Cleansing specific internal organs at different times of the year is a regular practice for people who follow the principles of Ayurveda, from India, and also in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Cleansing is a way to remove toxins from internal organs. We are all exposed to toxins from environmental pollution. Cleanse the lungs with tulsi, from Ayurveda, and do yoga poses such as setubhandasana (bridge pose) to help. Last, do the lung cleanse during the fall when TCM says the lungs are emphasized and eat garlic frequently.
Make Tea From Tulsi (Holy Basil)
According to Niik Auistgard of Ayurveda Rasa, tulsi, or holy basil, is great for cleansing the lungs. Make a simple tea by taking several dried leaves (or a sprig of fresh leaves) of tulsi, also known as holy basil and pouring a cup of boiling water over it. Steep for several minutes. Drink throughout the day.
"Tulsi is especially effective in supporting the heart, blood vessels, liver and lungs and also regulates blood pressure and blood sugar," says Dr. Ralph Miller, former director of research for the Canadian Department of Health and Welfare.
Consume Garlic
Fall is the season when lungs and the large intestine are emphasized, writes Carrie L'Esperance in The Ancient Cookfire (1998, Bear & Co. Publishing, Santa Fe, New Mexico). She states that the Chinese consider fall the metal element and cleansing the lungs is appropriate for most healthy people.
L'Esperance recommends eating garlic to help cleanse the lungs. She recommends making a garlic oil by chopping a large clove of garlic and adding it to a cup of warm olive oil in a glass jar. Allow the oil to cure for about four days and add to vegetables, salads and other foods. Garlic is a well-documented antibacterial food.
Do Yoga
Hatha yoga is the sister science to Ayurveda and the thousands of yoga poses all have a therapeutic purpose. For the lungs, any back bend will help clear toxins.
Start with setubhandasana or bridge by lying on the floor with feet flat, knees bent. Stack your knees over the ankles and lift the hips off the floor and bring the hands underneath, drawing the hands toward the base of the heels. Lengthen the tailbone out of the low back and emphasize the backbend in the upper mid-thoracic. Remain for several breaths: lower the hips to the floor to rest.
Tags: cleansing lungs, hips floor, internal organs, setubhandasana bridge, toxins from