Foods to help you live with asthma:
There is probably no bodily function that we take so much for granted as breathing. Day and night, from moment to moment we breathe. When we cannot do that with ease, life can become difficult and we have to find ways of overcome this. I have researched a variety of foods from around the world that can make your next asthma attack much easier to survive.
Here is a first class recipe that you will very helpful: Start with a fruit salad made with oranges, pineapple, straberries, kiwifruit, and papaya. Then follow with a plate of high-c vegetables like broccoli, red, and green peppers, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, peas and add a bit of salmon.
Mixing radish, honey and lemon juice in a blender until well blended and then cook in a small pan over low heat for 20 minutes can make another home remedy for asthma. This mixture should be cooled and then the person with the asthma should take a teaspoonful each morning.
What we all crave in this modern world is variety and for that reason sorrel is highly recommend as part of you diet. The flavonoids presentt in sorrel may be a useful deterrent against certain types of cancer and help to enhance the body’s immune system in general. It is for the latter reason that sorrel is recommended as part of an asthma suffers diet, because you need to keep building your immune sysetm up to help control the asthma attackes. .
A good tea recipe is: combine six ounces of dried sorrel with two tablespoons of dried ginger, and an eighth of a teaspoon of ground allspice. When you mix these ingredients into hot water, it makes a warm and inviting tea. If it is too bitter for your taste, it is OK to add sugar to make it a little sweeter. For best results, boil the water for about 10 minutes with the ingredients in the water. It is best to use a tea strainer when you pour it into a cup, to avoid getting leaves and other residue in your drink. You can either drink it hot right away, or put it in the refrigerator for later. If you pour it over ice, it creates a great iced tea beverage. .
Sorrel also makes a great winter soup: .
Handfuls sorrel leaves.
1 medium onion.
1 ltr chicken stock.
Salt & pepper.
To mix with the soup you could use potatoes, courgettes, or any other vegetable that you fancy
I boil this for about 20 minutes and put thought a electric blender.
On of the main problems with sorrel is getting hold of it. It is not really a verterbal that you can buy in the store. I grow my own, it is very easy to do, cut and come again type of crop. It grows well in a pot. .
Onions have an anti-inflammatory and anti-asthmatic effect, they also inhibit the release of histamines, and reduce bronchial obstruction. Onions contain prostaglandins that relax the bronchial passageways. Onions are also high in quercetin, a type of flavonoid that has anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic properties and in vitamin C. And onions contain L-cysteine, an amino acid that factors into the production of glutathione, a naturally occurring antioxidant in the body that is necessary for maintaining immunity. Glutathione production is often compromised in asthmatics. (Note: raw and picked onions may provoke asthma attacks in a small number of sensitive people.) .
Most of us do not cook or eat with out salt being in reach, it has been shown that reducing our daily salt in our diets is thought to be beneficial for many reasons and the possibility that it may improve asthma symptoms. For several reasons, previous research has shown that eating many fresh foods can help to reduce symptoms in some people with asthma and we also know that many processed foods contain high levels of salt. With this in mind we would encourage people with asthma to eat a healthy diet of fresh foods that are likely to contain lower levels of salt." Now if you live without salt, then at least do not use common salt but try Himalayan Salt , a natural salt that has not been processed.
Recommended foods for Asthma suffers: garlic, black and red radish, horserdish, chervil, cabbage, lettuce, carrots, cabbage, parsley, dried beans, fish, eggs, and varech.
Try to avoid any food suspected of being an allergen like: peanuts, celery, chocolate, strawberries, and milk
Lifestyle changes such as spending time in fresh air and sunshine on a daily basis, living in a dust-free environment free of any triggers such as pet dander, chemical pollutants and cigarette smoke can lead to less frequent asthma symptoms. It is also important to drink at least 8 glasses of water a day because staying well hydrated can help thin out or loosen mucus.
Eating the right foods can be a cost-effective way to help control and combat asthma symptoms. It is vital asthma is recognized as a serious condition and that signs and symptoms of asthma not ignored. If treatment does not relieve the symptoms and the signs of asthma worsen, you should always seek emergency medical help without delay.
Friday, September 16, 2011
Thursday, September 15, 2011
More Natural Remedies for Asthma
Here are a few more Natural Remedies for your Asthma
For many of us, the words “natural” and “folklore” bring to mind old wives tales and superstitions. However, even a traditionally trained doctor will admit that those words represent the accumulated wit and wisdom of millions of people. Below I bring together a few more Natural health secrets that t have been in use over time and in different parts of the world.
If your lungs are congested with mucus, try improving your symptoms by taking a hot, steamy shower or sitting in a sauna.
Ginger figures highly in Chinese medicine and ginger tea is a popular Chinese treatment for asthma.
A lot of people do find that Honey is very beneficial in relieving an asthma attack. When they are having symptoms such as chest tightness or coughing, they open a jar of honey and breathe deeply over the opening. You can also mix 1 teaspoon of honey in a full glass of water and drink this mixture 3 times a day as a home remedy for asthma related symptoms.
Try this: if you have a lot of mucus in your lungs: bite into a hot pepper, your eyes will water and your nose will run and also, more importantly your bronchial passages will produce watery secretions which will thin the mucus in the lungs. The compounds that give pepper its fiery effect are oily, and water cannot dilute them. If you need to “douse the fire” after eating hot peppers, eat some cool yogurt or bread, or drink some milk. These substances will absorb the oils and carry them downward.
