Natural Asthma ReliefAsthma leaves some 15 million Americans gasping for breath. And asthma’s incidence has been steadily rising in the past four decades, more than doubling since 1980. Although the tendency to develop asthma can be genetic, both environmental and dietary factors are major causes for the increase. For example, the incidence of asthma, especially in children, is much greater in urban areas where polluted air is more prevalent. Even more striking is that asthma is a new disease. Like coronary artery disease, asthma was virtually unknown 100 years ago, and is still rare in many developing countries.1 Asthma is best described as a chronic inflammatory condition rather than a respiratory disease. In fact, asthma’s origins have more in common with arthritis than they do with emphysema or tuberculosis. Asthma is simply a chronic inflammation of the airway rather than the joints. People with asthma have inflamed, hyperreactive airways that produce excessive bronchial mucus. After repeated asthma attacks, the airway lining becomes scarred, and immune cells, which cause or exacerbate inflammation, proliferate there.2 Asthma eventually damages the airway permanently, making it more prone to inflammation and less functional overall. Chronic inflammatory conditions are characterized by an excess of free radicals, which irritate and inflame tissues and cause excessive immune reactions.3 Immune responses unavoidably produce free radicals because, in limited amounts, they are a valuable part of the defense mechanism. Antioxidants help reduce most inflammatory reactions including asthma, allergies, sports injuries and post-operative inflammation by quenching free radicals. Think of antioxidants as chemical sacrificial lambsthey preferentially react with free radicals so the free radicals don’t react with the body’s tissues instead. Various environmental triggerssmoke, dust, allergensset the inflammatory process in motion. People with low thresholds for these triggers can have frequent severe asthma attacks. Therefore, identifying inflammatory triggers and using natural products that raise thresholds reduce the frequency and severity of asthma attacks. The Allergy Link Examples of asthma-causing allergens or irritants are air pollution, tobacco smoke, pet dander, dust mites, pollen, perfumes, cleaning products, kerosene heaters, mold and mildew. Bakers, manicurists, hairdressers and painters as well as those who work in the construction, auto body, food-processing and petroleum-refinery industries often develop occupational asthma from breathing chemical and food vapors, flour and dust.4 Food allergies can play a major role as well. Asthmatics are often allergic to common foods such as citrus fruits, dairy products, eggs, soy, wheat and yeasts.5 Many asthmatics are sensitive to food additives and preservatives such as benzoates, sulfites, benzaldehyde and artificial colors (especially tartrazine found in FD&C Yellow No. 5), and so should choose natural, unprocessed foods. There are two types of food allergies, making diagnosis difficult. The traditional type, called immediate onset, is characterized by reactions that develop minutes after ingesting only a tiny amount of the allergenic food. Reactions are predictable and typically involve the airway, gastrointestinal tract and skin. Examples are bronchiospasms, vomiting and/or hives from eating shellfish or nuts. Immediate-onset allergies are usually caused by one to three foods and occur in less than 5 percent of the population, although 10 percent of asthmatics have them.6 Far more common, but harder to diagnose, are delayed-onset food allergies. These develop after two to 48 hours and are dependent on the amount and preparation of food eaten. Delayed-onset food allergies cause various responses from asthma to ulcers, and aren’t always predictable or easily linked to the offending food.5 As few as three or as many as 20 foods may be involved.6 Delayed-onset food allergies can have cross reactions, especially among grains and legumes.7 For example, if someone is allergic to kidney beans, then eating black-eyed peas and pinto beans instead is no solution and may eventually cause a similar allergic response. Asthma Prevention and Relief Asthma is exacerbated by certain nutrient deficiencies. These deficiencies stem from a poor, unsupplemented diet coupled with nutrient depletion from the stress associated with asthma and allergy attacks. Furthermore, undiagnosed food allergies, some asthma medications and candidiasis can irritate the gastrointestinal system, which reduces nutrient absorption. Asthma is amenable to natural treatments. Asthmatics using medication should not discontinue them abruptly; instead they should work closely with a health care provider to design a plan best suited to the severity of their illness, and decrease medication doses under supervised care. Since asthma can be life-threatening, asthmatics should follow these common-sense precautions:
I recommend the following daily supplements to prevent or treat asthma. The supplements work synergistically, so to make the most of the plan, include them all.
