Asthma and persistent breathing irritation can be a life long health problem for many people.

Asthma is a dis-ease that affects millions throughout the world, but the unfortunate thing is that the medical industry only offers "inhalers" as the solution, without addressing the causative factors.

Thankfully, there are actually a number of natural remedies and lifestyle changes you can adopt that can help heal and restore chronic respiratory conditions like Asthma.  Read on to learn more...

First, what is Asthma?

Asthma is a chronic disease that affects the airways or "tubes" which carry air in and out of your lungs.

It manifests when the inside walls of these airways become infected or inflamed, making them sensitive to virtually everything that enters the lungs. 

Over time, the airways get even narrower (as they become more inflamed), preventing the free flow of oxygen through to your lung tissues.  this is what causes persistent breathing irritation, coughs, chest congestion and asthma attacks.

Before long, you now have a debilitating condition that needs treatment in order to create relief and to even perform the simplest of daily tasks.

When it comes to Asthma and chronic breathing conditions, unfortunately most Doctors will only prescribe chemical inhalers as a remedy.  The inhaler works by supplying medication breathed through the mouth and into the lungs, which helps to relax bronchioles and muscles that tighten the airways. This allows the air now move in and out of your lungs more freely temporarily, though it does nothing to address the underlying cause of the problem for the long term. 

What are the symptoms of Asthma?

As irritation of the airways occurs, inflammation grows, causing the pipes to become narrower and the cells to produce more mucus than usual as a protective response.

The problem is when mucus increases, it narrows the airways, even more, causing a vicious cycle, making it even harder to breathe and leading to symptoms of asthma like these:

• Coughing: Most often worse at night or early in the morning, making it hard to sleep
• Wheezing: A whistling or squeaky sound when you breathe
• Chest tightness: A sensation of feeling cramped for air or compression like someone is squeezing or sitting on your chest
• Shortness of breath: Some people say they can’t catch their breath, or they feel breathless or out of breath. You may feel like you can’t get enough air in or out of your lungs
• Erratic or noisy breathing: A sign that there is constant congestion in the respiratory tract that needs support to clear.

What causes Asthma?

The common causes of Asthmatic symptoms and respiratory conditions are constant exposure to everyday irritants like these:

• Synthetic fragrances and artificially scented products e.g. chemical laundry detergents, soaps, cosmetics and personal care products
• Emotional imbalances and stress
• A lack of regular exposure to clean, electrified air on a daily basis and at night when you sleep
• Animal dander (from the skin, hair, or feathers of animals)
• Polluted air, air conditioning or chemically-infused factory air
• Cigarette smoke
• Cold air or abrupt changes in weather conditions
• Dust mites (contained in household dust)
• Mould (indoor & outdoor)
• Pollen from trees & grass.

Other:

• A condition called gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) that causes heartburn and can worsen asthma symptoms, especially at night
• Medications such as aspirin & beta-blockers
• Sulphates in food (usually dried fruit) or beverages (many wines).

Once the symptoms of Asthma have developed, the problem can compound further with high-intensity exercise, viral infections and repeated exposure to pollutants, electrically 'dead' air and irritants.

In a severe asthma attack, the airways can close so much that not enough oxygen gets to vital organs causing a medical emergency. This needs to be taken seriously since people can die from severe asthma attacks.

Before we share some natural remedies and solutions, here are some levels of Asthma severity to keep in mind.

Four Levels of Asthma Severity

1. Mild Intermittent (comes and goes) – Symptoms twice a week or less, and you have symptoms at night twice a month or less.
2. Mild Persistent Asthma – Symptoms more than twice a week, but no more than once in a single day. You have symptoms at night more than twice a month. You also may have asthma attacks that affect your activities
3. Moderate Persistent Asthma – Symptoms every day, and you have symptoms at night for more than once a week. Asthma attacks may affect your daily activities
4. Severe Persistent Asthma – Symptoms throughout the day on most days, and you have nighttime symptoms often. In severe Asthma, your physical activity is likely to be limited.

Foods that can help

A plant-based diet significantly improves the symptoms of Asthma because it increases beneficial botanical nutrients and compounds that naturally support the respiratory system of the body.

Fresh fruits and vegetables also counteract the inflammatory nature of many animal products and foods.

Eat a diet rich in fresh fruits, vegetables, raw nuts, seeds and whole grains, whilst while drastically cutting down (or eliminating) all meat and dairy products, particularly if you suffer from Asthma or a serious breathing condition.

If you do decide to continue eating meat or animal products, just be sure that they are pasture raised, chemical and hormone free and make sure the dairy products are organic and contain no gelatin or animal rennet.

Learn more in Top 7 Reasons to Embrace a Plant-Based Diet & How to Do It

The next step is to kick up your daily intake of Nature Made Sea Salt and a helpful tip is to ingest 1-2 tablespoons of Apple Cider Vinegar each day.  The reason why Sea Salt can help relieve Asthma is because salt is a known anti-inflammatory compound - reducing mucous, congestion, inflammation and allergic responses within the airways.  Raw, Organic Apple Cider Vinegar is useful for Asthma sufferers because it add beneficial acids and bacteria into the gut which allows the stomach to do its job more efficiently, relieving congestion.

