Natural Remedies For COPD

Get Physical Exercise

When dealing with COPD, a person’s capacity to exercise will be reduced. However, exercising regularly to build up lung strength is an important part of treating COPD well. Stronger lungs help reduce shortness of breath, coughing and other symptoms. Working with a doctor to devise a specific exercise plan for COPD is recommended. However, a great thing to start with is going out for regular walks, especially in the country. Treadmill walks work quite well too! Yoga can also help people focus on their breathing while getting exercise.

Start by exercising three times a week with a rest day in between each exercise day. Paired with eating clean, getting regular physical exercise also helps people maintain a healthy weight. Doing this puts less stress on the lungs, reducing the severity of COPD symptoms!

Practice Specific Breathing Exercises

Breathing exercises are incredible at building lung strength. Once again, lung strength is key in treating COPD symptoms! There are two breathing methods of particular use here. The first is breathing with pursed lips. To do this, people must first relax their shoulders and neck. They then breathe in through their nose deeply while keeping their mouth closed. Then, it’s time to purse their lips and exhale all the air.

The other breathing method for COPD is breathing from the diaphragm. This is best done laying down with bent knees. Pillows provide great support for under the head and knees. Placing one hand on the stomach and the other on the chest helps ensure the breath is coming from the diaphragm. Upon inhaling, the stomach rises and the chest stays still when breathing from the diaphragm. Tightening the stomach and exhaling helps release the breath. The lips can be pursed slightly here for an extra push.

Repeating these breathing exercises three times daily is best for treating COPD. It is also helpful to practice them when feeling stressed, exercising, or other times when shortness of breath does occur.