Whether it's due to exposure to toxins, smoke, or other environmental particles. We are going to explore together how these factors can affect your exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide, and consequently your energy level.
Throughout our discussion, we will delve into details about the main symptoms associated with lung failure such as: constant fatigue, persistent cough, recurrent lung infections, and increased production of mucus.
Furthermore, we will make a point of discussing people at risk, notably smokers and those already affected by chronic lung diseases such as COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) and asthma.
Finally, we will provide advice and solutions to manage these symptoms and improve lung health. Whether you are directly affected or looking to prevent these issues, this article is for you. So, join us in this journey of discovery and prevention of lung health.
How the Lungs React to Smoke
Shortly after inhaling air, the gases and particles it contains can be found in our bloodstream. Our lungs are equipped with "sensors" in the form of immune components designed to protect us from the damage caused by incoming microbes and pollutants. Once activated, these "sensor" cells trigger an inflammatory reaction that can cause symptoms of lung irritation.
Once it penetrates the lungs, wildfire smoke has the ability to generate more free radicals than daily exposure to urban air pollution. This assault by free radicals causes inflammation and the typical symptoms of smoke exposure when air quality is poor, even in healthy individuals. Mucus secretion is increased. Cough, wheezing, headaches, allergy-type irritation of the eyes, throat, and sinuses are common complaints. If you are a person with a chronic lung disease, exposure to smoke can trigger asthma, exacerbate emphysema and chronic bronchitis (COPD), and worsen existing infections like pneumonia.
Inhaling smoke can even increase the risk of acute cardiopulmonary events like a heart attack due to its tendency to reduce oxygen supply to the heart muscle and cause a pulmonary embolism due to increased blood clotting. This risk is not limited to individuals already with a heart or lung disease. There is even research that has shown that the stress caused to the lungs by smoke pollution weakens the immune system, making them more vulnerable to infection.
What You Can Do?
Plan your outdoor activities based on air quality indices provided by local health officials and use an air filter at home to reduce the burden on your respiratory system. A diet rich in antioxidants from fresh fruits and vegetables, minimal sodium intake, and good hydration can support or improve breathing. Some natural health products, like NAC (N-Acetylcysteine), can also help.
Protect Your Lungs with NAC and Selenomethionine
The antioxidant N-acetyl-cysteine (NAC) protects us from damage caused by excessive oxidative stress resulting from inflammatory states, chronic diseases, toxins, and stress.
What is NAC? It's a sulfur-containing precursor to the amino acid L-cysteine and the antioxidant glutathione, the most important antioxidant produced by our body. NAC provides generalized immune protection by renewing glutathione, thanks to the glutathione redox system.
NAC offers additional respiratory benefits by reducing mucus viscosity and stimulating the removal of mucus from the airways. This makes NAC a valuable element of any respiratory symptom management program where irritation or congestion occurs. At the same time, NAC protects the lungs from the harmful effects of inhaled pollutants, like smoke, whatever its source.
Then there are the cardioprotective benefits. NAC has also been shown to lower levels of C-reactive protein, a marker of inflammation. Overall, by acting as an antioxidant, NAC protects blood vessels from the damaging effects of oxidized cholesterol, smoke, advanced glycation end products (AGEs) from diabetes, and more.
Unfortunately, the human body is not capable of creating NAC, and it is not contained in food either.
Unlike most products containing glutathione, which are generally poorly absorbed, NAC supplements can provide a reliable source of cysteine to renew intracellular glutathione and combat oxidative stress. Pure Lab's NAC provides 600 milligrams of N-acetyl-cysteine per capsule. We add no other medicinal ingredients, allowing you to reach your desired dose in fewer capsules. You'll know our product is fresh as soon as you open the bottle because it will have a characteristic sulfur smell, thanks to the fully intact cysteine.
Selenium is another antioxidant nutrient that stimulates glutathione.
It is involved in the production and recycling of glutathione. Pure Lab's Selenomethionine is a selenium compound that provides 200 micrograms per capsule of a superior, more bioavailable form of selenium, with a 90% absorption rate (compared to 50% for sodium selenite). Rather than being sourced from potentially allergenic dietary proteins like yeast, our selenium is obtained from mineral deposits, then chelated (attached) to a single amino acid. By chelating it to methionine, it becomes the biologically active preferred form of selenium, ready to be used immediately by the body.
The additional benefits? Methionine is an essential amino acid, a source of sulfur for our body, and functions as an antioxidant itself. Moreover, methionine helps detoxify harmful substances in the body, like heavy metals, and may help prevent fat deposits in the liver.
Supporting your lungs during periods of exposure to poor air quality with NAC and selenomethionine can help you avoid some of the potential health complications of acute or chronic smoke exposure. By incorporating these valuable nutrients into your daily routine, you can bolster your resilience to environmental assaults and promote long-term respiratory health.
Just because our lungs operate without us even thinking about them doesn't mean they're invincible! We need to take care of them to keep them healthy.
Lung health is vital for our overall well-being.
Our lungs enable us to breathe, and the constant exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide is essential for converting food into energy. However, our environment can negatively impact our lung health, particularly during events such as wildfires, which pollute the air with harmful particles. Thankfully, natural solutions exist to support our lung health, such as Omega Alpha's Lung Flush and Healthology's Lung-FX Formula.
Challenges to Lung Health in Case of Air Pollution
Air pollution, particularly during events such as wildfires, can pose significant challenges to our lung health. Suspended particles, chemicals, and gases can irritate the respiratory tract and cause inflammation, which can reduce lung function and cause symptoms such as coughing, shortness of breath, and fatigue. Moreover, prolonged exposure to these pollutants can increase the risk of developing chronic respiratory diseases like asthma or COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease).
