What is Asthma? 

A respiratory condition whereby flow of air in and out of the lungs is restricted due to an obstruction of the airways. It mainly affects children under the age of 16 and adults over 65.

Signs and Symptoms

Coughing, wheezing, and difficulty in breathing. 

Causes

Exposure to an allergen can often trigger attacks. Allergens can be drugs, tobacco smoke, feathers, food additives, animal fur or hair, fumes, mould and environmental pollution. Other causes are changes in temperature and respiratory infections such as bronchitis or the flu.  

Anxiety, stress, low blood sugar levels, and exercise are all known causes, although not every trigger on this list will affect every sufferer. 

Complementary Approach

Eat a diet rich in fresh fruits and vegetables is essential. The following foods should be included in your diet; nuts and seeds, brown rice and whole grains. Garlic and onion are especially beneficial as they have an enzyme in them that releases anti-inflammatory chemicals. A diet low in carbohydrates and one that contains no sugar, but one that is high in protein is also recommended. Fasting for 3 days at a time each month using distilled water and lemon juice to help rid the body of toxins is recommended by naturopathic practitioners.

Don’t eat too much as pressure on the stomach may cause shortness of breath, so keep meals small and avoid really cold foods, such as ice cream or cold liquids as the shock might bring on an attack. Gas-producing foods such as cauliflower, cabbage, and broccoli should also be avoided. 

Food allergies (1): Get yourself tested or keep a food diary eliminating all of the following foods and then after one month reintroduce them one by one to establish whether or not you are allergic to any of them. Be very careful when reintroducing these foods as you may bring on an attack if you are indeed allergic to any of them (2). The list is as follows: Carrots, beets, chicken and turkey, white flour, fish, all red meat especially pork, corn, eggs, dairy products, alfalfa, soy, and any foods you believe aggravates your asthma. Avoid all foods that contain additives, especially the aspirin-like substances salicylates (3, 4). Many have found that a vegan diet eaten for one year along with added supplements and other dietary modifications led to great improvement in some asthmatics (5).

(See our article on Asthma Risks in Children: Mediterranean Diet Reduces, ‘Burger Diet’ Increases)

Nutritional Supplements

Vitamin B6 should be taken, as many asthma sufferers have been found to be deficient in this vitamin. This is probably because the drugs they have to take deplete the body of Vitamin B6 (6,7). Studies using various age groups taking varying dosages of this vitamin found that B6 dramatically reduced the severity of attacks and enabled the individuals used in the experiment to lower their asthma medication (8,9). One other study did not find B6 particularly useful for this condition; however, the asthmatics involved in this trial were on steroid medication at the time (10).

Quercitin, a natural flavonoid found in various fruits and vegetables, can work well at stabilising cells thus stopping inflammation; it also has an antihistaminic effect. Studies also show that Quercitin inhibits an enzyme that contributes to problems with asthma (11). Take 400 mg taken twice daily. A lower dosage of 100-250 mg taken 3 times a day is recommended for less severe symptoms, and half that for children. You should consult a healthcare professional for personalized dosing guidance. Do not take if you have kidney damage or disease, or are pregnant or breastfeeding.

Vitamin B12 helps with the lung inflammation that occurs during an attack. Take 1,000 mcg twice a day between meals. Use a lozenge or forms that can be placed under the tongue. B12 has also been shown to reduce the tendency for asthmatics to react to sulphites (12,13).

Magnesium is recommended by many healthcare practitioners because magnesium levels have been found to be low in asthmatics (14). There is no research into the effectiveness of oral magnesium, as the trials carried out used intravenous injections of magnesium (15). It is believed that magnesium prevents spasms in the bronchial passages. The dosage used in the trial was 200-400 mg per day.  

Vitamin C, according to research (16), decreases the occurrences of the bronchial passages going into spasm (17). Take between 1-2 grams a day; a buffered form was found to work better (18).

Selenium protects against free-radical damage, and as asthma involves free-radical damage, taking selenium may offer protection (19,20,21). Studies show that as small an amount of 45 mcg when given to a group of asthma sufferers led to half of them showing signs of improvement (22). However, most practitioners recommend taking 200 mcg per day.

Bromelain is considered beneficial in the treatment of asthma because it reduces the thickness of mucous (23). Take 100 mg 3 times a day.  

The nutrients mentioned here, along with the ones mentioned in the previous section, are often recommended by healthcare practitioners. 

Flaxseed oil or primrose oil help with the inflammation process. Take 1,000 mg twice daily before meals.

Vitamin B5 is the anti-stress vitamin and should be taken 3 times a day at 50 mg doses.

Vitamin B complex stimulates the immune system. Take 50 mg 4 times a day. 

Vitamin A is needed for tissue repair and immunity. Take 15,000 IU per day unless pregnant and then you should take up to only 10,000 IU per day. 

Natural beta-carotene is a natural oxidant and should be taken at 10,000 IU per day. 

Vitamin E acts as a powerful antioxidant and should be taken daily at 600 IU per day.

