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Asthma is a chronic (long-term) disease of the respiratory system, which affects the lungs and the airways that carry air to and from the lungs. A person suffering from asthma has difficulty breathing due to the constriction of these airways. Inflammation and mucous in the airways (bronchi) can make the patient wheeze.The most common symptoms that can be seen in an asthma patients are coughing (especially after a long laugh or exercise), difficulty in breathing, tightness of the chest, shortness of breath, wheezing or whistling sound when breathing.Causes of Asthma:
Some of the causes of asthma include pollen, mites, food related allergies and environmental irritants like dust and smoke. In some cases, stress can be a trigger too. Not everybody gets asthma due to the same reasons and the triggers may be different for different people.
The fact that India contributes 10% to the total number of asthma patients globally is a cause of concern. It can affect people of any age group.
Some of the factors that may make you susceptible to asthma are:
- Genetic: If several of your family members suffer from Asthma then you too might be genetically pre-disposed to develop Asthma.
- If you are overweight
- If you are exposed to seasonal allergens like pollen.
- If you are a smoker or exposed to second-hand smoke.
- If you are allergic to certain foods or synthetic food additives like colours and preservative
There is no cure for asthma and the treatments revolve around reducing symptoms and the chances for a fresh asthma attack.
Foods for Asthma Patients
An asthma patient should try and switch from animal protein to plant protein and eat ginger and turmeric regularly. The patient should also avoid fried food, smoking, alcohol, cheese, food additives, processed foods and focus on an organic food diet. But that doesn't mean you can't live a normal life, you just need to be a little more cautious than the others. Have an optimistic approach and live your life to the fullest.
According to Dr. Pushpa of Saini Yoga and Meditation, an asthma patient should do steam inhalation every day, take half a tsp of cinnamon powder twice a day and avoid cold fruits like orange and banana.
Yoga for Asthma
Here are some yoga exercises suggested by her that will help asthma patients get relief from their asthmatic problems:
1. Bharastika
This yoga breathing paranayam is known as breath of fire. In this asana, both Inhalation and exhalation are forced. Bharastika comprises of exhaling and inhaling in order to provide complete oxygen to our body. This asana gives strength to lungs, helps in allergies, asthma, respiratory diseases, improves immune system and helps in common cold.
2. Anulom Vilom Pranayama
It is a breathing exercise which very easy to do and is very effective too. It helps in cases of stress and depression. It even improves the functioning of lungs. It is an efficient practice for asthma patients.
3. Nadi Shodhan Pranayama
This is also known as Alternate Nostril Breathing. This is the next level of Anulom Vilom pranayama. Nadis are the subtle energy channels in our body which tend to get blocked because of unhealthy lifestyle, stress and physical trauma. Shodhan means cleaning and unblocking the nadis. This asana helps you release tensions, stress and contributes in keeping the mind calmer.
4. Kapalbhati Pranayama
This asana is a breathing technique which helps in the improvement of respiratory system functioning.
5. SavasanaThis is like a sleeping pose which helps in providing relaxation to the mind and body. It improves concentration, treats insomnia, improves mental health, and relaxes muscles.
There's nothing better than yoga to treat diseases painlessly or without any side effects.
Asthma is a chronic lung disease that inflames and narrows the airways. Asthma causes recurring periods of wheezing (a whistling
sound when you breathe), chest tightness, shortness of breath, and coughing. The coughing often occurs at night or early in the
morning.
Asthma affects people of all ages, but it most often starts during childhood. In the United States, more than 25 million people are
known to have asthma. About 7 million of these people are children.
Overview
To understand asthma, it helps to know how the airways work. The airways are tubes that carry air into and out of your lungs.
People who have asthma have inflamed airways. The inflammation makes the airways swollen and very sensitive. The airways tend
to react strongly to certain inhaled substances.
When the airways react, the muscles around them tighten. This narrows the airways, causing less air to ow into the lungs. The
swelling also can worsen, making the airways even narrower. Cells in the airways might make more mucus than usual. Mucus is a
sticky, thick liquid that can further narrow the airways.
This chain reaction can result in asthma symptoms. Symptoms can happen each time the airways are inflamed.
Sometimes asthma symptoms are mild and go away on their own or after minimal treatment with asthma medicine. Other times,
symptoms continue to get worse.
What Is
When symptoms get more intense and/or more symptoms occur, you're having an asthma attack. Asthma attacks also are called
areups or exacerbations (eg-zas-er-BA-shuns).
Treating symptoms when you notice them is important. This will help prevent the symptoms from worsening and causing a
severe asthma attack. Severe asthma attacks may require emergency care, and they can be fatal.
Outlook
Asthma has no cure.
However, with today's knowledge and treatments, most people who have asthma are able to manage the disease. They have few, if
any, symptoms. They can live normal, active lives and sleep through the night without interruption from asthma.
If you have asthma, you can take an active role in managing the disease. For successful, thorough, and ongoing treatment, build
strong partnerships with your doctor and other health care providers.
