Asthma
Asthma is a chronic illness in the respiratory system in which the airways of the lungs are constricted. The word ‘asthma’ is derived from ancient Greek word meaning ‘panting or short drawn breath’. An asthma patient gets frequent attacks of breathlessness, although he may be completely normal a few moments ago.
Symptoms
Patients suffering from asthma have difficulty in breathing out than breathing in. This is caused by spasms or sudden involuntary muscular contractions of the smaller air passages in the lungs.
Causes
There are various causes of asthma. Allergens, or environmental stimulants such as air pollutants, rigorous exercises or emotional stress can trigger the start of the illness.
Allergies to changing weather conditions, certain food types, drug intake, perfume chemicals can also cause asthma to patients. Most common causes are allergies to dust particles.
Home Remedies
Honey: This is one of the most common home remedies for asthma. Inhaling the scent of honey will help ease the patient’s breathing.
Figs: Wash 3 or 4 dry figs with warm water and then soak it overnight. Figs drain off the phlegm and will make the patient feel comfortable afterwards.
Lemon Juice: Dilute lemon juices in a glass of water and take it ever meal to help relieve any asthmatic conditions.
Indian Gooseberry: Mix 5 grams of Indian gooseberry with one tablespoon of honey. This effective tonic should be taken every morning to treat asthma.
Bitter Gourd: The roots of the bitter gourd plant have been used in folk medicine for asthma since the ancient times. Mix a teaspoon of the root paste with an equal amount of honey or tulsi leaf juice. Give it once every night for a month.
Drumstick Leaves: Prepare a soup from drumstick leaves by adding a handful of leaves to 180ml of water. Boil it for five minutes. Leave to chill, add a little salt, pepper, and limejuice. To achieve astonishing results, take the medicine once every day.
Ginger: Mix a teaspoon of fresh ginger juice with a cup of fenugreek decoction and some honey to add some taste. Fenugreek decoction can be made by mixing one tablespoon of fenugreek seeds in a cupful of water. This should be taken once in the morning and once in the evening.
Garlic: Boil ten garlic cloves in 30 ml of milk to treat early stages of asthma. This mixture should he taken once daily by the patient. Meanwhile, adding two minced garlic cloves in a steaming ginger tea and should be taken during the morning and evening.
Bishop’s Weed: Mix half a teaspoon of bishop’s weed in a glass of buttermilk. Take the medication twice daily. It is an effective remedy for relieving difficult expectoration caused by dried-up phlegm. A hot poultice of the seeds should be used as dry fomentation to the chest twice daily. The patient can also inhale steam from boiling water mixed with ajwain twice a day to help dilate the bronchial passages.
Safflower: Safflower seeds can be used for the treatment of bronchial asthma. Mix half a teaspoon of powdered dry seeds with a tablespoon of honey. For treating this disease, it should be taken once or twice a day. This acts as an expectorant and reduces the spasms by liquefying the tenacious sputum. Make an infusion consisting of 5 gms of flowers mixed with one tablespoon of honey, taken once daily, for use as another useful treatment of asthma.
Diet
The patient should have a diet consisting of foods with limited quantity of carbohydrates, fats and proteins. Those are ‘acid-forming’ foods. Take a liberal quantity of alkaline-forming foods by eating plenty of fresh fruits, green leafy vegetables, sprouted seeds, and grains.
Also, avoid foods that may cause further reproduction of phlegm such as rice, sugar, lentils, and curds.
He should also avoid fried, refined and processed foods such as, strong tea, coffee, alcoholic beverages, condiments pickles, sauces.
Suggestions
Take plenty of natural air, sun, and water for they are great, yet inexpensive healing agents.
Do a fasting once a week.
Administer an occasional enema.
Perform breathing exercises while exposing yourself to dry climate, as well as inhaling as much fresh air as you could.
Do light exercises to avoid over-exertion, and Be conscious of yourself and correct your posture to go a long way in treating the disease.
my young son suffers from asthma and a night time cough – we find a few drops of olbas oil in hot steamy water left in his room works wonders for the over night cough
Comment by fay — April 22, 2008 @ 11:07 pm
As an asthmatic all my life it was interesting to note that including walnuts in your diet may also help.
Comment by michael — July 20, 2009 @ 6:42 am
I suffer from chronic asthma and nearly lost my life in August 2009. I will try out the remedies listed above,thanks.
Comment by Shenita Etwaroo — September 25, 2009 @ 7:10 pm
I love all your post! Very informative. I bookmarked your site already and will make this my natural health guide. Keep up the good work!
Comment by Sinus Relief — January 13, 2010 @ 9:40 pm