This article contains a wealth of information from someone whose step-son and son are both asthma sufferers, so he is speaking from personal experience. The main focus of the article is foods, herbs, vitamins and eliminating air-borne irritants. Very interesting suggestions about asthma maintenance.

Asthma

Author: Othon Molina Ph.D. c LMT

First of all, I want to make it clear that this information is not to diagnose nor to prescribe and it should not take the place of the advice of your doctor. This is intended to complement conventional medicine, not to replace it. Consult with your doctor before starting any kind of nutritional or physical program.

Asthma is considered a spasm or inflammation of the bronchial tubes that lead to the lungs. This can be due to irritation caused by allergies to food or airborne pollution, or a sensitivity that is out of what we call the “norm.” This sensitivity could be to all the above or it can be emotional. Some researchers think it could be an inherited or genetic weakness. I have not seen enough research for this to be substantiated, so I leave that up to the experts. I do know, however, it can happen at any age yet it is more common during childhood and some kids just outgrow it. About 6 to 7% of the population has asthma, and it seems to be more common among males.

There is a lot of controversy about asthma. The main problem is not taking a breath in but in releasing the breath out. If we look at this from a psychological standpoint it has to do with letting go of certain attitudes, or holding on to certain emotions. We know that certain stress increases an asthmatic’s condition or can even bring about an attack. What this is telling many of us is that asthma can be very much tied in with our minds and emotions. I know this from some of the latest research I have read and from having an asthmatic son and stepson. I was able to put many medical and natural remedies to work with my own family.

There is much to learn about asthma and whether or not nutritional approaches can really help this condition. In my experience, asthma can be as different as the patient that has it, and every case needs to be looked at separately. I feel very strongly about this approach with all symptoms or diseases. We need to treat the whole person and not lump everyone into the same category of asthmatics, for example.

We do know that many asthmatics seem to have airborne allergies and/or sensitivity to foods. Often times the traditional allergy tests like skin or blood tests can confirm certain serious allergies. However, it’s some of the not so commonly recognized food allergies that may be the problem. By just eliminating commonly known allergens such as dairy products, wheat, peanuts, excessive sugar, and according to other nutritional doctors, certain shellfish, shrimp and sulfates, which seem to irritate the mucous lining, I know most will improve.

Eliminating dairy products would be beneficial if the person gets excessive mucus when ingesting them. Wheat is a common allergen for most people because the gluten is very hard to digest. There are very good alternative sources for calcium such as many green leafy vegetables, cabbage, and cauliflower, as well as sunflower seeds and almonds. You can purchase soy milk, almond milk or rice milk; these alternative products are less mucus forming. Once again, every individual is different. Care must be used if certain foods are eliminated and then introduced again because there may be a harsher reaction to them the second time around.

Here in Hawaii, we have another problem -- molds, mildew and airborne allergens such as pollen and certain dusts. Some asthmatics are allergic to ordinary house dust. If your child has sensitivities to these pollutants there are air purifiers, ionizing machines, etc. that can be of benefit in the home. When I had my son tested for allergies there were even couch dust allergies that affected him. You may want to get dehumidifiers for their bedroom. All of these things can help.

If we look at the work by Dr. Robert Young about having the body be more alkaline, we can see that many of the problems occur with food choices. The body can do quite well on a diet low in protein and high in greens, vegetables, and a little carbohydrate. I find the key is to get some expert advice if you are not a nutritionist, and none of this information is meant to replace seeing your doctor for asthma. Hopefully, it will complement and educate you to alternative approaches. Care should be taken in any change of diet and with the use of medicines or even herbs.

Many allergies to dairy products, bread or yeast, and even to eggs or corn are hard to test for in the laboratory. Many times the reaction is very subtle and not so obvious. Changing one’s diet will take time before seeing any results. You will not see dramatic results on a long term condition in a few short months. Once again, you should think of consulting a nutritional doctor for the best way to approach this condition.

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