We often hear of children and older people suffering from asthma. Some get hospitalized for severe attacks; others get over the spasms temporarily with prescribed medications.
This chronic lung disorder is neither dangerous nor fatal if treated adequately.
Nonetheless, it is debilitating and leads to school absenteeism due to asthma-related attacks, infections, and hospitalization, which are painful and costly.
Treatment starts by controlling symptoms with medication and monitoring cough, wheezing, air flow, and other signs. Corticosteroids are prescribed as inhalers or tablets to reduce swelling and inflammation of airways and bronchial tubes. Of course, such drugs leave undesirable side effects like thinning of bones and skin, ulcers, and easy bruising as well as interfering with adrenal gland responses to stress.
However, some alternative approaches can relieve asthma symptoms. Foods like eggs, gluten-containing grains (wheat, rye), dairy products, nuts, citrus fruits, seafood, and additives can provoke asthma and allergy attacks. Preservatives such as sulfur dioxide, which maintain freshness and crispiness of fruits and vegetables, also cause attacks.
Chemicals like monosodium glutamate (MSG), hidden under the label of “hydrolyzed protein,” can trigger asthma. While avoiding additives, saturated and trans fats, refined and processed foods, and dairy products reduces symptoms, a healthy nutrition of fresh organic whole foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein, and healthy fatty acids can improve the condition of sufferers. Certain vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and nutrients play a role in relieving symptoms and reducing inflammation and intensity and frequency of attacks.
Antioxidants are recommended for relieving asthma, because antioxidant deficiency in cells seems to increase symptoms. While oxidation contributes to inflammation and tissue damage in the air passages and impaired immunity, antioxidants repair the resulting damage and boost immunity.
Studies have found that low selenium levels suppress red blood cell glutathione peroxidase action, which leads to asthma. When the antioxidant was increased wheezing became less pronounced.
To raise selenium dietary consumption, it is suggested to have oysters, mushrooms, herrings, cabbage, beef liver, zucchini, cod, and chicken or take supplements.
Vitamin C deficiency, associated with asthma, increases bronchial activity triggered by overactive inflammatory cells. The antioxidant is the dominating chemical in the respiratory system and mucus membranes.
It protects against toxins, free radicals, respiratory infections, and air pollution. This explains why orange and apple juices relieve asthma symptoms. Peppers, watercress, cabbage family, strawberries, kiwi fruit, citrus fruits and their juices, tomatoes, and peas are rich sources of vitamin C.
Vitamin E, found in unrefined corn oils, seeds and their oils, almonds, peanuts, peas, beans, wheat germ, sweet potatoes, tuna, sardines, and salmon, seems to have protective properties against asthma by increasing white blood cells and enhancing their activity as well as immunity.
High doses of vitamin B6 alleviate asthma symptoms, especially in children, decreasing the need for bronchodilators and cortisone.
Vitamin B6, pyridoxine, also reduces the severity and recurrence of asthma attacks and wheezing. It is abundant in watercress, cabbage family, peppers, bananas, squash, asparagus, legumes, onions, seeds, and nuts. Asthmatic children who are sensitive to certain medications can also benefit from vitamin B12 therapy.
Magnesium is a relaxant to muscles.
Adequate intake dilates airways, decreases inflammation, and relaxes bronchial smooth muscles, decreasing bronchial tube spasm.
Magnesium enhances immune cell action by releasing anti-inflammatory substances.
Intravenous magnesium infusion is very effective in relieving acute attacks in children.
Magnesium sulfate aerosols also work well as bronchodilators.
The mineral improves lung functions by decreasing lung hyperactivity that promotes spasms. Because asthma drugs prompt magnesium loss, sufferers should be supplemented with the antioxidant.
Vitamin D and calcium should be prescribed to asthma patients on long-term corticosteroid treatment to prevent bone thinning and loss.
Essential fatty acids (omega-3) are important to asthma sufferers. Marine-or-plant derived supplements (fish and flaxseed oils) appear to relieve symptoms of asthma.
Because high iron intake increases free radicals, asthma attacks are intensified.
Sodium should also be consumed in moderation. Studies indicated that high salt consumption triggers severe asthma attacks and airway hyperactivity.
Remember, in order to benefit from all the above-nutrients, you need to drink lots of water. Asthma attacks are also triggered by dehydration. So drink, drink, drink! The following are useful tips from experience to relieve asthma symptoms: • Drink plenty of water to dissolve mucus and hydrate airways.
• Avoid dairy products as they increase mucus and asthma attacks.
• Chicken stock made with four heads of onions, a head of garlic, and a little ginger offers antioxidants that build up immunity to reduce asthma-related infections (bronchitis, pneumonia).
• Hot drinks of lemon and honey are antioxidant boosters.
• Hot drinks of hibiscus petals (karkade) steeped in boiled cinnamon relieve cough.
• Oliban, Boswellia, (luban shihri or thakar in Arabic) diluted in a little water (once in the morning and another at night) helps expectorate mucus. It is also antibacterial, anti-viral, and antifungal. Licorice, Glycyrrhiza glabra, is effective in treating inflammatory and allergic conditions by stimulating the immune system.
• Saline nasal solution or drops washes out mucus from airways.
• Remember to eat healthily and take supplements to prevent nutrient deficiencies.
Fish oil supplements are good for asthma sufferers.
• Moderate activity and yoga reduce stress and improve the condition by enhancing immunity.
— Mariam Alireza is a holistic science specialist.
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