THE BREATH OF LIFE
A person who doesn't panic or fear and has normal body weight could go about 110 days without food. A person could go 15 or 16 days without water, if they have a cool head and think right. But you couldn't go very long without breathing. You can see how important those lungs are.
There are four eliminative channels of the body: the bowel, the urinary tract, the skin, and the lungs. It is imperative that we keep them all in working order--free of clogging mucus and sediment. Some people have an inherently weak lung structure and they must work harder to maintain health. These sensitive people need to rebuild the respiratory system with careful adherence to the mucusless diet and the use of herbs.
The spinal column may be out of alignment and the 5th thoracic vertebrae being misaligned can contribute to respiratory problems. Any number of spinal adjustments can afford temporary relief but will come "undone" within a matter of hours, days, or weeks unless we follow a proper diet and regime which will rebuild the nerves and muscles going to that vertebrae.
We must keep the breath of life flowing deeply and smoothly. Good deep breathing will offset a lot of malfunction in the body through the process of reoxygenation. A shallow breather is usually a sickly person. Breathing is automatic to us. We don't even stop to think about it. From the first breath of air into our lungs as a baby to our last gasp, breathing is taken for granted, although we have forgotten how to breathe properly.
I was a very shallow breather and sunken-chested as I grew up and when I was in my early thirties, I was having consumption problems. I had breathed a lot of sawdust in the planing area of a sawmill in earlier years in addition to the dust floating about in a cabinet maker's shop, where I had worked. It got to where I was doing very shallow breathing because it hurt to breathe deeply. I felt that this condition was serious, although I didn't know what to do about it. One night I had a dream. In this dream an ugly, old lady came to me and said: "You're supposed to breathe Deep, Deep, DEEP. She opened her mouth and took in a great deep breath. She had the ugliest teeth I had ever seen. The dream was very vivid. She said, "You'll keep alive if you learn to breathe deeply." The next morning I thought I would follow her advice and clumsily started to breathe deeply. I opened my mouth widely and took in air any old way I could get it into me. I practiced this for about 10 days and while walking up the street, I met a friend, an author named Niels Lundwall, whom I hadn't seen in years. He said he was thinking about me that very morning and he had a feeling that he might see me soon; so he packed into his briefcase a little booklet about breathing. It was a simple book, and it told me to keep my mouth shut and breathe through my nose.
I tried this for a couple or three weeks and this was fine but soon I came across an amazing book called The Science of Breath by Yoga Ramakarshi. It explained how the lungs took in the air and reoxygenated the body taking iron into the whole system. When I had first begun my breathing exercises, I was breathing so shallow that I had no more than 3/4 of an inch chest expansion--it was hard to even get my chest out. As time went on, Uncle Sam said that it was time for me to go into the army. The Sergeant measured my chest expansion when I inhaled and exhaled and he had a higher officer come up to me and then another higher officer and finally a major who said, "Would you switch from the army and join the submarine crew?" I asked why, and he replied, "You're to be in the Medics in the army but we need you in the submarine crew because you have a five and a half inch chest expansion and we don't run into this very often." Even in my thirties, I had changed my chest expansion to be able to handle more oxygen. My health had also improved.
The lungs, then, are extremely important even though they are lying in the body completely ignored.
If we would try deep breathing first as a preventative measure and always do our breathing in the cleanest air possible, we will obtain the best results.
MUCUS IN THE LUNGS
Sometimes we have a problem with the lungs filling up with mucus resulting in colds, flu, and pneumonia. Some good procedures for the colds and flu are presented in our little booklet, The Cold Sheet Treatment and Aids for the Common Cold.
ASTHMA
Asthma is one of the top killers in the country today. It is caused by the system being filled with waste matter and mucus coming from the use of devitalized foods or a nervous condition with irritated nerves. In asthma, we have the characteristic wheezing and dry painful cough along with difficult breathing, irritation of the mucous membranes in the nasal passages and bronchial tubes, constriction of the chest, and the spitting up of mucus.
Only by changing a person's living habits (especially diet) will permanent relief from asthma be obtained. Certainly the odors, pollen, and smoke will aggravate an already irritated respiratory system, but these are not the ultimate cause. There are several herbal aids that will give relief from an asthma attack. Tincture of lobelia and valerian tea with a little cayenne added will relieve the spasms.
We have several formulas which act as foods to cleanse and rebuild the respiratory tract. The first is the formula for allergies, sinus problems, and hayfever called Sinus Plus Formula. The herbs in this combination are Brigham tea (Ephedra species), marshmallow root (Althea officinalis), golden seal root (Hydrastis canadensis), chaparral (Larrea tridentata), burdock root (Arctium lappa), parsley root (Petroselinum crispum), lobelia (Lobelia inflata) and cayenne (Capsicum annum). The above herbs are natural decongestants and antihistamines which dry up the sinuses and help the body to expel excess mucus from the head and the broncho-pulmonary tubes. Of course, allergies and hayfever need to be remedied through the mucusless diet as well as the herbs. If one remains on the mucusless diet for at least one year, all allergies should vanish.
For irritations of the respiratory tract, lungs, and bronchials, the Lung & Bronchial formula can be used: comfrey leaf (Symphytum officinale), mullein (Verbascum thapsus), chickweed (Stellaria media), marshmallow root (Althea officinalis), and lobelia (Lobelia inflata). Emphysema, bronchitis, asthma and tuberculosis sufferers have been helped by using this formula either as a tea (three cups a day), or in capsules (two or three capsules or tablets three times a day with a cup of comfrey tea). Three to six drops of tincture of lobelia may be added to the tea for additional aid.
