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Ex-Smokers, A Pharmacist Ranked the 5
Best Things for Your Lungs
smoking. Now he's ranking every lung
recovery method — from free daily habits to
the clinically studied formula he built himself.
By Margaret Ellison, Health Editor
8 min read
Updated Feb 2026
winded on the stairs. There's still that heavy, tight
feeling in your chest — like you're breathing
through a wet towel.
That's because quitting stops the damage. It
doesn't undo it. Years of tar, mucus, and
inflammation don't disappear on their own. Your lungs need help finishing the job.
ranked from good to best.
your lungs.
Smoking coated your airways with thick, sticky
mucus. Now that you've quit, your body is trying
to clear it out — but it needs help loosening the
gunk. Warm, moist air softens that mucus so you can finally cough it up.
clearance significantly in people with chronic
lung issues.
your head. Breathe deeply for 5-10 minutes. Do it
2-3 times a day. Drink 8+ glasses of water to thin
mucus from the inside out.
towel
cleaning house
mucus. It can't support the deeper cleanup
your lungs need after years of smoking. For
that, you need something that works from the
inside.
Smoking lit a fire inside your lungs. Even after
you quit, that inflammation keeps smoldering
like embers that won't go out. Certain foods act like a fire extinguisher.
up to 38% in people who ate 2+ servings a week.
ex-smokers.
had nearly 10% better lung function.
protect lung tissue from scarring.
easier than you think.
left behind
lungs
The catch: Diet takes months to show real
results. And let's be honest — most people
don't eat 5 apples a week. This is a solid long- term play, not a fast fix.
Smoking trained you to take short, shallow
breaths. Over time, your diaphragm — the big
muscle under your lungs — got weak. Breathing exercises wake it back up.
breathing led to noticeable gains in breathing
power.
counts. Out through pursed lips (like blowing out
a candle) for 4 counts. That's it. This is the
foundation of every pulmonary rehab program in
the country.
breathing exercises
months
Association
The catch: Breathing exercises strengthen the
muscles around your lungs. They don't help
clear the buildup clogging your airways. You're building a stronger engine — but the exhaust pipe is still blocked.
See why
BetterLungs® took the #1 spot →
Every lung doctor agrees on this one: move your body.
Here's the wild part — ex-smokers benefit MORE from exercise than people who never smoked.
improved lung capacity in former smokers at a
higher rate than non-smokers. Your lungs are
waiting for the signal to rebuild.
you breathe, the more air pushes through your
lungs, helping your body sweep out old debris.
most days.
Swimming is especially good — it forces
controlled breathing. One study found that
quitting combined with exercise improved lung
function by 15% in under 8 weeks.
of quitting + exercise
recovery
smokers
The catch: Exercise takes weeks to months. And if you can barely walk to the mailbox without wheezing, "just exercise more" isn't helpful advice. It's frustrating. Your lungs need support they can use right now — even on the days you can't get off the couch.
Steam, food, breathing drills, exercise — they all work ON your lungs. But none of them work
INSIDE your lungs.
the deep, stuck-on buildup that's been sitting in
your airways since your first cigarette.
The stuff that makes breathing feel like sucking
air through a coffee straw.
Editor's Pick
Chlorophyll Drops
365-day guarantee
why it exists.
"Shuggie" — had smoked for most of her life. By
the time the damage caught up with her, the
doctors could only manage symptoms. She
couldn't breathe. She couldn't walk across the
room. And Chris, a trained medic, couldn't save
her.
cause. Smoking-related lung complications.
from the University of Texas at Austin. He studied
every drug, every treatment, every option on the
market.
medications managed symptoms, but they
didn't support the body's natural ability to
recover.
problems for over 2,000 years.
irritated airways with a soft, protective coating,
while its natural compounds help support your
body's ability to loosen and move out built-up
mucus.
One dropper delivers the equivalent of 2,800mg of raw mullein leaf.
provides antioxidant support that may help your
body manage the oxidative stress from years of
smoke exposure.
system to deal with what smoking left behind.
other supplement on the shelf.
products at all.
hired an independent research lab to run a real
clinical study. 100 people. 60 days. Triple-blind.
nobody — not the participants, not
the researchers, not the company — knew who
got the real drops and who got the placebo
airways in 60 days
during physical activity.
compared to
my breathing by like 15-20%. Which is
awesome. I can't really ask more from
a product like this."
that I took and my lines have never felt
better. I will buy again."
started seeing results after about three
weeks. Be patient. It works, but it takes
time."
"My mother has [breathing issues]. She has been using these drops for over 2 weeks now. Huge improvement in her coughing and breathing!! 10/10
Recommend!"
different. That tight, heavy feeling in your chest —
it's lighter. Like someone cracked open a window
you didn't know was closed.
alarm clock for years? It's quieter. Some days it
doesn't come at all. You have energy at 3pm you
haven't felt in a decade.
realize — you're not stopping. No hand on the
railing. No catching your breath. You're just
walking up stairs. Like it's nothing.
kind that fills your whole chest — and it hits you.
This is what breathing is supposed to feel like.
Chlorophyll
work."
ingredients in clinical doses, tested in a triple-
blind study. Plus you have
coffee. Subscribe and it drops under a dollar.
Compare that to inhalers, doctor visits, or
another year of struggling to breathe.
GMP-certified facility in the USA. Third-party
tested by Eurofins Scientific. Non-GMO, alcohol-
free, vegetarian.
lung recovery from the inside
trial
members to smoking
year, risk-free
water
Right now, the tiny hairs in your lungs are trying
to sweep out years of buildup on their own.
They're working around the clock — but they're
outmatched. Every week you wait is another week your lungs fight that battle alone.
give your lungs the help to finish the job.
Need →
The 5 methods above can help speed that up.
breathing exercises, and daily walks.
recovery that those methods can't reach,
BetterLungs® is the only clinically studied
option on this list.
It was built by a pharmacist
backed by a full year guarantee.
and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose,
treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Individual results may vary. This
article is for informational purposes only and is not medical advice.
Consult your doctor before starting any supplement, especially if you
have a medical condition or take medications. BetterLungs® is a
dietary supplement. Clinical study results are based on self-reported
outcomes. Testimonials reflect individual experiences and are not
guaranteed.