What is Asthma?

Asthma is a CHRONIC INFLAMMATORY condition, typically of the upper airways.   It tightens the muscles in the wall of the bronchial tube and produces mucus, which narrows the airway reducing air flow to the lungs. As such, a severe asthma attack can be fatal by diminishing the oxygen supply to vital organs.

Asthma can have any of the following symptoms:

• Chest tightness
• Shortness of breath
• Wheezing
• Coughing (often at night or early morning)

Safe, effective asthma therapies

Some simple strategies will virtually eliminate your need for conventional medications.

Optimize your vitamin D levels

Vitamin D can be a very powerful immune modulator.   Vitamin D is best obtained by exposing a significant amount of your skin (more than just hands and face) to appropriate amounts of sunlight. Alternatively you can use a safe tanning bed.

• Turn your skin slightly pink.   This can produce up to 20,000 units of vitamin D per day. At slightly pink, a feedback system in your body halts production of any more vitamin D. In fact, longer exposure can damage your skin.
• Ingesting vitamin D does not have the advantage of the inherent feedback in the skin.   Presenting the possibility of harmful overdose.Vitamin D can be found in some quality cod liver oils and can be carefully supplemented by those in non-sunny areas of the country.

Vitamin D

SUNSHINE -"Let There Be Light"

You can monitor vitamin D in your blood with an accurate test.   In the US, the test should be performed at a lab like Labcorp, that uses the gold standard Diasorin test for checking 25-hydroxy vitamin D (aka CALCIDIOL or 25(OH)D) level

• Check at your highest and lowest times.    Typically in the US this is respectively in August and February.
• Aim to get your health levels to about 60 ng/ml.   In addition, combine with exercise and balancing the Omega 3 and Omega 6 fats (described below), and hopefully your asthma symptoms will be history

Ensure body is not short of magnesium

Magnesium relaxes muscles, calcium contracts them.   In developed countries, we are not usually short of calcium, but to avoid airway constriction, it is important that we have enough magnesium to counter calcium's contraction of bronchial smooth muscle cells.

Magnesium regulates and suppresses histamine production.   Asthma attacks are often brought on by the immune system's production of antibodies in response to various triggers, such as perfumes, pet dander, dust, pollen etc.  Magnesium reduces inflammation of the airways and lungs by stabilizing mast cells (produce inflammation-causing mediators, incl. histamine) and T-lymphocytes (immune system T-cells, B-cells and natural killer cells).   A rat study found that severely magnesium-deficient rats had higher blood levels of histamine when exposed to allergens than magnesium-sufficent rats. Another study found that magnesium-deficient rats had raised levels of histamine and white blood cell counts. Nishio A et al, 1987;   Claverie-Benureau S et al, 1981,

Magnesium treatment for asthma

• In an acute asthma attack.   The most effective methods are intravenous magnesium (in a hospital/clinic) or nebulizing magnesium chloride;
• To prevent asthma attacks.   The best methods are transdermal magnesium chloride, nebulizing magnesium chloride or taking an oral bioavailable magnesium supplement 

Consume foods that act against inflammation (and that do not promote it)

(1) Moderate consumption of fats that cause inflammatory action

Reduce dietary intake of Omega 6 fatty acids.    The balance between dietary Omega 3 and Omega 6 fats is crucial for your health, especially for controlling inflammation. Compared to 100 years ago, Americans have increased Omega 6 intake from plant-based fats from 1-2 pounds /year to 75-80 pounds/year, primarily by consuming such as corn and soy vegetable oils in processed foods. At the same time consumption of Omega-3 fat is now almost negligible. This imbalance ofOmega 3 and Omega 6 fats induces inflammation and can lead to asthma.

(2) Consume fats that have anti-inflammatory action

Increase dietary marine-based Omega 3 fats.   This author recommends wild salmon or krill oil; most of those with health problems or older people do not possess the needed enzymes to rapidly convert the Omega 3 ALA in plants to the needed, potent anti-inflammatory DHA and EPA fats, which are inherently present in marine oils.

Whilst avoiding an Omega 3 / Omega 6 fat imbalance, you should still however, ensure sufficient anti-inflammatoryOmega-6 Gamma-linolenic Acid (GLA) fat  (E.g. in pine nuts, evening primrose oil, blackcurrant/borage oils, nuts, seeds, legumes, wheat germ, lean meat). Omega-6 GLA fatty acids have a pronounced anti-inflammatory effect.

EFAs - The Fats of Life

The "O3-Fix"

(3) Avoid foods / substances to which you may be allergic. 

Allergic reactions to certain foods or substances to which you are allergic will produce inflammation.

Dairy products are a common dietary culprit

Milk allergies may be the underlying problem linking milk and asthma.   The milk protein is the likely cause of allergy-related asthma, but according to Dr. Frank Oski, chief of pediatrics at the John Hopkins School of Medicine, some children and adults may not be allergic to the milk itself, but rather to the small amount of antibiotics passed into the milk from the cows(usually given to treat their mastitis).In a study of 25 patients that followed a diet free of milk and meat for 4 months, 71% of the patients experienced an improvement in their asthma symptoms. After a year, asthma improved in 92% of the patients. [Reported in Jean Carper's book, Food: Your Miracle Medicine], On a larger scale, Dr. Joseph Pizzorno, President Emeritus of Bastyr University, found that 25% of respiratory patients experienced long-term improvement after following a vegan diet (no dairy, eggs, meat). You may do well to avoid dairy products and see if your condition improves.

