Asthma
Anhang
Frei nach: Dana Ullman …
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 first
To 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!?
(?breaststroke?). Aerobic dancing has been helpful. Start all exercise programs
slowly, take breaks when
you feel a
need for them, and don't overdo it. There were 5 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.
When
vacuuming rigorously, it can become an aerobic exercise, which in itself is
therapeutic. If 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
The skin is
a 3rd lung. It breathes and oxygenates you. Avoid covering your body with oil
when you have respiratory problems, since you want to keep your 3rd lung
breathing freely.
Stimulate
your skin with a firm brush.
Be cool
This one is
easy . . . turn the heat down. Many people with asthma have difficulty
breathing in a heated room. Open a window, 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 often put in wine/beer/gtrapes/dried fruit/seafood. 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.
Breath energizing #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.
Breath energizing #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."
Breath energizing #3
Take a full
breath through the nose. Exhalinge, pronounce out loud the syllables "woo",
'lee," and "ah" on separate exhalations. Pronounce each syllable
for 5 – 6 sec. 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 1 - 5 minutes, but
don't overstrain.
Do the cobra
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 1 - 2 hours for up to 6 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 has side effects:
insomnia/increased heart rate/dizziness.
Because of
this, it is not as popular as it previously was. A 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
(C 30) are very effective in providing relief. Consider using it every 4 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!
Repertory: [Pran Choudhary]
Chest: Constriction. Asthmatic: Ang.
coff. Led. mel. naja. nux-v. sulph
Dropsy,
asthma with: psor.
Eruptions.
rash alternating with asthma-calad
Copugh: Asthmatic (see also asthmatic
under Respiration): Acon. Alum. Am-c. am-m. ambr. anac. ANT-T. aral. arg-n. arn. ARS. Ars-i.
asa. aspar. bar-c. bar-m. Bell. Brom. bry. calad. calc. calc-s. carb-an. carbn-s.
Carb-v.
caust. Cham. Chin. chin-a. chlor. cic. CINA. coc-c. cocc. con. cor-r. croc. Crot-t. CUPR. dig. dol. DROS. dulc.
Euph. euphr. ferr. ferr-ar. ferr-i. ferr-p. guai. Hep. hyos. ign. iod. Ip.
Kali-ar. kali-bi. Kali-c.
Kali-chl. Kali-n. Kali-p. Kreos. Lach. Lact. Laur. Led. Lob. Lyc. merc. mez. mosch. mur-ac. nat-m.
nat-s. nicc. nit-ac. Nux-m.
NUX-V. op. petr. phel. phos. prun. psor. Puls. rhus-t. sabad. Samb. Sang. Sep.
Sil. spig.
Spong. squil.
stann. Stram. sulph. sulph-ac. verat. viol-o. zinc. zing Wheezing-(see
Asthmatic)
Limbs: Discoloration upper limbs: blue
with asthma: Kali-c
Eruptions
forearm pimples # asthma: calad
Eruptions
forearm rash # asthma: calad
Eruptions
upper arm rash # asthma: calad. mez
Pain gouty
in joints # asthma: sulph
Face: Discoloration: Bluish in asthma:
Stram. tab
Head: Pain # asthma: ang. glon. kali-br
Nose: Coryza-annual with asthmatic
breathing: Ars. Ars-i. Bad. Carb-v. Dulc. Euph. IOD. kali-i. lach. Naja.
nat-s. Nux-v. Sabad. sang.
sil. Sin-n. stict
Sneezing-Hay asthma with: Ars. Carb-v. Dulc. Euph. lach. Naja. Nat-s. Nux-v. sin-n. stict
Respiration: Asthmatic: Acon. Agar. all-c.
aloe. alum. Am-c. AMBR. anac. ant-c. Ant-t. Apis. ARG-N. arn. ARS. ARS-IOD.
arum-t. Asaf. asar. Aur. bar-c. bar-m. Bell. Blat. Bov. Brom. Bry. Cact. Calad.
Calc. camph.
Cann-s. Caps. Carb-an. Carb-s. Carb-v. Card-m. caust. cham. chel. Chin. Chin-a. Chlol. Cic. cina. cist. coc-c. cocc. Coff. Colch. coloc. Con. croc. Crot-h. crot-t. CUPR. doph. dig. Dros. Dulc. eup-per. Euph. Ferr.
