Naturally Removing Excess Mucous

Mucous is a natural defense mechanism of the body. 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 simply 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, and because of the extreme amount of it, it winds up pooling and congesting in the lungs. Anyone who has suffered a very bad cold has probably noticed this dual effect.

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, and provide immediate relief. The steam from sipping a hot drink of two tablespoons lemon juice and one teaspoon honey added to hot water will help open clogged passages. The honey will soothe your throat and help to prevent bacteria from thriving there.

Peppermint tea, lemon tea, or sipping the old country standby of chicken broth or chicken soup will also serve the same purpose. Studies have shown that it is the steam from the hot drink itself that is needed to decongest the sufferer.

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

A lung exercise that I was taught years ago to prevent post-operative pneumonia is a powerful tool for removing mucous from the lung. It is also a very simple method to learn as it is merely a series of deep breaths followed by a cough. I have used this many times for my own problems with lung mucous and it works.

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, cough it out! It is actually very easy to initiate a cough, and it works, the mucous is expelled. Repeat the breathing exercise as needed.

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.

Keep in mind that honey is a natural antibacterial and can also be used as a decongestant. You can sip a hot honey drink to get honey's full health benefits. Or you can simply breath in the steam from a honey and boiling water infusion. Placing honey 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.

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

If you suspect that it is the quality of the air that you breath which may be the reason for your breathing difficulties, then a humidifier, dehumidifier or an air ecologizer can be used to help correct or improve the air quality within your home.

Many times it is allergens or pollutants that are the root cause of the problem. Cigarette smoke, plant pollens, household pollutants such as paint, cleaning fluids, cat dander, dust mites, or mold. A mucous attack can also begin if you are exposed to excess dust outdoors, 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 mucous attack to occur. In an attempt to rid itself of the irritant, your body produces mucous to catch, and maintain the particulate, so it can be flushed from the body with the next cough or sneeze. Too much particulate causes too much mucous which winds up creating one big problem!

The triggers that set of the chain reaction 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 that weakens my muscles thereby causing me to have shallow breathing. I do not breath deeply enough to reach the bottom of my lungs nor do I have the strength to work excess mucous from my lungs once it is there. 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.

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 activity.

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

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