Asthma is a widely recognized condition that causes spasms in the bronchi in the lungs, making it very difficult to breathe. This usually occurs as a result of an allergic reaction to something in the environment, whether that be air pollution, pollen or some other allergens.
Asthmatic episodes can happen rarely, or several times a week, and as long as exposure to the offending allergens continues, asthma occurs.
While the traditional medical community tells usthere is no cure for this condition, options do exist for managing it, or atleast for reducing the impact of the symptoms. The major symptom, of course, is difficulty in breathing. This can range in intensity from annoying to terrifying and life-threatening.
A conventional treatment for asthma is the use of an inhaler. These come in different styles, but the object is to deliver the active ingredient(s) to the lungs and make breathing easier. This is the “go to” healing approach traditional medical doctors take to treating asthma.
While a majority of asthma medications and treatments are effective in controlling the symptoms of an attack (wheezing, coughing, shortness of breath, constricting of the chest), they can sometimes make symptoms worse in the long-term.
These medications often cause unfortunate side-effects, including mood swings, acne and weight gain, among others. Some asthma medicine side-effects can even impair the endocrine and immune systems.
This means that while they help in alleviating acute symptoms, long-term they can contribute to making asthmatic attacks occur more often than they would otherwise.
Around 34 million Americans suffer from asthma attacks, and about 7 to 8 million of those sufferers are unfortunately children. Because of these high numbers, and the cost of traditional inhalers, natural treatments are sought after.
The “No Medicine” Way to Treat Asthma Successfully
Natural remedies are typically cost-effective. Many of these remedies also improve the health of the stomach and the digestive tract, help to increase the amount of vitamin D in the body and offer healthy weight maintenance benefits as they minimize asthma symptoms.
Diet can play a huge role when treating asthma.
Carotenoid and folate-rich foods and foods with substantial amounts of vitamin C and magnesium have been shown to help reduce symptoms in those who suffer from asthma.
Carotenoid foods include sweet potatoes, carrots, and leafy greens. Those foods have an abundance of vitamin A, which helps the mucous membranes in the lungs stay healthy, promoting asthma relief.
Folate foods, such as beans, nuts, and leafy vegetables, contain robust quantities of vitamin B9, which helps lower inflammation.
Citrus fruits are known to carry plenty of healthy vitamin C, which is a detoxing agent that helps reduce the trademark wheezing and inflammation of asthma.
Increasing the vitamin D in a sufferer’s system can also help treat asthma. Vitamin D is an important nutrient, as it supports the immune system and supports healthy lungs and respiratory functions.
It is available for free, from the sun, by exposing the skin for 20 minutes a day in the non-burning hours. Vitamin D can be taken orally as a supplement, or obtained by eating foods such as cheese and fruit juices.
Many people are deficient in vitamin D and magnesium, causing many health problems apart from asthma.
Coughing is a frequent symptom of asthma, and it can be managed using essential oils such as eucalyptus oil and peppermint oil. Making a vapor rub out of these versatile healing oils can help open up the airways. Lavender is another natural asthma treatment option, because it helps manage anxiety and mood swings that are sometimes co-existent with asthma.