Asthma
Asthma
Understanding and Managing Asthma:
Asthma is a disease that involves recurring (chronic) episodes of inflammation and variable narrowing of the airways. Asthma “attacks” can be mild, moderate, or severe and usually occur when smooth muscles found in the airways of the lungs are stimulated to contract by inflammation. Common signs may include wheezing, shortness of breath, chest constriction, and nighttime or early morning coughing. Asthma is also classified by the frequency of symptoms. When asthma involves two or less episodes per week it is called “intermittent.” If asthma episodes occur more that twice a week, the illness is called “persistent.”
The airways in the lungs of people with asthma are always somewhat swollen or “inflamed,” even when the person is not having any “asthmatic” symptoms. When exposed to substances that are irritating or that the person is allergic to, the airways can become even more narrow than usual. They begin to produce extra mucus, and the tiny muscles in their walls begin to tighten or “contract.” This makes the airways even smaller and it becomes harder to breathe in and out.
Fighting asthma by healthy Foods
identifying and avoiding things that trigger an attack are the goals. Women are overwhelmed by asthma than men because their smaller airways. The most common asthma triggers are dust, animal dander, cigarette smoke, cold air and mold. Among the foods, the most common triggers are soy, eggs, peanuts, milk, wheat and some citrus fruits. Some people experience coughing or wheezing only when they exercise. This is called exercise-induced asthma.
Eat plenty of oranges (boost your immune system), broccoli, wheat germ, cottage cheese, beans, avocados, almonds. To get vitamin A, C and E, the main source of antioxidants, eat acerola (a cup of acerola has 29 times the recommended dietary allowance), oranges, pineapple, strawberries, kiwi and papaya. Unhappily, some vitamin A and E foods sources, i.e. egg yolk can trigger asthma symptoms.
Whenever you have a chance, drink plenty of liquid, mainly water, water and water. Drink at least 8 cups a day. If you work out, drink around 12 cups a day. Caffeine relaxes your bronchial tubes, making you breath easily. Red foods, such as watermelon, tomatoes, help avoid asthma symptoms.
Fruits are considered nature's perfect foods. They are juicy, with very high water content, just like the human body itself. Fruits are high in natural sugars, content vitamins and minerals. They purify our body and help with our elimination. They are in detoxification programs.
Fighting asthma by Honey
Honey is an outstanding household remedy that can be used in combination with various medical herbs. To alleviate coughs and wheezing linked to conditions like bronchitis, whooping cough, or minor respiratory issues. It can be used with chopped fresh thyme to soothe inflamed lungs and airways. Honey also helps restore energy, has a general calming effect and helps to dissolve mucus. Applied externally to the skin, it disinfects and heals minor wounds. Eucalyptus honey is the best for lung disease, respiratory problems.
According to Dr. Rajan, University of Connecticut Health Center, “pollen is not really bad for you. It’s your body’s overreaction to pollen that brings on the runny eyes, sneezing, and wheezing.” To stop this allergic reaction without drugs and uncomfortable side effects, Rajan is feeding people honey. Not just any kind of honey, but honey from local flowers full of local pollen.
Your immune system is trained not to attack anything ingested by mouth, Rajan explains. Eat the pollenlaced honey, he believes, and you tell your immune system this pollen is not bad for you. Then when you breathe in the same type of pollen later, your immune system recognizes and accepts it. Rajan stresses his findings are not definite, he recommends you test his theory out for yourself. Buy locally collected honey at your nearby farmer’s market or health food store, and take one tablespoon each day.
