High Dietary Fiber Benefits for Lungs | Fiber Diet to Strengthen Lungs
Strengthen Lungs with High Fiber:
In a study, people who ate at least twenty seven grams of fiber each day had more lung capacity as compared to people who consumed less than ten grams. The high fiber eaters were also 15% less likely to develop Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) like emphysema and chronic bronchitis, which are irreversible lung conditions that make breathing difficult.
Health Tip: Start your day with a bowl of wheat flakes, bran or oats. These make an ideal breakfast
Benefits of Dietary Fiber:
- Fiber helps to increase the satiety of the food that we consume.The increased satiety makes us chew for longer, thereby simplifying the process of digestion.
- Consumption of fiber stimulates the pancreas and increases pancreatic secretions. These secretions are essential for efficient digestion of our food.
- Fiber improves peristalsis in the intestines and reduces the transit time of feces. This in turn aids the process of digestion.
- The human intestine contains several bacterial flora which is essential for efficient absorption of food. Regular consumption of fiber helps maintain a suitable bacterial flora in the colon.
- Rich Sources: The rich sources of fiber include wheat bran, psyllium seeds, apple, citrus fruits, oat bran and linseeds.
Pranayama to Strengthen Lungs:
- Nadi Shadhana (Alternate Nostril Breath)
- Sit on the floor with your legs crossed and your back straight
- Bring the tip of the right thumb to rest just above your right nostril
- Fold the index and middle finger while keeping the ring and the little finger together
- Press the right nostril shut with the right thumb and inhales through the left nostril. At the end of the inhalation, close the left nostril with the ring and little finger and release the thumb. Exhale through the right nostril
- Next inhale through the right nostril and exhale through the left. This completes the first round of Nadi Sadhana.
Benefits of Nadishodana:
- This yogic exercise helps us purify our nadis (i.e. the subtle energy channels within our body)
- It balances the energy flow between the right and left sides of our body
- Yoga has several psychological benefits as it helps you to re-focus on your thoughts and calm you down. This in turn enhances your mental processes and helps you concentrate better.
Benefits of Pranayama:
- It controls and regulates our breath and respiratory system
- It works towards increasing the capacity of the lungs
- It detoxifies the body or promotes the process of detoxification
- It increases the amount of oxygen brought to all the cells and enhances all the cellular processes.
- It acts as a bridge to our nervous system and teaches us how to breathe deeply. This helps you to connect to your mind.
November 8, 2009 | Filed Under
Health Research and News
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