Asthma is a chronic ailment in which inflammation of the airways, or bronchi, affects the way air enters and leaves the lungs, thereby disrupting breathing. When allergens or irritants come into contact with the inflamed airways, the already sensitive airways tighten and narrow, making it difficult for the person to breathe. Progressively severe symptoms can lead to an asthma attack.

In asthma attacks, the overproduction of mucus lining the airways further narrows the airways, limiting oxygen intake and making it more difficult to breathe. Asthma affects 5 million children in the United States and 15 million people total. Currently, there is no cure, but there are medications and lifestyle changes that can help alleviate the symptoms so that one can lead a productive life.

There seems to be little folklore attached to such a potentially damaging affliction as asthma although there are one or two rather obscure references to sighting the devil bringing of an asthma attack. This probably related more to psychosomatic causes, which had their origins in dirty deeds and a guilty conscience. Most attacks of asthma are triggered by allergic reaction, an emotional upset, anxiety or occasionally physical stress or a chesty cold.

Asthma Symptoms

1.A severe attack causes in increase in heartbeat and respiratory rates and the patient feel restless and fatigued.

2.There may be coughing, tightness in the chest, profuse sweating and vomiting.

3.There may be also being abdominal pain, especially if coughing is severe. Foggy weather aggressive the symptoms.

4.An asthmatic attack begins when the bronchial tubes in the lungs become constricted.

5.The tubes having become narrow, the inhaled air becomes trapped in the tiny air sacs at the end of the tubes, making the release of breath difficult.

6.The air being pushed through the narrowed bronchi produces the wheezing sound identified with asthma.

Asthma Causes

1.Cool-headed comfort is the key to reducing the misery of asthma.

2.Do not fuss and flap and burn feathers under the victim's nose.

3.Asthma is mostly to allergy. Stay away from dust, smoke and pollution.

4.Smoking should be strictly prohibited as it takes a person closer to death day by day.

Home Remedies for Asthma

1.Turmeric acts both as a preventive and curative treatment for allergic asthma. Half to one teaspoon of turmeric (according to patient's tolerance and severity for disease) taken with warm milk reduces the intensity of attack. One of the effective home remedies for asthma.

2.Take additional vitamins A, E and B6. Keep your weight down but do not diet seriously enough to create problems of anxiety or unhappiness

3.Have a high fibre diet to avoid constipation. Soybeen, Bengal gram (kale chane), fruits like apple, figs, guava, lemon and orange are rich in fibre.

4.Grains rich in fibre are barley, oatmeal and maize.

5.Wheat flour, jowar, bajra, and whole wheat are rich in fibre. Coriander seeds, cumin seeds, dry pepper and turmeric also contain fibre.

6.The natural way to treat asthma consists of stimulating the functioning of slack excretory organs, adopting appropriate diet patterns to eliminate morbid matter and reconstruct the body, and practicing yogasanas, yogic kriyas and pranayamas to permit proper assimilation of food and to strengthen the lungs, digestive system and circulatory organs.

7.Drumstick, carrot, dry peas, rajmah (add garlic and ginger to pass wind or gas) may also be given.

8.Take 15 fresh dry grapes with seeds (large raisin), clean them with water and soak in 150 Gms of water at night. In the morning they will swell up. One of the best home remedies for asthma.

9.Foods, which tend to produce phlegm such as rice, sugar, lentils and curds as also fried and other difficult to digest foods should be avoided.

10.Breakfast may consist of prunes, orange or berries or a few black raisins with honey.

11.Lunch and dinner should consist of a salad of raw vegetables such as cucumber, lettuce, tomato, carrot and beets; one or two lightly cooked green vegetables and wheat bread.

12.The last meal should preferably be taken before sunset or at least two hours before going to bed.

13.Do not give curd or banana in excess quantity and fried, heavy or chilled products to asthmatics.

14.For one-year-old child with asthma, make a paste of five leaves of holy basil with honey and for a baby of less than a year give two drops of Tulsa leave juice with honey. One of the popular home remedies for asthma.

15.Dry pomegranate peels and keep them in a jar. Boil two raisins and some part of peel in 250 ml of milk.

16.Drink this milk twice a day. This mixture is very helpful for children who are unable to remove sputum from the chest.

17.Vitamin E is very useful for asthma. This vitamin is present in coconut, ghee, grapes, sunflower oil, soybean and tomato.