How Herbs Free Breathing Today’s oral asthma medications inhibit lipoxygenase, meaning they interfere with the action of leukotrienes (LTs).16 Leukotrienes are biochemicals that sustain inflammatory conditions once they are triggered, and thus play a role in asthmatic bronchial inflammation. Some LTs are also strong stimulators of bronchial constriction, and mucus productionthey are 1,000 times more potent than histamine. This means just a small amount of LTs can narrow the breathing passages and precipitate an asthma attack.2 Many medicinal plants contain phytochemicals that inhibit lipoxygenase without the dangerous side effects of pharmaceutical prescriptions. The commonly used inhalers are beta-adrenergic stimulators that relax bronchial smooth muscle, thereby mechanically opening the airway. Designed for emergency use only, they do nothing to reduce underlying inflammation. Overuse of inhalersmore than two canisters weeklyincreases the risk of death from asthma by increasing side effects, which include desensitization to the medication, increased heart rate and blood pressure, headaches and blurred vision. Steroids used for asthma can cause or exacerbate diabetes, glaucoma, obesity, liver damage, abnormal cholesterol levels and heart disease. The following two herbal treatments for asthma have been shown to significantly inhibit lipoxygenase activity. In the Middle East, herbs have always been a primary treatment for asthma and allergies. A traditional extract blend taken with honey includes black cumin (Nigella sativa), chamomile (Matricaria recutita), cinnamon (Cinnamomum cassia), cloves (Syzygium aromaticum), rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis), sage (Salvia officinalis), spearmint (Mentha spicata), thyme (Thymus vulgaris) and other herbs. Black cumin seed, rosemary and thyme are known to inhibit the contraction of tracheal smooth muscle that is stimulated by histamine and acetylcholine.17 Chamomile, cinnamon, cloves, rosemary, spearmint and thyme contain many antioxidants. Black cumin seed oil, and the black cumin phytochemicals nigellone and thymoquinone, strongly inhibit lipoxygenase18 and prevent the release of histamine from mast cells.19 The herbs in this blend also contain the lipoxygenase inhibitors caffeic acid, catechin, chlorogenic acid, hydroxycinnamic acids, kaemp-ferol, procyanidin-D2, quercetin and cinnamic acid,14 all of potential benefit to asthmatics. In Asian countries a blend known as Saiboku-To is used clinically for asthma treatment. It contains 10 herbs including ginger (Zingiber officinale), Korean ginseng (Panax ginseng), magnolia (Magnolia obovata), Baikal scullcap (Scutellaria baicalensis) and licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra). In Japan, 40 asthma patients were treated with Saiboku-To for six to 24 months, and all were able to greatly reduce their steroidal asthma medications.20 Saiboku-To has also been shown to inhibit lipoxygenase.21 However, the clinical dosage used in Japan is up to 7.5 g of herb powder daily. The most effective herbs in the blend are likely to be Baikal scullcap and magnolia, so I recommend trying 500 to 1,000 mg of each three times per day. Asthma is yet another chronic disease related to western diets and lifestyles. while people may have a genetic tendency to develop asthma, this tendency was not expressed until after the Industrial Revolution. In other words, it seems we’ve brought asthma upon ourselves, and we can’t rely on drugs to undo the damage. A clean environment, an unprocessed whole-foods diet, nutritional supplementation and herbal medicine are logical ways to reverse the increasing incidence of asthma. References 1. Yemaneberhan H, et al. Prevalence of wheeze and asthma in relation to atopy in urban and rural Ethiopia. Lancet 1997;350:85-90. Sidebars: Botanical Remedies Complementary therapies such as herbal medicine, acupuncture and yoga can reduce asthma severity, often allowing patients to reduce dosages or eliminate the need for pharmaceuticals. Asthma sufferers, however, should not stop taking their medications or substitute herbs for them. Rather, they should make changes to their treatment regimen under the supervision of a qualified medical practitioner. That said, these herbs have either years of traditional use or clinical trials showing they can help people regain respiratory health. Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba) has long been used by the Chinese to treat asthma. The leaves contain ginkgolides, which inhibit platelet activating factor, a chemical that mediates asthma and allergies. Small, placebo-controlled trials show that oral, but not inhaled, ginkgolides (in a formulation called BN52063) significantly reduce bronchoconstriction in response to inhaled allergens1 and partially protect against exercise-induced bronchoconstriction.2 Coffee and tea both contain caffeine, which is chemically related to the asthma drug theophylline. A placebo-controlled trial of 13 asthmatics found that 7 mg caffeine per kg of body weight significantly improved baseline lung function and prevented exercise-induced bronchospasm.3 Coffee has 135 to 150 mg of caffeine per eight-ounce cup; tea has about 60 mg. Onion (Allium cepa) has long been used to treat bronchitis and asthma. Lab tests showthat onion extracts can block the enzymes that produce chemicals of inflammation such as thromboxane A2, and inhibit allergen-induced asthmatic responses.4 The active ingredients in onion include isothiocyanates, thiosulfinates and the bioflavonoid quercetin. Licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra) is an antiviral, expectorant, demulcent, anti-inflammatory and immune stimulantall properties of potential benefit for asthma sufferers. Licorice slows the breakdown of corticosteroids, thus prolonging the anti-inflammatory effects of hormones such as cortisol.5 Clients should not add licorice to glucocorticoid treatment unless they are under the supervision of a physician who can adjust their drug dosage. When taken continuously for several weeks, licorice can cause sodium and water retention as well as potassium loss, resulting in elevated blood pressure. Therefore, it is not recommended for people with hypertension. There are other contraindications necessitating that its use be monitored. Ephedra (Ephedra sinica), or Ma huang, has a 5,000-year history of use in Chinese medicine as an asthma treatment.6 One of its active constituents is ephedrine, which is similar in structure to the epinephrine (adrenaline) produced in the body. Actions include bronchodilation and decongestion. Too much ephedra will cause undesirable stimulatory effects such as restlessness, anxiety, tremors, insomnia, headaches and elevated blood pressure and heart rate. Modern beta-adrenergic bronchodilators act in a more specific way, reducing many of these side effects and offering patients a safe and effective treatment. When used appropriately and under medical supervision, ephedra can safely provide some asthma sufferers relief. Ephedra is not recommended for people with high blood pressure, heart disease, glaucoma, anorexia, hyperthyroidism, diabetes, or for pregnant or lactating women. People on theophylline or monoamine oxidase inhibitors should not take this herb. Turmeric (Curcuma longa) contains curcumin, which has anti-inflammatory, antiviral, antioxidant and anti-tumor activity. In vitro studies show that curcumin blocks the allergen-triggered release of inflammatory chemicals in white blood cells taken from asthma patients.7 Although clinical trials have yet to prove so, in vitro studies suggest that curcumin could help control allergic diseases such as asthma. Other supportive herbs asthmatics may want to discuss with an herbalist or health care provider are astragalus (Astragalus membranaceus), an immune tonic; echinacea (Echinacea purpurea, E. pallida), an immune stimulant; elecampane (Inula helenium) an antiseptic and expectorant; marshmallow (Althaea officinalis), a demulcent and immune stimulant; mullein (Verbascum thapsus), an antispasmodic and anti-inflammatory; nettles (Urtica dioica), an antihistamine; and rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis), whose volatile oils have been shown to relax tracheal smooth muscle,8 which theoretically may block bronchoconstriction. References 1. Ginot P. Effect of BN52063, a specific PAF-acether antagonist, on bronchial provocation test to allergens in asthmatic patients. Prostaglandins 1987;34:723-31. Are Obese Children At Risk? Asthma, the leading cause of chronic illness and school absenteeism in children, has now been linked to obesity. Department of Pediatrics researchers from the State University of New York at Buffalo studied 171 urban children ages 4 to 16, the majority of whom were Hispanic. Some 31 percent of asthmatic children were very obese compared with 12 percent of nonasthmatic children.1 Even when they were not very obese, asthmatic children in general had more body fat than nonasthmatics. (Very obese is at or greater than the 95th percentile of the body-mass index.) Although asthma may reduce a child’s exercise capacity, exercise avoidance couldn’t explain the higher incidence of obesity in the asthmatic children, especially since many of the children effectively controlled their asthma. It is more likely that the overall dietary habits and chronic inactivity that cause obesity also increase the risk for asthma. Researchers theorize obesity itself may, in fact, increase the airway reactivity. CLB References 1. Gennuso J, et al. The relationship between asthma and obesity in urban minority children and adolescents. Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine 1998;152:1197-1200. |