“It’s as easy as breathing”, we say. Yes, we associate breathing with something natural and effortless, but is it the same for everybody? A person with asthma may beg to differ! Breathing problems are a fact of life and conditions such as bronchitis and asthma are what cause the most distress to people. Asthma, in particular, is a serious cause for concern. However, there are ways to help this condition. The simple natural remedies that are easy to follow but provide great relief. A walk into your kitchen can provide a miraculous assortment of remedies that are nothing short of life-saving, especially when they stop the recurrence of an asthma attack.
Yes, we will give you all the details of the natural remedies for asthma here.
But first, find out all about asthma.
Asthma happens when the airways get inflamed and become narrow and sensitive. Some small triggers can give way to deadly attacks. Also, when your body produces excess mucous, your airways become even more constricted and cause some typical asthma symptoms such as wheezing and a tightness in the chest.
Asthma triggers off and thrives in specific conditions. There are several types of asthma, which you need to be wary of.
We all know that the common symptoms of asthma are wheezing, shortness of breath or a tightness in the chest region, but that’s not all, there are other more potent symptoms leading to asthma attacks.
What is an asthma attack? It is when the asthma symptoms suddenly get worse and the muscles start to tighten around the airways (bronchospasm). During this attack, the airway linings become swollen and more inflamed producing thick mucus. A little bit of mucus is okay, things get worse when more than a little is produced. All the symptoms put together such as inflammation, bronchospasm, and mucus production result in an asthma attack. These conditions affect the quality of life, and performing everyday tasks seems difficult. Keep a tab on some of the major symptoms here.
Milder asthma attacks are more common. In this case, the airways open up within just a few minutes of administering treatment. Severe asthma attacks are usually less common, but yes, they do not disappear in a hurry, requiring immediate hospitalization in some rare cases. It is foolhardy to ignore the asthma attack symptoms as they can take a turn for the worse. So, we must be wary of the symptoms and treat them right at the onset.
While natural remedies may not be a substitute for conventional medication, they complement the conventional treatment and provide you lasting relief. With time and patience, they may even help you kick off the condition, but yes this may not be true for everyone. We will look at a holistic approach which will show a slow yet steady progress. Take a look at some of the natural remedies of asthma, here.
Essential oils are love, and they provide relief from things such as congestion and a blocked nose, eucalyptus oil is a particularly effective remedy for acute breathing problems. How does it work? It has a compound known as eucalyptus oil, that helps get rid of mucus.
The Ingredients
Remedy
Add a few drops of oil in the towel and when you sleep, keep it right beside you. Keep the napkin or towel somewhere around you, so that you can breathe in the aroma. Try this remedy every night to prevent asthma attacks in the future.
Lavender oil has been to shown to stop the inflammation of the airways right in its tracks and also controls the mucus production. It mollifies the air passages and gives a boost to the immune system.
The Ingredients
Remedy
Add the lavender oil to the hot water and breathe in the steam for a few minutes, you can try this remedy once every day.
Tea tree has amazing expectorant and decongestant properties and provides relief from the harsh asthma symptoms, such as wheezing and coughing, all while eliminating the excess mucus. It has inflammation-reducing properties, and it possesses antimicrobial properties which clear up the mucus in the respiratory system.
The Ingredients
Remedy
Dip the facecloth in the warm water and wring out the excess water. Pour a little bit oil on this damp cloth and inhale the vapors until the cloth dries up. Repeat this a few times till you feel better.
Kalonji oil is also called the miracle oil as it has a solution for every disease, well almost all except death. It boasts of a host of benefits and it is anti-inflammatory in nature that is why it is said to be a great solution for different types of asthma.
Ingredients
Remedy
Warm the water and add the honey into it. You can drink this concoction twice a day, once before breakfast and once post dinner. Do this continuously for 40 days for best results.
Honey has been the ultimate natural elixir for ages and has found its way inside most medicine cabinets because of its many healing properties. It is a bankable solution for breathing problems too, such as asthma. It removes phlegm from your throat and helps you sleep like a baby.
The Ingredients
Remedy
Add a teaspoon of honey in the water and sip on it slowly. You can combine the honey and cinnamon mixture and consume it right before you sleep too. In fact, you can have it as many as three times a day.
The most important compound in turmeric has the potential to heal the deadliest of diseases that is curcumin. This phytochemical content has the potential to provide relief in even the most chronic asthma conditions. It soothes down the inflammation of the airways. Turmeric has some effective anti-microbial properties too.
The Ingredients
Remedy
Combine all of the above in slightly warm water and sip on it. You can try this for at least 10-14 days for best results.
Are you thinking of giving up your cup of joe? Well, not so fast! Looks like coffee has more to it than just the caffeine punch. It soothes the airways and helps you breathe. It acts as a quick antidote for asthma and eases off the constricted airways.
The Ingredients
Remedy
Just brew yourself a hot cup of coffee and you will soon be able to curb the signs of asthma.
Ginger has been part of the Indian spice rack for ages. Besides adding the extra kick and flavor to delicacies across the world, it has made a name for itself as a potent natural medicine. It is great for your respiratory tract too. Ginger is the most easily accessible remedy for quick asthma relief. It soothes the airway muscles and controls the calcium uptake, which reduces the constriction and provides lasting relief.
The Ingredients
Remedy
Grate a piece of fresh ginger and add to a cup of hot water. Let the liquid seep for five to seven minutes. Strain the water, add the honey and drink it as an herbal concoction. Drinking two cups of ‘adrak ka chai’ can act as one of the most potent asthma treatments.
Garlic is great for treating various conditions and has the potency to treat asthma symptoms. It reduces asthma symptoms owing to its inflammation-lowering properties.
The Ingredients
Remedy
Boil the garlic cloves in the milk and drink away. Try this at least once a day to control asthma signs and symptoms.
Most people will turn their nose on onions saying they’re too stinky, but hey, onions together with garlic and ginger are a few of the most potent natural medicines that treat deadly diseases such as cancer. It is particularly useful in treating asthma as well as it clears up the congestion in the airways.
The Ingredients
Raw onion
Remedy
It’s as simple as it gets, as all you have to do is slice raw onion with your supper and you’ll be good to go. To make it even more effective, have it every day with your food.
Also known as Bishop’s weed, this herb has the power to treat a number of ailments including asthma, and finds a mention in Ayurvedic and Egyptian medicine. Its anti-histamine properties are great for preventing allergic asthma. It also has antispasmodic properties that helps dilate the constricted bronchioles.
The Ingredients
Remedy
Just add the khella tincture to the water and drink up. Do this thrice a day for best results, continue to do this till you see results. Khella is more efficient in its preventive form and not really a cure for asthma attacks.
Diet plays a major role in combating most diseases and asthma is no different. You can add more fresh and organic fruits to your diet and you will see a remarkable difference. To keep your respiratory health in great shape, you have to add foods which are rich in antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. Some of the potent fruits and vegetables are as follows.
Fruits
Vegetables
The perfect asthma diet would read as avoiding junk food as much as possible, and of course, sticking to a healthy eating plan.
Strengthen your breathing by including these simple breathing exercises.
Add these breathing exercises to your daily regime and reap the benefits. Remember, you have to be regular and be disciplined to see any real impact on the effects of asthma. Besides the conventional medicines, you can also try other alternative treatment options such as Acupuncture, Acupressure, Homeopathy, and Ayurveda and so on. Keep your stress levels under control and your asthma attacks will soon become few and far between. Take care.
Manoja Kalakanti