20 Unbelievable Ways to Cause & Cure Breathing Problems

Many of the compounds found in our air are irritating to the respiratory tract.

There’s no doubt that poor air quality is the main cause of global increases in respiratory disease, as well allergies and lung cancer.

Many components found in indoor air are equivalent to smog; containing volatile organic compounds along with carcinogenic and cell damaging components.

When it comes to being healthy and free from illness, air quality becomes even more important.

Here are another 3 simple ways to improve air quality.

Asthma Was The Best Thing That Ever Happened To Me

Before we moved, my family made every effort possible to improve the quality of our indoor air; by removing sources of pollution like synthetic cleaning products and ash trays… My dad even switched from gas to electric stoves…

Whenever people hear me credit asthma as a blessing, you can imagine the odd looks and critical remarks I receive.

But if it weren’t for asthma my family never would have started to look into alternative health and fitness.

Asthma Secret Remedies

I never would have found out that cocoa can relieve an asthma attack because of a natural muscle relaxant called theobromine.

Or that inhaling steam from water with a heaping tablespoon of eucalyptus and chamomile in it, can quickly open the airways.

These two incredibly useful and enlightening facts lit the fire that is my curiosity. When I realized that there are natural and POWERFUL remedies we can use to our benefit I was fascinated… I never enjoyed going to the doctors and found it strange my parents always had to hand over cash when I was there.

After the last asthma attack I ever had, I started heavily researching everything I could about health, fitness, alternative healings and medicine. I read all of my moms anatomy and physiology books and devoured every science journal and alternative healing forum.

This obsession was quickly beginning to pay off. I soon discovered things many people already knew but were unable to get to the masses because of biased corporate interests.

Don’t Waste Money on Air Filters – They’re Free!

The next thing I’d discovered was that I don’t need to waste money on air filters – they’re free.

In case you’ve forgotten what you learned in biology, let me give you a quick refresher. Photosynthesis is how plants convert light to energy and carbon dioxide into oxygen.

This is incredibly useful knowledge when you realize that added oxygen in your environment means faster healing, calm and stabilized mind and body, alleviated headaches and migraines, boosted energy and healthier heart.

Along with absorbing the Carbon Dioxide we exhale, plants rid our indoor air of unfriendly elements called “volatile organic compounds”

(VOC’s). Plants are literally nature’s air purifiers.

Synthetic Components of Household Cleaning Products Emit Toxic Fumes

This is going to benefit you greatly, especially since many synthetic components of popular cleaning products emit toxic fumes.

Matter of fact, NASA conducted a study of various houseplants and their effectiveness at filtering hazardous chemicals from the air. They found that many plants were highly effective and that plants regulate humidity too.

Here are some of my favorite houseplants that are particularly good at cleaning the air…

The Snake Plant (sansevieria trifasciata) comes from tropical West Africa but you can buy them at your local nursery. Put them in the corner of the room and water them once a week – let the soil dry between watering. That’s all you have to do with these things in order for them They’ll do marvelous wonders for you.

Now you might not like these if you don’t like dark green. But the Peace Lilly has a much brighter color. If you’re into brightening rooms, I suggest the Peace Lily because it does the same thing as the Snake Plant.

Or you could get something even prettier in the golden pothos… This one is especially cool if you have a staircase or something of the sort for the vines to hang on to and stretch throughout the house…

One of my personal favorites is the ZZ plant and the reason is because it reminds me of ZZ Top & I always grab my iPod when I see it.

This is my favorite little plant and I named it “stacks.” Why? Because ever since I brought it home, money just seems to keep stacking up…I don’t know why…no idea. But it’s definitely my little treasure & I wipe the leaves down every single day.

Now that might sound weird to you… But I tell you what… you start getting money coming into your life and you won’t mind doing stuff like that.

Each of these plants are particularly good at cleaning the air:

• Parlor palm
• English ivy
• Spider plant
• Chinese evergreen
• Bamboo palm or reed palm
• Heartleaf philodendron
• Selloum philodendron
• Elephant ear philodendron
• Red-edged dracaena
• Cornstalk dracaena
• Janet Craig dracaena
• Warneck dracaena
• Weeping fig
• Gerbera daisy or Barberton daisy
• Pot mum or florist’s chrysanthemum
• Rubber plant

Burn Beeswax Candles To Clean Indoor Air

A little birdie – err I mean – bee showed me there’s actually another very strange item that you burn inside your home to clean the air!

Of all the strange things that pollute the air and cause all sorts of problems from allergies to respiratory distress, burning beeswax candles to help clean the air in your home would be the last thing you’d expect.

This one’s not well known at all but burning beeswax candles clean the air by emitting negative ions. This increases the ratio of negative ions to positive ions, which is the ideal and necessary scenario for clean air.

Basically, (positively) charged nonsense like dust, odors, pollen and toxins, fall from the air onto the floor via static electricity.

Cool huh?

Now that I had my houseplants and beeswax candles actively cleaning my air, it made sense to stop polluting it in the first place. And I found that one of the major culprits of home toxicity is our cleaning products.

