Hyper-Reactive Airway Disease or Asthma and Homeopathy

Being a homeopath, we always advise against the steroid and other harsh treatment options. Especially when a devout homeopath sees a child on inhaler, his heart weeps for him. According to the recent survey made by a leading scientific community in United States, the incidence of "use of inhaler" syndrome is on rise. Yes, we are having more and more cases of childhood asthma and respiratory illnesses than anytime before, thanks to the growing pollution level and to the ignorance of fellow doctors.

But are the parents concerned about the increasing trends of lowered immunity in children, their hyperactive nature, their behavioral problems, and social withdrawal? If not, it is high time parents should learn to correlate these varied problems to the harsh treatments they are seeking for their children.

Making the parents understand the harshness of these treatments on the immunity and their deleterious effects on the bodies and psyches of children is the prime job of homeopaths according to me. Well, if we intend to have a cleaner and healthier future for our children, we will never wish them to succumb to the "drug-disease" inflicted upon them.

The most irritating times are those when I watch fellow homeopaths (with definite exception of some good homeopaths) giving such inhalers for stipulated period to their children due to utter ignorance of vast capability of their homeopathy. With due regard to all, I would say, we are never perfect doctors and we should keep learning for entire life. So why not turn the pages of our vast material medica written by stalwarts and inbreed the seeds of knowledge into us? It is high time when we should realize our responsibilities and start homeopathy from our home.

For treating our children with aptly chosen homeopathic remedies, first we need to understand certain facts about hyper-reactive airway disease or any respiratory illness. Let's see-

(1) In more than half the so-called 'diagnosed' cases of childhood asthma, what child actually suffers from is hyper-reactive airway disease.

(2) It may affect the child from as early as 4 months to 5 or 6 years of age.

(3) The child suffers from wheezes during respiration that are most of the times audible by the parents in sleep.

(4) The child may also suffer from nasal blockage and may suddenly get up in sleep due to stuffed feeling and inability to breathe.

(5) There might be associated cough that is a kind of hollow and sputum-less.

(6) In some cases however, there might be some sputum and the child may vomit due to accumulation of sputum in throat.

(7) If the child develops lower respiratory infection due to unattended frequent respiratory allergies, he may suffer from chest pain and constitutional symptoms like fever.

The respiratory symptoms vary from child to child and a homeopath must be a keen observer to find out the characteristic symptoms in the child. Nowadays, due to changed mentality of people around, we do get such respiratory allergy cases directly to us, that is, homeopaths. But if in case the child is brought to you by parents after traveling to many allergy specialists, the first thing a homeopath needs to do is convince the parents about efficacy of homeopathy in dealing with such cases. A good homeopath is almost always successful in convincing about the marvelous health benefits homeopathy can offer to the child along with making him deal efficiently with further allergies and infections.

Curing HRAD and/or asthma definitely the victory of homeopathy and homeopaths are bestowed with this responsibility of convincing the people about efficiency of homeopathy to deal with so many ailments scientifically and artistically too. What we dream of is a healthy world with heightened immune powers to drive away the allergies and infections forever!

How Spices Can Help Asthma Sufferers By Reducing Asthmatic Symptoms

Although asthma is primarily a respiratory or breathing abnormality or imbalance, diet can play a pivotal role in how its managed. Diet can either help or hinder an asthma sufferer. If you are serious about controlling asthma without drugs, then you need to eliminate or reduce as much as possible those foods that hinder and include those foods that help into your daily diet!

Today's overly processed foods contain various food additives that can trigger asthmatic symptoms, especially in those sensitive to food allergies. Processed foods should be avoided as much as possible for both good general health and asthma management.

Spices have been used as medicine by various Eastern cultures around the world for thousands of years. They are one type of food often overlooked by Western culture. Spices are superfoods when in comes to immune boosting, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. For these reasons they are recognized as having a dramatically positive effect on asthma sufferers.

Asthma is an auto-immune disease, therefore it makes perfect sense that by boosting your immune system through consuming spices, you can help alleviate asthmatic symptoms. A strong immune system will help your body better cope with allergens and germs which could otherwise create havoc on your health and your asthma.

