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Clean Your Lungs Naturally: 8 Lung Exercises For Smokers, Tips & Lifestyle Changes

Riddhima Kadam

Written By :

Riddhima Kadam

Lavina Chauhan

Researched By :

Lavina Chauhan

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Published on : 13-Jan-2025

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Clean Your Lungs Naturally: 8 Lung Exercises For Smokers, Tips & Lifestyle Changes

Lungs are vital organs in the human respiratory system that can be severely damaged by smoking, yet many people smoke regularly and harm their lungs' natural abilities. 

 

Our lungs play a key role in supplying the body with oxygen and excreting carbon dioxide. However, smoking may not be the only thing affecting your lungs -- it can also be affected by the lifestyle you follow and the air you breathe. The air in the environment can also be contaminated and full of pollutants, secondhand smoke and pollen that directly attack our lungs. Due to this, it's important for us to keep our lungs healthy and clean. 

 

In this blog, we will tell you how you can clean your lungs if you are or used to be a smoker by following healthy habits and making lifestyle changes. Additionally, we also have listed some lung exercises for smokers to improve their lung function.

 

Table of Contents

  1. Exercises For Smokers & Elderly To Improve Lung Function
  2. How To Strengthen The Lungs Of A Smoker?
  3. What Is The Fastest Way To Clean Your Lungs From Smoking?
  4. Expert’s Advice
  5. The Final Say
  6. FAQs
  7. References 

 

Breathing Exercises For Smokers To Improve Lung Function

What Is The Fastest Way To Clean Your Lungs From Smoking.jpg 

How do you strengthen your lungs as a smoker? Here are some breathing exercises that can help smokers maintain healthy lungs and improve overall health:

 

1. Complete Breathing

Complete breathing, also known as three-part breathing, involves using the diaphragm, lower ribcage, and upper chest for deep and full breaths. Here's how to do it:

 

  • Start by inhaling deeply through the nose, expanding your abdomen, ribcage, and chest in that order.
  • Slowly exhale, releasing the chest, ribcage, and abdomen in reverse order.
  • This technique promotes deeper oxygen intake, improves lung capacity, and enhances overall relaxation.
2. Breathing With Puckered Lips

This technique helps slow down breathing and improves lung function. Here's how to do it:

 

  • Slowly inhale through your nose for two counts.
  • Pucker your lips as if you are blowing out a candle.
  • Exhale gently and slowly through your pursed lips for four counts.
  • This method is especially helpful for people who experience shortness of breath or conditions like COPD.
3. Humming Breathing

Humming breathing involves exhaling while making a humming sound. It helps calm the mind and improve lung capacity. Here's how to do it:

 

  • Sit in a comfortable position and close your eyes.
  • Inhale deeply through your nose.
  • As you exhale, hum steadily and softly, prolonging the exhalation.
  • Focus on the sound and vibration in your chest and head.
  • Repeat for several breaths, feeling the calming effect.
  • This technique can reduce stress, improve focus, and enhance oxygen flow.
4. Diaphragmatic Breathing

Diaphragmatic breathing, or belly breathing, focuses on engaging the diaphragm for deeper, more efficient breathing. Here's how to do it:

  • Sit or lie down in a comfortable position.
  • Place one hand on your chest and the other on your abdomen.
  • Inhale deeply through your nose, allowing your abdomen to rise as the diaphragm expands.
  • Exhale through your mouth, feeling your abdomen fall.
  • Aim for a slow, rhythmic pace, focusing on deep belly breaths.
5. Buteyko Breathing

Buteyko breathing is a technique that focuses on shallow, controlled breathing to improve oxygen efficiency, especially for those with asthma or anxiety. Here's how to do it:

  • Sit comfortably and relax.
  • Inhale gently through your nose, keeping your breaths shallow.
  • Exhale through your nose at a controlled, steady pace.
  • Hold your breath for a brief moment (but never force it).
  • Repeat for several minutes, gradually increasing the duration of breath holds.

 

Also Read: Struggling to Breathe? Check Out These 7 Effective Acupressure Points for Breathing Difficulties

 

How To Strengthen The Lungs Of A Smoker?

Smoking severely damages your lungs and overall health, with harmful substances continuously affecting your respiratory system. While quitting is the best solution, it's crucial to take steps to care for and cleanse your lungs as you work on breaking the habit.

 

  • Quit Smoking Permanently: This goes without saying, but we had to add this to the list. The first and most important way to keep your lungs healthy is to quit smoking permanently. If you smoke, your lungs have a critical impact that can reduce their ability to stay healthy. So try to reduce or completely stop smoking and take care of your lung health.
     

Also Read: The Truth About Smoking: Does It Cause Weight Loss? 4 Tips To Quit Smoking

  • Spend Time in Clean AirYou should start spending time in clean, fresh air to help your lungs recover by promoting better oxygen intake and reducing exposure to pollutants. Regularly being outdoors in nature can assist in flushing out toxins and improving lung function.
     
  • Eat Fresh Fruits & Vegetables: Diet is vital for one's health, no matter what. Fruits and vegetables are full of essential nutrients like vitamins, minerals and natural antioxidants that keep the lungs healthy. Include fresh foods like tomatoes, lemons, carrots, mangoes, oranges, cabbage, spinach, broccoli, garlic, etc., in your diet to help clear the windpipe and help maintain lung health.
     
