Asthma - Allergy Connection and Natural Help

Asthma - Allergy Connection & Natural Help
By:Dr. C. Leigh Broadhurst, Ph.D.

Asthma has been steadily increasing in incidence, despite continual advances in medical care. This is due in large part to a combination of poor nutrition and increasing pollutant loads. Asthma is no longer considered a "respiratory disease," but rather a chronic inflammatory condition. In asthma, the bronchial tubes and airway have a low threshold for inflammation, and allergies, stress, cold air, exercise, perfumes, pollutants, etc., can cause a severe reaction, with swelling, fluid retention, bronchial spasms, and excess mucus production. Many people have a genetic susceptibility to asthma, but even if asthma does "run in your family," the severity of the disease is still within your control. This is because almost everyone can do a lot to raise his or her threshold for inflammation with natural approaches.

For example, environmental factors play a role: the incidence of asthma, especially in children, is much greater in urban areas than in rural areas. In the country the air is cleaner, and children play outside more often instead of breathing stale indoor air. Note also that chronic yeast infection (Candidiasis) and hormone replacement therapy can initiate asthma in adults who did not have a prior history of the disease. Many people develop asthma that is related to chemicals or dust, which they are exposed to in their jobs. Examples of jobs known to cause asthma are manicurists, hairdressers, petroleum refinery workers, miners, spray coaters or painters, flourmill workers, construction and demolition workers and bakers.

Diet, supplements and medicinal plants can play a role in how you manage your asthma. You can reduce the severity and frequency of asthma attacks, allergies and related respiratory infections, and reduce your need for medications. If you are taking oral asthma medications or using an inhaler, please do not discontinue them abruptly. Try instead to gradually improve your health, and work with your physician to lower your medication dosages. The following sections highlight natural approaches for helping asthmatics.

FOOD ALLERGIES

Asthma and allergies are closely linked, and many asthma attacks are triggered by allergens. There are two types of food allergies:

Immediate Onset: These develop minutes or hours after ingesting even tiny amounts of an allergenic food. A characteristic, predictable reaction known as "anaphylaxis" which involves the skin, face, airway, and gastrointestinal tract is observed. Examples are severe hives, wheezing and vomiting from ingesting shellfish or nuts. Immediate onset allergies are typically limited to 1 to 3 foods, and are occasionally fatal (especially peanut allergies).

Delayed Onset: These allergic responses develop several hours or even 24 to 48 hours after eating, and are dependent on the amount and preparation of food eaten. These allergies cause a variety of responses (from asthma to ulcers to arthritis) that are not always predictable or easily linked to the offending food. Delayed onset food allergies can involve 3 to 10 foods, and sometimes up to 20. On their own, delayed onset allergies are rarely life-threatening, but instead turn us into the "walking wounded", always sick or fatigued. However, it these allergies are contributing to your asthma, they might indirectly be considered life threatening.

Asthmatics are often allergic to foods such as milk, eggs, soybeans, yeasts, peanuts and wheat, and may have multiple food allergies. These allergies may be immediate onset, delayed onset, or a combination of both. I recommend ELISA blood food allergy testing for all asthmatics. Such testing clearly identifies problem foods and helps you plan meals which avoid or rotate these foods. Skin tests are not acceptable for identifying delayed onset food allergies!
Asthmatics should eliminate sugar, junk food, soda and alcohol consumption. Avoid benzoates, MSG (anything listing "natural flavors" on the label can include MSG), sulfites, formaldehyde, benzaldhyde, artificial flavors and colors. The more additives, preservatives and artificial ingredients in a food, the poorer the nutrition, and the more likely it is to cause an asthma attack. For example, some asthmatics are sensitive to the food color tartazine (FD&C yellow #5).

