Karen’s Free Health and Fitness Tips

Asthma is a lung disorder characterized by chronic inflammation of the lung airways. This inflammation or irritation causes increased mucous production and airway hyper-sensitivity resulting in a reduced ability to circulate air flow. Wheezing, coughing, and shortness of breath are the symptoms associated with asthma. Asthma is multifactorial and includes genetic, allergic, environmental, infectious, emotional, and nutritional components. Cigarette smoking, fossil fuels, wood burning stoves, gas appliances and off-gassing from paints, adhesives, furniture and building materials can all exacerbate asthma. Approximately 17.3 million people suffer from asthma in the and 150 million people worldwide. According to the National Health Interview Survey the rate of asthma in children is increasing by five percent every year. Asthma negatively effects quality of life, work, school and in severe cases death is the result. Approximately 5,000 people die each year from asthma.

The increasing rates of asthma are most likely due to new home construction of airtight homes that began in the 1970s. These new homes have less air circulation, central heating, chemical-laden synthetic building materials and wall-to-wall carpet. This is a perfect environment for the growth of microorganisms that can irritate the lungs. Industrialization and the burning of fossil fuels are also to blame due to the irritating toxic compounds that are released into the air and then breathed on a daily basis. Our diets have also evolved away from omega-3 fatty acids which have powerful anti-inflammatory properties.

We know that the basic underlying cause of asthma is inflammation of the lungs so how do we reduce the inflammation through diet, nutritional supplements and changes in our living environment? A Swedish study found that the more dust mites present in a home the greater risk of asthma symptoms! Dust mite feces is the major culprit in lung irritation as well as cockroach feces and dog and cat dander. The following steps should be taken to address these irritating factors:
Wash bedding in hot water Eliminate carpet where possible Encase mattresses and pillows in occlusive covers Use a high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter in all air systems Use a vacuum cleaner with an on-board HEPA filter Washing your dog twice a week will reduce airborne allergens by 84%!

One study found that when patients eliminated foods they were allergic to there was a 79% improvement in their symptoms. Food allergies play a major role in asthma and should be evaluated in everyone with asthma. Foods can trigger allergic responses and increase the inflammatory cascade in the already irritated lung tissues. Gut symptoms occur more frequently in children with asthma as the lining of the gut has similarities to the lining of the lungs. A healthy gut lining is important because it protects us from unwanted organisms entering our blood stream.

Fungi and yeast have also been shown to be contributing factors in asthma. Cultures of lung secretions from asthma patients were analyzed and the dominant yeast was Candida! Candida is a highly allergenic yeast and can also cause skin problems such as dermatitis. Antifungal agents should always be considered when treating asthma.

Viruses have also been linked to the onset of asthma. One study found that 78% of asthmatic children had a virus detected from a nasal swab sample. Heartburn or gastroesophageal reflux disease has also been showing to be a contributing factor in asthma. 75% of asthmatics suffer from heartburn! Excess stomach acid irritates the esophagus and causes a reflex to the lungs and the air passages constrict.

So what nutritional approaches can you take to reduce and sometimes even eliminate the symptoms of asthma? When the lung lining was tested in asthmatics they found significantly decreased levels of vitamin C and E even though their blood levels were normal. When children with asthma were given 50 mg twice a day of vitamin B6 their symptoms were greatly reduced and less use of bronchodilators and steroid medications was reported. Studies on magnesium have shown that asthmatics have inadequate levels of this vital mineral and when study subjects were given 400 mg a day of magnesium significantly fewer symptoms were reported. Zinc levels in the blood were also tested in asthmatics and were found to be insufficient. When subjects were given 100mcg of the mineral selenium, improvement in asthmatics symptoms were seen. Since asthma is an inflammatory condition sufficient amount of omega-3 fatty acids are required as these fats significantly reduce inflammation. Cold-water fish or supplementation with fish oil can provide these essential fats and have been shown in many studies to alleviate asthmatics symptoms.

In addition to vitamins and minerals, the following herbs have been shown to be helpful with asthma:
Glycyrrhiza glabra (licorice root) Tylophora asthmatica Boswellia serrata (frankincense) Petasites hybridus (butterbur) Horehound, Mullein leaf, anise seed, thyme, lobelia Green tea Ginkgo biloba Aloe vera

Quercitin is a powerful flavonoid found in fruits and vegetables. Quercitin helps reduce inflammation and also has anti-cancer properties. I recommend taking a vitamin C product that also contains Quercitin.

Acupuncture and chiropractic adjustments are promising treatment methods for asthma as well. Chiropractic adjustments help the ability of the spine and rib cage to move more freely with each breath and can provide some relief for asthmatics.

I frequently see patients with asthma and have had excellent results with the vitamins, minerals and herbs mentioned above. Due to the importance of food allergies and their link to asthma it is highly recommended that all patients have a blood test to see what foods could be making their asthma worse. With proper nutrition including the elimination of known food allergens, supplementation and a clean home environment, my patients breathe much better and have significant improvements in their asthma symptoms.

By: Nikolas Hedberg

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