Ferr-ar. ferr-i. ferr-p. Gels. Graph. grat. grind. Hep. Hippoz. hydr-ac. hyos.
Ign. Iod. Ip. KALI-AR. Kali-br. KALI-C. Kali-chl. Kali-i. KALI-N.
Kali-p. Kali-s. lac-d. Lach. lact. Laur. Led. Lab. Lyc. manc (hipp). Med.
meny. Meph.
merc. mez. Mosch. Naja. nat-a. Nat-c. nat-m. nat-p. Nat-s. Nit-ac. nux-m. Nux-v. lo-an. Op. par. petr.
phel. Phos. Phyt. plat. plb. podo. Psor. PULS. ran-s. raph. rhod. rumx. Ruta.
sabin. SAMB. Sang. sars.
sec. sel. Seneg.
Sep. SIL. sin-n. spig. SPONG.
squil. stann. STRAM. stront. SULPH. Sulph-ac. Thuj. Verat. verat-v. viol-o.
viol-t. zinc.
Periodic:
all-s. Alum. ant-t. ARS. Asaf. Carb-v. Chel. Hydr-ac. nux-v. Phos. Plb. Seneg. sulph. tab. Thuj.
Periodic,
every 8 days: sulph.
Morning-Aur.
Calc. carb-an. Carb-v. Caff.
Con. dig. KALI-C. Meph. Phos. Verat. Zing.
Morning.
bed in; alum. con
Morning
waking on - alum. Con. Sep.
Forenoon:
22 h. - 11 h.: Ferr.
Noon: Lob.
Evening:
bell. Cist. ferr. nux-v. Phos.
PULS. stann. Sulph. Zinc.
Evening,
after lying down: Aral. ars Cist. Meph.
Evening in bed:
am-c. graph. Sep.
Evening 21
h.: bry.
Night:
Am-m. Ant-t. Ars. aur. Brom. bry. carb-v. CHEL. Chlol. Cist. coff. coloc. daph.
Dig. Ferr. ferr-ac. Ip. Kali-ar. Kali-c. lach. meph. nux-v. Op. phos. PULS.
sang. Sep. Sulph. Syph. Thuj. zinc Night. 10 p.m.-meph
------- 22
h. when urinating: chel.
------- 22
h. – 2 h.: Ars-i.
------- after midnight: ARS. calc-ar. Carb-v. Ferr. ferr-ar. Graph. Lach. SAMB.
-------------------------
2 h.: ARS. kali-b. Rumex.
------------------------- 2 h. – 3h.: KALI-AR. KALI-C.
------------------------- 3h.: Chin. Cupr. KALI-C. KALI-N.
------------------------- 4 h. – 5h.: Nat-s. stann.
------------------------- 5h.: kali-i.
-------------------------
must spring out of bed: ARS. Graph. SAMB
< Air.
draught of: Sil.
> Air. open
air: Am-c.
Autumn:
Chin
Alternating
with eruptions: calad. crot-t. Hep. Kalm. lach. mez. rhus-t. Sulph.
Alternating
with gout: benz-ac. lyc. Sulph
Alternating
with headache: ang. glon. kali-br.
Alternating
with nocturnal diarrhoea: Kali-c.
Alternating
with urticaria: Calad.
After
anger: Ars. CHAM.
>
Bending head backwards: cham. SPONG. Verat.
Change of
weather: Ars. chel. dulc
Children:
Acon. ambr. CHAM. IP. kali-br. kali-i. mosch. nat-s. nux-v. psor. PULS. SAMB.
Stram. Sulph.
-----------
after vaccination: Thuj.
Coition,
after: Asaf. Cedr. Kali-bi.
Coition,
during: Aeth. Ambr.
< Cold
air: Lob. Nux-v. Petr.
> Cold
air: Bry. carb-v. Cham. Merc.
Cold damp
weather: DULC. Med. Nat-s.
Cold from,
heated when: Sil.
Cold from,
in summer: Ars.
Cold from
taking: Acon. dulc Lab. Podo.
Puls. Sil. SPONG. Stann.
Cold water
<: Meph.
Cold water
>: Cham.
<
Coughing. Meph.
Dinner,
after: thuj.
Drunkards:
Meph.
Dust, from
inhaling: poth.
Eating
after: kali-p. Nux-v. Puls.
Eating
after >: ambra. Graph.