One of Grandmas best home remedy for asthma is to boil garlic cloves in thirty grams of milk and drink it 3 times a day. You can also put minced garlic cloves in a steaming cup of ginger tea and drink this mixture once in the morning and once in the evening.
An East European remedy to help asthma is to apply a hot onion poultice to your chest. Both the vapours and the heat will help ease breathing by clearing the airways.
People who have asthma find that drinking a glass of milk 2 to 3 times a day containing one teaspoon of turmeric powder helps asthma symptoms.
In Tudor times in England, asthma, bronchitis, and severe coughs were treated with a well-liked remedy: apples baked with honey and served mashed with butter. Researchers have determined that people who eat apples or drink apple juice on a daily basis do tend to have lower incidence of respiratory ailments.
Another simple but effective asthma home remedy is to boil water mixed with caraway seeds and breathe in the steam created by the boiling water.
WhilstAloe Vera is not a short term quick fix for asthma attack it surly is one of the best natural treatments in the long term because of its ability to build up ones immune system. With asthma your immune system is constantly on” red alert” where the lightest trigger can cause a full-blown asthma attack. Aloe Vera will balance and restore the immune system making it a great preventative measure, rather than for short-term relief of acute episodes.
The benefits of salt therapy or speleotherapy are well known. In the mid 18th Century a Polish health official Felix Botchkowski observed that the workers of salt mines did not get ill with lung diseases. He wrote a book about the effects of salt dust in 1843. His successor Mstislav Poljakowski created a Salt Spa in Velicko near Krakow, which is still in use to this day.
During the Second World War, salt mines were often used as bombproof shelters. After spending time there, many people who suffered from asthma felt that their health had got better! You do not have to go to Poland or the Himalayan mountains to reap the benefits of salt because with just a few minutes a day using a Himalayan Salt Pipe will give you the same benefits as those that visit the salt mines.
These natural remdens do not pretend to be the final answers to your questions about non-drug treatments for asthma. But at least I hope they can give you a better view of what is out there. None of them, in themselves will cure your asthma (nothing can) but at least they will add to your “management tools” to help you control your asthma. The natural remedies are simple observations of a few things and method’s that have help folk in the past, they certainly should not be relied upon entily for control of your asthma and always remember to consult you doctor before trying any of them.
Tomorrow I will be looking at foods that will help you with your fight against asthma.
Breathe easier with salt pipes and salt therapy products
For many of us, the words “natural” and “folklore” bring to mind old wives tales and superstitions. However, even a traditionally trained doctor will admit that those words represent the accumulated wit and wisdom of millions of people. Below I bring together a few more Natural health secrets that t have been in use over time and in different parts of the world.
If your lungs are congested with mucus, try improving your symptoms by taking a hot, steamy shower or sitting in a sauna.
Ginger figures highly in Chinese medicine and ginger tea is a popular Chinese treatment for asthma.
A lot of people do find that Honey is very beneficial in relieving an asthma attack. When they are having symptoms such as chest tightness or coughing, they open a jar of honey and breathe deeply over the opening. You can also mix 1 teaspoon of honey in a full glass of water and drink this mixture 3 times a day as a home remedy for asthma related symptoms.
Try this: if you have a lot of mucus in your lungs: bite into a hot pepper, your eyes will water and your nose will run and also, more importantly your bronchial passages will produce watery secretions which will thin the mucus in the lungs. The compounds that give pepper its fiery effect are oily, and water cannot dilute them. If you need to “douse the fire” after eating hot peppers, eat some cool yogurt or bread, or drink some milk. These substances will absorb the oils and carry them downward.
One of Grandmas best home remedy for asthma is to boil garlic cloves in thirty grams of milk and drink it 3 times a day. You can also put minced garlic cloves in a steaming cup of ginger tea and drink this mixture once in the morning and once in the evening.
An East European remedy to help asthma is to apply a hot onion poultice to your chest. Both the vapours and the heat will help ease breathing by clearing the airways.
People who have asthma find that drinking a glass of milk 2 to 3 times a day containing one teaspoon of turmeric powder helps asthma symptoms.
In Tudor times in England, asthma, bronchitis, and severe coughs were treated with a well-liked remedy: apples baked with honey and served mashed with butter. Researchers have determined that people who eat apples or drink apple juice on a daily basis do tend to have lower incidence of respiratory ailments.
Another simple but effective asthma home remedy is to boil water mixed with caraway seeds and breathe in the steam created by the boiling water.
WhilstAloe Vera is not a short term quick fix for asthma attack it surly is one of the best natural treatments in the long term because of its ability to build up ones immune system. With asthma your immune system is constantly on” red alert” where the lightest trigger can cause a full-blown asthma attack. Aloe Vera will balance and restore the immune system making it a great preventative measure, rather than for short-term relief of acute episodes.
The benefits of salt therapy or speleotherapy are well known. In the mid 18th Century a Polish health official Felix Botchkowski observed that the workers of salt mines did not get ill with lung diseases. He wrote a book about the effects of salt dust in 1843. His successor Mstislav Poljakowski created a Salt Spa in Velicko near Krakow, which is still in use to this day.
During the Second World War, salt mines were often used as bombproof shelters. After spending time there, many people who suffered from asthma felt that their health had got better! You do not have to go to Poland or the Himalayan mountains to reap the benefits of salt because with just a few minutes a day using a Himalayan Salt Pipe will give you the same benefits as those that visit the salt mines.
