Coughing, sneezing, wheezing, chest rattling in discomfort...

Mucous is your body's natural defense mechanism. The body creates mucus as a means to rid itself of germs, bacteria or other small foreign particles that could otherwise be harmful to it. The unwanted material is caught up in and flows out on a bed of goo into a waiting handkerchief to be easily disposed of.

Although mucous is a natural occurrence, like anything else that can go wrong within our system, when it gets out of control it can become a very bad thing. We find that we are drowning in our own body fluids.

In the event of excess mucous buildup there are two factors that have to be taken care of and quickly: Your current health situation needs to be gotten under control, and it needs to be discovered why things went so drastically wrong, so that a distinct set of preventative measures can be put in place to stop it from occurring again.

Many times the mucous begins in the nasal passages from a sinus infection or reaction to an allergy. Because of the extreme amount of mucous and congestion produced, this fluid drifts downward and winds up pooling, or congesting in the lungs. Anyone who has suffered from allergies, the flu, or a seasonal cold has probably noticed this mucous pooling. It can cause severe breathing difficulty.

Fortunately there are natural ways to relieve your sinus congestion, slow down the excess mucous and phlegm, aide your breathing difficulty, and help to quickly get you feeling a little healthier.

Salt will help to kill the germ and bacteria. There are many commercial saline solutions (salt and water) which can be used to clear the nasal and sinus passages to make breathing through clogged nasal passages a little easier. Or you can easily create your own saline solution using warm water and salt. You can sniff this solution from your hand, or place it in your nose using a finger wet in the solution, and then sniffing deeply to bring the solution into your sinus cavities.

The steam from sipping a hot drink of two tablespoons lemon juice and one teaspoon honey added to hot water will help open clogged passageways and to relieve the congestion. The honey will helps to soothe the throat area, prevent bacteria from thriving there, and stop a cough. Studies have shown that honey is as effective at stopping a cough as is a commercial cough syrup. The good news about choosing honey is that honey is natural and has many more health benefits to it than just that of a decongestant.

Deep breathing within a hot shower will also provide immediate relief from both the nasal and lung congestion. Or a chest ointment made from olive oil and your choice of Camphor, Eucalyptus or Peppermint can also help to relieve symptoms of congestion.

There is a simple lung exercise which is a powerful tool for removing excess mucous from the lung. It is very easy to learn as it is merely a series of deep breaths followed by a cough.

Sit in a chair or on the side of the bed, breath slowly in as deeply as you can, then release this breath fully. Do four to five deep breaths in this same manner, and on the last inhalation period rather than just breathing the air out, quickly cough it out.

It is actually very easy to initiate this cough, and it is very effective, the mucous is expelled. Repeat the breathing exercise as needed.

Keep in mind that honey is a natural antibacterial. Salt will kill germ and bacteria. Use these natural therapies to your advantage You can sip a hot honey drink to get honey's full health benefits and you can simply breath in the steam from a boiling salt water infusion. Placing salt and boiling water into a bowl creates a steamy solution, you have only to pop a towel over your head, and then lean over it to take advantage of it's steamy benefits.

A proper diet always helps to improve a person's immune system and health so eating responsibly can be a tremendous health aide. In your diet try to avoid a lot of red meats, dairy products, or grains such as wheat which might trigger an attack of excess mucous secretion.

Vitamins that help to prevent mucous buildup include Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Zinc, and Cod Liver Oil so include them into your supplement program. They are all vitamin or mineral supplements that will help to reduce an excess mucous or phlegm build up from developing.

If you suspect that it is the quality of the air in your home which may be the reason for your breathing difficulties, then dust mite covers for your mattresses and pillows, a humidifier, dehumidifier or an air purifier can be used to help improve the air quality within your home.

Often it is allergens or pollutants that are the root cause of an excess phlegm and mucous problem. Your sinuses plug up and then they drain. This occurs on a continuous basis causing an excess mucous and phlegm problem. All this additional mucous generally winds up pooling in the lungs.

Cigarette smoke, plant pollens, household pollutants such as paint, cleaning fluids, cat dander, dust mites, or mold can all contribute. A mucous attack can also begin if you are exposed to excess dust out of doors, or to smoke, and its accompanying particles from a campfire or a neighboring forest fire.

Small wood dust particulate, if you are sanding or standing near someone who is, can also trigger a excess phlegm attack to occur. In an attempt to rid itself of the small particles, your body will produce extra mucous to catch, and maintain this material so it can be flushed from the body with the next cough or sneeze. Too much exposure to these small particulate will lead to your body producing excess mucous.

The triggers which lead to an excess mucous problem must be removed if the attacks themselves are to be stopped.

As in the case of myself, being exposed to small particulate is very dangerous, so I try to avoid the triggers as much as I am able to. I have an illness which weakens my muscles thereby causing me to have shallow breathing. I often do not breath deeply enough to reach the bottom of my lung. I just do not have the strength to work excess mucous from my lungs once it is there so I drown.

I know what my triggers are and I avoid them as much as I am able to. Discover what yours are and remove, eliminate, or avoid them as much as you are able to. This will stop your body from having to protect itself by producing excess mucous.

Open a window...

Studies show that the indoor pollutants within your home are probably around five times higher than the pollutants floating around in the air outdoors.

Keep a window in your home open at least one inch in both the summer and winter. If you are not able to do this than try to open a window for at least fifteen minutes each day to allow for an exchange of fresh air into your home.

A good laugh will not only help to clear the mucous from your lungs, but it will also release endorphins, and these will help to make you feel better. Endorphins are the body's natural pain killer and they are released when you exercise, smile, laugh, or participate in any other pleasurable activities.

So find any reason that you can to laugh, and have a really great chuckle, it's good for you

When you participate in pleasurable activities like smiling, laughing, exercising or playing, your brain does an amazing thing and releases a little chemical message known as an endorphin.

These endorphins are feel good messages that have the power to actually remove physical and emotional pain. They travel down the spine, and then throughout your body, sending a feeling of well being as they go. These endorphins not only have the ability to relieve pain but they also have the power to make you feel happy.