Spices are also arguably the best anti inflammatory foods in existence. When an asthma attack strikes, the airways become inflamed and make breathing difficult. By eating a diet high in anti inflammatory foods, such as spices, you will have a dramatic reduction or you could even completely eliminate your next asthmatic episode.

Free radicals are also known to cause many health complications including asthma. Antioxidants are your body's only defence. By consuming foods with the highest antioxidant content such as spices, you are giving yourself the best possible defence against free radical damage. Free radicals can damage cells within your body, including airway cell membranes which contribute to asthma.

All spices have positive impacts on health and it's a good idea to include a broad cross section of spices into your diet. However not all spices are created equal and I have researched the best spices for asthma. These are Ginger, Turmeric, Liquorice, Black Pepper, Iodized Sea Salt, Mustard, Paprika, Cayenne Pepper, Cumin & Cloves.

Spices make it to number 2 on my top ten list of superfoods for asthma. For the full list and to see what makes it at number 1, visit my website by clicking on the link below.

10 Simple and Natural Home Remedies For Asthma

Asthma is a long-term disease that has already affected millions of people all around the world. It is generally caused by allergies to certain substances such as dust, gases, smoke, pollens, foods, animal dander, cold weather, environmental changes, etc. Coughing, wheezing, difficulty in breathing, and tightness in chest are some of the major symptoms of this disease.

One must control asthma as it is a life-threatening and serious disease. Although asthma is a chronic disease, it is treatable. Read this article to find the best natural home remedies for asthma. These natural remedies help reduce the severity of the disease and relieve the various symptoms associated with it. These home remedies are very simple and one can easily follow them in the comfort of their home.

Asthma Home Remedies

* The first thing you need to do is to know various allergens that may trigger the symptoms, and try to avoid them.

* Take one teaspoon turmeric (haldi) powder two times a day along with warm water. This is an effective home remedies for asthma.

* Prepare a decoction by boiling equal quantities of ginger (adrak), holy basil (tulsi) and black pepper (kali mirch). Take this mixed with half a teaspoon of honey.

* Another useful home remedy for asthma is honey and ginger juice. Take one teaspoon of honey along with few drops of fresh ginger (adrak) juice on an empty stomach in the morning.

* Boil some carom seeds (ajwain) in water. Inhale the fumes produced by this hot solution. This helps relieve chest congestion.

* Carom seeds (ajwain) are also beneficial in reducing the excessive production of phlegm. Take carom seeds in the form of powder twice daily, or prepare a decoction and take it warm. This remedy is taken especially in bronchial asthma, when phlegm remains stuck in the bronchioles.

* The smoke that is obtained by burning asafoetida (hing) can be inhaled to get relief from spasms of bronchial asthma.

* Boil two or three cloves of garlic (lahsun) to a glassful of milk for five minutes. Drink hot to get relief from asthmatic symptoms.

* Another simple home remedy for asthma is mint. It is well known for its property of decreasing phlegm. Crush fresh mint leaves to extract its juice. Add equal amount of ginger (adrak) juice in mint juice. Take 8-10 ml of this mixture two times a day, along with honey.

* Holy basil (tulsi) is a valuable herb known for its anti-asthmatic properties. Crush few fresh leaves of holy basil and extract the juice. Mix basil juice with few drops of ginger (adrak) juice and some honey.

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The Truth About Asthma and Bee Pollen and Royal Jelly Should You Take Them If You Have Asthma

Bee Pollen & Royal Jelly has earned a reputation as being foods which are extremely dangerous to all asthmatics. Their reputation has some substance, however I think it has been blown way out of proportion.

There is no doubt that these foods do present a serious risk to a small percentage of the population. Those who are allergic to bees, those who have a history of food hyper-sensitivity or those who have experienced anaphylactic reactions in the past should be very cautious when considering including Bee Pollen or Royal Jelly into the daily diet.

In terms of their nutritional value, they are unrivaled by pretty much every other food on the planet for its nutritional value. They contain almost every vitamin, mineral, amino acid and enzyme in existence. It is said that Bee Pollen is arguably the most complete foods that one can eat. You could pretty much sustain a healthy and long life eating nothing else.

