Cleansing with the Seasons – Summer: Nutritional and Supplemental Support

by | Jun 17, 2014 | Detoxification, Eating Naturally, Natural health products, Natural Remedies, Naturopathic health

berriesIn many healing traditions, summer is associated with cleansing the lungs. In our first post on Cleansing with the Seasons: Summer we outlined several simple dietary and lifestyle therapies to help with this process. Here we will highlight some specific foods you can eat and some supportive supplements you can use to help support proper cleansing of the lungs and respiratory tract.

Lung-Healthy Foods

The foods listed below are high in key nutrients that support proper functioning of the lungs and respiratory tract. Enjoy these foods daily during the summer months to support optimal lung cleansing (and all year if you have a lung or respiratory-related condition):

Foods to Support Optimal Lung/Respiratory Function

 

Vegetables

All green leafy vegetables Asparagus, Beets Cabbage Carrots, Celery Cucumbers Dandelion, Endive Horseradish, Kale Okra, Onions Potato skins Spinach String beans Turnips Watercress

Nuts, Grains, and Seeds

Almonds Brown rice Flaxseed Lentils Millet Molasses Sesame seeds Soybeans Sunflower seeds Whole grain cereals

Fruits

Apricots Bananas Blackberries Black cherries Blueberries Cantaloupe Coconut Cranberries, Figs Gooseberries Papaya Peaches Prunes Strawberries

Supplemental Support

In addition, several supplements can help improve lung function and assist the body in throwing off the effects of lung congestion.

Sinatrol – Sinatrol can help immensely with upper respiratory (i.e., sinus and upper lung congestion) ailments, including allergies and hay fever. It is a mixture of N-acetyl cysteine, andrographis, Siberian ginseng, turmeric, bromelain and berberine sulfate that will help break up and eliminate mucus, reduce inflammation and fight off a number of potential immune threats (including viruses, bacteria and yeast/fungus). Typical doses are 2 capsules 2 times daily. Sinatrol works particularly well in conjunction with the regular use of a netti pot or Nasaline.

Natural D-Hist or D-Hist Jr – both of these products contain proven ingredients to help reduce the production of histamine by getting to the root of the problem and helping calm an overactive immune response. D Hist Jr are great tasting chewable tablets (that are ½ the strength of Natural D-Hist) for those that don’t like to swallow pills. Natural D-Hist dosing is typically 2-3 capsules 3x/day for 7 days, reducing to the minimum necessary to keep symptoms at bay thereafter.