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The One-Minute
(or so)
Healer
by Dana Ullman |
Asthma
Some people say that the best
treatment for people with asthma is "parent-ectomy". Although parents'
smothering can certainly be an influence, there are other factors that
predispose people to both breathlessness and asthma.
Asthma is primarily an allergic
condition that can be triggered by various foods, preservatives, pollens, weeds,
grasses, chemicals and fumes, the house dust mite, or tobacco. Emotional stress
and vigorous exercise can also trigger an attack.
Just a couple of decades ago,
few people died from asthma. However, deaths in children from asthma are growing
at an alarming rate. One can't help but wonder if the powerful steroidal drugs
that are used to control symptoms and that also suppress immune function play an
important role in this death toll. Don't let this type of drug abuse hurt your
family. Seek out alternatives. It is a matter of life and breath.
Having your breath taken away as
the result of a romantic interlude is wonderful. However, if you're having your
breath taken away at other times, too, consider these strategies.
Just don't sit
there, relax!
Feeling tense and anxious makes
breathing more difficult. Being tense is like trying to untie a knot by pulling
at both ends. Relax, and the knot almost unties itself. Progressive relaxation
in which you first tense and then relax muscle groups is an effective way to
achieve a heightened state of relaxation. Make sure to relax those shoulders;
it's hard to breathe fully when your shoulders are up around your ears (it makes
hearing more difficult, too).
Don't just sit
there, move!
Certain exercises that
strengthen the lungs can be very helpful. Swimming is best, especially the
breaststroke. Aerobic dancing has also been found to be helpful to asthmatics.
Start all exercise programs slowly, take breaks when you feel a need for them,
and don't overdo it. There were five gold medalists in the 1972 Olympics who
suffered from asthma, so don't assume that asthma has to limit your ability to
exercise.
Vacuum cleaning
therapy
Perhaps the most common
substance to trigger asthmatic breathing is the feces from the house dust mite.
Vacuum as much as possible. Make certain to also vacuum the bed (and wash your
pillows), since they can be perfect breeding grounds for dust mites. When you
vacuum rigorously, it can become an aerobic exercise, which in itself is
therapeutic. If, however, you are hypersensitive to dust, any type of vacuuming
can trigger symptoms. For these people, it is recommended to have others do
"vacuum therapy" while you sit back and practice relaxation therapy.
Give your skin
the brush-off
Your skin is a third lung. It
breathes and oxygenates you. Avoid covering your body with oil when you have
respiratory problems, since you want to keep your third lung breathing freely.
Take a loofah or any soft bristle brush and stimulate your skin.
Be cool
This one is easy . . . turn the
heat down. Many people with asthma have difficulty breathing in a heated room.
Open a window, too, unless you're chilled by it; you'll want to avoid overly
cold temperatures, because extremes of temperature can aggravate symptoms.
Humidify
yourself
Humidifiers can help loosen the
mucus that is blocking your breathing. You can potentiate the action of the
humidifier by placing a teaspoon of eucalyptus, mullein, or thyme in a cold mist
humidifier or vaporizer. Make sure to wash the humidifier after each use. If you
don't have a humidifier, put the oil into a pot of steaming water, and place
your face over the pot while you cover your head with a towel. Do this for as
long as it feels good.
Preserve
yourself by avoiding preservatives
Certain preservatives,
particularly sulfites and MSG, can trigger an asthma attack. Sulfites are often
put in wine, beer, dried fruit, and seafood. They are also put in salad bars to
keep the vegetables looking fresh. MSG is a common ingredient in Chinese food.
Ask to have your food prepared without it.
Breathergizing
#1
Diaphragmatic breathing
exercises your lungs and abdomen and helps give you a full breath. To make
certain that you're doing it correctly, follow these instructions. Place your
hands on your waist above the hips. Your fingers should slightly extend over the
sides of your lower abdomen, and the thumb should slightly extend over the sides
of your back. Focus your attention on how your hands move when you breathe.
Proper diaphragmatic breathing is occurring when your hands are thrust out to
each side, rather than primarily thrust forward.
Breathergizing
#2
Practice expiratory breathing.
This type of breathing is when you inspire normally, but exert slightly
additional pressure during the exhalation. Don't push too hard. This breathing
helps to dilate the bronchial passages. Do whatever visualization practices will
augment this breathing exercise. For instance, imagine yourself pushing out the
walls of a room. This may then give you more "room for breathing."
Breathergizing
#3
Take a full breath through your
nose. When you exhale, pronounce out loud the syllables "woo,"
'lee," and "ah" on separate exhalations. Pronounce each syllable
for five or six seconds each. Gradually increase the length of your exhalations.