These natural remdens do not pretend to be the final answers to your questions about non-drug treatments for asthma. But at least I hope they can give you a better view of what is out there. None of them, in themselves will cure your asthma (nothing can) but at least they will add to your “management tools” to help you control your asthma. The natural remedies are simple observations of a few things and method’s that have help folk in the past, they certainly should not be relied upon entily for control of your asthma and always remember to consult you doctor before trying any of them.
Tomorrow I will be looking at foods that will help you with your fight against asthma.
Breathe easier with salt pipes and salt therapy products
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Natural Remedies for Asthma:
Asthma is a respiratory disease that affects millions of people throught the world. During an attack the upper airways become constricted, causing the sufferer to wheeze. In very severe cases; the person feels that they are suffocating, since the trapped air cannot be exhaled.
Attacks are triggered and these triggers can be any number of things: cold air, tobacco smoke, cat fur, and so on. The triggers may also have a psychosomatic component as well. Asthma is believed to be hereditary.
But enough of that, you are reading this to find natural ways of controlling asthma. Many people called Grandma a quack, but not rightly so because what Grandma knows has been handed down through the generations and in many case evidence is sullied that a lot of these natural health secrets work. So I offer you just a few of them:
An old UK treatment for belonged bouts of asthma is thin onions slices soaked overnight in honey. The resulting syrup is administered four times a day until the condition improves
The Chinese use the barks of the ginkgo tree to treat asthma. As the Chinese discovered long before the advent of modern medicine, many asthma attacks are caused by the same allergic reactions that trigger hay fever. You will find the bark in many health food stores
The Bedouins are a nomadic desert tribe that travels throughout Arabia, Syria and West Africa. To treat asthma they chew Ammin seeds, which are native to these regions. Ammi seeds are available through mail order seed distributors and can readily be found on the Internet.
If you have every been near Koala bears, you will noticed that they smell like cough drops. The reason for this is that their main diet is eucalyptus leaves. A tree that is native to Australia. The oil of this tree is widely used for respiratory ailments, such as asthma. At home, you can make a simple eucalyptus infusion by steeping a handful of fresh or dried leaves for 20 minutes in a quart of boiling water. Breathe in the vapours of the steaming tea, or drink the infusion in small does. If you use the eucalyptus, oil always dilute in water before using.
Fennel is most commonly found sitting unopened in the back of the spice cupboard Well get it out and use it because if you suffer from asthma it is time you put it to good use. You use the fennel to make tea:
1 ounce fennel seeds
1 ounce anise seeds
2/3 ounce marsh-mallow root
2/3 ounce thyme
Use 1-2 teaspoons of the herbs per cup of boiling water. Steep for 10 minutes and strain. Sip at least 3 cups of the tea daily to relax the airways and relieve spasms. Fennel contains rutin, and vitamins and minerals including calcium and potassium.
• Scientific research showed that is a Mountain mugwort is a smooth muscle relaxant. It does this by directly antagonizing slow reacting substances of anaphylaxis and inhibiting the release of inflammatory substances. • It contains 4- terpineol which was shown to have a high anti-asthmatic activity-it induced tracheal smooth muscle relaxation. 4- terpineol has been also reported to have anti-tussive, expectorant, analgesic, sedative, anti-pyretic, and bacteriostatic activities. • Oleum Argyi, a volatile oil extracted from the plant is particularly effective in the treatment of bronchitis and asthma. It has been found to be 85-90% effective in such cases. After spraying the volatile oil into the throat, a marked effect is felt within 30-60 seconds. It is always a good idea to build up your immune system and to my mind there is no better natural way of doing this then taking a dayil dose of Aloe Vera
Using home remedies are a cost-effective way to help control and combat asthma symptoms. It is vital asthma is recognized as a serious condition and that signs and symptoms of asthma are not ignored. If treatment does not relieve the symptoms and the signs of asthma worsen, you should always seek emergency medical help immediately.
Although nearly all of the natural remedies you will read about precede the discovery of scientific methods, these natural experiments have passed a different test…they have help people in the past and are helping people now. You should never take or use any of them with out first seeing your doctor.
I hope you found these few listed natural aids for asthma helpful, if so come back tomorrow when I shall be added to them.
Attacks are triggered and these triggers can be any number of things: cold air, tobacco smoke, cat fur, and so on. The triggers may also have a psychosomatic component as well. Asthma is believed to be hereditary.
But enough of that, you are reading this to find natural ways of controlling asthma. Many people called Grandma a quack, but not rightly so because what Grandma knows has been handed down through the generations and in many case evidence is sullied that a lot of these natural health secrets work. So I offer you just a few of them:
An old UK treatment for belonged bouts of asthma is thin onions slices soaked overnight in honey. The resulting syrup is administered four times a day until the condition improves
The Chinese use the barks of the ginkgo tree to treat asthma. As the Chinese discovered long before the advent of modern medicine, many asthma attacks are caused by the same allergic reactions that trigger hay fever. You will find the bark in many health food stores
The Bedouins are a nomadic desert tribe that travels throughout Arabia, Syria and West Africa. To treat asthma they chew Ammin seeds, which are native to these regions. Ammi seeds are available through mail order seed distributors and can readily be found on the Internet.
If you have every been near Koala bears, you will noticed that they smell like cough drops. The reason for this is that their main diet is eucalyptus leaves. A tree that is native to Australia. The oil of this tree is widely used for respiratory ailments, such as asthma. At home, you can make a simple eucalyptus infusion by steeping a handful of fresh or dried leaves for 20 minutes in a quart of boiling water. Breathe in the vapours of the steaming tea, or drink the infusion in small does. If you use the eucalyptus, oil always dilute in water before using.
