Food, Chemicals and Mucus
When we’re constantly bombarding our bodies with different chemical toxicants and inflammation-causing processed foods, mucus production will be at an all-time high.
And as we age, our organs don’t function as well as they used to. The lungs, for example, have a decreased ability to clear mucus from the lungs as we age. Combine that with poor diet, and exposing yourself to chemicals like household cleaners, perfumes, etc., and you’ll have a scenario where you’re constantly dealing with an influx of mucus.
Foods you should steer clear of include:
– Red meat
– Deli meat
– Farmed fish
– Eggs
– All corn products (GMO)
– Dairy products (this includes milk, yogurt, cheese, ice cream, butter, ghee, sour cream, cottage cheese, etc.)
– Wheat (bread, pretzels, buns, bagels, pasta, muffins, etc.)
– Deep fried foods
– Foods high in refined sugar (cookies, cakes, pies, pastries)
– Soy products
– Alcoholic beverages
– Coffee
– Soda
Dairy is particularly mucus-producing, and you can read all about that in my article here.
Chemicals that enter the body come from:
– Pesticides and herbicides (those used on food, and those used for lawn care)
– Laundry detergent
– Dryer sheets
– Fabric softeners
– Dish soap
– Toothpaste
– Paint (used on your walls, or for arts & crafts)
– Plastics
– Tap water
– Air fresheners
– Cigarette smoke (first, second and third-hand)
– Shampoo/conditioner
– Scented candles
– Lotions and serums
– Household cleaners
– Cosmetics
– Deodorants
– Soap and other toiletries
– Sunscreen
– Perfumes, colognes and body sprays
– Processed foods
– Mercury from fish
– Gasoline vapors (exposed to more in the city)
– Hair and nail salons
– Bug sprays
– Plastic storage containers
– Mattresses made with toxic materials like PBDE
– Plastic drink bottles
– Non-stick cookware
– Dry-cleaned clothes
Mucus and Inflammation
When the body is presented with foreign invaders (like pathogens, bacteria, chemical compounds, processed foods and hidden food allergens), a specific cascade of events is set off. Your immune system goes into over-drive and your white blood cells and cytokines mobilize to protect you. When your body is consistently presented with these substances day in, day out, you get chronic inflammation.
When our bodies are chronically inflamed, the mucus membranes secrete more mucus to protect the delicate membranes lining our organs. The less inflamed you are, the less mucus you’ll be producing.
20 Mucus Cleansing Herbs, Fruit and Vegetables
Here is my master list of some of my favorite mucus cleansing herbs, fruit and vegetables. The herbs can be made into tea, juices, smoothies, or even put on top of salads. Eat the fruit and vegetables as you normally would – remember that when they are in their raw state, they function the best in the body.
Herbs
1. Burdock root
2. Sarsparilla
3. Dandelion root
4. Mullein
5. Peppermint
6. Cilantro
7. Ginger
8. Lobelia
9. Turmeric
10. Dill
Fruit & Vegetables
1. Radishes
2. Daikon root
3. Garlic
4. Leafy greens
5. Cucumbers
6. Cayenne
7. Pineapple
8. Citrus fruit (lemon, orange, grapefruit, lime)
9. Elderberries
10. Papaya
Remember, in addition to eating the foods above, you also need to: 1) reduce your consumption of the foods listed earlier, and 2) reduce and/or completely eliminate the chemical-based products from your life. There are natural alternatives to every chemical product mentioned above (often cheaper, too), so there really are no excuses.