After doing each syllable at least twice, observe your breath, and see if you
are now taking deeper, fuller breaths.
Bolster your
breathing
Lie on the floor and place a
bolster or large pillow under your upper back, just below the shoulders. Your
head should touch the floor. Slowly place your arms above your head; your chest
will be lifted, and your back will be arched. Breathe fully into your chest and
abdomen. Maintain this position for one to five minutes, but don't overstrain.
Do the cobra
The cobra is a yoga posture that
aids asthma sufferers by opening their breathing passages. You begin by lying on
your abdomen and placing your hands palms down under your shoulders. While
inhaling, raise your head and then your chest, using your back muscles and your
hands to support you. Try to raise yourself near the point at which your arms
are not bent. Hold this position until you wish to exhale, and then slowly relax
yourself back to the floor. Repeat this exercise at least five times.
Your lungs are
in your hands
There is an acupressure point
right in your hands that will provide healing energy to the lungs. It is in the
web of your hands between the thumb and second finger. You may notice that this
area is very sensitive to pressure; this a sign that it needs to be pressed. Do
so for at least five seconds, and repeat it several times. Another good
acupressure point to improve lung function is the web between your big toe and
your second toe.
Supplement your
breathing
Research has shown that 100-150
mg of vitamin B6 is helpful to people with asthma. You might also want to
supplement this supplement with 1,000 mg of vitamin C, 200-400 IU of vitamin E,
and 1-4 mcg of B12 (the latter is especially good for
sulfite-sensitive people).
Put spice in
your life
Various pungent foods and spices
have bronchodilating effects that can relieve symptoms of allergy. Of specific
value are onions, garlic, chili peppers, horseradish, and mustard.
It's coffee
time
Coffee also has bronchodilating
effects. Research has shown that two cups of brewed coffee can relieve symptoms
of asthma in one or two hours for up to six hours. Although the medicinal use of
coffee may seem surprising to some people involved in natural medicine, we must
remember that coffee, like every other herb, can be therapeutic in one dose and
poisonous in another. Don't use this strategy if you are sensitive to coffee's
other effects.
Is it a drug,
or is it an herb?
Ephedrine is a very popular drug
that was once commonly given to people with asthma. Although this drug improves
breathing, it also had various side effects, including nervousness, insomnia,
increased heart rate, and dizziness. Because of this, it is not as popular as it
previously was. However, there is an herb called Ephedra (also called Ma Huang
and Mormon Tea) which contains ephedrine in smaller, safer doses. Making a tea
of Ephedra with a half ounce of the branches in one pint of water and drinking
one or two cups provides the benefits of ephedrine without the side effects. You
can also consider taking this herb in pill form. It should, however, be taken on
a short-term basis only; and should not be taken by people with high blood
pressure, insomnia, anxiety and restlessness, or prostate cancer.
Use a hair of
the mite that bit you
Asthma is commonly the result of
exposure to the house dust mite, a microscopic organism that grows on house
dust. This is actually one of the most common allergens in the world, and some
excellent research has shown that homeopathic doses of it (the 30th potency) are
very effective in providing relief. Consider using it every four hours for no
more than a couple of days at a time. Consider seeking professional homeopathic
care for a "constitutional remedy" to potentially cure the underlying
allergic condition, of which the asthma is but one part.
No smothering
allowed
We all sometimes feel crowded,
either physically or psychologically. While this doesn't bother some people, it
can truly suffocate others. As they say in California, "Encourage others to
respect your space." In other words, kindly tell people to avoid crowding
you, either physically or with their expectations. At the same time, you might
explore those characteristics in yourself that seek approval from others, that
desire attention, and that want to be smothered by others.
Write on!
Recent research has found that
keeping a journal and writing about your asthma symptoms provides a therapeutic
benefit, as compared with people who simply write about the mundane activities
that they plan to do during the day.
Emotions
allowed
Many people with asthma notice
that attacks may be triggered when they bottle up their emotions. Allow yourself
to feel whatever emotions you feel. Accept them and express them. The more they
are bottled up inside you, the more they explode internally. Suppression of
emotions can be enough to take your breath away.
Avoid
cockroaches and chocolate
People with asthma are often
allergic to cockroaches. Keep your house as clean as possible to discourage
cockroaches from hanging around. Also, did you know that the FDA allows
manufacturers a certain percentage by weight of cockroach parts in chocolate? It
is apparently very difficult to keep these insects out of the chocolate vats
(can you blame them?), so the best way to avoid cockroaches is to avoid
chocolate. Strange, but true!
This
article was
excerpted from
"The One Minute
(or so) Healer"
by
Dan Ullman, MPH
Info/Order this book
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