Fennel is most commonly found sitting unopened in the back of the spice cupboard Well get it out and use it because if you suffer from asthma it is time you put it to good use. You use the fennel to make tea:
1 ounce fennel seeds
1 ounce anise seeds
2/3 ounce marsh-mallow root
2/3 ounce thyme
Use 1-2 teaspoons of the herbs per cup of boiling water. Steep for 10 minutes and strain. Sip at least 3 cups of the tea daily to relax the airways and relieve spasms. Fennel contains rutin, and vitamins and minerals including calcium and potassium.
• Scientific research showed that is a Mountain mugwort is a smooth muscle relaxant. It does this by directly antagonizing slow reacting substances of anaphylaxis and inhibiting the release of inflammatory substances. • It contains 4- terpineol which was shown to have a high anti-asthmatic activity-it induced tracheal smooth muscle relaxation. 4- terpineol has been also reported to have anti-tussive, expectorant, analgesic, sedative, anti-pyretic, and bacteriostatic activities. • Oleum Argyi, a volatile oil extracted from the plant is particularly effective in the treatment of bronchitis and asthma. It has been found to be 85-90% effective in such cases. After spraying the volatile oil into the throat, a marked effect is felt within 30-60 seconds. It is always a good idea to build up your immune system and to my mind there is no better natural way of doing this then taking a dayil dose of Aloe Vera
Using home remedies are a cost-effective way to help control and combat asthma symptoms. It is vital asthma is recognized as a serious condition and that signs and symptoms of asthma are not ignored. If treatment does not relieve the symptoms and the signs of asthma worsen, you should always seek emergency medical help immediately.
Although nearly all of the natural remedies you will read about precede the discovery of scientific methods, these natural experiments have passed a different test…they have help people in the past and are helping people now. You should never take or use any of them with out first seeing your doctor.
I hope you found these few listed natural aids for asthma helpful, if so come back tomorrow when I shall be added to them.
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Ways of dealing with Asthma:
There are so many ways of dealing with Asthma that it can become quite confusing but to take this to a personal level it is important to find out just what type of asthma that you have. What are your symptoms and what are your triggers?
First off, if you think that you have asthma go to you doctor and tell her. Before you do this it is a good idea to write down why you think that you have asthma and what is happening to you.
Most of the symptoms a person experiences while having an asthma attack are related to what is going on in the airways in the lungs. Something usually triggers the asthma attack, such as an allergen or irritant like as pollen, a pollutant, harsh chemical smell, exhaust fume, dust particles or pet dander.
The airway responds to the allergen or irritant by becoming inflamed which causes the airway to get smaller, making it more difficult to move air in and out of the lungs. The inflamed airways can lead to a feeling of tightness in the chest; chest pain or discomfort can also be felt during an asthma attack. The person is usually coughing or experiencing shortness of breathes.
The purpose of almost all asthma medications is to make sure that the airways are open to allow the person to breath as easy as possible. For instants if a person has allergies an antihistamine or decongestant will be prescribed.
Having asthma should not stop you from leading an active lifestyle (unless you let it). Take a look at these tips to help you manage your asthma attacks.
Make sure that you find a good doctor that understands your problems. This is the key to managing your asthma. Do not be afraid to “shop around”
Having found your doctor, the next thing to do is to get a proper diagnosis. The doctor will ask you a series of questions; so you must be prepared to know what is going on with you to be able to answer correctly. From your answers the doctor will be able to determine how severe your asthma is and so start working with you to make sure you get the right level of control. If you use an inhaler or take medications, it is a good idea to do so about twenty minutes before you do any manual work or exercise. Doing so will help you for a couple of hours without any attacks.
Making a habit of checking out the weather before you begin your day: is it going to be too hot or too cold, what’s the pollen count etx all this information will help you manage you asthma because you will know what to expect and prepare for it.
If you really have to go out in the cold weather; use a scarf across your mouth and nose so that the air that you breath in is not so cold.
When you have a cold or fever, it is best to take the day off and avoid going out which could only make your situation worse
Dust mites are an emamy of asthma suffers; be really aggressive towards them. Regularly vacuum your bed and wash your sheets on a really hot wash. Do not have any dust traps in your house, like dried flowers or wall hangings. Do not have carpets but wet moppable floors.
Avoid plants in your garden that release a lot of pollen. Wear a mask when you mown the lawn and have fences rather then hedges to reduce dust and pollen from other peoples gardens.
Do not smoke and avoid places where smokers are likely to hang out.
It is a good idea, sometimes to step away from drugs and find something that is natural. A Himalayan Salt Pipe is such a nnatural respiratory aid and used just use a few minutes a day can make a world of difference. .
Have an Asthma Action Plan. This is something to sort out with your doctor so that you know just what to do and when. .
It is very important never to run out of your medications. Always stock up at least two days before you run out because your suppler may well not have the medication in stock and have to reorder them themsleves. .
Hopefully these few tips have help you. Always learn about asthma and always be on the look out for new information. And remember; make your doctor you new best friend.
First off, if you think that you have asthma go to you doctor and tell her. Before you do this it is a good idea to write down why you think that you have asthma and what is happening to you.
Most of the symptoms a person experiences while having an asthma attack are related to what is going on in the airways in the lungs. Something usually triggers the asthma attack, such as an allergen or irritant like as pollen, a pollutant, harsh chemical smell, exhaust fume, dust particles or pet dander.
