5 Ways to Improve the Symptoms of Asthma
Asthma is a lung condition where the airways narrow in response to specific triggers. These triggers cause the underlying muscles in the airways of the lungs to contract which decreases the air flow. The narrowing is usually reversible and coughing, wheezing and shortness of breath are the most common symptoms. Asthma affects more than 20 million Americans and is a very common condition in children.
Extrinsic asthma is related to your immune, or defense system, and is initiated by exposure to certain allergens like dust, mold, animal dander, pollens, etc. Intrinsic asthma is independent of an immune response and tends to be caused by other factors such as cold weather, exercise, emotional upset and inhalants that are irritating. Many people can have a combination of the two.
Numerous people who have asthma are on a combination of medications, including anti-inflammatory drugs which help decrease the inflammation that triggers the airway to narrow. Bronchodilators are also used to open the airways especially during an attack. There are also some natural ways such as diet and lifestyle strategies as well as some natural substances that can help this condition but should not necessarily be used to replace medications. Below are 5 ways to improve the symptoms of asthma:
1. Avoiding pro-inflammatory foods such as wheat, dairy and processed sugar will help lower the overall inflammatory burden in the body which will help to decrease frequency or the severity of the asthma.
2. Fish Oil – the omega 3 content in fish oil in the form of EPA and DHA helps lower inflammation in the body to help lower the inflammatory trigger associated with asthma.
3. Magnesium – a mineral that is very helpful in asthmatics. It helps bronchodilate or open up the air pathways.
4. Curcumin – Curcumin, the active ingredient in tumeric, will help lower inflammation in the body and also in the lungs. Finding a curcumin product that absorbs well into the system may be very helpful in asthma.
5. Buteyko Breathing – this unique style of breathing is different than most deep breathing exercises as the main emphasis is getting your body used to consuming less air which then allows more oxygen to be released into the tissues. This also retrains your body on how to properly breath and can be very effective for asthma.
Most adults who have asthma usually feel they have to use their medications for the rest of their life. However, if you are interested in finding out why certain triggers are bothering your asthma, you may want to find a naturopathic practitioner that will work with you on this. If it is allergic asthma, you want to find out why your immune system is hypersensitive. A contributing factor could be how well the liver and adrenal glands are functioning. If it is a nervous asthma, you may have to work on helping the nervous system respond better to stress. In Chinese medical theory, difficulty breathing in during an asthma attack is considered more of a kidney pattern as it is said that the kidneys are not able to grasp the qi. Difficulty breathing out would be more of a lung pattern associated with the lung organ itself or the muscles surrounding the lungs that assist in the breathing process. These are just a few ideas of what to explore in someone that has chronic asthma.
