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Asthma,
Sinus Problems & Allergies
Asthma is a type
of reversible airways obstruction characterised by the narrowing
of the air passages in the lungs and caused by muscle spasms
and mucous secretions. What happens is that the bronchi
(small airways in the lungs) can constrict and make breathing
out stale air very difficult, so the person is not able
to get enough new oxygen and therefore can't breathe properly.
Typical symptoms
of asthma are coughing, wheezing, a tight chest and difficulty
breathing. When changes in air passages occur so that air
cannot pass freely to and from the tiny air sacs in the
lungs, bronchial asthma results. This can be caused by a
number of different things, but especially inhaled or ingested
irritants or allergens. These allergens and irritants cause
an allergic response, so the body produces histamine to
try and fight it, which in turn creates mucous and muscular
spasms, and then the body can go into an asthma attack.
Magnesium is essential here to prevent muscular spasms,
and should be taken by everyone on a daily basis for cramps
and nerves etc.
Childhood-Onset
Asthma is closely linked with the presence
of eczema, hayfever, urticaria (skin problems) and migraine
in the victim, or in their close relatives. People with
this type of family history are called atopic. If both parents
have a history of atopy, then the chances of the child being
affected are fifty percent. If one parent is affected, the
chance is thirty percent, and if neither parent is affected,
the chance is approximately twelve percent.
Childhood asthma
may be preceded for several months or years by episodes
of coughing, which later develops into wheezy bronchitis,
and then eventually into asthma. These types of children
often have a history of slow recovery from upper respiratory
tract viral infections, as well as a personal or family
history of atopy.
Exclusive breast-feeding
in infancy can help prevent against atopic disease, as the
breast milk primes the baby's immune system effectively.
If cow's milk or other formula has been substituted, then
the human immunoglobulins are not present, and the immune
system doesn't get the chance to build itself properly so
allergies are more likely to develop. However, sometimes
this has not been possible, so the following supplement
guide (below) can help.
Adult-Onset
Asthma is more common in women than men.
There are two main types: in the first, there are no obvious
reasons for asthmatic attacks. In the second, there are
fairly obvious triggers, and the person can avoid these
triggers, although new allergens will continue to be detected
which need to be added to their list of external or environmental
causes of the condition. Supplementation here is essential,
and can help to lessen the effects.
Common
causes and triggers
of asthma include:
*Inhaled
allergens , for example dust mites, animal fur/dander,
pollens, grasses and mould spores.
*Dust Mites - the
person is worse in dusty atmospheres, and when they wake
up
*Feathers - worse on contact with feather bedding or pillows
*Moulds - worse late summer and autumn, also in damp, warm
weather
*Occupational - symptoms worse at work and improve during
weekends and holidays
*Meteorological - follows sudden changes in weather (could
be due to pollutants, dust etc)
*Pets - asthma after contact with cats, dogs, horses etc
*Pollens - asthma/hayfever during the summer. Worse on warm,
dry days.
*Ingested
allergens , for example allergic foods, drugs (especially
aspirin and coloured medicines), food additives (especially
food colourings), yeast and mould on foods
*Food - the most
common allergenic foods are cow's milk, wheat, eggs, artificial
colourings, cheese, yeast and fish. Salicylates are another
common trigger for asthma and hyperactivity. (These are
naturally occurring food chemicals) For more info, ask for
a salicylate diet sheet. Reactions to food allergens can
occur within seconds or minutes, especially if they are
severe. Often though, they are delayed for several hours,
and this makes identifying the culprit difficult. The best
way to figure the allergens out is by following an exclusion
diet.
*Drugs - common drugs which may induce asthma are aspirin
(salicylates are very similar to aspirin) and other non-steroidal
anti-inflammatory drugs. If you are aspirin sensitive, but
still get asthma even when you don't take aspirin, then
you are likely to have a sensitivity to salicylates as well,
and we advise you to follow our low-salicylate diet sheet.
*Food Additives - asthma reactions (and other adverse reactions)
are known to occur to the dye tartrazine (E102)(a food colouring
widely used in sweets, puddings, soft drinks, jellies, chips
etc), preservatives, MSG (used in Asian cooking), benzoates
(E210-219) and to the preservative metabisulphite (E220-227)
(used as a preservative in wines, juices and dried fruit
and restaurant foods to make them look fresher). Also, watch
out for orange, red and yellow food colourings.
*Caffeine - there have been reports that caffeine is effective
in helping young patients with asthma. Theophylline (which
caffeine metabolises to) is of therapeutic value for asthmatics,
so if they are to suddenly give up coffee, they may have
an unexpected worsening of their asthma. In saying this
though, we do not recommend drinking very much coffee, as
it is the cause of so many other health problems. If you
are already a coffee drinker, then it is advisable to take
B vitamins and Vitamin C and a good mineral complex, as
the coffee can leach these from your body. Chocolate and
tea are other sources of caffeine.