The airway responds to the allergen or irritant by becoming inflamed which causes the airway to get smaller, making it more difficult to move air in and out of the lungs. The inflamed airways can lead to a feeling of tightness in the chest; chest pain or discomfort can also be felt during an asthma attack. The person is usually coughing or experiencing shortness of breathes.
The purpose of almost all asthma medications is to make sure that the airways are open to allow the person to breath as easy as possible. For instants if a person has allergies an antihistamine or decongestant will be prescribed.
Having asthma should not stop you from leading an active lifestyle (unless you let it). Take a look at these tips to help you manage your asthma attacks.
Make sure that you find a good doctor that understands your problems. This is the key to managing your asthma. Do not be afraid to “shop around”
Having found your doctor, the next thing to do is to get a proper diagnosis. The doctor will ask you a series of questions; so you must be prepared to know what is going on with you to be able to answer correctly. From your answers the doctor will be able to determine how severe your asthma is and so start working with you to make sure you get the right level of control. If you use an inhaler or take medications, it is a good idea to do so about twenty minutes before you do any manual work or exercise. Doing so will help you for a couple of hours without any attacks.
Making a habit of checking out the weather before you begin your day: is it going to be too hot or too cold, what’s the pollen count etx all this information will help you manage you asthma because you will know what to expect and prepare for it.
If you really have to go out in the cold weather; use a scarf across your mouth and nose so that the air that you breath in is not so cold.
When you have a cold or fever, it is best to take the day off and avoid going out which could only make your situation worse
Dust mites are an emamy of asthma suffers; be really aggressive towards them. Regularly vacuum your bed and wash your sheets on a really hot wash. Do not have any dust traps in your house, like dried flowers or wall hangings. Do not have carpets but wet moppable floors.
Avoid plants in your garden that release a lot of pollen. Wear a mask when you mown the lawn and have fences rather then hedges to reduce dust and pollen from other peoples gardens.
Do not smoke and avoid places where smokers are likely to hang out.
It is a good idea, sometimes to step away from drugs and find something that is natural. A Himalayan Salt Pipe is such a nnatural respiratory aid and used just use a few minutes a day can make a world of difference. .
Have an Asthma Action Plan. This is something to sort out with your doctor so that you know just what to do and when. .
It is very important never to run out of your medications. Always stock up at least two days before you run out because your suppler may well not have the medication in stock and have to reorder them themsleves. .
Hopefully these few tips have help you. Always learn about asthma and always be on the look out for new information. And remember; make your doctor you new best friend.
Monday, September 12, 2011
How to deal with COPD
COPD, or chronic obstructive pulmonary (PULL-mun-ary) disease, is a progressive disease that makes it hard to breathe. "Progressive" means the disease gets worse over time.
Regrettably, COPD is a principal cause of death and individuals with a long-term history of smoking are at high risk. The damage caused to your lungs by smoking cannot be undone once you start to suffer from COPD and is held responsible for the resultant difficulty in breathing.
This means that you have difficulty exhaling because the airways in your lungs can not deal with the air that you need because of one of the following:
The air sacs and airways in your lungs have lost some of their elastic value.
Your airways produce more mucus than normal, which will clog them.
The air sacs between the walls in your lungs are destroyed.
Your airway walls of your lungs are thick and inflamed
There are signs and symptoms of COPD but they can vary from one person to the next. Normally all people with COPD will have more than one of the following symptoms:
Shortness of breath
Chest tightness
Chronic cough
Wheezing
Many people who are diagnosed with COPD were earlier diagnosed with chronic asthmatic bronchitis or emphysema and some may even suffer from both of these diseases. Chronic asthmatic bronchitis is when a person has an increased mucus production, inflammation and narrowing of the airways which causes the person to cough and wheeze.
A person with emphysema has damaged alveoli (tiny air sacs), which reduces the amount of surface area on the lungs in which to exchange oxygen for carbon dioxide. The alveoli walls are also weaker which may cause them to collapse during exhalation, trapping the air inside. This trapping of air causes the symptom of shortness of breath.
The people most at risk from COPD are those who are exposed to excessive dust, chemical fumes, air pollution or tobacco smoke. Age has a lot to do with COPD, as the symptoms can start to appear about the age of 40. Genetics is thought to plan a role in COPD because researchers believe a rare genetic disorder known, as alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency is a reason of some of the cases of COPD. .
People who are diagnosed with COPD are at risk to respiratory infections like pneumonia, which as we know, can do more damage to the lungs and make it even more difficult for them to breathe. Other difficulties for those with COPD can be are high blood pressure. If this is the case high blood pressure could put a strain on the right ventricle of the heart, which will then cause the legs and ankles to swell. COPD will also increases the risk to a person for heart disease, heart attack, and depression. People become depressed because of the difficulty in breathing, inability to be physically active or to do activities that they did in the past. This can make a person extremely sad about life and about their health.
There is no cure for COPD but there are treatments that can control the symptoms and improve breathing. Life style changes can help and the first of those is to maintain a positive attitude.
First off, if you are smoking, stop.
Go and see your doctor to get ongoing care.
Prepare for emergencies
Stay away from lung irritants
Learn how to manage the disease and its symptoms
Stay away from crowds and cold air
Eat a health diet
Keep in touch with your doctor on a regular basis
Build up your immune system by drinking Aloe Vera or some such.
Try using a Himalayan Salt Pipe
Become involved in a support group
Make sure that you are informed of new treatments
Treatment may include oxygen therapy, antibiotics to control infections, bronchodilators and inhaled steroids. Surgery may be necessary for those with severe emphysema when medications alone are not enough to control symptoms. In cases of severe emphysema when nothing else helps, a lung transplant is the last resort.
