Enhancing Respiratory Health Naturally: The Power of Ayurveda

By Dennis Bluthardt at Namaste Studios^®

In recent years, respiratory issues have been rising among our population, mainly due to environmental changes such as modern smog in the air and artificial household items like cleaning products and even fire retardants found in most furniture.

In addition to chronic bronchitis and allergies, we all either suffer directly from or know someone who suffers from newly developed environmental stress-induced asthma.

These new cases afflict pretty much everyone you know, and sadly, many of the only workarounds offered to treat asthma are things like inhalers.

This traditional Vedic health system includes a set of comprehensive herbal remedies for the treatment of various diseases.

These formulas, made from various roots and herbs, are generally prescribed with a strong dietary and lifestyle focus that center on the specific patient’s health needs, such as guidance for improving lung health and strength or helping with asthma.

While many dietary, lifestyle, and breathing techniques are used as the first preventative approach to fend off potential infections or diseases, they will also be paired with a specific regimen for your health concern to create a more comprehensive plan.

Understanding Ayurveda and Its Approach to Respiratory Health

Ayurveda is an ancient Indian system of medicine that is fundamentally based on the principle of balance, or homeostasis, among three important physiological forces in the body, the ‘Three Doshas’: Vata, Pitta, and Kapha. These ‘doshas’ are intelligently designed operations in the body that combine the five essential elements, Earth, Water, Fire, Air, and Ether; to regulate and govern the many psychological and physiological activities in the body… balance is necessary to achieve a state of optimal health, also referred to as ‘Well-being.’

Your ‘Respiratory Health” will also depend on the balance among these doshas. Vata, the force in the body that combines the Air and Ether elements, promotes the essential operation of the movement of air in and out of the lungs, with Kapha, generally composed of the Earth and Water Elements, providing the physiological stability and lubrication to contain this region as a separate entity. Out of balance, this system may malfunction, and some lung disorders may very well develop, including the following signs of Asthma, Primary Bronchitis, Allergies, and even Secondary Tumors. A Kapha imbalance, for example, may result in lung congestion (Sinus or Extra Lung) and many of the other effects mentioned in Table 1 of an extension from this disorder, and a Vata imbalance may very well dry this system out, too, causing significant discomfort from the dryness of the tissue.

The use of several ‘Respiratory Herbal Drugs and Formulas’ may therefore be indicated. The leaf, seed, or root drugs Pippali (Long Pepper/Western), Boswellia, Tulsi, Forsythiae, Xanthium, Licorice, African Bird Pepper, Osha, Coccina, etc., have been helpful thus far. They may be used singly or in various combinations to support the necessary lung function, provided no contraindications are present when these drugs are to be used (read the monographs). Warm Pungency, a warm east wind, and a touch of Mild-to-Sweet astringency are desirable for a drying action; cold Pungency would not be desirable for this condition unless an inflammatory imbalance is present, which is not likely.

Natural Remedies for Common Respiratory Issues

Ayurveda, the ancient Indian form of medicine, values natural herbs, promoting excellent health and life satisfaction. Certain herbs, Tulsi, Ginger, and Turmeric, serve those who medicate for respiratory conditions.

Tulsi is an herb that contains anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties. It allows you to cut through the thickness, blocking the respiratory passageways. Ginger plays a similar role, serving as a natural form of medicine; it is an agent to assist you with moving through those congested periods of the illness. At the same time, Turmeric will more directly aid you in creating lung sanctity within respiratory health regimen structures. The principal addition in Turmeric is the compound curcumin, which supports lung tissue and reduces inflammation.

There are multiple ways to incorporate these herbs into your daily regimen. Drinking Tulsi (holy basil) as a part of a tea regimen, with water only, will enhance the therapeutic properties it brings to the body. Eating ginger, or directly blending it into a dish, can give you an immediate way in. Turmeric, when supplementing, may be treated as a primary cardiorespiratory fitness herb.

A mix of herbal remedies will take you a significant way towards growth, a 100% lung capacity ratio that escapes, bringing the whole body a similar ratio. Herbal respiratory medicine fortifications strengthen the immune system, making the body more susceptible to a new illness.

An Ayurvedic/Kundalini/Herbalistic supplemental breathing exercise regimen complements the forced lung air delivery needed to restore specific lung function responses to health. Over time, the lung air potency adds to the body’s capability of being aerobically resistant, forcing the body to stay stressed.

Deep-rooted in-stress respiratory relief comes naturally through Ayurvedic therapies. As you move forward with this article, the desired emphasis is placed on the body’s primal aerobically driven stress relief process, through breathing, to increase your body’s immunity environment.

Many breathing techniques can be learned and given to yourself for practicing, such as 1-atta-time.

The Role of Yoga in Promoting Respiratory Health

Yoga’s physical postures, breath control, and mindfulness can have a pronouncedly beneficial effect on lung health and the efficiency of the respiratory system.

Specific asanas, or poses, specifically target this:

• Bhujangasana {pronounced: boo-jan-GAHS-uh-nuh} (Cobra Pose) opens the chest and expands the lungs for deeper inhalation and improved oxygen intake.
• Matsyasana {pronounced: mot-see-AHS-uh-nuh} (Fish Pose) stretches the throat and chest, promoting better airflow and enhanced overall respiratory function.

The practice of pranayama is often translated as “breath control” and is a crucial part of the science of yoga. Breath control practices like Ujjayi breath (an ancient yogic breathing technique) and Nadi Shodhana (alternate nostril breathing) improve the gas exchange efficiency in the anatomical dead space. The lungs can hold more breath, allowing more oxygen to enter the body and the brain. Pranayama strengthens the airflow, the airway, the diaphragm, and the core to improve your body’s overall tissue health and nervous system. At the same time, practices like ujjayi strengthen the upper respiratory muscles, creating a sizeable elastic buffer for the lung interstitium when sudden changing pressures become apparent, like a cough or a sneeze.

That same understanding also relates to the mind-body connection within all of yoga. By raising our levels of self-awareness to parts we never thought we could communicate with, we are rewiring our central command center to understand new body maps. From here, you are more inclined to check for quality control of your regular breath patterns because you know what a good breath might feel like in your daily practice. By controlling your everyday habits, you will begin to take fewer breaths due to improving respiratory efficiency. (Brain fuel saved until your next game of chess).

Good breathing practices can also teach you to calm your entire nervous system on command by hacking into your phylogenetic brain’s wiring system and activating the parasympathetic response.

Lifestyle Tips for Maintaining Respiratory Health

“Working Ayurvedic principles into the rhythm of daily life can do wonders for your respiratory health. At the top of the list? What you eat. Reach for warm, light, and easy-to-digest foods to fuel the daily grind of your digestive metabolism and help keep your agni, your digestive fire, efficiently up and running. Many of these so-called ‘beneficial’ foods include what they’ve always been: nourishing, healing, wholesome soups and herbs, lightly steamed vegetables, and an array of fragrant spices, such as Turmeric.

Being indoors for most of the day, every day can increase the chance of allergies or hay fever symptoms. From limited air circulation to moldy books to pet dander and general dust buildup, more than a few factors can increase the ‘kapha’ quality in your personal space…”

By any means, please leave a comment below.

To learn more, visit Ayurveda at Namaste Studios^® to book an Ayurveda session. Additionally, you can find more of our Ayurveda Blogs here.

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