Asthma

Australia and New Zealand rank second and third in the world after the UK in the asthma commonness stakes. Asthma always requires medical management, but there are several steps you can take on your own to minimize the frequency and severity of attacks.

What it is  Asthma is a disease in which the airways of the lungs swell and tighten, restricting airflow and making it hard to breathe. During an asthma attack, the narrowest airways (the bronchioles) constrict. This causes the release of chemicals such as histamine that increase inflammation and swelling and produce excess mucus. Though many asthma attacks are mild and easily controlled at home, severe ones can cause sufferers to began suffocate. And for an unlucky few each year, asthma attack is fatal.

What causes it  External or internal factors can provoke asthma attacks, and some people are sensitive to both. Outside triggers usually involve an allergen, such as pet hairs, a particular food, dust and dust mites, insects (including cockroaches), pollen and many environmental pollutants. Internal triggers, which are usually less obvious and can be harder to avoid, include stress, anxiety, temperature changes, exercise and respiratory infections such as bronchitis.


SYMPTOMS

• Tightness - not pain - in the chest.
• Wheezing or a whistling sound when breathing.
• Shortness of breath or difficulty in breathing, which improves when sitting up.
• Couching (often with phlegm)
• Restlessness or insomnia.

WHEN TO CALL THE DOCTOR

• If you develop the symptoms of asthma for the first time.
• If self-care measures or prescription asthma drug do not alleviate an attack.
• If you're gasping for breath or have a rapid pulse and a bluish tinge to fingers or lips - these require immediate attention in a hospital accident and emergency ward.
• Reminder: If you have a medical condition, talk to your doctor before taking supplements.

Supplement recommendations
SUPPLEMENT	DOSAGE	COMMENTS
Vitamin C	1000 mg 3 times a day.	Reduce dosage if diarrhoea develops.
Magnesium	400 mg twice a day for 6 weeks.	Be careful taking magnesium if you hace kidney disease.
Vitamin B6	5 mg twice a day.	Especially important if you take the drug theophylline.
Quercetin	500 mg 3 times a day before meals.	Best taken as a conbined formulation with bromelain.
Ephedra ℗ AU	130 mg standardized extract 3 times a day.	May cause insomnia. Don't use if you suffer from high blood pressure, heart disease or anxiety, or if you take a MAO inhibitor
Licorice	200 mg standardized extract 3 times a day.	Can raise blood pressure; see your doctor before taking. When taking long term, eat lots of vegetables and fruits that contain potassium.

How supplements cam help  The supplements in the chart are meant to compliment conventional asthma therapy. Never stop taking medication prescribed for asthma without consulting your doctor.
Asthmatics are often deficient in key nutrients, especially vitamin C, magnesium and vitamin B6. Vitamin C as an antioxidant appears to act immediately to combat inhaled irritants. It may also halt an allergic reaction by preventing the cell from releasing histamine (the anti-inflammatory effect). Furthermore, Vitamin C is very effective for exercise-induced asthma; taking 2000 mg before a workout may even prevent an asthma attack. The mineral magnesium can prevent attacks by inhibiting the contraction of the bronchial muscles. Vitamin B6 supplements reduce wheezing and other asthma symptoms.

The flavonoid quercetin has two main effects: it inhibits the release of histamine and, as an antioxidant, it neutralises unstable oxygen molecules, which can cause bronchial inflammation. The prescription herb ephedra (ma huang) can widen respiratory passages. It seems to work best when it is used with herbal products that bring up phlegm, such as licorice or horehound. (Don't take licorice for any longer than a month.) But ephedra has many side effects; it must be taken under the supervision of a doctor.


What else you can do

• Keep your home clear of dust and pollen. Avoid cigarette smoke.
• Stay away from cats; their hair is highly allergenic.
• Remain calm. Managing stress helps you to fight asthma.
• Treat colds and flu promptly to reduce the chances of an attack.
• Wear a scarf over your mouth and nose to warm cold winter air.
• Keep an asthma diary to help you determine your asthma triggers.
• Drink at least eight glasses of water a day to keep mucus loose.

Source - The Healing Power of Vitamins Minerals and Herbs (Readers Digest)