Asthma: Information, Research, Causes, Symptoms and Treatment
The below provides a general overview of this topic and may not apply to everyone. Any treatment protocol should be discussed with a qualified healthcare practitioner ... Please refer to: Medical & Legal Disclaimer.
Allergies, asthma, and other autoimmune diseases are common health problems in the United States, affecting 1 in 3 people. Childhood asthma has increased by over 200%.
These conditions are almost nonexistent in undeveloped countries, while they have reached close to epidemic levels in industrialized areas. This seems to indicate that there is something in our environment that causes these conditions.
Stress, environmental irritants, toxins, infections, and allergens overwhelm our immune system and our body then becomes hypervigilant and tends to overreact to everything.
🚨 Seek emergency care if ...
Indoor Toxins:
Harmful indoor chemicals can lead to allergies, and a host of other health problems, including anemia, sinusitis, asthma, chronic fatigue, a generally weakened immune system, cancer, brain damage and even death.
9-Year Study Results:
In a 9-year study involving 3,500 adults, researchers found that the study participants who used cleaning sprays (such as glass and furniture cleaners) at least once weekly had a 30-50% higher risk for asthma than people who used such sprays less often. The chemicals in these products irritate the airways. It is, therefore, recommended to use non-spray, non-toxic cleaning products.
Sick House Syndrome
For people suffering from allergies and/or lung problems, it is particularly important to keep the indoor air free of contaminants. The best way (provided you live in an area with clean outside air) is to frequently vent your home and sleep with the windows open.
For those times that this is not possible, it is important to use a quality air filtration system to clean the indoor air. Some units even kill mold, viruses, and bacteria. It is imperative to maintain as much of a non-toxic indoor environment as possible.
Warning: Large indoor cockroach populations are one of the leading causes of allergies, asthma, and other bronchial disorders in humans. Read more on this page.
Clean Air is the Key:
The Obesity Link:
According to Brian Taylor, MD, pulmonary fellow and researcher, at Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, there is a connection between obesity and asthma. As part of a large study at the Emory Crawford Long Hospital in Atlanta, researchers collected data on 3,059 men and women with asthma from the National Asthma Survey.
Non-overweight
BMI below 25
Overweight
BMI 25-29.9
Obese
BMI 30+
Obesity Impact on Asthma:
Dr. Taylor's conclusion: It appears that excess weight may have a mechanical effect on the small muscles in the airway, making lungs more prone to obstruction. The findings seem to indicate that the closer you can get to normal weight, the more control you gain over your asthma.
Lung-supportive Nutrition:
Asthma:
Nutrition is very important. The following food items are said to help with the following health conditions. Please click on the links for supportive information.
✅ Eat more:
Organic Produce
Organically grown fruits and vegetables
Cold Water Fish
Cod, salmon, mackerel, herring, and halibut
Healthy Oils & Seeds
Extra virgin olive oil, Flax seeds
Healing Spices
Rosemary, ginger, and turmeric
*Note: Ginger can decrease blood clotting
Vitamin C
May be able to reduce the severity of conditions like asthma, osteoarthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis and also to prevent the progression of conditions like atherosclerosis and diabetic heart disease.
Vitamin C's application in cancer treatments.Lung-supportive Produce:
Click here for information on organic foods -- a listing of the most and the least contaminated food items, as well as handling tips.
In numerous studies, the elongated omega-3 fats found in cod liver oil have been shown to improve brain function, memory, stress response, immune response, allergies, asthma, learning, and behavioral disorders, including bipolar syndrome and manic-depression.
"If you want to prevent learning disabilities in your children," said David Horrobin, distinguished medical and biochemical researcher, "feed them cod liver oil."
❌ Avoid / Eliminate:
Wheat Intolerance & Celiac Disease
Has been linked to asthma in some patients. Click here for more information.
Milk and Other Dairy Products
Have been most commonly cited as increasing the severity of asthmatic symptoms - Ref.: World's Healthiest Foods
Aspartame
This sweetener has been linked to memory loss, impaired vision/vision loss, headaches, hearing loss, joint pain, asthma, coma, seizures, brain cancer, lymphoma, coma, and genotoxic effects.
It also appears to worsen or mimic symptoms of fibromyalgia, MS, lupus, ADD, diabetes, Alzheimer's, chronic fatigue, and depression.
Other Respiratory Conditions:
Emphysema:
Lung Health:
(also check out: Emphysema, Respiratory): Apples
Respiratory:
(also check out Emphysema, Lung Health): Sesame Seeds
🚨 Emergency Signs
- • Severe breathing difficulty
- • Blue lips/fingernails
- • Cannot walk/talk
- • Flaring nostrils
- • Ribs moving inward
- • Very fast heartbeat
- • No medication improvement
Quick Facts
- • Affects 1 in 3 Americans
- • Childhood asthma ↑ 200%
- • Rare in undeveloped countries
- • Environmental triggers
Natural Approaches
- • Clean air & filtration
- • Anti-inflammatory foods
- • Omega-3 rich fish
- • Vitamin C supplementation
- • Weight management
- • Eliminate trigger foods