Another fantastic whole food that targets lung congestion and respiratory health are red skin potatoes. The starches in these particular potatoes are like little sponges that mop up free radical congestion in the lungs.  Add them steamed into your regular diet or try this protocol a few times per week:

• Cut 1 raw, red skin potato into thin slices about the width of your pinky finger
• Lay the slices out onto a plate and squeeze fresh lemon juice over the raw potatoes.  Sprinkle with Sea Salt and eat.

Eat lots of citrus fruits (lemons, limes, oranges, grapefruit and tangerines) as well as orange and yellow vegetables like squash, pumpkin and yellow zucchinis, which are rich in Vitamin C making them especially beneficial for reducing inflammation and healing respiratory function.

Finally, include plenty of the following foods known for their anti-viral and anti-bacterial powers, into your diet on a regular basis:

• Onions
• Garlic
• Radishes
• Chilli Peppers
• Jalapeños

Another thing to consider, is our Cleanse Me Natural Colon Cleanse to help cleanse the digestive tract of heavy metals and accumulated waste which is a big contributor to ongoing respiratory problems.

Natural Remedies for Asthma

Juice Therapy

Any kind of raw, fresh made cold-pressed juice can be a great tonic to include into your morning dietary routine, particularly if you suffer from Asthma or breathing problems.

Cold Pressed juices are loaded with phytonutrients and anti-inflammatory compounds that help to relieve congestion, load you up with vitamins and minerals and boost your immune system.  Here's a great recipe to try:

• 3 x medium sized Carrots (washed)
• 1/2 Ruby Red Grapefruit (lightly peeled, leave some of the white pectin)
• 1 x Orange (peeled)
• 1/2 inch Ginger
• 1/2 Turmeric

Gently feed the ingredients into a cold-press juice machine and pour the juice into a glass bottle or jar.  Drink right away, or seal, refrigerate and drink within 72 hours.

Learn more in Fruit & Vegetable Juicing: What You Should Know

Natural Nasal Spray & Washes

You can also mix water with Sea Salt and Peppermint Pure Essential Oil to make your own nasal spray with a small glass spray bottle or get our Breathe EZ Decongestant Nasal Spray already premixed and bottled up for you.

Do routine nasal washes which will help release mucous and irritants from the nose and decrease swelling. Spray and breathe it in 5-6 times per day.

Things to note when doing a nasal wash:

• Wash your hands;
• Make a fresh nasal wash solution out of saltwater or saline. Mix one-half teaspoon sea salt in a 250ml glass of warm water with a pinch of baking soda. Use the entire 250ml of saltwater during the nasal wash if you are congested, otherwise, half a glass should be enough;
• Do not reuse the solution and make a new one every time;
• Make sure to use a bulb syringe.

Essential Oils

Pure essential oils are a must if you're trying to prevent or heal any type of respiratory condition naturally. 

Three of the most effective Essential Oils you should have are:

• Peppermint - Take a drop or two orally each day of Pure Peppermint Essential Oil as well as rubbing into the palms and inhaling deeply and exhaling several times morning and night;
• Eucalyptus - A powerful natural decongestant, antiseptic, anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial agent, add a few drops of Pure Eucalyptus Oil to 2-3 drops of Peppermint oil, then add a small amount of Olive Oil before rubbing onto the chest each night before bed;
• Lavender - Place a diffuser next to your bed and add a few drops of Pure Lavender Essential Oil to water and allow it to run whilst you sleep. It's also a good idea to use a diffuser in your office or anywhere where the air does not flow freely e.g. hotel rooms when you travel. This will relax your bronchioles and create respiratory relief.

Practice Self Care

In addition to all of these helpful tips, remember to practice the 7 principles of health - Air, Water, Sunshine, Walking, Wholefoods, Non-Toxic Relationships and Passion.

Be sure to breathe clean, moving air at home, when you sleep and regularly throughout the day when at work (even if it's only during breaks, every little bit helps, particularly if you're exposed to closed-building stagnant air and air conditioning for long periods).

Go for a brisk walk each day morning and night if you can for 30-45 minutes as close to trees and nature as possible where the air is clean.  Try activities like yoga and tai chi which bring intention and awareness to your breath, which will encourage better breathing habits, relaxation and emotional wellbeing.

The Main Takeaway

There are many ways you can naturally support your resistance to Asthma and chronic breathing conditions that won't require invasive, synthetic medications or procedures.

The key is to be self care aware and to regularly practice some of the useful tips and suggestions outlined for you here.  When you do this and you're more conscious of what supports healthy a respiratory system, in fairly short time, you'll begin to the notice a difference, which will give you the confidence to heal yourself and to move forward with less reliance on medication.

Tolman Self Care.