[Continued from above...]
Not everything in the air is good for us, however-on the contrary, each cubic centimeter of the air we breathe is full of potential microbial invaders capable of wreaking havoc on our bodies. The immune system begins with the expanse of skin acting as an effective physical barrier against infection across the entire body?except the sensitive area where it is breached by the openings of the nose, mouth and ears.
It is at these entryways, and the airways they lead to, where we are at our most vulnerable. A healthy respiratory system is subjected to constant threats from viruses, bacteria, mold, as well as irritation from pollens, dust, dander and other allergens.
The usual response to these irritants is an increase in the production of phlegm, accompanied by the respiratory spasms we all know as sneezing and coughing. These symptomatic responses become pathological when the infection has already taken hold, and when the irritation is not being caused by an invader, but by an environmental disturbance.
Considering everything your respiratory system does for you, it is important that your body has the nutrients it needs for maintaining this tireless pipeline twenty-four hours a day. Air is the sort of thing one appreciates most when it isn?t there.
Some of us, due to chronic disease like asthma, emphysema, or COPD, suffer under the weight of many breathless moments. For them, lung and respiratory support is of immediate and critical concern.
Start by making sure your diet is based on healthy, natural whole foods, which help restore damaged tissue, including plenty of essential amino and fatty acids. Physicians also advise cutting back sodium, which can puff up tissues with retained water and constrict breathing passageways.
Another often overlooked contributor to acute respiratory problems is anxiety. A panic response in humans raises blood pressure and the rate of breathing, making more work for already overtaxed lungs. A stressful lifestyle combined with chronic respiratory ailments is a recipe for disaster.
Recently, there has been some controversy over the role of antioxidants in lung cancer, particularly among smokers. Some studies have shown that beta-carotene can increase the risk for this demographic, although flavanoids such as quertecin, exhibit a positive effect on both serious and routine breathing disorders.
Vitamin C has also been the subject of some debate, with many advocates claiming that megadoses of this vitamin are the answer to everything from the common cold to advanced stages of chronic lung disease. Magnesium has shown to have a positive influence on the health of lungs, and some suggest that selenium is a key ingredient as well.
Whether you breathe free or labor for each gasp, the health of the respiratory system depends on a proper supply of proteins, vitamins and minerals to restore and preserve the delicate inroads to the lungs.
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