The Antispasmodic Formula composed of skullcap herb, lobelia, cayenne, valerian root, skunk cabbage, myrrh gum and black cohosh will relieve an irritating cough.
The Nose Ointment is a natural antihistamine. It can be applied to the inside of the nose when it is congested, sensitive or chapped.
For removing heavy metals or mineral toxins from the body such as the industrial pollutants in the air we breathe, the Heavy Mineral Bugleweed & Cilatro Formula is valuable: bugleweed, yellow dock and lobelia. The suggested dosage of the heavy mineral formula is two capsules three times a day along with six chaparral capsules or a cup of chaparral tea. Every other day, the person should bathe in 1-3 pounds of Epsom salts in a bathtub full of hot water. The bathing routine should be continued for three weeks and then rest a week although the herbs should be continued throughout.
We can also use single herbs that are high in oxygen to replace oxygen in the body which is destroyed in the air by the industrial pollutants and the carbon monoxide from automobiles. Red clover blossom tea is one of these. Another is apple juice which oxygenates the bowel.
Several years ago I made a house call to a home where an old man was very ill with asthma. His sons called me over to treat him saying that he could hardly breathe because his lungs were filled up with fluids. He had great difficulty sleeping for more than a half hour at a time, the mucus discharge from his lungs made rest impossible. We gave him a cup of peppermint tea first and then a tablespoon of tincture of lobelia every ten minutes. After about an hour, the emetic effect of the lobelia started to work and the man vomited at least a cup of fluid from the lungs. He continued to vomit non-stop for about 15 minutes. There was yellow, green, and even black, sooty material expelled from his lungs. Now anyone throwing up with that frequency and intensity would have had a bruised abdominal region, but the peppermint tea before the lobelia prevented bruising. Once the excess phlegm was out, the man could rest peacefully for the first time in many years. We later advised the brothers to keep their dad on the mucusless diet and plenty of steam-distilled water (one ounce or more for each pound of body weight) and to use the Lung & Bronchial formula.
Another successful formula for someone suffering from an asthmatic condition is a green drink made in a blender with fresh comfrey leaves, fresh peppermint leaves, and fresh (or canned) pineapple juice. This drink rebuilds the respiratory tract while the pineapple juice cuts through mucus and phlegm. Of course anyone suffering from asthma should eliminate all sugar, salt, and processed "foods" from their diet. Carrot juice alone or mixed with fresh spinach juice or fresh garlic juice is very effective in the treatment of any respiratory illness. Raw onions are also natural antihistamines.
CONSTIPATION
In the case of many of the pulmonary disorders, look to constipation as the cause. It is the major cause of most diseases. Morbid matter retained in the bowels will try to seek another avenue of elimination, this oftentimes being the lungs. Make sure the bowels are kept open.
SPECIFIC HERBS
Comfrey is a specific for the bronchials. It soothes, rebuilds, and can be used whenever a mucilaginous or demulcent herb is needed. It has saved many lives when used for hemorrhage of the lungs.
Mullein has an affinity for the respiratory organs. It can alleviate pain from pulmonary complaints by soothing inflamed and irritated nerves.
Chickweed is the little "pest" that grows many gardens. This herb is wonderful for pulmonary complaints. It has the ability to remove fluids from the lungs.
Marshmallow root and herb is a soothing, healing plant. It contains high amounts of calcium and lime. It can also be used whenever a demulcent herb is needed.
Slippery Elm is a gentle but powerful herb. It is extremely soothing to inflamed respiratory tracts. It was once used extensively for soothing sore throats and coughs. The herb is nutritive and can sustain lives.
Elecampane can be used in any disorder of the respiratory tract where there is pus or morbid matter in the system. It contains potassium chloride which dissolves excess fibrin or mucus. Elecampane is a valuable herb to use when clearing up old chronic diseases of the lung and chest.
Licorice root is one of the best and mildest expectorants we have. It has formed the base for many patented cough medicines. We may safely give it to our children.
Hyssop is indicated when the chest is congested, but phlegm cannot be broken up and expelled easily. It is best given as a tea.
Cayenne pepper has always been taken to cut through mucus in most of the respiratory diseases. It is our finest stimulant and can be used alone or with other herbs.
Elderflowers and peppermint in combination as a tea will relieve symptoms of colds and influenza. The diaphoretic (sweating) effect helps eliminate toxic material from the body through the pores of skin and takes a load off the respiratory tract. In any respiratory ailment, sweat baths are very helpful.
A WORD ABOUT HAY FEVER, POLLEN AND ALLERGIES
Many folks suffer great discomfort during the pollination season of plants. They attribute their symptoms to the pollen, saying that they are "allergic" to it. What is happening is that the pollen is bringing out of their bodies years of accumulated toxins. These come out in the form of mucus running from the nose, eyes, and lungs. Symptomatic relief can be obtained by using the Sinus Plus Formula, but again, permanent change can only be had through faithful adherence to the mucusless diet. After one year on the mucusless diet, all allergies should disappear. For an immunity to the local pollen, a tablespoon of local raw honey may be taken daily. It won't do you any good to take honey from Hawaii or Minneapolis if you are sneezing from pollen in Copperstown, North Dakota.
Remember: keeping the respiratory tract clear "is a matter of life and breath!"