I personally have been taking these foods for many years. I believe they are the best supplements that you can take. Unlike other supplements or multi-vitamins, Bee Pollen and Royal Jelly are 100% natural and not manufactured in a lab.

If you are worried about an adverse reaction to either Bee Pollen or Royal Jelly, my advice would be to see a doctor about having an allergy test done. Find out if you are allergic to bees or bee products. If you decide to include these supplements into your diet, start off with a small dose and note any side effects or reactions. Build up the dosage accordingly, once you have established that it is safe to do so.

Known side effects of both Bee Pollen & Royal Jelly include:

• Stomach pain


• Diarrhea


• Irritation of the mouth and throat


• Fatigue


• Asthmatic symptoms and in some rare extreme cases, life-threatening anaphylactic shock.

If you are not prone to food allergies and have no history of anaphylactic shock, I do recommend Bee Pollen and Royal Jelly. They are considered Super-foods by many nutritional experts and can actually help a majority of asthma sufferers by boosting the immune system considering asthma is an auto-immune condition.

OTC Asthma Medications - Asthma Relief Without A Prescription

A very common respiratory tract disease, asthma is accompanied by several symptoms like coughing, wheezing, and difficulty in breathing. To counteract this disease, OTC asthma medications are recommended. How do OTC asthma medications work? It works in two ways: one, it blocks asthma attacks by fending the onset of triggers and second, it provides quick comfort by clearing the air passages.

The first category of OTC medications includes loratadine, diphenhydramine, or chlorpheniramine that comes in either oral or liquid form. Most asthma allergies are due to histamines. Therefore, an antihistamine prevents asthma attacks by stopping the histamines from entering your system. This type of medications for asthma is the same as those prescribed for the sickness. For example, Claritin which was originally available for prescription, is currently ready for use as an over-the-counter medication.

Be careful though when choosing an antihistamine because there are those that are combined with other ingredients in one single medicine. Always read the packaging. One prevalent effect of antihistamine is drowsiness and even recent medications still has this effect. Take, for example, benadryl. This medication is actually consumed as a sleeping aid. Another kind of OTC medication is inhaled medicines. Primatene mist is such an example where it contains epinephrine, which is classified as a bronchodilator. The active ingredient epinephrine is a stimulant so an overdosage of any medication containing this ingredient can cause an elevation of blood pressure as well as jittery feeling.

Although OTC asthma medications are perceived to be dangerous and not so effective in treating the sickness, it's been proven to work efficiently for the random and delicate asthma attacks that a person suffers. Plus, it's reasonably priced than the prescription drugs. An OTC medication is very beneficial to almost all types of attacks in asthma. However, it is best to use prescription drugs as indicated. However, is severe cases of asthma attacks, a prescription inhaler with a relatively strong effect such as Proventil is really needed. Aside from this prescription inhaler, the doctor will also recommend an inhaler like Flovent for maintenance purposes so that lung inflammation is avoided, and future attacks are minimized.

Asthma Attack - Learn About What Happens When It Occurs

When asthma strikes, it is usually due to a constriction in the air passageways, which disallows a person to breathe normally and even produce a wheezing sound in severe cases. The main factors that cause the airways to become narrowed and blocked during an asthma attack include a constriction of the muscles surrounding the air tubes, an inflammation and swelling of the lining of the air tubes, and an increase in mucus production, which clogs the air tubes.

Twitchy Airways

The air tube is made up of several layers. On the outside of the air tube there is muscle which, by tightening and relaxing, controls the size of the opening of the air tube (the space through which air must pass). The muscle works by reflex, and is guided by the same portions of the nervous system that control reflexes, like involuntary blinking.

We have little conscious control over the tightening and relaxing of these muscles. Everyone's airways have the potential for constricting in response to irritant, such as cigarette smoke, perfume, or newsprint. In the asthma patient the airways are overreactive and have been described as 'twitchy'.

The overreactive asthma airway responds not just to allergens (like cat dander and ragweed) but also to other factors, like viral infections, barometric pressure changes, exercise, and cold air. During an asthma attack, the muscles surrounding the airways tighten, causing airway narrowing.