Emotion after: Acon. ambr. cham. Coff. cupr. Gels. Ign. nux-v. pall. verat
Eructations >:
carb-v. nux-v. Eruptions.
after suppressed - Apis. Ars. Carb-v. Dulc. Ferr. hep. Ip. Psor. PULS. sec.
Sulph.
Excitement:
ambr.
Excitement,
>: hyper.
Forehead
with. after disappearance of latter on face-dulc
Flatulence.
From: Carb-v. Cham. Chin. Lyc. mag-p. Nux-v. op. phos. Sulph. zinc
Hay asthma:
Ambro. Ars. Ars-i. Bad. Carb-v. Dulc. Euphr. IOD. Kali-i. Lach. Naja.
Ant-s. Nux-v. Op. Sabad. Sil. Sin-n. Stict.
Heart, from
fatty degeneration of: ARN.
Humid see
rattling
Hysterical:
MOSCH. NUX-M. Nux-v. phos. PULS. stann. stram. sulph.
Injury of
spine, after: Hyper.
Intermittent
fever, with: mez.
Leaning
backward: Psor.
Menses,
After: brom. Carb-v.
Menses,
after suppression of: Puls. Spong.
Menses,
before: sulph.
Menses,
during: kali-c.
Mental
exertion: sep.
Mercury,
after: aur.
Miners
asthma from cold dust: Nat-a.
Music <:
ambr.
Old people,
in: Ambr. ARS; Bar-c. Carb-v. Con. phel. Sulph.
Rash, after
suppression of acute: acon. Apis. Puls.
Riding
<: meph:
Rocking
>: kali-c.
Rose cold.
Following: sang.
Sailors as
soon as they go ashore: BROM.
Sleep,
coming on during: Acon. Ars. Carb-v. Hep. Kali-c. lach. meph. nat-s. op. sep. Sulph.
Spasmodic:
am-c. Ant-t. arg-n. ARS. Asaf. Bell. Cact. caust. Cocc. coff. con. Cupr.
Dros. Ferr. ferr-p. Gels. Graph. Hydr-ac. Hyos. Ip. Kali-br. kali-c. Lach.
Laur. Led. LOB. Mag-p. Meph.
merc. mez. Mosch.
nux-v. Op. phos.
ph-ac. Plb. Puls. raph.
samb. Sars. Sep. SPONG. Stram. sulph. Sumb. tab. VALER. Zinc.
Stool >:
poth.
Sudden
attacks: cupr. Ip.
Talking
<: Dros.
Talking
>: ferr-met.
Thunderstorm,
during: sep. Sil. Syph.
Urinating
while: chel.
Vaccination
after: thuj.
Vexation,
from: ars.
Warm food
<: Cham. Lob.
Warm room
<: am-c. carb-v. kali-s.
Warm room
from the open air: Bry.
Warm wet
weather: Bell. Carb-v. Wet weather. in-Aur. Chin. con. Dulc. sil. Verat.
Wind,
walking against: cupr.
Winter
attacks: Carb-v. Nux-v. phel.
Rattling:
Acet-ac. Acon. agar. All-c. alum. Am-c. Am-m. Am-mo. anac. ant-ox. ANT-T. Apis. APOC. arg-n. ARS.
Ars-i. Art-v. asaf. Asc-t. Bar-c. Bar-m. Bell. Brom. bry. bufo. CACT. Calc.
Calc-p. Calc-s. camph.
cann-s. Carb-an. Carb-h. Carb-s. Carb-v. CAUST. Cham. Chel. CHIN. Chin-a. chin-s. chlor. cic. Cina. Coc-c. cop. crot-t. cub. CUPR. dig. DULC. Euphr. Ferr. ferr-ar. ferr-i. ferr-p. Graph. HEP. HIPPOZ. hydr-ac.
Hyos. Iod. Ip.
Kali-ar. Kali-bi. Kali-c. Kali-chl. kali-i. kali-p. KALI-S. Lach. lact.
laur. lob. lyco. lyss. (hydrop). Manc (Hipp). merc. morph. mosch. Mur-ac. nat-c. Nat-m. Nat-s. Nit-ac.
Nux-m. Nux-v. Op. ox-ac. Petr.
PHOS. Ph-ac.
phyt. plb. PULS. Pyrog.
Ran-b. rum. Sang. sanic. sant. sars. sel. senec. SENEG. Sep. Sil. Spong. Stann.
Stram. Syrch. Sulph. sulph-ac. syph. tab. thuj. Tab. Verat. Zinc. zing.