• Dairy products are also notorious for producing mucus involved in asthma.   "In all respiratory conditions, mucus-forming dairy foods, such as milk and cheese, can exacerbate clogging of the lungs and should be avoided," writes Professor Gary Null in his Complete Encyclopedia of Natural Healing.
  • Type A's naturally produce copious amounts of mucus, further increased when they eat mucus-producing foods.   This can exacerbate respiratory problems. When Type A's avoid mucus-producing foods and positively address stress, their asthmatic condition is usually improved or eliminated.  "Eat Right for Your Type"by Dr Peter J D'Adamo, page 253
• Unpasteurized  (i.e. made from raw milk)dairy products may not cause inflammatory reactions.   Pasteurization decreases the amount of the enzyme lactase used to break down lactose in milk. Dairy with high lactose content has been shown to worsen asthma. Also, use whole milk - e.g. a 6oz portion of yogurt made with skimmed milk contains ~13 g of lactose, compared to only 8g when made with whole milk.
• A milk allergy may also manifest as eczema, bronchitis, sinusitis, autoimmune disorders, frequent colds and ear infection
• Almond or coconut milk is a good alternative to cow's milk

Don't be a clean freak (especially with children)

Being overly zealous about cleanliness, especially with children may not be as healthy as once thought.   The "Hygiene Hypothesis" theorizes that exposure to common bacterial and viral infections as a child can be instrumental in providing the stimulus to your immune system to naturally prevent asthma.

Get regular exercise

Exercise helps increase INSULIN receptor sensitivity.    Optimizing INSULIN levels by requiring your body to produce less INSULIN.

Exercising outside in fresh air is especially important for asthmatics

Research indicates that asthmatics who exercise tend to show improvement in:

• Maximum ventilation
• Maximal oxygen uptake
• Work capacity
• Maximum heart rate

Cordyceps Sinensis

Cordyceps sinensis  (commonly called Caterpillar Fungus) is an oriental medicinal fungus which has recorded lung health-related uses dating back to the 15th century in Tibet.    Today, it is proven to inhibit tracheal contractions and has been used effectively to treat Bronchitis, Asthma, and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) by promoting increased airflow to the lungs.The main modus operandi of C. sinensis seems to come from its ability to make more efficient use of available oxygen in the lungs.  Additionally it has anti-inflammatory properties, which helps reduce swelling in the bronchial pathways due to allergic reactions, which may otherwise obstruct airways. C. Sinensis extracts have also demonstrated an ability to inhibit tracheal contractions. 

In an unpublished clinical trial at Beijing Medical University involving 50 asthma patients, Cordyceps averaged 81.3% effectiveness against asthma symptoms in 5 days, while conventional antihistamines proved only 61.1% effective after an average of 9 days.  (Halpern, G. Cordyceps, Chinas healing mushroom. Avery Publishing 1999: 63-70)

Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV)

Take 1 Tablespoon Raw ACV 3 times/day in 8-12oz. juice.     You can also add a teaspoon of local raw honey to make a pleasant-tasting drink. This remedy is also successful against acid reflux.

ACV

Don't smoke

Does this need saying?

Conventional Asthma Treatments

Typical aggressive drug approaches do not treat the cause of your asthma, and can be dangerous, even lethal

Clearly you'll want to avoid having to resort to such measures:

• Non-steroidal bronchodilator.   The conventional choice is an anti-inflammatory agent that you inhale. This relaxes the smooth muscle cells in your lungs, opening up your airways. The non-steroidal bronchodilator doubles the risk of a heart attack.
• Inhaled steroid.   Typically this next choice is a potent anti-inflammatory agent which helps reduce the inflammation in your lungs. Serious side effects, include:
  • Cardiovascular disease; High-dose inhaled corticosteroid use associated with increased cardiovascular risk in patients with asthma | European Respiratory Society
  • Potential for decreased growth in body height and internal organs (including the brain) especially in children on long-term regular doses of corticosteroids; Wolfgram PM and Allen DB, 2015;
  • Cataracts
  • Osteoporosis
  • Diabetes
  • Weight gain
  • High blood pressure
  • Other disease conditions

References

Claverie-Benureau S, Lebel B, Gaudin-Harding F. Changes in histamine and white blood cells in the blood, spleen and thymus of magnesium-deficient rat.Reprod Nutr Dev 1981; 21(4):591-600 PubMed

Nishio A, Ishiguro S, Miyao N, Specific change of histamine metabolism in acute magnesium-deficient young rats. 1987. 5(2):89-96 PubMed 

Wolfgram PM, Allen DB. (2015) Factors influencing growth effects of inhaled corticosteroids in children. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2015 Dec;136(6):1711-1712.e2. PubMed