Asthma is a condition affecting one out of every twelve adults and one out of every seven children. It is a chronic lung disease that is due to airway inflammation triggered by allergens. Usually the reaction happens instantaneously, which can leave you short of breath, cause wheezing and in some circumstances lead to total airway obstruction. If you do not treat severe cases immediately, an asthma attack can lead to asphyxiation. Deaths caused by asthma are on the rise, especially in America, Africa and Latin countries.
Many things can cause asthma but the most common irritants are pollen, pet dander, mold, dust and cigarette smoke. When one of those substances is inhaled, an asthmatic person’s immune system reacts very differently than someone without asthma. It essentially overreacts causing airway constriction, which then leads to inflammation and trouble breathing. Many sufferers carry inhalers and take medication to help prevent or control attacks, but not everything in effective 100 percent of the time.
Herbal supplements and remedies can be a safe and efficient way to enhance your current asthma treatment regimen. A mushroom called Cordyceps sinensis used often in Eastern medicine is an herbal supplement that can relax smooth muscles. This muscle relaxation can help counteract the asthmatic reaction, which makes the smooth muscle of the throat contract. Cordyceps also has several other health benefits like boosting energy and stamina, lowering high blood pressure and strengthening your immune system.
Another herbal option is lettuce seeds. A teaspoonful mixed with honey twice a day is useful when treating asthma or bronchitis. Taking this regularly on an empty stomach can help prevent attacks therefore reducing medication dependence. Carom seeds are also a great twice-daily supplement. When ground into a powder they can be mixed in warm milk or water. This herbal remedy is particularly good for bronchial asthma since it reduces the production of phlegm dramatically. Fenugreek seeds can be boiled down and given daily in the morning to help reduce attacks; this is especially effective for children. Boiling bishop’s weed seeds are a good option if ingesting herbal supplements is troublesome. They will create a fume while boiling that can be inhaled and promotes smooth muscle relaxation.
Surprisingly, pineapple is a great diet addition when searching for ways to relieve your asthma. Bromelin is contained in their stems and it is a nutrient that helps with quercetin absorption. Quercetin is a natural antihistamine, which blocks histamines that cause the allergic reactions and inflammation in our bodies. Mint is a simple herbal remedy good for decreasing phlegm. Mix the juice from crushed mint leaves with the juice from crushed ginger. This is best taken twice a day with honey to help the concoction go down. There are many other Cordyceps benefits that can bring a real help to your health.