Regrettably, COPD is a principal cause of death and individuals with a long-term history of smoking are at high risk. The damage caused to your lungs by smoking cannot be undone once you start to suffer from COPD and is held responsible for the resultant difficulty in breathing.
This means that you have difficulty exhaling because the airways in your lungs can not deal with the air that you need because of one of the following:
The air sacs and airways in your lungs have lost some of their elastic value.
Your airways produce more mucus than normal, which will clog them.
The air sacs between the walls in your lungs are destroyed.
Your airway walls of your lungs are thick and inflamed
There are signs and symptoms of COPD but they can vary from one person to the next. Normally all people with COPD will have more than one of the following symptoms:
Shortness of breath
Chest tightness
Chronic cough
Wheezing
Many people who are diagnosed with COPD were earlier diagnosed with chronic asthmatic bronchitis or emphysema and some may even suffer from both of these diseases. Chronic asthmatic bronchitis is when a person has an increased mucus production, inflammation and narrowing of the airways which causes the person to cough and wheeze.
A person with emphysema has damaged alveoli (tiny air sacs), which reduces the amount of surface area on the lungs in which to exchange oxygen for carbon dioxide. The alveoli walls are also weaker which may cause them to collapse during exhalation, trapping the air inside. This trapping of air causes the symptom of shortness of breath.
The people most at risk from COPD are those who are exposed to excessive dust, chemical fumes, air pollution or tobacco smoke. Age has a lot to do with COPD, as the symptoms can start to appear about the age of 40. Genetics is thought to plan a role in COPD because researchers believe a rare genetic disorder known, as alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency is a reason of some of the cases of COPD. .
People who are diagnosed with COPD are at risk to respiratory infections like pneumonia, which as we know, can do more damage to the lungs and make it even more difficult for them to breathe. Other difficulties for those with COPD can be are high blood pressure. If this is the case high blood pressure could put a strain on the right ventricle of the heart, which will then cause the legs and ankles to swell. COPD will also increases the risk to a person for heart disease, heart attack, and depression. People become depressed because of the difficulty in breathing, inability to be physically active or to do activities that they did in the past. This can make a person extremely sad about life and about their health.
There is no cure for COPD but there are treatments that can control the symptoms and improve breathing. Life style changes can help and the first of those is to maintain a positive attitude.
First off, if you are smoking, stop.
Go and see your doctor to get ongoing care.
Prepare for emergencies
Stay away from lung irritants
Learn how to manage the disease and its symptoms
Stay away from crowds and cold air
Eat a health diet
Keep in touch with your doctor on a regular basis
Build up your immune system by drinking Aloe Vera or some such.
Try using a Himalayan Salt Pipe
Become involved in a support group
Make sure that you are informed of new treatments
Treatment may include oxygen therapy, antibiotics to control infections, bronchodilators and inhaled steroids. Surgery may be necessary for those with severe emphysema when medications alone are not enough to control symptoms. In cases of severe emphysema when nothing else helps, a lung transplant is the last resort.
Friday, September 9, 2011
What causes asthma:
Asthma is a chronic lung disease that inflames and narrows the airways. Asthma is also long term and cannot be cured. It well affect people of all ages and is mainly found in women, although there are many men who suffer from the disease, as well. There are also different degrees of asthma; some people can have very severe symptoms and others may only have a minor wheeze.
The characteristic symptoms are wheeze, cough, chest tightness, and shortness of breath. Even through it cannot be cured, asthma is not a death sentence and most people learn how to control it and live long and fruitful lives.
There are many theories in the medical world about origin and causes of the disease, but the general causes are thought to be mainly 2 reasons that are given and they are environmental and genetic issues.
The thing that starts of an attack of asthma is called a “trigger”. This trigger is something that irritates the airways, then the muscles proximate to the airways start to swell and tighten up and the effect of this is; constricted airways and this makes breathing difficult. These triggers are not necessarily the same in one person as another. What causes an attack in one individual may have no effect whatsoever in another.
If the asthma attack if rigorous enough, then maybe the person will need to be admitted to hospital, happily however most people can control their asthma attacks via preventative measures or medication they keep with them at all times in case of attacks. Unfortunately a person who suffers from long term severe asthma may find they have permanently narrowed airways which makes breathing a chronic problem for them.
The number of people with asthma has been rising in recent years, and researchers are not sure why, this is despite vast improvements in air quality in many major cites and the fast going out of fashion habit of cigarette smoking. Much more alarmingly the number of children suffering from asthma has increased in the last ten years. (just ask any teacher how many inhalers they keep in their desk draw). This raise in children suffering from asthma might well be linked to overweight problems. In the States 1 in 12 people are reported to have asthma.
The medical world doesn't really know what causes asthma but what they are sure of is the fact that it does tend to run in families, in other words if one of your parents has asthma then the probability of you or your siblings developing it are higher than if they didn't. If you have asthma as a child then there is a possibility that the symptoms will disappear as you grow older but might will reappear in later life.
If you are somebody who is an asthmatic, the first thing to do is to find out what starts it for you. In other words what are your “triggers”, it is in your own best interest to do this and avoid them as much as possible.
Common triggers tend to include.
* Pollen, especially in the spring and summer when its most plentiful.
* Cigarette smoke, smoking should especially be avoided if you're an asthmatic, fumes from chemicals, cars, etc can also act as a trigger. .
* Acute cold air.
* Chest ailments and infections
* Animal fur including cats, dogs and farm animals etc. * Excessive exercise
* Emotion, laughing and crying can be a trigger for some people.
