Because asthma attacks result from a lack of airflow due to constricted airways, any treatment, natural or otherwise, should focus on getting the airways opened and free again. Spasms cause the airways to constrict, so effective treatment will relax the airways and the muscles surrounding them.
Natural asthma treatment focuses primarily on three areas: allergic reaction, nutrition, and reducing airway spasticity. One of the easiest, most natural, and least invasive treatments for asthma is to remove airborne allergens from the home. Dust mites, for example, are a very common cause of asthma attacks. These are found in very high concentrations in carpet, upholstery, and bedding. Furniture, carpeting, and beds can be removed or treated to help control dust mites. Air filters can also be used in the home to help reduce allergens. Asthma can also be triggered by food allergies. In such cases, the foods, most often dairy, eggs, citrus, chocolate, peanuts, wheat, and gluten, should be eliminated from the diet, especially throughout childhood. Research has indicated that childhood allergies often abate in adolescence or young adulthood.
Many nutrients are essential to the successful treatment of asthma. Among these are vitamins C, B6, and B12. Selenium and molybdenum, two minerals, are also important. Studies have shown that all of these contribute to the reduction of asthma symptoms. Also helpful are hydrochloric acid supplements, as studies have shown that asthmatics do not produce enough stomach acid, leading to a decreased ability to absorb the nutrients that would keep it in abeyance.
Because asthma is the result of constricted airways, reducing the spasticity of air passages is the best natural asthma treatment available. Magnesium is a natural anti-spasmodic that can effectively relieve muscle spasm in the muscles that surround the airways of the lungs. Other effective bronchodilators include green tea and the herbal medicine lobelia. The most effective anti-spasmodic/bronchodilator, however, is controlled breathing. When the asthmatic can be taught how to breathe in a slow and controlled fashion, the conditions that cause the airways to constrict will disappear, reducing or eliminating asthma attacks and their symptoms. In addition to helping with asthma, proper breathing is also a natural treatment for a variety of health issues. When breathing is properly regulated and done well, the body functions as a well-tuned machine because it is getting the amount of oxygen that it requires to operate at peak performance.
Although no one natural treatment may work for everyone, when combined into a comprehensive treatment, patients should notice a decrease in asthma symptoms and overall improvement in their general health.