NUTRITIONAL SUPPLEMENTS

Asthma can be exacerbated by nutrient deficiencies; in addition, the stress of repeated asthma and allergy attacks uses some nutrients at greater than normal rates. Food Allergies and candidiasis irritate the gastrointestinal system, thus potentially reducing nutrient absorption. Here is a basic daily supplement program for asthmatics:

1. Multivitamin and antioxidant supplement. This should include 25-75 mg B complex, 400-800 mcg folic acid, 400 IU vitamin E, 15-20 mg zinc, 200-400 mcg chromium, 100 mcg selenium.
2. Vitamin C is critical! Take at least 1,000 mg with bioflavonoids 3 to 4 times per day. This should have an effect on excess mucus production within a few days. Vitamin C is an antihistamine without side effects, and enhances immune response.
3. Magnesium, 400-600 mg. Magnesium levels have been shown repeatedly to be depleted in asthmatics. Magnesium relaxes bronchial tubes and esophageal smooth muscle.
4. 250 mg pantothenic acid.
5. 2,000-4,000 mg fish oil, 2,000 mg evening primrose or borage oil, and two to four teaspoons of flaxseed oil.
6. Bee pollen granules or capsules from a supplier that does not use heat treatment. Occasionally people are allergic to bee pollen, so start with a few granules; increase slowly to at least one teaspoon per day.
7. 10-20 grams glutamine powder, especially for candida and food allergy recovery.
8. Drink 8 glasses of water.

HERBS AND BOTANICALS

There are a number of effective herbs for asthma. RespirActin® is one of a my top choices. It is a special herbal liquid preparation, available at health food stores, containing a combination of rosemary, sage, cloves, cinnamon, chamomile, thyme, spearmint, witch hazel, juniper, black cumin and other herbs. Two ounces RespirActin® twice a day has reduced the need for inhalers in asthmatics, and RespirActin® has only beneficial side effects. For more information on RespirActin® call 1-800-665-3908.

Other botanicals recommended for asthmatics are ginkgo biloba, ephedra, coleus forskohlii, tylophora asthmatica, cayenne, and curcumin. These herbs are anti-inflammatory, anti-allergic, antioxidant and bronchodilating. Coleus forskholii has an active phytochemical, called forskohlii, which is such a safe and effective bronchodilator that it is used as drug. Cayenne, onions and garlic may also help, mainly due to their content of quercetin, which is antihistamine, anti-allergic, and antioxidant. If you do not like these spicy flavors, take 1,000 mg quercetin per day instead of (or even better, in addition to!) them.

AIRBORNE ALLERGENS
Allergies to airborne irritants, including pollen, dust, animal dander, mold and chemicals, are a problem for many asthmatics. It is impossible to completely avoid inhaling potential allergens, so people move to new climates, homes or jobs---but this kill-the-messenger approach does not work for long. Instead, a combination of cleaning up your environment and following the suggestions in the previous sections can help normalize your immune response wherever you live.

Underlying food allergies repeatedly stimulate the immune system, preventing it from calming down. This can contribute to airborne allergies because the immune system is already too exhausted to deal with additional irritants. In addition, there are cross-reactions between food and inhalant allergens. Try recording what you ate 24 to 48 hours prior to an allergy attack. For example, people allergic to ragweed may also be allergic to cantaloupe, honeydew and the herb goldenseal. You may want to get ELISA blood allergy testing for airborne allergens as well as foods.
ASTHMA-AIDING TIPS

Common sense for cleaning up your environment:

• Have household air ducts professionally cleaned, and install allergy-free air filters.
• Avoid wall-to-wall carpeting. Use area rugs and bare floors.
• Avoid excess exposure to pesticides, solvents and household cleaning products. Use natural brands, unscented laundry soap, avoid dryer static sheets, fabric softeners and air fresheners.
• If you live or work in an enclosed space or airtight building, periodically step outside, relax, and breathe. Breathe shallowly at first, especially if outside air is cold, and increase the depth of your breathing as you go.
• Ask a friend to be a professional snoop and give you an honest evaluation of your home's odors. I have visited homes that absolutely reeked of mildew or pet urine, and the owners seemed oblivious! Mildew and mold will consistently cause asthma and allergy attacks. Pets can also exacerbate asthma, so improving your health the natural way is a good idea if you like to keep animals.
• Make sure your basement is nearly empty, clean and dry. Damp, moldy basements fill the whole house with fungal spores. If you must store objects in the basement, place them on open shelves or up on blocks, not right on the floor, or in stacked cardboard (moisture trapping) boxes.
• Use only natural skin and hair care products. Avoid deodorant soaps and mass-market shampoos and conditioners.
• If you tend to breath through your mouth, retrain yourself to breath through your nose. Nasal breathing reduces the amount of airborne allergens you inhale, and keeps the airway moist.