Asthma is caused by muscle spasms that make bronchial tubes close and cut off the passage of air and blood supply to the lungs. What does asthma feel like? The result—shortness of breath, coughing, wheezing, chest retraction, flaring nostrils, and rapid heartbeat. In fact, the word “asthma” is derived from the Greek word for panting. An asthma attack can last from a few hours to several days. And one asthma attack can lead to another as the cilia membrane is destroyed, thus lowering resistance. Here’s what you can do to feel better.
HERBS THAT LET YOU BREATHE EASIER
A cup (235 ml) of black tea contains the alkaloid theophylline, which works as a mild bronchial dilator and can be helpful at the onset of an attack to open the air passages. Drink a cup of preferably organic black tea up to twice daily (but not in the evening, as it can interfere with sleep).
Lobelia tincture, which is considered an antispasmodic, can help stop the spasms associated with asthma when an attack is occurring. Five drops of lobelia tincture can be taken in a small amount of water up to four times daily during an attack.
WHEN TO SEE YOUR M.D.
In some severe cases, food allergies can cause life-threatening anaphylaxis and even death as airways constrict and breathing is impaired. Immediate medical attention is necessary if this happens. Doctors can also perform skin and blood tests (such as the radioallergosorbent test [RAST] or the ELISA brand) to help you determine whether you have a food allergy.
Applying a ginger compress to the chest and back is also helpful during an asthma attack. Simply take a clean washcloth and dip it into a cup of hot ginger tea. (You can even use herbal tea bags.) Wring it out and apply it to your chest (and later back). Make sure the temperature is not hot enough to burn the skin. Cover with a dry cloth to help hold the heat in. Hot compresses should be left in place until the heat has dissipated. Replace with another compress as soon as removing the first one.
VITAMINS THAT LET YOU BREATHE EASIER
Take supplemental vitamin C (1000 mg) to boost immunity and 10,000 IU beta-carotene daily to help strengthen the mucus membranes of the lungs. This will make them less susceptible to irritation and can help promote rapid healing. A study in the American Journal of Epidemiology in 1998 showed that vitamin C improves pulmonary or lung function.
Magnesium helps to open constricted bronchial tubes by relaxing spastic muscles. Take 250 mg twice a day, on a regular basis.
BEST FOODS FOR ASTHMA
The foods you eat can trigger an asthma attack. To help figure out what the cause of your asthma is, try keeping a food journal to track food allergies. See if there is a pattern. Foods likely to contribute to asthma, as they are all common allergens, include dairy products, eggs, wheat, citrus, tomatoes, potatoes, and sulfite preservatives (which are often found in dried fruits, alcohol, and in some salad bars). The yellow food coloring tartrazine can also trigger an asthma attack, as can monosodium glutamate and aspirin (both common irritants). It may take a couple of days for an offending substance to have an affect. Be aware that even trace amounts of a food can be a culprit.
The most beneficial foods for the asthmatic include orange-colored, high beta-carotene lung strengthening and immune boosting foods that are rich in phytochemicals. These include winter squashes, pumpkins, papaya, apricots, and carrots. Include green, leafy vegetables for their oxygen and transporting of chlorophyll.
Make use too of manganese-rich foods such as buckwheat, cherries, beans, and nuts, as studies show that people with low intakes of manganese have an increased risk of bronchial reactivity. Try to eat at least a serving daily.
Pungent condiments known for their bronchodilating properties include garlic, onions, horseradish, ginger, mustard greens, radish, thyme, rosemary, and fennel. Use these condiments liberally in food preparations, such as when flavoring soups and salad dressings.
Lotus root is a traditional Asian medicine that strengthens the lungs and opens the airways. A few root slices can be simmered into a soup or made into a tea.
GOOD TO GROW!
It’s easy to grow common herbs such as rosemary and thyme. Just get a big pot at least 2 feet (60 cm) deep and fill it with potting soil. Add plants that you get at your local greenhouse. (You can also grow from seed, it just takes longer.) Put the pot in a place that is exposed to 5 to 6 hours of sun a day. Water regularly.
Cures from Grandma’s Kitchen
One of my favorite remedies for treating an asthma episode (as well as other lung problems) is the following:
1/2 cup (170 g) raw honey (Note: Never give honey to children under 1 year of age.)
1/2 cup (120 ml) fresh lemon juice
1 inch (2.5 cm) of fresh ginger root
7 cloves of garlic
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Put all of the ingredients in a blender and blend into a syrup. Pour into a glass jar and give one teaspoonful as often as needed. Store the unused portion in the refrigerator. This formula helps to thin mucus secretions, break up congestion, and dilate the bronchioles.
More Cures from Grandma’s Kitchen
Steam inhalations can benefit conditions such as asthma, by helping to warm, increase circulation, and loosen mucus from the respiratory tract.
Try the following when respiration is compromised.
First, boil a quart of water and add 4 heaping teaspoons (25 g) of herbs such as eucalyptus, pine (break up the needles to better release their properties), and wintergreen, or add 5 to 10 drops of pure essential oil. One to two tablespoons fresh garden herbs such as oregano, thyme, or peppermint can also be used for an herbal steam after being added to a pint of boiling water.
Remove the pot from the stove to a padded kitchen counter. Drape a towel over your head and the pot, lean over, and breathe in the steam for seven minutes or so. If the steam starts to cool too much, gently blow into the herb pot to cause more steam to rise.
This can be done up to three times daily.
TRICKS TO BREATHE EASIER
Try exhaling forcefully through a drinking straw placed in a large bottle of water to expand the bronchial tubes. It is a good idea to practice deeper breathing all the time, not just when you are sick.
Practice yoga breathing. I have seen this empower people to have control over their breathing rather than have their breathing control them. Learn to do it when not in the throes of an attack so that you’ll know how when needed.
One simple method is to practice a deep relaxation breath: Lie on the floor with a pillow supporting your knees. Place your palms over your abdomen, with your fingers gently laced just above your naval. Breathe in to a count of three as your abdomen pushes your fingers toward the ceiling. Exhale to a count of five as your fingers and abdomen move toward the floor. With every third breath, blow out through your mouth as you suck your belly inward.
GOOD TO KNOW!
Avoid dehydration and help keep the mucus secretions thin by consuming plenty of fluids. Both lemon in water and cranberry juice will help to thin mucous secretions. Just add the juice of 1/2 lemon once or twice a day to a glass of water. Cranberry juice can be diluted with water as part of your daily beverage intake (about 1/4 cup [60 ml] juice to 1 cup [235 ml] of water).
According to color therapists, putting the gemstone citrine under your tongue at the first sign of an asthma attack may bring relief. Visit a gem shop to find this golden stone. You can also visualize breathing in its healing golden ray. Wearing orange clothing or having an orange light in the room may also be beneficial.
This What Does Asthma Feel Like article is taken from :
The Country Almanac of Home Remedies - Brigitte Mars
