August 5, 2019

How Specific Herbal Extracts Can Support A Healthy Respiratory System

Photo by Esther Driehaus on Unsplash

No matter the season, your respiratory health should be just as important as your digestive health. Just like many normal functions of your body, your lung function declines with age, with the development stage ending by age 25. A number of factors can accelerate the aging of your lungs and impact your respiratory system, including smoking, exposure to pollution and infection.

A Healthy Respiratory System

The good news is that there are some practices you can follow to keep your respiratory system working at its peak, according to Harvard Health.

Eat more fruit – A 2017 study published in the European Respiratory Journal found that a higher intake of antioxidant- and flavonoid-rich fruits like bananas, apples, and tomatoes (about four servings of fruit per day) was associated with a slower decline in lung function.

Exercise – Regular weight training has been shown to increase bone strength and can strengthen the chest, shoulders and back muscles, helping you maintain a breathing-friendly posture. Aerobic exercise like walking on a treadmill can help improve your lung capacity.

Herbal Extracts

Numerous studies have shown that unique and specific herbal extracts support a healthy respiratory system.

Vitamin C is commonly touted as a go-to when you start to feel a cold coming on. And this is for good reason! Vitamin is an essential antioxidant flavonoid that our bodies don’t make – it must be consumed from our diet and can be found in high amounts in citrus fruits, strawberries, green vegetables and tomatoes. Vitamin C has been shown to naturally hinder the histamine pathway, a pathway directly involved with the immune response in the body.†

Mangosteen Fruit is a tropical fruit that has immune-modulating effects to help mediate inflammatory pathways in the body. According to Millie Lytle, ND, MPH, CNS, in an article entitled, The Histamine Connection” Food and Environmental Allergies, “Histamine is a compound produced by the body that mediates immune responses and is directly involved in the inflammatory response. Mangosteen has been shown to have potent inhibitory activities of histamine release.”†

Quercetin is a flavonoil that works in combination with Vitamin C to support healthy circulation to the face and head, immune defense and clear nasal passageways. In a 2010 study published in the journal Pharmacological Research, daily supplementation with Quercetin was associated with fewer sick days related to upper respiratory tract infections and a reduction in a severity of infections after 12 weeks.†

Nettle Leaf promotes detoxification through the kidneys and urinary tract and relieve occasional itch and irritation in the nose, eyes, and skin. In a 2019 study published in the journal Phytotherapy Research, using nettle extract on immune cells found that it inhibits key haywire immune system reactions that trigger the inflammation and symptoms in allergic reactions in people with pollen allergies.†