Natural Asthma Treatments

While quick relief medicines (referred to as relievers), long-term control medicines (referred to as preventers), and hormones (adrenaline and hydrocortisone) continue to be the most traditional approaches to managing asthma, many doctors are complementing these approaches with natural asthma treatments. In addition, there’s a growing population of sufferers who prefer taking a more natural approach to controlling their condition.

Natural asthma treatments are as much about thinking and acting smart as they are about adding non-Western approaches to your management program. For instance, the best natural treatment is to avoid known triggers. If you’re sensitive to cigarette smoke, avoid it. If cat dander triggers your asthma attacks, don’t put yourself in an environment with cats. If pollen is your culprit, find ways to remain indoors as much as possible during those high pollen seasons such as spring and autumn.

See? Simple common sense.

But let’s move on to proactive natural asthma treatments.

Vitamin and mineral supplements can be an excellent complement to conventional asthma treatments. A nutritional deficiency can weaken your immune system making it more difficult to withstand environmental triggers. By adding a regular routine of supplements, you can keep your immune system strong.

For instance, asthmatics tend to have very low magnesium levels (a mineral that helps relax the bronchial tubes) so adding a daily magnesium supplement to your diet may prove to be very beneficial. Vitamin B6 can help reduce wheezing. And studies have shown that taking Vitamin C before exercise can prevent an asthma attack.

One word of caution with supplements … make certain that they’re hypo-allergenic. You don’t want to be taking something that will aggravate your condition instead of improving it.

Next are herbal supplements. Herbs can be toxic and dangerous if taken in large doses, so make sure you read the label and follow the prescribed doses.

Tylophora indica (also referred to as Tylophora asthmatica) is a rare Ayurvedic botanical known for its anti-asthma/anti-allergy benefits. A 1969 twelve-week study involving one hundred ninety-five patients suffering from bronchial asthma resulted in approximately 15 percent of those who took Tylophora indica experienced complete to moderate relief of their asthma symptoms.

Boswella is derived from resin extracts from the Boswellia serrata tree. While this herb is most often mentioned for its anti-inflammatory properties, some studies suggest it can also be helpful for asthma. In one trial, 300 mg of boswellia serrata taken three times daily showed an improvement in the symptoms of asthma, including a reduction in asthma attacks.

Butterbur is a perennial shrub that contains petasins, which inhibit leukotrienes and histamines. In one study of butterbur, 40 percent of the participants showed improvement and were actually able to reduce their regular asthma medications.

Mullein is a weed and grows everywhere. While some people have experienced immediate relief from asthma attacks when using mullein, others have experienced no relief at all. So this herb is a bit of a hit or a miss, depending on the individual.

Elecampane is a large herbaceous plant found primarily in England. It’s recommended by some herbalists as a long-term treatment for asthma, particularly when mucus is an ever-present problem. There haven’t been any studies of elecampane. So at this time, there’s no real evidence of its effectiveness.

Always be cautious when using natural asthma treatments, and always involve your doctor in the process to make sure there won’t be any adverse reactions with your prescribed medications. And of course, never stop taking asthma medicine prescribed by your doctor without consulting with him or her first.

Discover additional natural asthma treatments and learn more about asthma and allergies in your quest to control your asthma. The better educated you are, the healthier you’ll be.