Some people describe asthma as feeling like they are trying to breathe though a straw. The description fits perfectly, because during an attack, airways in the lungs squeeze shut, making it difficult to draw in air. At the same time, the narrowed airways become inflamed and filled with mucus, stifling the airways even further. Asthma can be serious - even fatal. But if you can take care of yourself, asthma isn't cause for alarm. Here are some ways to prevent future episodes.

1. Max Out On Magnesium

This essential mineral helps relax the smooth muscles that line airways. People who were getting the most magnesium from foods were the least likely to have wheezing and supersensitive airways. Choose whole grains, beans, nuts and seeds as your best magnesium sources.

2. Consider Antioxidant Protection

Vitamins C and E, the trace mineral selenium and beta-carotene, a pigment found in orange and dark green leafy vegetables, all seem to offer some protection to sensitive lungs. You may want to consider consuming 1,000 to 2,000 milligrams of vitamin C, 400 international units of vitamin E and up to 200 micrograms of selenium a day through diet and supplements.

3. Declare War On Insects

Two kinds of bugs - dust mites and cockroaches - are well-known asthma aggravators. People actually inhale microscopic cockroach parts and dust mite feces, which sets off attacks. It is impossible to get rid of dust mites, which are found in every house and are kicked up through normal household activity. So minimizing their presence by encasing mattresses and pillows in plastic covers and washing your bed linens frequently in hot water. Banishing cockroaches can be a real hassle, too. Keep food in bug-proof tins or the refrigerator, clean up crumbs immediately and never leave cat or dog food out. Fix leaks so that there are no damp spots in your house, since mites require high humidity to live.

4. Stop The Acid

The same backflow of stomach acid into the esophagus that causes heartburn can bring on asthma, especially if you are lying down. People who do a lot of coughing at night are most likely to have this problem. To avoid acid-induced asthma, you can take acid-suppressing drugs, forgo late-night foraging and shed excess weight.

5. Relax With Massage

In one study people with asthma who got weekly 15-minute upper body massages reported drops in chest tightness, wheezing, pain and fatigue. Massage may make you more aware of the stress in your life, and awareness is, for most people, the first step towards reducing stress. Stress often makes asthma symptoms worse.

6. Breathe Better With Yoga

Try exhaling for twice as long as you inhale. This is a yoga breathing technique. To do this easily, breathe in normally, then exhale normally, but as you come to what seems like the end of your exhalation, continue for a bit longer without forcing out the breathe.

7. Turn Off The Fireplace

As cozy as fireplaces and wood stoves may be, they spew pollutants into indoor air. If you are having trouble controlling asthma, you are better off not using either of these in your house.