Signs of Lung Health Problems: Fatigue and Cough
Exposure to high levels of toxins, smoke, and various particles can undermine your lungs' natural defense system, thus affecting your ability to effectively exchange oxygen and carbon dioxide. A failing lung function can lead to chronic fatigue, as your body struggles to produce the necessary energy.
Key symptoms of lung failure to look for:
- Constant fatigue
- Persistent cough
- Recurrent lung infections
- Increased mucus production
Lung function can be severely compromised in smokers and those with chronic lung diseases such as COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) and asthma. It is crucial to monitor these symptoms of lung dysfunction to act quickly and protect your health.
How Omega Alpha's Lung Flush and Healthology's Lung-FX Formula Support Lung Health
Omega Alpha's Lung Flush and Healthology's Lung-FX Formula are natural supplements designed to support lung health.
Lung Flush by Omega Alpha works by aiding the body in removing excess mucus and toxins from the lungs. It contains a blend of natural ingredients known for their ability to support respiratory health, such as rosemary, which has been shown to help with bronchial asthma and other respiratory issues. It also includes mullein, an herb that's been used for centuries to treat breathing conditions.
Healthology's Lung-FX Formula, on the other hand, works to support lung function, particularly in cases of chronic respiratory issues like asthma and COPD. Its blend of natural ingredients like thyme, lobelia, and elecampane help to soothe the respiratory tract, thin and expel mucus, and aid in reducing inflammation and bronchospasm.
Lung Flush by Omega Alpha is a natural product designed to support lung health.
Its formula is composed of natural ingredients such as Scutellaria baicalensis, Siraitia grosvenorii, Chrysanthemum x morifolium, Lonicera japonica, and Morus alba. These plants were chosen for their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, which can help reduce inflammation in the lungs and support their optimal functioning.
Lung Flush is recommended to be taken once a day, with or without food, and can be mixed with juice or water. It's important to note that this product should be avoided by people who are allergic to plants from the Asteraceae/Compositae and Labiatae families, and by those who are pregnant or breastfeeding.
Healthology's Lung-FX Formula is also a natural solution to support lung health.
It contains ingredients such as N-acetyl-L-cysteine, fenugreek, hyssop, mullein, ginger, and reishi mushroom, which are recognized for their expectorant, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties. These ingredients work together to help thin and expel mucus, protect and repair damaged lung tissues, and support immune function.
The Lung-FX Formula is recommended to be taken one to three times per day with food. As with all dietary supplements, it is advisable to consult a healthcare professional before starting to take this product, particularly for individuals who are taking medications or who have underlying health issues.
The Benefits of Omega-3 Fatty Acids in Asthma Management: A Nutritional Perspective.
This scientific article highlights the potential role of a modified diet in influencing the severity of asthma and reducing its prevalence. More specifically, the study points out typical Western diets that are pro-inflammatory and could contribute to an increased incidence of asthma.
Western diets are often characterized by high consumption of omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-6 PUFAs), which are pro-inflammatory, compared to omega-3 fatty acids (n-3 PUFAs), which are anti-inflammatory. These n-6 fatty acids, when consumed in excess, lead to the release of pro-inflammatory arachidonic acid metabolites.
Conversely, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) are n-3 PUFAs derived from fish oil that competitively inhibit n-6 arachidonic acid metabolism. This reduces the generation of pro-inflammatory series 4 leukotrienes (LTs) and series 2 prostaglandins (PGs), as well as cytokine production by inflammatory cells.
It is therefore suggested that increasing the intake of n-3 PUFAs through dietary supplements could modulate lung diseases, such as asthma, by mitigating airway hyper-reactivity. Moreover, the article assesses the efficacy of n-3 PUFA supplementation in alleviating exercise-induced bronchoconstriction.
In summary, reducing inflammation in our diet, particularly by increasing the intake of omega-3 fatty acids, could help alleviate lung issues such as asthma.
However, while promising, this approach requires further research to confirm its effectiveness and determine the best methods of application.
Conclusion
Air pollution, especially during events like wildfires, can pose significant challenges to lung health. However, natural products such as Lung Flush by Omega Alpha and Lung-FX Formula by Healthology can help support lung function and protect the lungs from damage caused by atmospheric pollutants. It is always important to consult with a healthcare professional before starting any dietary supplements, especially for individuals taking other medications or with underlying health issues.
References
2022 Jul 1. Chieh-Mo Lin, Tzu-Hsiung Huang, Miao-Ching Chi, Su-Er Guo, Chiang-Wen Lee, Su-Lun Hwang, Chung-Sheng Shi. N-acetylcysteine alleviates fine particulate matter (PM2.5)-induced lung injury by attenuation of ROS-mediated recruitment of neutrophils and Ly6Chigh monocytes and lung inflammation. Retrieved from PubMed https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35594827/
02 Jul 2009 Mickleborough, Timothy D, Dietary Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid Supplementation and Airway Hyperresponsiveness in Asthma. Retrieved from PubMed https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18990082/
Health Canada. (2023). Forest Fire Smoke and Your Health. Retrieved from https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/services/air-quality-health-index/wildfire-smoke/wildfire-smoke-health.html
Lung Association Canada. (2023). Forest Fires and Lung Health. Retrieved from https://www.lung.ca/forest-fires-and-lung-health?_ga=2.161935732.915629638.1686162794-1508772619.1686162794
National Institutes of Health. Selenium. Office of Dietary Supplements. Retrieved from https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Selenium-HealthProfessional/
2012 Mar 31 Margaret P Rayman. Selenium and human health Retrieved from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22381456/