Asthma Healing

Causes

An increasingly toxic environment - indoor and outdoor pollution; chemically laden, nutrient-poor food; food and environmental allergens - contributes to the development of the chronically inflamed, over-reactive lungs that precipitate asthma attacks. And asthma drugs have become part of the problem. These drugs suppress symptoms - a lifesaving action when used judiciously, but extremely harmful when used to allow continued exposure to the inflammatory agents that cause asthma while inflamed lung tissues silently continue to deteriorate.

Natural relief

Asthma is the body's way of adamantly saying "No!" to an overload of inflammatory environmental and dietary toxins. To give yourself a breather, lighten your toxic load.

Avoid asthma triggers

Take a look at your daily life and try to figure out which of the following common triggers may be contributing to your asthma. Concentrate on avoiding the worst offenders. Once these have been curtailed for several weeks, minor triggers may no longer be troublesome.

Common Environmental Triggers

Common Dietary Triggers
Yeast (breads, sauces, dried fruits, cheese, mushrooms)

• Cow's milk and dairy products
  
• Eggs
  
• Soy
  
• Wheat
  
• Sulfites
  
• Food additives
  


 

Actions that spell asthma relief

 

• Get a HEPA (high-energy-particulate arresting) air filter for your bedroom and other rooms in which you spend the majority of your time.
  
• Cover mattress, box springs and pillows with dust-proof cases. Use hypoallergenic or 100 percent cotton bedding and wash sheets weekly in hot water. Purchase new pillows at least once each year.
  
• Replace wall-to-wall carpeting with hardwood floors or ceramic tile.
  Use leather or wood rather than upholstered furniture. If this is not possible, treat carpet and furnishings with a tannic acid spray.
  
• Keep pets out of the bedroom. Brush dogs and cats regularly and give them a weekly bath.
  
• If cockroaches are suspect, sprinkle boric acid - a non-allergenic, relatively safe insecticide - wherever they are likely to be found.
  
• Clean mold-prone areas regularly with a non-toxic solution made from borax and vinegar mixed with water in a spray bottle. Spray on and wipe off.
  
• Replace all harsh cleaning products with nontoxic products. Avoid soft plastics and plastic wrap for food. Use waxed paper, glass, ceramic or steel containers for storage and serving.
  
• Check local pollen and mold counts at The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology .When pollen counts are highest, try to stay indoors.
  
• Go on a hypoallergenic diet for one week, consuming only lamb, turkey, rice, carrots, pears and sweet potatoes. Reintroduce one new food every day for three days, monitoring for any adverse reactions. Reintroduce top allergens - milk, eggs, soy and wheat - in pure, unadulterated form.
  


 

Supplemental nutrients
Vitamins and minerals
Vitamin E - protects the cell's fatty membrane and neutralizes damaging effects of ozone, which worsens asthma and allergies. 400 IU per day of mixed tocopherols.
Vitamin C - an antihistamine and antioxidant that also stimulates white cells to fight infection, directly kills many bacteria and viruses and regenerates vitamin E after it has been inactivated by fighting free radicals. 3,000 mg per day in divided doses.

Vitamin A - essential for the health of epithelial cells and mucus membranes in the respiratory system - the body's first line of defense against substances that can trigger an asthma attack. Vitamin A is fat-soluble and is stored in the body, so don't exceed 5,000 IU per day.

Beta-carotene - a potent free radical quencher that helps detoxify smoke and other air pollutants, plus modulates the release of anti-inflammatory prostaglandins and leukotriennes. 25,000 IU per day.

Zinc - zinc and copper are necessary for the production of one of the body's most important endogenous antioxidants, superoxide dismutase. Zinc also boosts immunity by increasing antibody production. Excessive zinc can displace other minerals so, except for short-term use of higher dosages during a respiratory infection, limit dosage to 25 mg per day.

Selenium - an antioxidant that also activates glutathione peroxidase. Glutathione not only protects the mitochondria (the cells' energy factories), but also the liver cells responsible for clearing pathogens and toxins from the body. 200 mcg per day.

