For some of us, smoking is just something we don’t want to give up. Even the smokers that do, end up using vapes anyway. Both of these activities are effectively progressive attacks on the lungs, and ideally, you would want to incorporate something into your diet which can counter any negative effects.

Fortunately, there exist a few lung cleansing foods which may help in cleaning your lungs after smoking. Read the importance of each of these foods and include them in your diet to flush any toxins out of your body.

GINGER

Ginger has anti-inflammatory properties which help remove toxins from the respiratory tract. It contains many vitamins and minerals including potassium, magnesium, beta-carotene and zinc, and as an added bonus, helps spice up bland dishes!  Certain extracts of ginger are also known to kill lung cancer cells. You can add ginger to many dishes as a herb or consume it in the form of ginger tea.

TURMERIC

Also known as ‘Golden Spice’, turmeric also helps cleanse our lungs, thanks to its anti-inflammatory properties. Some people choose to consume Turmeric with black pepper and something fatty to aid in its cleansing abilities.

APPLES

‘An apple a day keeps the doctor away’ goes an adage. It contains a wide variety of flavonoids, vitamins and antioxidants, especially vitamin C which helps us in fighting lung diseases effectively.

GARLIC

It contains a compound called allicin, which acts as a powerful antibiotic agent and helps overcome respiratory infections that clog our lungs. It also helps reduce inflammation, improve asthma and reduce the risk of lung cancer.

GREEN TEA

Green tea contains powerful antioxidants which are instrumental in boosting cardiovascular health, protect against various cancers and remove fluids from our lungs. The herbs present in green tea help loosen mucus from the linings of our lungs and are antimicrobial in nature.

CRUCIFEROUS VEGETABLES

The chlorophyll present in these vegetables acts as detoxifiers and helps in filtering the blood and flushing out toxins from our body. Some examples of cruciferous vegetables include broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, Brussel sprouts etc. These are also rich in vitamin C, which boosts our immune system.

There are many ways to cleanse lung naturally which help in combating the harmful effects of smoking and detoxify our body from within. The important point to remember is that a diet rich in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants can enhance our immunity and help us withstand the adverse effects and conditions. We should make it a point to include such items in our diet in order to lead a healthy life.

VITAMIN C

Smokers have been shown to have depleted levels of Vitamin C, which would support the idea you would have to supplement your diet the best way you can. Vitamin C can be found in most fruits and vegetables which would suggest increasing the amount within your daily diet. The chart below shows how many milligrams of Vitamin you would expect to get in a portion.

You could always purchase Vitamin C supplements and add them to your daily diet, but be sure to get the best quality ones you can find. Don’t just pick up the first bottle you see in Tesco.