Prevention, as we all know is better then cure ensuring your condition is controlled and treated should be your main concern as if left unattended your condition may worsen over time.
Do not become anxious because anxiety is not going to help you and is only the fruit of unanswered questions. Do not let questions go unanswered just because you are afraid to ask or afraid of the answered. If you allow yourself to live in the pale light of insufficient knowledge of how to manage you asthma this could quickly lead you to despair. Asthma is, after all, part of life and can be controlled allowing you to get on with the process of living and becoming the person that you are meant to be.
There are many theories in the medical world about origin and causes of the disease, but the general causes are thought to be mainly 2 reasons that are given and they are environmental and genetic issues.
The thing that starts of an attack of asthma is called a “trigger”. This trigger is something that irritates the airways, then the muscles proximate to the airways start to swell and tighten up and the effect of this is; constricted airways and this makes breathing difficult. These triggers are not necessarily the same in one person as another. What causes an attack in one individual may have no effect whatsoever in another.
If the asthma attack if rigorous enough, then maybe the person will need to be admitted to hospital, happily however most people can control their asthma attacks via preventative measures or medication they keep with them at all times in case of attacks. Unfortunately a person who suffers from long term severe asthma may find they have permanently narrowed airways which makes breathing a chronic problem for them.
The number of people with asthma has been rising in recent years, and researchers are not sure why, this is despite vast improvements in air quality in many major cites and the fast going out of fashion habit of cigarette smoking. Much more alarmingly the number of children suffering from asthma has increased in the last ten years. (just ask any teacher how many inhalers they keep in their desk draw). This raise in children suffering from asthma might well be linked to overweight problems. In the States 1 in 12 people are reported to have asthma.
The medical world doesn't really know what causes asthma but what they are sure of is the fact that it does tend to run in families, in other words if one of your parents has asthma then the probability of you or your siblings developing it are higher than if they didn't. If you have asthma as a child then there is a possibility that the symptoms will disappear as you grow older but might will reappear in later life.
If you are somebody who is an asthmatic, the first thing to do is to find out what starts it for you. In other words what are your “triggers”, it is in your own best interest to do this and avoid them as much as possible.
Common triggers tend to include.
* Pollen, especially in the spring and summer when its most plentiful.
* Cigarette smoke, smoking should especially be avoided if you're an asthmatic, fumes from chemicals, cars, etc can also act as a trigger. .
* Acute cold air.
* Chest ailments and infections
* Animal fur including cats, dogs and farm animals etc. * Excessive exercise
* Emotion, laughing and crying can be a trigger for some people.
Prevention, as we all know is better then cure ensuring your condition is controlled and treated should be your main concern as if left unattended your condition may worsen over time.
Do not become anxious because anxiety is not going to help you and is only the fruit of unanswered questions. Do not let questions go unanswered just because you are afraid to ask or afraid of the answered. If you allow yourself to live in the pale light of insufficient knowledge of how to manage you asthma this could quickly lead you to despair. Asthma is, after all, part of life and can be controlled allowing you to get on with the process of living and becoming the person that you are meant to be.
Thursday, September 8, 2011
Drugs used for asthma treatment
Finding out that you have asthma is not the end of the world or a life sentence. What you have to do is find out everything that you can about asthma and learn to control it. Doing this will enable you to life a normal life like everybody else.
The first thing to do to control your asthma is to avoid things that start your asthma off. These are called “triggers” and the only way to find out what yours are is to keep a notebook and write down things that set you off. It is then a good idea to discuss this with your health care worker to find ways to avoid the “triggers”.
There are quite a few treatments for asthma and they are dived into two main areas. One is a quick relief drugs that are used during an asthma attack and the other is preventing drugs that are used to control and prevent asthma attacks. Asthmatics must never make the mistake of discontinuing control drugs just because they do not have attackes. It is the control medication that is most important.
Quick relief or rescue medications can be taken when you start coughing, wheezing or has tightness in your chest. These medications are normally very effective and in most cases (as long as they are taken quickly enough) will prevent a full scale asthma attack.
Short-acting beta-agonists are the most general quick-relief drugs for treating asthma attacks. It is a good idea to use beta-agonists just before exercising to help prevent asthma symptoms that are caused by exercise. They work by soothing the muscles of your airways, and this lets you breathe better then you normally would during an attack.
It is very important to tell your doctor if you start to use quick-relief medicines twice a week or more to control your asthma symptoms. The reason for this is that you may not have your asthma under control, and your doctor may need to change your dose of daily control drugs.
Here are the names of the most common quick-relief asthma drugs: .
1 Albuterol (Proventil, Ventolin) 2 Metaproterenol (Alupent, Metaprel) 3 Pirbuterol (Maxair) 4 Terbutaline (Brethine, Brethaire, and Bricanyl) 5 Bitolterol (Tornalate) 6 Levalbuterol (Xopenex) .
It must be remembered that quick-relief asthma drugs may cause some side effects:
1 Anxiety 2 Tremor (your hand or another part of your body is shaking) 3 Restlessness 4 Headaches 5 Fast and irregular heartbeats. Tell your doctor right away if you have this side effect, especially if you have heart problems. You may be at a higher risk for sudden death from heart problems.
To find out if any of the side effects affect you, it is best to keep a note in you book when you are using any of the quick-relief drugs. In doing this you will know which ones to avoid or what you can expect when you do use them.
What every you do: do not run out of your medication and if you travel it is very important that you carry a good supply with you in case it is needed.