B complex - Allergies frequently signal inadequate pantothetic acid (B5). Studies have found B6 (50 mg per day) can dramatically reduce asthma in asthmatics with low levels of this B vitamin. B12 boosts immunity and helps combat the fatigue associated with chronic illness. Per day, in divided doses to enhance absorption: 50 mg B2 and B3, 100 mg B1 , 500 mg B5, 150 mg B6, 1,000 mcg B12.

Magnesium - a natural bronchodilator that stabilizes mast cells and relaxes muscles, dilating bronchioles and quickly opening up airways. Magnesium aspartate or citrate, 500 mg per day.

Additional asthma relief nutrients

Flavonoids - key antioxidants in the treatment of asthma, various flavonoids - notably quercitin - have been shown to inhibit histamine release and the manufacture of inflammatory leukotrienes. Quercitin also spares vitamin C and stabilizes membranes. 400 mg 20 minutes before each meal.

Essential fatty acids - found in flaxseed and fish oils, EFAs inhibit the powerful inflammatory prostaglandin E2. For those who eat fish regularly, 6 grams (6 capsules) daily. For those who do not eat fish, 3 tablespoons of flaxseed oil per day.
Two possible caveats: In the 10 percent of asthmatics who are sensitive to aspirin, fish oils not only did not help but intensified their asthma. Also, as fish oils thin the blood, they should not be used by asthmatics at risk for strokes.
N-acetyl-cysteine (NAC) - along with selenium, this amino acid is a building block for glutathione. In addition NAC - a potent antioxidant in its own right - reduces inflammation in the lungs and clears out mucus. 500 mg two to four times a day.

Healing Herbs for Asthma

Echinacea - the premier immune boosting tonic herb, echinacea is anti-infective, anti-viral and anti-bacterial. 400 mg of freeze dried herb twice a day.

Ginkgo biloba - a potent anti-inflammatory herb that reduces circulating levels of platelet-activating factor (PAF), which can trigger allergies and asthma. Be patient - in some clinical trials 12 weeks were needed to produce results. Take gingko as a standardized extract at 24 percent,
three 40-mg tablets or capsules per day in divided doses.

Licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra) - an anti-inflammatory, anti-allergenic agent called glycrrhetinic acid in licorice root has shown cortisol-like activity; specifically, it inhibits prostaglandin and leukotrienne manufacture like corticosteroids such as prednisone. Licorice is also an
expectorant. Powdered root, 1-2 g three times per day or tincture (1:1), 2-4 ml three times a day.

Lobelia - lobelia stimulates the adrenal gland to produce hormones that relax bronchial muscles and is also an expectorant. Tincture 20 drops three times a day.

Green Tea (Camellia sinesis) - a rich source of flavonoids - plant compounds that work with vitamin C to strengthen the walls of capillaries and quench allergies and inflammation. A cup of green tea contains about 400 mg of polyphenols. One of these, EGCG (epigallocatechin gallate), is a more potent antioxidant than either vitamin C or E. Drink several cups a day, but don't add cow's milk - it shuts down polyphenols' beneficial actions.

Milk thistle (Silybum marianum) - milk thistle not only protects the liver - the body's primary detoxification organ - from damage incurred in the process of dismantling toxins, it stimulates the growth of new, healthy liver cells. Silymarin, the active agent in milk thistle, can protect the liver from a wide range of poisons - from alcohol to prescription drugs (without interfering with the drug's potency). 70 mg twice daily.

Siberian Ginseng (Eleuthroccocus) - an adaptogenic herb, particularly beneficial for adrenal support, that contains sterols, coumarins, lignans and other compounds that increase energy and the ability to tolerate stress. 400 mg in capsule form two times a day.

Chinese Ginseng (Panax) - a more potent ginseng and the better
choice if a person has been under considerable stress or has taken corticosteroids such as prednisone for a long period of time. 400 mg in capsule form two times a day.

Source: Written by Lara Pizzorno , contributed by healthshop.com