Emmitsburg Osteopathic Primary Care Center
121-123 West Main Street, Rear Entrance
P.O. Box 1219
Emmitsburg, MD 21727
301-447-3310

Home Remedies for Asthma

Asthma, inherited or acquired, makes it hard to breathe.  The tightness in the chest, the cough, the wheezing, and shortness of breath of Asthma reflects the inflammation of the bronchial and bronchiole tubes in the lung.  The tubes go into spasm leaving us breathless, air goes in but not out.

Without displacing the usual medications helpful and needed for the treatment of asthma it is wonderful to know there are everyday things we can do to keep asthma from flaring in the first place.  Exercise physiologist, Timothy Mickleborough, of Indiana University did the science needed to prove local wisdom. 

Perhaps the most profound step we can take is adding Omega 3 fish oil to our diet.  Omega 3 Fish oil is found in fatty fish such as tuna, salmon, and anchovies.   Eating prepackaged fish will not give us the omega-3 fish oil we need, as this oil is extracted from the pre-packaged fish products.  However, omega-3 fish oil is widely available at any place that sells vitamins.  Omega 3 fish oil comes in handy gel-caps.  Omega 3 fish oil does cause some gastric reflux symptoms which can be avoided by refrigerating or freezing the capsules and downing them with 6 ounces of water. For those who held the course asthma symptoms improved 64% and use of inhalers dropped by 31%!  The reward for the discipline of making omega 3 fish oil a diet staple demands respect and that reward is waiting for you!

A low salt diet (almost un-American) is the next key to improved breathing.   Most folks in the United States consume more than 9 grams of salt daily.    Mr. Mickleborough placed his people on less that 1.3 grams of salt daily for three weeks, then checked the asthma folks after exercise. Research found that a 27%drop in lung function happened after exercise for those without salt restriction, but only 8% drop for those on the very low salt diet.  Salt holds water in the lungs making it more difficult to move air and the airways more reactive.

Finally Vitamin C or ascorbic acid supplements also reduced reactivity of the bronchial tubes after exercise.  Vitamin C is anti-inflammatory and has the advantage of being a natural antihistamine.  It is not necessary to go over 500 mg daily to get these benefits.

Three simple interventions allow us to be healthier, exercise longer and with more comfort by reducing the inflammation and swelling in the lungs and bronchial tubes of the lung. Go for it!