Home Remedies for Bronchial Asthma
Asthma is derived from Greek word meaning shortness of breath or panting. This is a condition characterised by paroxysmal attacks of bronchospasm causing difficulty in breathing. Broncho asthma can be triggered by certain stimuli which invariably include allergens like some drugs, say aspirin or emotions, exertions infections etc. Asthma generally occurs during rainy and cold seasons but allergic asthma may occur at any time or whenever the antagonist factor appears.
An attack of asthma is a painful experience. It is a nervous condition affecting the breathing of the sufferer.
In this disease, the breathing passages of the air or the bronchial tubes are affected with catarrhal development (phlegm) in them, which blocks the passage.
Gasping for breath is the common thing in Asthma patients. It is expiratory dyspnoea. Severe Asthma will accentuate heart rate, respiratory rate and produce breathlessness and fatigue. The wheezing is due to the air passing through narrowed tubes. The inhalation of drugs, antibiotics, antispasmodic, expectorants are all of temporary ways of therapy.
Natural Cures for Asthma
Cranberry juice is very good for treating asthma attacks, as it contains an ingredient that dilates the bronchial tubes. Cook and mash cranberries. Place in a tightly closed glass container and refrigerate. When needed during an attack, add 3 teaspoons of the mashed cranberries to a cup of hot water. Sip while the water is hot.
8 garlic cloves boiled in one glass of milk with 2 glass of water reduced to milk quantity is given to the Asthma patient. In order to dilute the phlegm in the Lungs, apply Mustard oil along with camphor over the chest. He should inhale steam of caraway seeds, as it expands the bronchial tubes.
Many people drink honeysuckle tea to help with chronic asthma. Put 1 tablespoon of the grated root of honeysuckle in 1 cup of water. Boil gently for 10 minutes. Strain and sweeten. Drink daily.
Exercise & Dietary Guidelines for Asthma
Avoid Fried foods, butter milk, bananas, spices, sour substances, cold water, Guava, Grapes, Papaya, and smoking. Resort to moderate and sustained physical activity (but avoid excessive or arduous exercises), morning walk is recommended. But exposure to damp and cold winds should be avoided. Do not lead a sedentary life nor over-exert yourself. Inhale fresh air but stay away from smoke, dust, rain and cold winds. Drink only hot or lukewarm water.
Food consists of prunes, beries, orange along with Honey for beak fast is good. The food should have protein, fats and carbohydrates and alkaline foods are good for this patient lunch and dinner salad of raw vegetables, lettuce, cucumber, carrot, beets and tomatoes are good. One must take his night meal before sunset. Six to 12 glass of water is good for Asthmatics. Honey vapours are good and smoothing.
What to Do When Asthma Attack?
At the time of a full attack, wrapping a hot brick in a rough cloth and then giving dry fomentation with it to the chest is found to be useful in asthma. Turmeric paste used as poultice on the chest or warming the chest with it is very soothing.
During an acute attack of asthma, drink some hot water with the juice of one clove of garlic.
During an asthma attack, sit up straight or bend forward. Do not lie down.
For an acute asthma attack, try steam inhalation. Add a few drops of eucalyptus oil in a bowl of hot water. Cover your head and the bowl with a towel. Be careful that the water is not so hot that the steam burns your face.
Soaking feet with warm water can also be of some help during the attack.
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Natural Cures for Asthma
As for general treatment of Nature-cure and prevention measures, the patient should have a day’s fast in a week. He should have light natural diets. Fruit fast may also be taken for a few days, during which warm-water enema at night should be used. Milk and curd should not be used in the beginning, only after having brought on normal diet. Sponging of the body should be done daily and, if necessary a cold pack on the chest is also advised. The bowels must be kept clean. All these measures will cleanse the bronchus tubes of their unwanted phlegm and give perfect cure to the system.
Here are other effective old home remedies for Asthma
* A few drinks of lemon juice daily will be very useful in asthma.
