How to control asthma naturally


Asthma is an episodic constriction of the bronchial tubes. It is a common disorder of both children and adults, often regarded as mysterious and frustrating to treat.

The condition is marked by wheezing especially on expiration, coughing, and difficulty in breathing. Asthma can appear and disappear without warning. If an attack is severe enough, it can kill.

The immediate cause of an asthmatic attack is tightening of the muscular bands that regulate the size of the bronchial tubes. These muscles are controlled by nerves, but what triggers the nerves to make airways constrict inappropriately is not clear. The triggers for asthma can be primarily allergic or primarily emotional or induced by exercise or respiratory infection, or it can occur with no obvious causes. It is now being considered an inflammatory disorder.

The hypothesis holds that children who grow up in crowded and dirtier environments are less likely to develop these ailments than youngsters raised in cleaner, more protected environments. The idea is that the developing immune systems of less privileged kids are exposed to lots of germs from an early age and so become stronger and more protective of health. The hypothesis recently got a big boost in credibility. 

Treatment of asthma has two aspects: management of acute attacks and long-term control or prevention. Conventional treatments are sometimes the best choices for acute attacks, where immediate relief can be a life-and-death matter.For allergic asthma, one of the safest and best drugs is inhaled cromolyn sodium. Most bronchodilating drugs are stimulants that increase sympathetic tone and anxiety. Theophylline, derived from tea, has a long history of use, but may not be as safe as doctors used to think. It can cause dramatic personality changes. Other drugs of this class can be inhaled to relieve and prevent attacks. These inhalers work, but they are often addictive, since the bronchial tubes are likely to become constricted again when one dose wears off.

Natural medicine can significantly strengthen immune function which can in turn help prevent asthma attacks. If you’re looking for ways to manage asthma naturally, here are some tips:

• Exercise: Physical activity increases your lung capacity and strengthens the muscles you use to breathe.
• Acupuncture: There's evidence that acupuncture curbs inflammatory immune-system substances involved in allergic reactions
• Omega-3 fatty acids: Omega-3 fatty acids have a direct anti-inflammatory effect on mucous membranes. In a study of 29 children with asthma, those who took fish oil for 10 months reduced their symptoms compared to children who took a placebo.
• Vitamin D: Studies show that children with asthma have low levels of vitamin D compared to kids without asthma symptoms.
• Butterbur: This natural herb has anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic properties, research studies have shown it may help with asthma.

Chiropractors focus on keeping your body well balanced. A healthy spine is essential for a healthy nerve system, which coordinates ALL of the other systems in your body.

For long term control and prevention:

• Decrease protein to 10 percent of daily caloric intake. Replace animal protein as much as possible with plant protein
• Eliminate milk and milk products, substituting other calcium sources.
• Eat organically grown fruits and vegetables as much as possible.
• Eliminate polyunsaturated vegetable oils, margarine, vegetable shortening, all partially hydrogenated oils that might contain trans-fatty acids, all foods that might contain trans-fatty acids (such as deep-fried foods).
• Use extra-virgin olive oil as your main fat.
• Increase intake of omega-3 fatty acids.
• Always drink plenty of water to keep your respiratory tract secretions more fluid.
• Experiment with eliminating (one at a time) wheat, corn, soy and sugar for six to eight weeks to see if the condition improves.
• Eat ginger and turmeric regularly for their anti-inflammatory effects.
• Have some manipulative work done on the chest to break up restrictive patterns in nerves and muscles that develop in chronic asthma. The best systems I know for this are osteopathic manipulation, especially from a practitioner of cranial therapy, and Rolfing, a form of deep-tissue massage.
• Minimize contact with respiratory irritants, such as smoke, dust, molds, and volatile chemicals. Remove sources of offending materials from your home, install a good air filtration system, or consider moving if the air is generally bad where you live. Experiment with living in other locations: in high mountains, the desert, or near the seacoast. Asthma may improve greatly with a change of climate.
• In adults, GERD (acid reflux disease) may be an underlying cause of asthma. In such cases, successful treatment of the digestive problem will often clear up the asthma.
• Experiment with traditional Chinese medicine and Ayurvedic medicine (the traditional healing system of India). These systems are sometimes able to offer significant help through more specific dietary adjustments and herbal treatments.

Warm up very slowly to the point where you almost feel the "tightness" associated with exercise-induced asthma. Then stop and stretch or, if you're exercising vigorously, slow down. By taking this break, you often can block the development of asthmatic symptoms. You can then go back to your normal pace. This may take some getting used to, but can sometimes eliminate the need for medication. 
Try breath work. The most effective approaches are pranayama techniques (breath control exercises taught in some yoga classes). You can do these after the initial warm-up when symptoms are almost felt.
Find a form of physical activity that minimizes your exercise-induced symptoms. Sports or activities that have intermittent rest periods (such as tennis, softball, and golf) can allow you to regain control of your breathing. Swimming may be better than running outdoors in cold weather, but no type of exercise is off-limits with proper treatment.
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