  • Drink Plenty of WaterWater is even more important than diet, and yet many of us ignore our daily intake. If you meet the required water intake (2-3 litres), you can flush impurities from the surface of the body and help cleanse the lungs by humidifying harmful gases.
     
  • Exercise RegularlyStaying physically active can help keep your lungs healthy and active. Exercise delivers more oxygen to the body's organs, which can increase lung capacity and help keep airways clear. Yoga, meditation, slow running, breathing exercises, cardio and strength training are options that can help with lung health. Better yet, do outdoor workouts!
     
  • Lung ExercisesApart from your regular physical exercises, we also have breathing and exhalation techniques to keep your lungs clear. We have shared some of these in the next section! You can also do yoga asanas for the lungs

 

Also Read: 8 Steps to Help You Develop Consistency in Workouts: Learn the Benefits and Navigate the Challenges!

 

  • Use GingerGinger has antioxidant properties that can help with lung health by cleansing it. You can make ginger tea or drink ginger mixed with fresh lemon juice. It is a powerful medicine for the lungs.
     
  • Eat Herbal Plants: Consuming green herbal plant leaves like basil, mint, and neem can help keep the lungs clean and healthy. They are rich in antioxidants and can be added to your daily diet by adding them to salads, tea or muskmelon.

 

Also Read: Detox And Clean Your Lungs With These 5 Yoga Asanas And Pranayama!

 

What Is The Fastest Way To Clean Your Lungs From Smoking?

The fastest way to clean your lungs from smoking:

 

1. Deep Breathing

Breathing exercises (like those shared above) help relieve stress, cleanse the lungs, and improve health by allowing your body to eliminate toxins efficiently. If you do proper deep belly breathing exercises, you may be able to remove up to 70% of toxins and support lung health.

 

2. Steam Therapy

Steam inhalation or steam therapy is a simple and natural method to help clean your lungs. By breathing in warm, moist air, you can clear congestion, loosen mucus, and improve breathing. Apart from that, it also reduces inflammation, relaxes muscles, and boosts blood flow to promote overall lung health.

 

Also Read: 8 Unknown Health Benefits of Steam Baths: Weight Loss, Detox, Skin Care, and More

 

3. Drain Mucus 

Draining mucus by postural drainage is a natural way to clear mucus from the lungs. You can do this by lying on your chest or back with the hips elevated to drain the mucus and improve lung function.

 

4. Tapping 

Tapping, especially when done alongside postural drainage, can help loosen mucus in your lungs. You can do this by cupping your hands and gently tapping your chest in a rhythmic motion for 2-3 minutes, which can help break up mucus and remove it from your body, supporting lung detoxification and cleansing.

 

Also Read: Why Is Cardiorespiratory Fitness Important? Know Top 8 Easy To Do Exercises!

 

5. Drink Lots of Water 

As mentioned before, drinking water is essential as it helps flush out toxins, including those from smoking. Hot tea or warm water can further thin mucus in the lungs, making it easier to clear and aiding in detoxification.

 

6. Eat Healthy Foods

Another point we’d like to repeat is: eat healthy foods! Whole, single-ingredient foods like fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and fish are nutrient-rich and aid in flushing toxins, repairing cells, and promoting healthy tissue growth. 

 

7. Annual Checkups & Vaccinations

Regular checkups should be done to help catch potential issues early, especially for lung disease, which can go unnoticed until advanced. Always report any breathing concerns to your doctor. Other than that, keep up-to-date on your vaccinations for infectious respiratory diseases like influenza, COVID-19, pneumonia, and RSV, which can spread easily.

 

8. Use Eucalyptus

Eucalyptus is a powerful herb for lung health, known for its compound cineole. It helps treat coughs, asthma, bronchitis, and congestion while reducing inflammation and boosting the immune system to cleanse the lungs.

 

Also Read: Strength Training Vs. Cardio: Which Is More Effective?

 

Expert’s Advice

Consistently maintaining a healthy lifestyle and following the tips that were shared in this blog can keep your lungs in top shape. 

 

As an expert, I recommend eating antioxidant-rich foods like fresh fruits, green veggies, and whole grains to fight inflammation. Additionally, drinking warm liquids like herbal teas, honey lemon water, or chicken broth can help loosen mucus, hydrate the lungs, and make it easier to clear out.

 

Health Expert

Lavina Chauhan

The Final Say

Quitting smoking is one of the most important decisions you will ever make, especially if you do it regularly. The lungs are self-cleaning organs that begin to heal themselves once they are no longer exposed to pollutants such as cigarette smoke. The best way to keep your lungs healthy is to avoid smoking. To clear your lungs, you should exercise regularly and eat well. 

 

FAQs

1. Does exercise clear smokers' lungs?

While exercise can certainly help improve lung function and promote mucus clearance, it doesn't fully "clear" a smoker's lungs.

 

2. What dissolves mucus in the lungs?

Warm fluids, such as water, herbal teas, and steam inhalation, can help dissolve mucus in the lungs.

 

References 

 

About ToneOp Fit 

ToneOp Fit is a platform dedicated to improving and maintaining good health through a comprehensive range of goal-oriented health plans with up to 3 Coach support. With a range of Weight Management, Medical Condition, Detox Plans, and Face Yoga Plans, the app also provides premium health trackers, recipes and health content. Get customised diet, fitness, naturopathy & yoga plans and transform yourself with ToneOp.

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