Chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD) is a condition that limits airflow into and out of the lungs. People with the illness experience shortness of breath. Because of the shortness of breath they tend to have difficulty exercising and doing their day to day tasks.
There is no cure for COPD; however, there are therapies and home remedies that can improve the condition. These remedies can help improve coughing, excessive mucus production, along with other symptoms.
Below you will find home remedies and life style modifications what will help manage your COPD symptoms.
Quit Smoking
Smoking is a huge cause of COPD related death in the United States of America. Smoking hurts treatment of COPD because the tobacco smoke irritates the airway path in the lungs. Consequently, the airway path becomes narrow and this makes it harder and harder for air to pass through.Research has shown that smoking decreases the effectiveness of drugs that are given to treat COPD. Additionally, those with COPD and smoke have a more rapid decrease in lung functions.
Quitting smoking is your most efficient method of treating COPD. There is plenty of help out there to help an individual quit smoking. You can speak to your physician to figure out what is the best way for you to quite smoking.
Improve Air Quality In Your House
If the air quality inside your home is not good, it can make breathing more difficult. Some items that can cause harm to your breathing inside your home are:
- Mold and Mildew
- Clutter and dust
- Closed windows
Some things that you should do to keep the air quality good are:
- Changing bed sheets weekly
- Use clean air filters
- Vacuuming regularly
Breathing Exercises
Practicing breathing helps people with COPD. It helps use the muscles that are used to carry in and carry out each breath. This is basically when someone contracts their diaphragm. People with COPD who performed breathing exercises felt more relief in general. Pranayama is the name for focusing on specific area’s of your body while breathing. In addition, these breathing exercises helps for people with COPD who exercise.
Reduce Stress
You never know when you will encounter a COPD flare up. Stress and anxiety is known to increase the chances of these flare ups. Stress can weaken the immune system. This increases the chance of a respiratory flare up.
It is a smart idea to learn how to manage your stress and anxiety. Mindful meditation has been proven to help patients suffering from COPD. It calms them and helps keep stress at bay.
Maintain A Wholesome Weight
Individuals with COPD and are underweight have a higher chance of mortality in comparison to those who are over weight. People who are underweight may experience the following:
- Decreased lung capacity
- Limited ability to exercise
- Breathing muscles are weak
A balanced diet can help someone who is underweight. This is because a balanced diet provides heart and metabolic benefits. This diet will provide more energy and help build muscle.
Exercise
Along with a balanced diet, it is important to exercise. This may be difficult because breathing is harder when exerting energy; however, the muscle strength gained from exercise helps the lungs. In addition, breathing exercises also help when exerting energy.
These home treatments for COPD can help with your symptoms greatly. They are not difficult changes to make. If you need help, i’m sure a family member or friend will gladly help you improve your health.
