Breathe In, Breathe Out: Asthma Awareness

What is asthma?

Source: girihomeo.com

Asthma is a lung condition where the bronchial muscles contract, blocking the air and making it difficult to breathe. Various factors can trigger an asthma attack such as allergens, infections, pollution, trauma or fatigue. Asthma can be of two types: intrinsic and extrinsic.

Intrinsic asthma is a type of asthma which doesn’t have an identifiable cause of attack while extrinsic is the opposite. The triggering factor is known. Some asthma attacks are abrupt while some can last for several days. They often start after a few minutes of being exposed to a triggering agent.

 

Can asthma cause death? Make no mistake! Asthma can kill. When one is dealing with asthma, he is dealing with a disorder of the lungs which is the organ for breathing. Severe asthma if not dealt with immediately and accordingly can cause death.

Andrea M. Risi, LPC said “Communities can have different understandings of which symptoms are normal and how best to treat them.”

 

People with asthma are recommended to avoid too much exertion or physical activity that can cause them to breathe slowly and gasp for air. Asthma is a chronic illness that requires thorough care from the patient himself. He should be careful with the food he eats and the activities he does as some might cause an asthma attack. Tori Rodriguez, MA, LPC, AHC says that “Interventions targeting the gut microbiome may ultimately prove useful in asthma management.”

 

 

How does asthma feel?

We often see people with asthma looking weak. They would always have their inhalers around, and would just sit around while watching everyone have a good time. We must have asked ourselves at one point, “How hard could it be? You can just breathe in and breathe out slowly.”

 

Try going up and down some stairs and then cover your nose and breathe through your mouth. Marla Deibler, PsyD said “Moderate exercise has been shown to have a significant effect on anxiety and mood,” You will be gasping for air, and the fact that you know that this can get worse makes you nervous about the situation. Asthma is a horrifying experience that’s why people with asthma should take extra caution in their daily activities.

Source: blogspot.com

 

Benefits of Vitamin C to People with Asthma

  • It is a powerful shield for viruses.
  • It strengthens the immune system and protects the body from respiratory infections, which can worsen the symptoms of asthma.
  • It prevents and eases sneezing.
  • It serves as a natural antihistamine which aids in reducing the sensitivity of the lungs to histamine during allergy attacks.

 

Benefits of Vitamin B to People with Asthma

  • Vitamin B6 lowers the frequency, duration, and severity of asthma.
  • It reduces the possibility of having side effects from drugs used by asthma patients such as theophylline. Side effects include anxiety, faintness, and mood swings.
  • Niacin lowers the occurrence of wheezing as it blocks the release of histamine.

 

What are the other nutrients that could benefit people with asthma?

Similar to vitamin C, some other nutrients with antioxidant properties can help people with asthma. Vitamin E and selenium are among these. Selenium aids in the production of glutathione, a known antioxidant, by fighting the biochemical correlated to inflammation.

Source: acrn.org

Asthma needs proper and thorough care, that’s why it is always recommended to ask for medical advice before trying alternatives or taking any supplements. It could cost a life, and it’s definitely worth the effort.