It is said "to have a cough" and reads "we have bronchitis ".

In medical terms, it is an inflammation of the walls of the bronchi (the structures that allow the passage of the air flow to and from the lungs).

If it is a passing form, due to the bad season, perhaps a few natural remedies are enough, cover a little and eat a few tablespoons of honey.

There are instead situations in which the cough becomes obstinate and does not pass: the bronchitis has become chronic, or the bronchi suffer from a protracted inflammation.

We know better causes and remedies for chronic bronchitis.

Chronic bronchitis: the causes

By definition, we can speak of chronic bronchitis when the cough remains for most of the day for at least three months a year in two consecutive years.

This is a serious condition : the walls of the bronchi are thickened and permanently inflamed.

The main causes of chronic bronchitis are:

• Cigarette smoke
• Air pollution
• Powders or toxic gases present in the workplace

There are also numerous risk factors, or situations to which great care must be taken as they can increase the chances of contracting chronic bronchitis.

For chronic bronchitis, the major risk factors are:

• Passive cigarette smoking
• Low immune defenses (for example in conjunction with other acute diseases)
• Age: elderly and children are more vulnerable to infections in general
• Gastroesophageal reflux: it can weaken the mucisa of the esophagus and make it more vulnerable.

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Chronic bronchitis: the remedies

The first remedy is to go back to the cause of chronic bronchitis, and try to remedy it. In cases of chronic bronchitis and especially if you already suffer from heart or lung disease, talk to your doctor immediately to avoid further complications.

In addition, there are different types of remedies, which can also be applied simultaneously, to try to restore the health of our bronchi. We can group them in three groups: the remedies of the grandmother and those of the lifestyle, the natural remedies casaluìinghi, the food remedies.

Basic remedies

Here are my grandmother's recommendations always valid:

1. Rest a lot
2. Maintain your diet in general: fresh fruit and vegetables, whole grains mostly
3. Drink a lot during the day
4. Keep yourself well covered if it's cold

Lifestyle remedies

1. Do not expose yourself to irritating volatile substances for a long time: smog, cigarette smoke, paint, chemical household cleaners
2. Use a humidifier : it will help keep the mucous membranes hydrated during the night
3. Breathe slowly, inhaling deeply and exhaling from the mouth to parted lips.

Natural and home remedies

1. Make an infusion with ginger, pepper and cloves, which you will sweeten with honey
2. Chop the almond stones and mix them in a glass of orange juice . Drink every night before bed.
3. Prepare special honey by adding chicory root powder. Take it three times a day
4. Gargle with salt water

Food remedies

1. Eat foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids such as cold-pressed linseed oil and fish .
2. Honey: has a soothing and sedative effect on the cough and is able to thin the phlegm. To be taken in purity or dissolve in a relaxing herbal tea.
3. Foods rich in vitamin C, which plays a crucial role in reinforcing our immune defenses : citrus fruits (including freshly made fresh-squeezed juices), peppers, hot peppers, cabbage, broccoli and crucifers.
4. Yogurt with added lactic ferments: useful to strengthen the immune system starting from the intestine .

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