Asthma is a chronic disease of the lungs, causing difficulty breathing because of blocked airways. The condition is characterized by wheezing, constriction, and inflammation of the lungs. People suffering from asthma usually have extra sensitive airways, which contract when irritated. This makes it difficult for air to circulate through the obstructed airway. Allergens, irritants, dry or humid environments, stress, anxiety or illness can trigger asthma attacks. Asthma is a long-term inflammatory disease that can be activated by the sufferer’s own immune system and its inability to handle environmental toxins.
The number of people suffering from asthma has been rising slowly over the past 20 years. The American Lung Association believes that environmental pollution may be a cause, as more people are exposed to a wider range of chemicals over the years.
Treatments for asthma usually include the use of inhalers to alleviate some of the symptoms and identifying the principal triggers so that the asthma sufferer can reduce the number of attacks or inflammation in their lungs by removing the triggers from their lives. This means that if an asthma sufferer’s trigger is dust, effort is made to eliminate as much dust from their home as possible. For many children who are severely asthmatics, families find that removing carpeting from their home can drastically reduce the number of attacks their children experience.
The elimination of their triggers is the beginning of a natural remedy for asthma, many parents and adults want to reduce the number of drugs that are sometimes prescribed to alleviate symptoms of asthma every day and turn to natural remedies instead that will help reduce inflammation and constriction of the lungs.
People who look to natural approaches to treat their asthma hope that reducing their exposure to allergens and toxins will help decrease the incidents of inflammatory response in the lungs they will also decrease their asthmatic symptoms.
What we eat also induces allergens into our bodies. One of the main causes of inflammation found in our diet is believed to be arachidonic acid. This acid is found in certain foods like shellfish, meat, and eggs. In a study conducted in Germany, a study of 524 children found that asthma is more common in people with high levels of arachidonic acid. Therefore, limited ingestion of food high in arachidonic acid can reduce symptoms of asthma.
What we eat can also reduce asthmatic attacks. Eating a diet that includes foods containing beneficial fats, such as EPA and GLA, has been shown to reduce inflammation and asthmatic responses. These fats can be found in omega-3 fatty acid supplements sold in health food stores.
In a study of 68,000 women who had higher consumption of tomatoes, carrots, and green leafy vegetables had a lower incidence of asthma. The researchers also found that an apple a day just may keep the doctor away. High consumption of apples may help protect against asthma and children who eat a daily portion of fruits and vegetables will decrease their risk of asthma attacks.
Researchers at the University of Dundee, Scotland have evaluated the effects of taking butterbur extracts in people with allergic asthma and use inhalers. They found that the perennial shrub, which grows in Europe, Asia, and North America, has anti-inflammatory effects. Another study of 80 people for four months, found that 40% were able to reduce their medication by the end of the study.
Taking Butterbur does have side effects which include indigestion, headache, fatigue, nausea, diarrhea or constipation. Pregnant women and nursing mothers, children, or those with kidney or liver disease should not use Butterbur. Just like chemicals man-made in the laboratory, chemicals from natural remedies can cause side effects. Anyone thinking of using any treatments should always do their homework before taking anything internally
While stress will not cause asthma, nor is asthma “all in the head”, stress will trigger an attack and make the attack worse. Natural relaxation remedies such as deep abdominal breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, guided imagery, and biofeedback can help a person learn how to reduce their stress response and therefore reduce the symptoms of asthma.
The last natural remedy that has been shown to work for people with asthma is weight loss. A number of studies seem to link obesity to incidents of inflammation and the symptoms of asthma. Natural remedies for asthma do not necessarily consist of the ingestion of herbs, drinking teas or participating in massage therapy. You can reduce your symptoms with techniques that are as simple as changing your diet, improving your rest, reducing stress, and learning breathing techniques.