Moderate asthma sufferers, usually use inhalers, but if the symptoms and attacks are fairly severe then medication such as steroids can be taken orally. Common control drugs taken via inhaler include Pulmicort, Azmacort, Vanceril, AeroBid and Flovent.
Treatment with asthma control drugs work by concentrating on making sure that you manage your asthma effectively on a long-term basis so there is no reduction in quality of life. They work well because they prevent the airways becoming inflamed and swollen, they are also known as anti inflammatory drugs.
There are more natural ways of controlling your asthma and it might be worth you well looking into them. I will mention a few here:
Himalayan Salt Pipescan be a very simple way to make a real difference to your health. The Salt Pipe is a dry Himalayan salt inhaler that uses the ancient salt therapy to help maintain an optimum respiratory function, which will help you to breath easier. The Himalayan Salt helps by making your immune system stronger by cleansing the lungs allowing them to absorb more oxygen. The Salt Pipe is not a “quick relief “ method but more of a natural long-term way of helping you manager your asthma.
Asthma that is caused by external factors rather than emotion-related problems, are often linked to food allergy. It is worth looking up what foods are best to eat for combating asthma; a few of them are garlic, onions and sorrel (which makes a very good soup)
Aloe Vera extract can help treat asthma, but needs to be taken for at least 6 months or more before you can tell whether is is effective. It works in much the same way as the Salt Pipe, by building up your immune system.
It is very important imperative that if you suffer from asthma that you take the drugs as prescribed to ensure your symptoms and asthma attacks are kept as low as possible.
Asthma is regrettable and as already been stated it does not have to be a life sentence, many asthma sufferers lead a full and productive life and find their asthma is only a minor nuisance most times.
The first thing to do to control your asthma is to avoid things that start your asthma off. These are called “triggers” and the only way to find out what yours are is to keep a notebook and write down things that set you off. It is then a good idea to discuss this with your health care worker to find ways to avoid the “triggers”.
There are quite a few treatments for asthma and they are dived into two main areas. One is a quick relief drugs that are used during an asthma attack and the other is preventing drugs that are used to control and prevent asthma attacks. Asthmatics must never make the mistake of discontinuing control drugs just because they do not have attackes. It is the control medication that is most important.
Quick relief or rescue medications can be taken when you start coughing, wheezing or has tightness in your chest. These medications are normally very effective and in most cases (as long as they are taken quickly enough) will prevent a full scale asthma attack.
Short-acting beta-agonists are the most general quick-relief drugs for treating asthma attacks. It is a good idea to use beta-agonists just before exercising to help prevent asthma symptoms that are caused by exercise. They work by soothing the muscles of your airways, and this lets you breathe better then you normally would during an attack.
It is very important to tell your doctor if you start to use quick-relief medicines twice a week or more to control your asthma symptoms. The reason for this is that you may not have your asthma under control, and your doctor may need to change your dose of daily control drugs.
Here are the names of the most common quick-relief asthma drugs: .
1 Albuterol (Proventil, Ventolin) 2 Metaproterenol (Alupent, Metaprel) 3 Pirbuterol (Maxair) 4 Terbutaline (Brethine, Brethaire, and Bricanyl) 5 Bitolterol (Tornalate) 6 Levalbuterol (Xopenex) .
It must be remembered that quick-relief asthma drugs may cause some side effects:
1 Anxiety 2 Tremor (your hand or another part of your body is shaking) 3 Restlessness 4 Headaches 5 Fast and irregular heartbeats. Tell your doctor right away if you have this side effect, especially if you have heart problems. You may be at a higher risk for sudden death from heart problems.
To find out if any of the side effects affect you, it is best to keep a note in you book when you are using any of the quick-relief drugs. In doing this you will know which ones to avoid or what you can expect when you do use them.
What every you do: do not run out of your medication and if you travel it is very important that you carry a good supply with you in case it is needed.
Moderate asthma sufferers, usually use inhalers, but if the symptoms and attacks are fairly severe then medication such as steroids can be taken orally. Common control drugs taken via inhaler include Pulmicort, Azmacort, Vanceril, AeroBid and Flovent.
Treatment with asthma control drugs work by concentrating on making sure that you manage your asthma effectively on a long-term basis so there is no reduction in quality of life. They work well because they prevent the airways becoming inflamed and swollen, they are also known as anti inflammatory drugs.
There are more natural ways of controlling your asthma and it might be worth you well looking into them. I will mention a few here:
Himalayan Salt Pipescan be a very simple way to make a real difference to your health. The Salt Pipe is a dry Himalayan salt inhaler that uses the ancient salt therapy to help maintain an optimum respiratory function, which will help you to breath easier. The Himalayan Salt helps by making your immune system stronger by cleansing the lungs allowing them to absorb more oxygen. The Salt Pipe is not a “quick relief “ method but more of a natural long-term way of helping you manager your asthma.
Asthma that is caused by external factors rather than emotion-related problems, are often linked to food allergy. It is worth looking up what foods are best to eat for combating asthma; a few of them are garlic, onions and sorrel (which makes a very good soup)
Aloe Vera extract can help treat asthma, but needs to be taken for at least 6 months or more before you can tell whether is is effective. It works in much the same way as the Salt Pipe, by building up your immune system.
It is very important imperative that if you suffer from asthma that you take the drugs as prescribed to ensure your symptoms and asthma attacks are kept as low as possible.
Asthma is regrettable and as already been stated it does not have to be a life sentence, many asthma sufferers lead a full and productive life and find their asthma is only a minor nuisance most times.
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