Asthma is a very misunderstood disease.  50 years ago it was not thought of as a life threatening condition, but these days the rise in the number of cases could almost be described as an epidemic, and hospital admissions have more than trebled.  The basic cause of asthma is not yet known for certain.  Asthma is not "all in the mind,” rather it is a chronic lung condition.

It has now begun to be accepted that it may be caused by an allergy to inhaled irritants such as environmental pollutants, grass pollens, mould, or the house dust mite.  Recent studies have also shown that food allergies may trigger asthma.  There is no doubt that allergies do cause hypersensitivity within the muscles of the bronchioles.  Some people who are prone to asthma find that the low ozone levels in urban environments can make their condition worse.

There is a school of thought that suggests that a slight malfunctioning of the immune system, caused by the body's difficulty in converting essential fatty acids in the diet, is a contributory factor in asthma.  The wheezing and coughing in asthma is caused by narrowing of the airways that has come about because these airways are inflamed.

Inflammation is the body's defence and repair mechanism for coping with the harmful chemicals, germs, pollutants, extremes of heat and cold and trauma from the surrounding environment.   This means that you could say that the allergic reaction is the immune system's process of protecting itself, and this leads to inflammation.  If this is the case, then any medication that dampens down the immune system response is likely to be counter productive in the long term.  Do not cut down or stop taking your prescribed medication except on the advice of your health professional.

What are the symptoms of asthma?

The main symptoms of asthma are:

• Shortness of breath,
• Wheezing,
• Tightness in the chest, and
• Cough lasting more than a week.
• Not all people with asthma wheeze.  For some, coughing may be the only symptom of asthma. Coughing often occurs during the night or after exercise.

What happens during an Asthma episode?

Asthma affects the airways in your lungs.  During an episode of asthma:

• The lining of the airways becomes swollen and inflamed
• The airways produce a thick mucus
• The muscles around the airways tighten and make the airways narrower
• These changes in the airways block the flow of air, making it hard to breathe

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What triggers an asthma episode?

People with asthma have airways that are extra sensitive to things that don't bother people who do not suffer from asthma.  The airways may become swollen, produce mucus, and tighten up.  Common triggers for asthma include the following:

• Dander (or flakes) from the skin, hair, or feathers of most pets (including dogs, cats, birds, and small rodents)
• House dust mites
• Cockroaches
• Pollens from grass, trees and flowers
• Moulds (indoor and outdoor)
• Cigarette smoke, scented products such as hair spray, perfume, cleaning products, automobile fumes, and air pollution
• Infections in the upper airway, such as colds 
• Exercise
• Experiencing strong feelings
• Stress 
• Changes in weather, temperature and humidity

Probably the best way forward in controlling asthma is to have an allergy test to determine what you are allergic to and then reduce the triggers in your environment and diet.  For airborne environmental triggers try the following: -

• Change your outer clothing when coming in from outside
• Have as few as possible soft furnishings in your house
• Do not have furry or feathered pets
• Have a person who does not suffer from asthma to clean the house
• Use a HEPA filtered vacuum cleaner
• Wash bedding at 60 degrees (very hot) to kill mites
• For non-washable pillows, soft toys etc place in the deep freeze for at least 6 hours, to kill mites
• Keep dust levels down to an absolute minimum
• Damp dust to avoid spreading it around
• Vacuum mattresses very regularly
• Use anti-allergy covers on mattresses, duvets and pillows
• Use anti-allergy covers on mattresses, duvets and pillows
• Use air filters or a whole house ventilation system
• Avoid the use of chemicals in paints, cleaning materials etc
• Avoid foam-backed carpets and the use of polyurethane foam in the home
• Keep the windows closed when the pollen levels are high

Dietary advice

Follow a wholefood diet avoiding common food allergens such as: -

• Cow's milk
• Wheat
• Soy
• Eggs
• Oranges

Reduce salt in your diet
Avoid alcohol
Reduce sugar and animal fats
Avoid food additives

Supplements that can help

• Vitamin B6
• Vitamin B12
• Vitamin C
• Vitamin E
• Magnesium 
• Selenium
• Zinc
• Flaxseed or Linseed Oil
• Evening Primrose Oil
• Calcium, if dairy products are eliminated from the diet

Breathing exercises

Breathing exercises can be a great help in improving the lung function of people with asthma, these  need to be learned from a teacher and include Qigong breathing exercises, Pranayama Yoga and the Butekyo breathing method.  The Butekyo method was developed by the Russian Konstantin Butekyo, who believed that asthma develops because the person is hyperventilating, which starves the tissues of oxygen and floods them with carbon dioxide.  This particular method teaches patients to breathe using a series of exercises that alternates shallow breathing with holding the breath.  In general breathing exercises can produce remarkably good results with both children and adults.   Breathing exercises also help to release and reduce stress, increasing feelings of calm control. 

Ayurvedic remedies:

Ayurvedic treatment for asthma aims to bring the Kapha, which has lodged in the lungs and bronchi, back to the stomach from where it can be eliminated.  Visit the Ayurveda pages for more information on doshas.

To stop wheezing

Boil one teaspoon of the root of liquorice in a cup of water for 3 minutes.  Allow to cool a little and then add about 5 drops of mahanarayan oil then take one sip of this every few minutes.  This tea is suitable to use every day to help prevent wheezing, but it is not suitable for people suffering from hypertension.  The prepared tea can last for three days if kept in the refrigerator.  

Alleviate breathlessness

Take half a cup of onion juice and 3 teaspoons of honey and add quarter of a teaspoon of black pepper, sip for relief.  Mustard Seeds Mix one teaspoon of mustard oil with one teaspoon of honey, take two or three times a day before meals.

For prevention of asthma

Mix two teaspoons of cinnamon with half a teaspoon of trikatu in a large cup of boiling water.  Let it stand for about 10 minutes before drinking, add honey to taste and take twice a day.

Herbal remedies:

For wheeziness 
Nettle 15g
Thyme 15g
Water 750 ml 
Make an infusion, drink throughout the day
Or
German Chamomile 1 desert spoon
1 cup of water 
Make and infusion, sip throughout the day

One of the most effective herbal remedies for asthmatic conditions is Ephedra or Ma Huang,  this is only available from qualified and registered medical herbalists.  It is not unknown for asthma sufferers to be able to dispense with their inhalers when using Ephedra because the effects are so pronounced

Ephedra : - This herb should only be taken under the guidance of a qualified medical herbalist due to its potency.  Do not stop taking medication without consulting your medical professional.  Ephedra can have serious side effects if taken incorrectly.  It is not suitable for people suffering from angina, glaucoma, high blood pressure, prostate problems or over active thyroid conditions.

Juices:

Carrots 3
Lettuce 1 small
Chives small bunch
Coriander small bunch
Take one glassful a day
This juice is rich in Vitamin C, calcium, potassium, folic acid and iron.

Supplementary information:

There are a number of alternative therapies that have been shown to give positive results in the treatment of asthma, these include homoeopathy (particularly useful for children), hypnotherapy, meditation, acupuncture and chiropractic.  Breast fed babies are less likely to develop asthma.  Avoid giving babies under one year cows milk, eggs, wheat and food additives. 

Flower essences 

There are many flower remedies that could be of benefit to asthma sufferers, like those that lessen anxiety, stress, fear and feelings of panic. Look for hand made flower essences, not mass produced ones. Mass production, road / rail / air transit and shop shelf-storage of flower essences removes most of their potency.