The exact cause of asthma isn't known. Researchers think some genetic and environmental factors interact to cause asthma, most
often early in life. These factors include:
An inherited tendency to develop allergies, called atopy (AT-o-pe)
Parents who have asthma
Certain respiratory infections during childhood
Contact with some airborne allergens or exposure to some viral infections in infancy or in early childhood when the immune
system is developing
If asthma or atopy runs in your family, exposure to irritants (for example, tobacco smoke) may make your airways more reactive to
substances in the air.
Some factors may be more likely to cause asthma in some people than in others. Researchers continue to explore what causes
asthma.
The "Hygiene Hypothesis"
One theory researchers have for what causes asthma is the "hygiene hypothesis." They believe that our Western lifestyle—with its
emphasis on hygiene and sanitation—has resulted in changes in our living conditions and an overall decline in infections in early
childhood.
Many young children no longer have the same types of environmental exposures and infections as children did in the past. This
affects the way that young children's immune systems develop during very early childhood, and it may increase their risk for atopy
and asthma. This is especially true for children who have close family members with one or both of these conditions.
World Asthma Day is observed on first Tuesday of the month of May every year. The day is designated to spread awareness about the symptoms and cure of the disease. Scores of people are grappling with this illness across the globe, and with constant rise in pollution level in the air, the problem is only getting worse. Asthma is an inflammatory disease that obstructs the airways of the lungs and causes problems like breathlessness, cough and wheezing. Besides air pollution, food adulteration, stress and chemical ingestion, there are certain foods that can trigger asthma. Likewise, there are some foods that can help alleviate the problem.
Asthma is hard to cure but can be tackled with diligent alternation in one's lifestyle. Though natural surroundings are difficult to alter, one can always modify their diet to keep asthma at bay or handle it if it occurs.
Here Are Some Basic Diet Tips That Can Be Useful In Preventing Or Combating Asthma:
Consume Omega 3 Fatty Acids
A study published in 'American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine' suggests that foods rich in Omega 3 fatty acids provide protection against indoor pollution caused by cooking, cleaning and smoking. Fish, nuts and seeds are some of the foods that have high Omega 3 fatty acid content.
Avoid Omega 6 Fatty Acids
Put a cap on the consumption of Omega 6 fatty acids that can propel inflammation - reads the report in 'American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine'. Vegetable oils like soybean, corn, safflower and sunflower oil are known to contain Omega 6 in large quantities.
Have Vitamin D-rich foods
According to a study, published Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, In Practice, vitamin D plays a key role in treating asthma. Lead author, Sonali Bose mentioned, "Vitamin D is a molecule that may influence asthma by impacting antioxidant or immune-related pathways." Fatty fish, mushrooms, foods fortified with vitamin D like bread, orange juice and milk are some foods that can prove beneficial in handling asthma.
Try Ayurvedic Remedies
Dr. Dhanvantri Tyagi, an Ayurveda specialist, states that there are a number of home remedies that can quell the problem of asthma. Regularly consuming turmeric milk, carrot and beetroot juice, mint leaves (consumed in form of mint tea), ginger and honey are some magical amalgams that provide a natural defence against asthma.
Refrain From Junk And Dairy Products
Microbiologist nutritionist and health practitioner, Shilpa Arora advises against too much consumption of junk food, preservatives and dairy products. These foods can accelerate the occurrence of common infections and their persistence can lead to asthma.
These food modifications can be tried if symptoms of asthma have begun to crop up. But, if you have been seriously suffering from the disease for a long time, it is best to consult your doctor and nutritionist before drastically changing your diet.
Asthma is something which affects quite a large number of people. As a matter of fact, up to 20 percent of the population is affected by it. Isn’t it surprising that the ways to treat it are not so well known, taking into account how many people it affects? So, wouldn’t it be a great idea to learn more about it and learn to treat it in a pretty unique way?
When a person has asthma, the airways of the respiratory system become narrower than they usually are and this, in turn, leads to a shortage of breath. While many people would normally go to a conventional doctor in order to treat asthma, it may come as a rude shock to know that asthma is often triggered by reactions to conventional medicines such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, which are also known as NSAIDs. Things are not that straightforward, are they?
Ayurveda is a body of medicine which looks not at just patching up and fixing medical problems, but rather to maintain a high level of overall health. Considering this, it should not be much of a surprise to come to know that when it comes to the treatment of asthma, Ayurveda is not superficial like a lot of other methods of treatment. As a matter of fact, it not only looks at the respiratory system but also at the gastrointestinal system in order to provide a comprehensive solution for a patient who is affected by asthma.
According to Ayurveda, the body is divided into three doshas and in the case of asthma, it is the kappa dosha which is culpable. If the asthma is detected before too long, a fully effective treatment can be undertaken and the patient can be restored to his or her pre-asthma level. However, if there is a significant delay between the time that asthma sets in and its detection, only management is possible.
Foods which trigger asthma are to be avoided like the plague! Examples of these foods happen to be animal products and dairy products such as curd. In addition to this, bananas and sugary foods or sweets, including sugar, in itself, are to be avoided.
A paste of rock salt, mustard oil or clarified butter can help if it is rubbed on the chest. Medicines such as Sitopalaadi choorna are to be taken, with this specific medicine ingested with honey. Kapha kartari addresses the issues with the Kapha and with it, asthma should be on its way to becoming a minor problem pretty soon!