* Sip honey and ginger juice in warm water daily.
* Carrot juice if taken daily gives some relief.
* The juice of grape fruit is an age-old remedy in asthma.
* A piece of chebulic myrobalan should be taken after all principal meals.
* Two or three cloves of garlic should be chewed daily in the morning.
* Turmeric powder mixed with sugar-cane molasses and mustard oil if taken daily
reduces its effects.
* A paste made of long pepper, black raisins, ghee, sugar and honey is an efficacious
remedy in asthma.
Some Helpful Tips for Asthma
Allergens and other substances liable to provoke attacks of asthma are to be avoided. For example, pollen may be avoided by not being exposed to flowering vegetation and closing the bedroom windows. Mites in house dust may be prevented by cleaning mattresses and blankets with vacuum cleaners. Animal dander is best avoided if contact with dogs, cats, horses and other animals is avoided.
It is better if feather pillows are substituted with cotton pillows. Often, allergens are produced from certain foods such as fish, eggs, milk, yeast and wheat. These should be carefully identified and eliminated from diet. Exposure to chemicals is to be avoided. If it is not possible, it is better to change the profession. In addition, indiscriminate usage of chemical analgesics should be avoided. Physical and mental stress should be avoided.
Yoga for Asthma
Yoga benefits asthmatics. The integral yoga approach to asthma includes correction of distorted posture and faulty breathing habits, methods for the expectoration of mucous, teaching a system of general muscle relaxation, techniques for the release of suppressed emotion and for reducing anxiety. .
In yoga, the purpose of functional breathing exercise is to learn to engage both, abdominal muscles and the diaphragm in breathing. The duration of exhalation should double the inhalation.
Herbal Smoke for Asthma #1
This was once used as a smoking tobacco for asthma: mix 1 cup each of rosemary, coltsfoot leaves, eyebright, thyme, and lavender. Crush and mix well. Roll into cigarettes or place mixture in a pipe for smoking. It has been used quite often by Native Americans.
Herbal Smoke for Asthma #2
Place dried crushed rosemary in a pipe and smoke for relief. This is said to relieve breathing difficulties.
Hot milk or hot water when sipped little by little, provides immediate relief from the attack. The inhalation of steam-laden air may be provided by using an ordinary teakettle, attaching a funnel to the spout, and inhaling from the upper wide end of the cone. This is very effective in relieving spasms. In many acute attacks, relief will be found in a simple, hot hand-bath or hot foot-bath (immersing hands or feet up to the elbows or knees).
Honey is one of the popular home remedy for asthma. It is said that if a jug of honey is held under the nose of ail asthma patient and he inhales the air that comes into contact with it, he starts breathing easier and deeper. The effect lasts for an hour or so. One to two teaspoon fills of honey provide relief. Honey can also be taken in a cup of milk or water. Honey thins out accumulated mucus and helps its elimination from the respiratory passages. It also tones up the pulmonary lining and thereby prevents the production of mucus in future Some authorities recommend one-year old honey for asthma and respiratory diseases.
Helpful Tips for ASTHMA
During the attack, mustard oil mixed with little camphor should be massaged over the back of the chest. This will loosen up phelgm and ease breathing.
The patient should also inhale steam from the boiling water mixed with caraway seeds. It will dilate the bronchial passage.
The patient should also follow the other laws of Nature. Air, sun and water are great healing agents. Regular fasting once a week, an occasional enema, breathing exercises, fresh air, dry climate, light exercises and correct posture go a long way in treating the disease.
Asthmatics should always eat less than their capacity. They should eat slowly, chewing their food properly. They should drink eight to 10 glasses of water a day, but should avoid taking water or any liquid with meals. Spices, chillies and pickles, too much tea and coffee should also be avoided.
Make fresh daily. Cut an onion into very thin slices and place in a bowl. Cover the onion slices with honey and let sit overnight. The next day; scrape the honey from the onion slices and take 1 teaspoon 3-4 times daily.