To show you what I mean, here's a short list of controversial therapies you should avoid:

Alcohol - are you fond of drinking? Quacks say this can cure asthma! This wild notion originated in 1863 when London physician Dr. Henry Hyde Salter reported that drinking large quantities of Scotch whiskey, gin and brandy could stop an asthma attack.

While there is some evidence that alcohol can temporarily dilate clogged airways and relieve breathlessness, it is not an acceptable way of treating the disease. For one, wine contains sulfites that can bring on an attack.

Another thing to consider is that one good drink could lead to another and before you know it, you may end up an alcoholic. Rather than get rid of asthma, you may suffer from hallucinations, tremors, convulsions, a damaged heart and liver, and other ill effects.

Spider webs - at one time, eating spider webs rolled into a ball was believed to ease the symptoms of asthma. The ancient Egyptians, on the other hand, relied on camel and crocodile dung!

Of the three, a spider's web does seem to have some benefits. Researchers say it contains arachnidin which can fight fever but there is no evidence that it will control asthma.

Ionizers - ions are unstable molecules which are believed to have good or bad effects on people. Places with a lot of positive ions such as polluted cities can supposedly make you restless, anxious, depressed and raise your blood pressure. In contrast, negative ions, which are found in caves and mountains, are said to have a relaxing effect.

To regulate the amount of ions in the air, various manufacturers have come up with negative ion-generators. This expensive device supposedly cleans the air of smoke, dust and other invisible particles that can trigger an asthma attack. It does so with the help of a carbon filter which removes large particles and odors.

Fine electrically charged needles or wires later impart an electrical charge to the air. This, promoters say, creates ions or negatively charged gas molecules that cling to airborne particles and stick to walls and other surfaces.

While owning an ionizer may sound like a good investment to an asthmatic, controlled trials have failed to show any significant benefits from the use of this device. In fact, some of these machines may harm you. This is true for models which emit ozone, a toxic gas that can irritate the eyes and affect the lungs. If you want clean air, turn to other air filters.

Bee pollen and royal jelly - these expensive products are said to have anti-aging properties and are promoted for asthma. This belief stems from the dramatic effect these substances have on bees. Royal jelly, in particular, makes queen bees grow. These substances also contain some vitamins, minerals and amino acids.

Unfortunately, what's good for bees isn't necessarily good for man. For one, these products provide inadequate nutrients. Pollen's main components are sugar, fat and water. And to benefit from royal jelly, you have to eat 700,000 times as much as the bee larva does.

For asthmatics, this is something short of suicide for pollen and royal jelly can cause life-threatening allergic reactions. Instead of relieving your asthma, you may end up in a hospital emergency room - dead!

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