“Physical fitness is the first requisite of happiness.” – Joseph Pilates
Whether it’s your health or that of your loved ones, happiness is very closely connected to health. I realized this more so than ever watching my 3-year-old son wheezing, coughing & being miserable when he should have been playing, shouting, & basically having fun. The sight of all that medicine pile-up pushed me to explore natural and milder solutions for the treatment of asthma.
The first question that came to my mind was, can asthma be cured permanently? Cured, no. Treated, yes. As the National Heart, Lung & Blood Institute very clearly states, “asthma is a long-term disease that has no cure. The goal of asthma treatment is to control the disease.”
I found a lot of interesting advice. Some suggestions worked, some didn’t. Those that worked, made life a lot easier for both my kid and us. Instead of undermining the efficacy or importance of prescription medication, these household remedies supported symptom control and helped speed up recovery.
What is good for treatment of asthma besides an inhaler?
The inhaler is without a doubt the go-to treatment of asthma symptoms. It’s a rescue medication and can be life-saving. But, depending solely on it to get relief from breathlessness & chest tightness can make the use too frequent. Overdose can lead to side effects like upset stomach as in my husband’s case.
I found natural home remedies can effectively reduce the frequency of inhaler use. You don’t feel the need to use your inhaler more than prescribed because the symptoms are comparatively less severe. Along with being easier on our body, natural remedies offer a healthier approach to health issues without additional side effects.
Some lifestyle changes like regular exercise, proper diet & being mindful of triggering factors can go a long way in helping better treatment of asthma.
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Treatment of asthma: How can asthma symptoms be reduced?
Treatment of asthma is symptom control rather than cure. These techniques will help in asthma prevention & make the symptoms less severe when used timely.
- A very effective way to lessen the frequency & severity of breathlessness is to wear a mask when outside and using an air purifier when indoors.
- Use humidifiers to maintain optimal humidity indoors.
- Keep your living space free of mold spores, pet dander, dust mites etc. by decontaminating your interiors regularly for asthma prevention.
- Work on developing a strong immune system through diet and exercise.
- Avoid or move away from triggering factors of asthma as much as possible like strong smells, smoke, dust, etc.
- Sit upright to keep the breathing passageways clear, stay calm & take deep breaths during an attack till you can get an inhaler.
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What home remedies are good for the treatment of asthma
Here are 5 remedies that I’ve found to be quite helpful in asthma prevention, reducing the severity, and symptoms relief when triggered.
1. Fenugreek for treatment of asthma & seasonal allergies:
Boil a quarter teaspoon fenugreek seeds in half cup of water for about 3 minutes. Let it cool and then strain. You can refrigerate it for a couple of days. But, remember to bring it to room temperature before consumption.
Add half tablespoon each of ginger juice and honey to a tablespoon full of this liquid. Take this twice a day to tide you over your usual duration of allergy.
Ginger and honey both have a
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2. Eucalyptus oil:
This one I wish we had found earlier, as it limits way too frequent inhaler use. But, please do not change the inhaler dosage suggested by your physician without consulting first even when you start feeling better.
Pour 3-4 drops of organic eucalyptus oil on a handkerchief, fold it in and keep it handy. You can just open it up and cover your nose when you feel breathlessness coming on or feeling a bit short of breath.
Pour a couple of drops of eucalyptus oil on your pillow cover to get better sleep at night. Else, you can add a couple of drops of this oil to your steam machine and use 2-3 times a day, especially before bedtime.
3. A hot bath or steam inhalation:
Take a hot bath when feeling boggy and clogged down with asthma or seasonal allergies. It’ll help you relax and the steam will clear up your respiratory passages.
If it’s too hot outside to even think of a hot bath (like it’s in the March-April allergy season over here), take steam inhalations. Adding a couple of drops of eucalyptus oil can help speed things up. But even if you don’t have it handy, simple plain water steam inhalation will ease up the sinuses and airways.
4. Breathing exercises for treatment of asthma as well as prevention:
There are some very helpful but simple breathing exercises that can be very effective in asthma prevention & provide relief from breathlessness for the
Sit in a relaxed position with your back straight. Close one nostril with the thumb. Breathe in to a count of say 3 or 5. Close that nostril with the middle finger. Take your thumb off the other nostril and breathe out to the same count. Try and concentrate on the movement of breath through your nostrils, windpipe and lungs. Repeat 15-20 times, but stop at any point you start feeling light-headed.
This is part of a very well-known yoga routine that has proven to be quite effective in asthma prevention as well as other conditions like migraine, anxiety, depression and more. Modulated breathing exercises can help release tense energy from your body, help relax, reduce the intensity of symptoms and achieve an overall better sense of wellbeing.
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5. Regular exercises for asthma prevention:
This one has to be a part of your routine to be effective. Because once the symptoms set in, it is tough both physically and mentally to begin an exercise routine. Following any sort of workout routine regularly will improve your immune system and help better cope with symptoms when triggered.
I can vouch for it from personal experience. Regular exercise is very effective in the treatment & prevention of asthma symptoms. That’s the reason why I always make it a point for my kid to be involved in some sort of active sport on a regular basis.
For grown-ups with lesser time on their hands, try 20-minute speed walking, regular breathing exercises, swimming, or cycling. No need to stick to one form of exercise, but mix and match to create an interesting routine every week.
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Important: These are only palliative or preventative measures. Do not stop taking regular medicines without consulting your physician. These suggestions are based on the writer’s own experience. Considering individual allergy history & using personal discretion is advised.
My honest suggestion from personal experience would be to use these as supportive techniques with what your physician has suggested for asthma prevention & treatment. It’ll make the whole experience less stressful & easier to manage. Never make any changes to medication without consulting your physician first. Let them decide how to go about it based on your improved condition.
Natural remedies tend to take longer to show results, but they are far gentler on your body causing few to almost no side effects. The key here is patience, persistence and timely initiation of preventative techniques. These techniques for treatment of asthma can have a very positive effect on your quality of life & overall feeling of wellbeing.
Have you tried any of these? What else do you do to control asthma symptoms?
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