Asthma is not a problem limited to muscular constriction of the airways. An equally important problem is the inflammation of the lining of the airways. Inflammation can be understood by describing what happens when you scrape your knee. The scraped area becomes swollen and oozes with a fluid that contains many kinds of cells, some of which help to fight infection.

However, this fluid also contributes to the swelling. In asthma, the innermost lining of the airways is filled with cells and fluid that, as with the scraped knee, are a product of the inflammatory response. These cells and the associated swelling contribute to the obstruction of the airways in asthma attacks. Steroids, the medication most often utilized for difficult to manage flares of asthma, help to reduce inflammation in the airways.

Mucus Plugs

Mucus, which normally lubricates the airways to allow air to flow smoothly, increases in amount during asthma attacks and serves as a sticky plug to clog the airways, especially the smaller ones. All asthma patients are aware of the sensation of trying to cough up mucus. Often, they feel that if they could clear their airways by coughing up a sufficient amount of mucus, their asthma symptoms would subside.

But frequently there is so much mucus that even if one mucus plug is brought up, the same sensation and symptoms persists. It is important to seek your doctor's advice early on if you are unable to clear mucus plugging your airways, since neglected mucus plugging often prolongs asthma attacks.

In addition, when the plugs are allowed to linger they can become a source of infection. For this reason, an antibiotic is often prescribed for patients who are slow to respond to treatment during an asthma attack.

Asthma attacks at varying time intervals. The attacks can be as brief as several minutes or as lengthy as hours or days. Between attacks, there may be symptom-free intervals when it is impossible to tell an asthma patient from someone who does not have it.

A breathing test called spitometry, which is used to determine whether a person has asthma, may be normal in an asthma patient during an asthma-free attack. Nevertheless, spirometry is an important clue for determining whether a patient has asthma and should be part of the doctor's evaluation.

Some Relief For Canadians Suffering From Asthma

There are about three million Canadians living with the effects of asthma. It is treatable, but can be severely disabling in the worst cases. Every year, 500 people in Canada die from the consequences of an uncontrolled asthma attack.

Asthma is a chronic inflammation of the airway passages of the lungs. It may be mild, moderate, or severe, even in the same person from flare up to flare up. The causes are not understood. There is often a family history of asthma or respiratory disease. The symptoms of asthma can vary from person to person. Most commonly, wheezing, coughing, shortness of breath, and a sensation of tightness in the chest are experienced.

An asthma attack may be triggered by any number of things. When that happens, the lining of the airways gets inflamed and irritated, causing the muscles surrounding them to spasm. An excess of mucus may be produced, as well. It becomes difficult to breathe and, in the worst attacks, can become impossible, leading to an emergency situation. In an asthmatic, the airways are almost always inflamed to some extent, so that when exposed to a trigger they react quickly.

The most frequent triggers are allergens such as pollen, dust, and animal dander. Cigarette and fire smoke can also be triggers. Exercise, because you are asking the airways to process more air may lead to an attack. Cold air can trigger an attack because it is irritating to already inflamed tissues. Even stress can be a trigger for some people.

Despite the fact that asthma is a treatable condition, cases of disabling asthma have risen in recent decades at a disproportionate rate relative to the prevalence of asthma in the population. The reason for this is not fully understood. Some researchers believe that it is because more time is now spent indoors, where allergic and non-allergic triggers can concentrate while the sedentary lifestyle contributes to a decline in health.

The financial impact of living with disabling asthma can be considerable. The cost of medical treatment and medications, as well as lost wages from sick days, or from not being able to work at all, can all contribute to a strained money situation. In that case, any sort of financial help can be of great value to asthmatics and their families, enabling them to live more comfortably.

Asthmatics with a significant impairment in two or more aspects of daily life, and with marked impairment in one aspect, may qualify for the Disability Tax Credit. The other main requirement is that the condition must have been, or be expected to be, present for a duration of at least one year. The tax credit can be taken by a supporting family member, if the disabled does not make enough income to pay taxes.

It is critical that the paperwork be complete and accurate. Denials are often the result of an error or omission to the documentation, when the applicant would otherwise have qualified. For this reason, it can be of benefit to have the filing prepared by an experienced professional.