Breathing exercise 2 - How to cough up what is not supposed to be there!

[EmJay]

When you first stop smoking, you may feel that you have more phlegm and mucus on your chest. This may cause you to feel a bit rattly and as though you need to 'cough something up'... Doesn't sound very nice, I know but this is a good sign.

At the end of the day, you are only coughing up what is not supposed to be there!

1. Stand up with your legs your shoulder width apart.

2. Put you hands on your hips.

3. Take a long, deep breath in through your nose - Very slowly.

4. When you feel like you have taken your fill of air in, take another little bit more.

5. Keeping your hands on your hips, slowly bend over forward. As you do, blow your breath out slowly through your mouth. Making a blowing noise as you do.

6. When you have pushed out that final bit of breath, stand up and give a gentle cough.

Repeat this 3 times.

Because you are not used to all this good clean oxygen, you may feel slightly dizzy - This is just an oxygen rush. However, if you are not used to it, then please have a comfy chair at the ready.

If this cough lasts more than a couple of weeks, it may be worth visiting your GP.

[EmJay Partner]

One of our lovely members has sent me a link that we would like to share with you regarding phlegm (not very nice I know) and how to get rid of it.

I have copied and pasted the article but please click on the following link for more details;

wikihow.com/index.php?actio...

You've woken up with terrible congestion in your throat, coughing a whole lot of phlegm. Soon enough you have a stinging throat. What's worse is you don't want to go outside to buy medicine. This article will show you what you can do to clear your throat using things you would have in your house.

[[Category:Cough Remedies]]

== Steps ==

=== Foods That Help Relieve Phlegm===

#Drink lemon tea with honey. You can either buy lemon tea, or make yourself some warm lemon water by mixing 2 teaspoons of lemon juice with a cup of warm water. The acidity of the lemon juice breaks up the mucus. Adding a tablespoon of honey to the mixture soothes your throat.{{largeimage|Get Rid of Mucus Step 1.jpg}}

#Eat spicy foods. Ever tried a bit of wasabi, only to have your nose start running uncontrollably? Spicy foods, such as horseradish or pepper, act as a decongestant and should help loosen up some of that noxious phlegm.{{largeimage|Get Rid of Mucus Step 5.jpg}}

#Drink warm liquids. Whether it's tea, chicken soup, or something in between, warm liquids will help nourish you while breaking up some of the mucus stuck in your throat.

# Gargle salt water. Mix 1/2 teaspoon of salt with a cup of warm water and gargle the mixture with your head tilted back.{{largeimage|Get Rid of Mucus Step 3.jpg}}

# Eat toast. Toast is a good food to break phlegm and carry it down to your stomach. Toast scrapes the throat softly, removing some of the phlegm as it is ingested.

# Drink plenty of water. If your body is producing a lot of phlegm, it may be because it is trying to ward off sickness, which means your immune system is working on overdrive. Give your body the water it needs to do its job.{{largeimage|Get Rid of Mucus Step 2.jpg}}

# Drink a teaspoon of cider vinegar. It won't taste amazing but it will work. Swallow it as quickly as you can, then wait for 5-10 seconds. If the taste is still there, drink some water.

=== Avoiding Things That Produce Phlegm===

#Stop smoking. While you have an excess amount of mucus, try not to smoke. Smoking dries out the vocal chords, and your body creates more phlegm in an attempt to the replenish the moisture that was lost.{{largeimage|Get Rid of Mucus Step 10.jpg}}

#*In studies around the world, there has been a high correlation between smoking and phlegm production. <ref>ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl... If you are a smoker, consider using nicotene patches for a bit while your phlegm dies down.

#Avoid dairy. Milk or other dairy may not cause the body to produce more mucus<ref>ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/215..., but in some people the fat content of milk causes the mucus to become thicker.<ref>mayoclinic.com/health/phleg...

#Avoid exposure to fumes and hazardous chemicals. Paint fumes, cleaners, and other chemicals hurt the body's respiratory function.{{largeimage|Get Rid of Mucus Step 11.jpg}}

=== Other Strategies for Relieving Phlegm===

# Take a hot shower or inhale steam. The heat from the water causes the phlegm to loosen.{{largeimage|Get Rid of Mucus Step 7.jpg}}

#*Use a vaporizer if you have one. Try to strike a good balance of moisture in your room. You want to soothe your throat, but you don't want your room turning into a tropical jungle.

# Hum to yourself when you can. It is hypothesized that the humming vibrations help break up the phlegm in your throat.{{largeimage|Get Rid of Mucus Step 13.jpg}}

# Remember to 'spit, not swallow'. Always keep a tissue on hand in case you need to expel the phlegm discreetly; try not to swallow any coughed up phlegm.{{largeimage|Get Rid of Mucus Step 12.jpg}}

== Tips ==

* Drink lots of fluids.

* Gargles are good for clearing up throat and soothing it.

* Sleep with lots of pillows on top of each other as it helps you breathe better and cough less.

* Have a cough drop with menthol to cool throat.

*Keep neck area as warm as you can.

*Do not cough hard as you will end up damaging your throat or worse. You could crack a rib or damage muscles under your rib.

*Sleep might help, but sometimes getting on as normal has its up sides too.

* Use an air purifier.

* Tie a muffler or cloth around your face covering the ears and neck. It will reduce coughing while lying down..