Herbs

Ginkgo biloba has been shown to be highly effective in the treatment of asthma (24,25). Take 120-240 mg of standardised extract or 3-4 ml of regular tincture 3 times daily.  

Lobelia extract relaxes the bronchial muscle (26), and tests show improved lung function (27), but it should not be taken internally on an ongoing basis. If you are considering taking lobelia extract, it is wise to consult with a herbalist, as too high a dose can result in vomiting (28) or poisoning (29). However, you are safe using lobelia ointment on the chest to relieve asthma, apply it liberally to the chest area several times a day. 

Mullein has a soothing action on the mucous membranes (30,31). Therefore, steep 5-10 grams of dried leaves or flowers in boiling water for 10-15 minutes and drink 4 cups a day. Alternatively take 1-4 ml of the tincture 3-4 times a day.   

Pau D’Arco tinctures should be taken in amounts of 0.5-1 ml 3 times per day. Alternatively take 15-20 grams of the herb. In fact, it is the inner bark that is used, and simmered in a pint of water for 15 minutes. Drink 3 cups of this tea daily (32). It acts as an anti-fungal (33) and as a natural antibiotic thus reducing inflammation. It can also be taken in tablet or capsule. Take 300 mg 3 times a day.

The herbs mentioned here have historically been considered beneficial in the treatment of various conditions including asthma. Therefore, they are often recommended by healthcare practitioners. 

Licorice comes in the standard type that contains glycyrrhizin, and Deglycyrrhizinated licoricey (DGL) that does not. You will need to use the standard liquorice. Use concentrated extracts in the amount 250-500 mg and take it 3 times a day. A tea can be made by pouring a pint of water on to half an ounce of root and letting it steep for 15 minutes. Drink 2-3 cups per day. Do not use for longer than 3 weeks without seeking further advice from a herbalist or a practitioner with knowledge in this area.

Chamomile and aniseed blend taken as a tea or used as a steam inhalation is a great treatment for allergic or nervous asthma. Use 2 parts chamomile to 1 part aniseed

Other herbs worth considering are slippery elm bark tablets, juniper berries and echinacea. Do not use for longer than 7 days in a row and avoid using it all together if you have high blood pressure.

Further Information

Well-known painkillers Aspirin and Ibuprofen have been known to set off asthmatic attacks and so be aware of that if you ever take them. 

Different people are allergic to different things, but the following tend to set off attacks in most asthmatic people, and for that reason should be avoided: Furry animals, dust mites, and tobacco or smoke of all sorts.

Relaxation techniques can be useful in the fight against asthma as stress is also a common cause. 

Breathing exercises have been reported to greatly help those with asthma and have resulted in many individuals being able to lower their dose of prescription drugs (38).   

References

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2. Sampson HA, Mendelson L, Rosen JP. Fatal and near-fatal anaphylactic reactions to food in children and adolescents. N Engl J Med 1992;327:380.
3. Genton C, Frie PC, Pecoud A. Value of oral provocation tests to aspirin and food additives in the routine investigation of asthma and chronic urticaria. J Asthm a 1985;76:40-45.
4. Townes SJ, Mellis CM. Role of acetyl salicylic acid and sodium metabisulfite in chronic childhood asthma. Pediatr 1984;73:631-37.
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6. Collipp PJ, et al. Tryptophane metabolism in bronchial asthma. Ann Allergy 1975;35:153-58.
7. Weir MR, et al. Depression of vitamin B6 levels due to theophylline. Ann Allergy 1990;65:59-62.
8. Collipp PJ et al. Pyridoxine treatment of childhood bronchial asthma. Ann Allergy 1975;35:93–97.
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11. Welton AF, Tobias LD, Fiedler-Nagy C, et al. Effect of flavonoids on arachidonic acid metabolism. Prog Clin Biol Res 1986;213:231-42.

12. Anibarro B, et al. Asthma with sulfite intolerance in children: A blocking study with cyanocobalamin. J Allerg Clin Immunol 1992;90:103-9.

13. Johnson JL, et al. Molybdenum cofactor deficiency in a patient previously characterized as deficient in sulfite oxidase. Biochem Med Metabol Biol1988;40:86-93.
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24. Guinot P, Brambilla Dunchier J, et al. Effect of BN 52063, a specific PAF-ascether antagonist, on bronchial provocation test to allergens in asthmatic patients – a preliminary study. Prostaglandins 1987;34(5):723-31.
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29. Bergner P. Is lobelia toxic? Medical Herbalism 1998;10(1,2):1,15-32 [review].

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31. Grieve M. A Modern Herbal, vol. 2.New York: Dover Publications, 1971, 562-66.
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33. Guiraud P, Steiman R, Campos-Takaki GM, et al. Comparison of antibacterial and antifungal activities of lapachol and beta-lapachone. Planta Med1994;60:373-74.
34. Bowler SD, Green A, Mitchell CA. Buteyko breathing techniques in asthma: A blinded randomised controlled trial. Med J Austral 1998;169:575-78.