*Irritant
gases , for example cigarette smoke
*Infecting organisms , either due to the
infection itself or an allergy to the organism
*Temperature changes , especially cold
air
*Changes in the weather
*Exercise
*Emotional stress - stress of any kind
lowers your body's ability to cope with incoming allergens
*Hormones
*Certain chemicals in the workplace
What
you can do to help your asthma:
The most important thing to do is to stop smoking! Also
avoid smoky places if you can. Vaccuum thoroughly frequently,
including your mattresses and bedding. You can buy special
covers for your mattress if you need to. Use special bedding,
or synthetic pillows and duvets as these attract less dust.
Avoid lots of cuddly toys in the bed as well as they gather
dust. :(
Avoid pets, pollens and grasses and known food allergens
if these are irritants for you.
A diet high in sucrose and refined carbohydrates (white
flour based foods, supermarket snack foods, junk food etc)
may aggravate pre-exisiting allergies and can cause all
kinds of other problems, so these should be avoided and
replaced with whole-food alternatives.
Reduce/avoid milk, dairy and wheat products, as these can
cause mucous congestion in the body.
Supplement
Guide
(This is a guide of helpful products - you don't have to
take them all! We strongly recommend you see a qualified
health professional before starting any of these products)
B Complex
50mg daily - reduces severity of asthma, and helps
keep stress under control.
Multivitamins
- it is important to supplement daily with these
for ongoing nutritional support
Flaxseed
Oil 1000-2000mg daily - helps skin conditions and
is anti-inflammatory
Vitamin C
500-1000mg daily - a potent antioxidant (cell
protector)
Magnesium
- this helps soothe muscle and nerve spasms. It
also helps stabilise some of the allergy cells that are
involved in the triggering of asthma. Very useful to prevent
asthma attacks, as well as so many other problems!
Digestive
Enzymes - it has been shown that children with
asthma produce much less stomach acid than other children.
Digestive enzymes help break down food properly so the body
can utilise it, otherwise the food travels through the body
partially undigested and causes all kinds of problems, including
allergies, eczema, abdominal discomfort, congestion etc.
Everyone needs digestive enzymes! You will be amazed at
how much better you feel! Read more>
Quercetin
- super antioxidant that protects cells against
damage and helps reduce allergenic reponse. A powerful immunostimulant
that has an anti-histamine effect. Take with Bromelain if
possible.
CoQ10
- energises each cell in the body, so is great for extra
energy and circulation. By doing this more oxygen travels
to every cell, including the lungs to help prevent asthma
attacks. 30-50mg daily
Elderberry
- a herb that helps fight respiratory infections
(including the flu) and expels mucous.
Horseradish/Fenugreek/Perilla
- these herbs are popular for their ability to
break down thick mucous and fight allergies and hayfever.
Try Good Health Allergy-Check
Lung Cleanse
- if your lungs are filled with congestion or
muck (from smoking etc), you can cleanse your lungs to make
breathing easier and more effective. Use a liquid herbal
cleanse for best results. Try Malcolm Harker's Lung Elixir
The Role
of QUERCETIN
Quercetin is a bioflavonoid that is dramatically biologically
active in the body. It demonstrates the following supportive
actions which are all useful in helping get on top of allergies,
sinus problems and asthma:
*Antioxidant As
well as showing free radical scavenging activity it also
offers a powerful membrane stabilizing action - an important
factor for protection, and to slow the aging process.
*Anti-Inflammatory
An ideal choice as a broad spectrum anti-inflammatory. Quercetin
is indicated in virtually all inflammatory and allergic
conditions. Also an ideal choice for chronic and acute inflammatory
pain, like arthritis, asthma, gout and most "-itis" conditions.
*Anti-Allergic
Quercetin inhibits enzymes involved in the manufacture and
release of histamine, thus offering and anti-histamine reaction
in the body. It is extremely beneficial for respiratory
problems such as asthma, sinusitis and hayfever because
it reduces inflammatory substances that cause bronchoconstriction
and vasoconstriction.
*Anti-Viral Flavonoids
as a group possess significant antiviral activity, with
Quercetin having the greatest activity, even against viruses
such as Herpes Simplex I, Para-Influenzae 3 and Polio virus
type I. It has been shown in vitro to inhibit both viral
replication and infectivity.
*Pain Reliever
Through its anti-inflammatory action it naturally relieves
pain and stiffness, while as the same time fortifying connective
tissue. Some types of headaches may also gain relief.
*Prevention of
complications from Diabetes Mellitus Quercetin has been
shown to be of benefit in the prevention of diabetic complications,
including cataracts and retinopathy.
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