For a long time I had no idea there were even alternatives to the mainstream cleaning products. It wasn’t until I learned about houseplants that I was turned onto alternatives by my friends mom who also ran a nursery.

It’s a funny story really… When I was younger, I’d drink shots of vinegar to clean myself out and help regulate blood sugar. Naturally people found this habit repulsive and outlandish. None the less, I convinced my buddy to take a shot with me, and he immediately started gagging while I was laughing hysterically. His mom who’s an organic chemist in San Diego, heard the commotion and asked what we were up to…

I explained, she too thought it was amusing that her son would fall for that especially since he knew she used vinegar to clean tarnish, soap scum, mineral deposits, and more. When I heard that, I thought it was fascinating and started picking her brain.

She explained that distilled white vinegar creates an environment inhibiting the growth of mold, mildew, and certain bacteria, like E. coli

and salmonella. She said it’s the only thing she can get to clean the shower-head. But said it’s also great for moldy walls, non wooden floors, dishes and windows.

My buddy chimed in with a sarcastic tone, “mom you’re such a hippy!” She only uses natural cleaning products… This peaked my curiosity, and she explained regular all natural items are just as if not more effective that expensive and often times harmful mainstream products.

For instance, lemon juice removes dirt and rust stains. She used lemon juice for the kitchen, laundry, floors, countertops, her hands, the garbage disposal, removing lime-scale on faucets and even cleaning grout.

I couldn’t believe it!

She showed me that baking soda and its close cousin, washing soda, absorbed odors. Great for cleaning floors, tools, scuffed walls and upholstered furniture.

I told her what I discovered about houseplants, which is when she told me that essential oils extracted from plants can kill bacteria and mold. One drop of peppermint oil is as potent as 30 cups of peppermint tea.

“My daughter cleans her combs and brushes with essential oils and I’ve personally used them on scuffed floors, sticky surfaces, shower doors and even the toilet.”

At this point I’m halfway between disbelief and astonishment. I could tell she was excited to have somebody interested in her “secrets” as she continued to give me several more insightful tidbits about healthy and effective alternative cleaning products. 

She took me into the garage to look at the Audi and said, “shines huh?” “Liquid castile soap! It’s plant-based and loosens grime and dirt from surfaces in a gentle way. I love the way it makes my car look and have used it for years. I’ve also used it to clean the marble floors and granite countertops.”

Here’s a table showing what else she taught me:

I suppose I should explain why the vagus nerve is significant. This is the nerve that comes from the brain and controls the parasympathetic nervous system, which controls your ability to relax. Activating this nerve stimulates stem cells to produce new cells and repair and rebuild your organs.

When you’re stressing out or in an infuriating situation, take a deep breath and relax to expand your diaphragm because this stimulates your vagus system – instantly activating the parasympathetic nervous system, reducing cortisol levels and helping your brain heal and ultimately calming you down.

Your body’s levels of stress hormones are regulated by the autonomic nervous system (ANS), which has two components that balance each other, the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) and the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS).

The SNS helps us handle perceived emergencies and is in charge of the flight-or-fight response. The PNS turns down the nervous system and helps us be calm. It promotes relaxation, rest, sleep, and drowsiness by slowing heart rate, slowing breathing, constricting our pupils and increasing the production of saliva.

Exciting new research linked the vagus nerve to improved neurogenesis, increased BDNF output (super fertilizer for brain cells) and regeneration throughout the body.

You’ll literally make yourself healthier and smarter just by improving your breathing. And here’s exactly how to activate the vagus nerve yourself:

Take a deep breath, count of five, and pause for a second, and then breathe out slowly through pursed lips. Most people take about 10 to 14 breaths per minute (at rest). Ideally, you’ll want to reduce your breathing to about 5 – 7 times per minute. Exhaling through your mouth instead of your nose makes your breathing a conscious process. As you do this, your muscles will relax, dropping your worries and anxieties.

Tibetan monks have been practicing this to regulate stress for a LONG time. Once you get your breathing in check, expect a lower heart rate, quicker thinking, increased metabolism, increased oxygen in the blood, enhanced body detoxification, strengthened immune system and Improved posture.

“If the breathing is at all unsettled, life is not your own.” ~Q

Health by choice, not by chance!

-David

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Kadiiska MB, Hatch GE, Nyska A, Jones DP, Hensley K, Stocker R, et al. Biomarkers of Oxidative Stress Study IV: ozone exposure of rats and its effect on antioxidants in plasma and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. Free Rad Biol Med. 2011;51:1636–1642.

Blomberg A. Airway inflammatory and antioxidant responses to oxidative and particulate air pollutants – experimental exposure studies in humans. Clin Exper Allerg. 2000;30:310–317.

Weschler CJ.. Ozone’s impact on public health: contributions from indoor exposures to ozone and products of ozone-initiated chemistry. Environ Health Perspect 2006;114:1489-96.

Nazaroff WW.. Indoor particle dynamics. Indoor Air 2004;14Suppl 7:175-83.