Dr. HingHau Tsang's Crusade on Nutrition
Newsletter #13
------ Natural approach to Asthma
What sets off an asthma attack
?
Here is a list of the best know culprits:
- Airborne allergens such as dust, mold, pollen.
- Animal Dander.
- Carbon dioxide released by cooking or heating with gas.
- Drugs: Aspirin, beta blocker.
- Emotional stress.
- Exercise.
- Food additives such as food dyes (esp. yellow dye #5 - Tartrazine), food preservatives (sulfites and benzoates), food flavorings (salicylates, aspartame & MSG), food stabilizers and emulsifiers (carageenan) and vegetable gums.
- Food allergies (eggs, milk, peanut, tree nut, fish, shellfish, soy, wheat, citrus)
- Fresh paint
- Room deodorizers and household cleaners.
- Strong odors from cooking.
- Tobacco smoke.
- Chemical fumes
Natural approach to Asthma
Tackle the above - emotional, environmental and lifestyle causes and add nutritional remedies for further control.
1)Emotional:
Don't hold in or deny your emotion. Let it out - express your emotions - sad, anger or scared. - learn to scream or yell - relieve your anxiety.
Meditation, yoga exercises that include deep breathing and deep relaxation.
All these techniques can be very effective in reducing the number and severity of asthma attacks.
2)Environmental:
Avoid exposure to dust, mold , pollen, dander, carbon dioxide, fresh paint, deodorizer, household cleaner, chemical fumes and tobacco smoke. Protect yourself by wearing mask or respirator.
3)Lifestyle:
Avoid processed foods such as chips, cakes, cookies, puddings, cheeses, canned foods and frozen foods that contain additives, preservatives, dyes or flavor enhancers such as MSG and Aspartame.
Avoid know food allergens.
Stop smoking.
Avoid excessive sugar and refined white flour.
Avoid caffeine which puts stress on the adrenal gland and reduce its ability to produce cortisol and adrenaline - your body's best natural defense against an asthma attack.
Tell your health care provider to avoid medications which might worsen your asthma.
4)Natural Supplements:
Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM): Organic sulfur binds to allergens preventing allergic reactions. It coats the intestinal lining to prevent dust mites and their droppings from playing havoc with allergies and worsening asthma. It helps the body flush out allergens.
Butterbur Extract is effective in treating asthma/bronchitis and whooping cough. It is attributed to the antispasmodic properties of the petasin constituent in it. The plant's anti-inflammatory action would also help calm the reactive airways seen in both asthma and bronchitis. A Polish clinical study conducted in 1998 examined the influence of Petasites on lung ventilation and bronchial reactivity in patients suffering from asthma or chronic obstructive bronchitis. The study included three test groups and two control groups. Test Group A exhibited an improvement in forced expiratory volume (FEV1) three hours after an oral dose of 600 mg Petasites extract. Group B experienced a significant decrease in bronchial reactivity two hours after receiving an oral dose of 600 mg Petasites extract. Group C patients were treated for 14 days and received 600 mg of the extract three times daily. Some patients (n=10) were also given corticosteroids due to disease severity. All three groups exhibited a decrease in bronchial reactivity, but the patients in Group C who received no corticosteroids had the most pronounced results. These results indicate Petasites (Butterbur Extract) might be helpful in improving lung ventilation in patients with asthma or chronic obstructive bronchitis.
Take Coenzyme q-10 which can improve the use of oxygen at the cellular level. Take 50 milligrams twice a day with a meal containing some fat.
Alpha Lipoic Acid(ALA): The ultimate universal perfect antioxidant. It is the most powerful antioxidant which helps to regenerate vitamin E and C and glutathione levels and help lessen damage caused by free radicals. It protects us from cigarette smoke which generates abundance of free radicals. High level of free radicals induce constriction of the bronchus, increase mucus secretion and edema in asthmatics and aggravate allergic hypersensitivities in people with allergies.
Ginkgo Biloba to improve pulmonary circulation. (Caution: Don't take Ginkgo Biloba if you are taking Coumadin (Warfarin) or Aspirin. This combination could cause excessive bleeding in the brain or retina.)
Take high dose of Vitamin C for its anti - histamine activity and its support of the adrenal gland.
Multiple vitamin and mineral regimen (My favorite multiple Vitamin / Mineral)which contains Vitamin B5, B6 and quercetin to strengthen the adrenal gland, Molybdenum which detoxify and metabolize sulfite, magnesium, vitamin E, and N-acetyl cysteine. For kids, take AMNI® Kids Multi-Vitamin/mineral is a specially formulated for children ages 4 and older. Fortified nutrition for children with newly reformulated and improved chewable mltivitamin and essential nutrients vital to kids of all ages.
Drink plenty of water. Dehydration leads to asthma attack.
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Disclaimer
Dr. Tsang wishes to share his knowledge & Opinion with the public regarding the importance of " Nutritional Supplements ". This is for your information only. He is not in any way try to replace your physician. Drugs have powerful effects on the body, so please don't abruptly stop taking any prescription medication. Always consult your physician or health care provider before you use any nutritional supplement or switch from drugs to natural health products.
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