
Step #4
Drink 400 ml of potassium-rich juice in the afternoon. Because potassium acts like a great cleansing tonic.
Step #5
Drink 450 ml of cranberry juice before going to bed at night. It helps fight bacteria that cause infections in the lungs.
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Exercise is Essential
Exercise 30 minutes regularly every day. Also, taking a 20-minute hot water bath daily also flushes out toxins. Apart from this, pour 5-10 drops of eucalyptus oil in a bowl of hot water and steam it. By this, the respiratory system relaxes and the respiratory tract becomes clean.
What to avoid?
Smoking and drinking alcohol should be completely avoided while undergoing a lung cleanse. Because these can interfere with the purification process. If one follows the above for 3 days, most of the toxins in the lungs will be flushed out and the lungs will be somewhat clean. However, if you are taking any prescription pills on a daily basis, consult your doctor and get his permission before trying.