Glutathione to the Rescue- 3 Ways to Support Lung Health
From wildfire smoke to a pandemic virus….our lungs are under attack from all angles. Whether or not you’ve been feeling the effects on your breathing and your chest, there’s still a chance that you might in the near future.
So listen up!
Airborne irritants (like cigarette smoke or pollution or wildfires) create free radicals and oxidative stress in your lungs that cause inflammation and damage. Infections do a similar thing. Free radical damage also contributes to faster aging and the development of diseases like cancer.
Your body’s best defense? Antioxidants….and especially glutathione!
Glutathione is called the “master antioxidant” because it not only fights free radicals directly but also recycles other antioxidants—like vitamins C and E, alpha-lipoic acid, and coenzyme Q10. Our cells can make glutathione, but individuals differ in their ability to do so. Some people have genetic variations that compromise glutathione production. Others may just be under so much toxic stress that they can’t keep up. Alcohol depletes glutathione, so if you’re a drinker, you may be at a disadvantage here.
That’s when supplementation can help. But don’t just grab any glutathione off the shelf! Glutathione is not easily absorbed when taken orally, so be sure to look for high-quality liposomal glutathione which will be in liquid form. While I typically recommend a glutathione IV “push”, if you don’t have access to IV therapy in your area you can also go with both topical and liposomal glutathione. Topical glutathione can be prescribed from a compounding pharmacy in the right dose for your individualized needs. Another option is to load up on glutathione’s precursor—N-Acetyl-l-cysteine (NAC). It’s not as direct as taking glutathione, but it’s a more economic option.
3 Excellent Ways to Support Lung Health:
Get Moving. Being physically active, your heart and lungs work very hard to supply additional oxygen to your muscles’ demands. And just like daily exercise makes your muscles stronger, it also makes your lungs and heart muscle stronger. Improving your physical fitness helps your body become more efficient at circulating oxygen and nutrients in the bloodstream and transporting them to the working muscles. Working the lungs equates to strengthening them.
In Chinese Medicine, the lungs are associated with Autumn and there are several practices that help support and nourish them. As the weather cools down, I recommend keeping the body warm with warm foods, warm drinks, and warmer clothes. A focus on white-colored foods like cauliflower, garlic, potatoes, onion, almonds, rice, daikon radish, oats, turnip, parsnip, rutabaga, apple, pear, and sesame seeds. Eating fermented foods like kimchi and sauerkraut will help support the digestive system which will also support overall health.
Practice conscious breathing. Focusing on the breath and using breathing techniques such as the one introduced below will help increase lung capacity and vitality.
BOX BREATHING
This practice began as a pranayama technique in yogic traditions and has been adopted by Navy Seals, First Responders, and world-class neurohackers. Here is the technique:1. INHALE 4 SECONDS
2. HOLD AT THE TOP 4 SECONDS
3. EXHALE 4 SECONDS
4. HOLD AT THE BOTTOM 4 SECONDS
These lung support techniques also act as a good reminder to go inwards and find stillness, even when the world outside seems to be falling apart. During these times the most powerful thing you can do is focus on your healing.
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