Asthma Again!

This week being Allergy week, for good reason, with the bulk of Hay fever sufferers now getting symptoms, I thought it would be appropriate to look at Asthma.
Asthma is an allergic disorder characterized by spasm of the bronchi ( the airway tubes ), swelling of the mucous lining of the lungs, and excessive production of a thick, viscous mucous. The major concern with asthma is that it can lead to respiratory failure – the inability to breathe.
The Asthma society of Ireland reckons that 470.000 people in Ireland suffer with Asthma at some time in their lives. To mark world Asthma day, the Asthma society of Ireland have launched a new booklet called “Asthma and Allergic Rhinitis” which can be downloaded from their website.
The rates of Asthma and allergic Rhinitis (hay fever) are rising rapidly, despite all the advances in medicine. The reason? No one knows for sure, but a number of factors seem to play a big factor in the rise of allergies. Increased stress, increased sugar consumption, poor nutritional diets, increased environmental chemicals, food additives and environments that are too clean (sterile).
Asthma is usually divided into two major categories; Extrinsic and intrinsic. Extrinsic or Atopic Asthma is considered an allergic condition. Intrinsic Asthma is not associated with allergy but with a reaction to such factors such as toxic chemicals, cold air, exercise, infection and emotional upset. But both types end up with the same respiratory symptoms – breathlessness and chest tightness.
What we eat can affect Asthma. Dairy products have a tendency to produce excess mucus in the lungs, as well as, in certain individuals, an allergic reaction. Therefore, it is wise for all asthma sufferers to avoid milk and other dairy products. Sugar is very defermental to your immune systems. So avoid fizzy drinks, white bread, biscuits and cakes. Population studies have shown that children who eat fish more than once a week have one-third the risk of getting asthma as children who not eat fish regularly. Taking fish oil http://www.thenaturalway.ie/store/product/30244/Eskimo-3-Fish-Oil-Lemon-Flavour-210ml/ supplements should help asthmatic children ease their symptoms.
Vitamin C http://www.thenaturalway.ie/store/product/11240/Solgar-Ester-C-Plus-Tabs-1000mg-Vitamin-C-90-Tablets/ is especially important to the health of the lungs, as it is the major antioxidant present in the lining of the airway surfaces. Vitamin C intake is directly linked with occurrence of Asthma. The higher the Vitamin C levels in any population the lower the Asthma levels. Therefore it seems that eating plenty of fruit and vegetables and/or taking a vitamin C supplement will help Asthma sufferers. Take 1-2 grams of vitamin C http://www.thenaturalway.ie/store/product/11240/Solgar-Ester-C-Plus-Tabs-1000mg-Vitamin-C-90-Tablets/ per day if you suffer either Asthma or hay fever.
Herbal remedies for the treatment of both Asthma and hay fever are really good, at getting at the root of the problem. I was just reading an article in “Positive Health” about a man with a severe allergy to cats, which grew worse as he got older. He was given Reishi Extract (Ganoderma lucidum) for 2 month, which to his surprise stopped his allergy to cats, despite exposure to a large number of cats while on holidays. I have seen in my practice and on the shop floor many cases of Asthma and hay fever getting better through the use of these mushrooms, Reishi http://www.thenaturalway.ie/store/product/15361/Reishi-90-capsules/and Cordyceps http://www.thenaturalway.ie/store/product/12463/Mrl-cordyceps-90tabs/, which have been used for over 2.000 years in the treatment of imbalances of the immune system.
In Japan, Reishi in clinical trials of 2.000 cases of allergy related chronic bronchitis has success rates of over 60% with 97% overall improvement – truly a magic mushroom.

Angina

Angina Pectoris meaning chest pain, is a common problem of old age today. This painful and distressing condition is brought about when the blood supply to the heart itself is deficient and leads to a lack of oxygen in the heart tissue - a little like the leg cramps you can get when playing a game of football, except the muscle affected is the heart muscle one of the most important muscles in the body. Often an angina attack can cause a fear of death itself. Some angina attacks can be felt only as an uncomfortable tightness and squeezing in the chest with some difficulty breathing and little else. When there is pain it often radiates down the left arm.
An angina attack is hard to distinguish from a heart attack. For this reason, even mild chest pain should be evaluated by a medical professional and treated as an emergency. Usually an angina attack lasts only a few minutes and rest or nitro-glycerine should help quickly. If the attack lasts longer than 5 minutes then it should be treated as a heart attack. Unfortunately denial of a heart attack keeps people from seeking help while they are still able. Angina attacks are precursors for heart attacks, so it is extremely important to participate actively in taking preventative measures against them.
The illness actually begins long before the first angina. Usually as a direct result of longstanding arteriosclerosis the coronary arteries become clogged through the build up of fatty deposits, and harden. Once the blood's passageways to the heart are narrowed, any additional demands on the heart such as excitement, exercise, a very cold day or a full stomach can instigate an attack. During this acute time of stress, the coronary arteries become temporarily blocked and the resulting lack of oxygen to the heart causes a flash of pain and tightness in the chest. When this continues for only a few seconds, no lasting damage to the heart occurs. If the blockage is longer, then the tissues of the heart may be damaged.
Faulty eating habits, high blood pressure and cholesterol are often causes of angina combined with hereditary predisposition and a type A personality, which is particularly prone to reacting to constant stress.
Eating a diet high in fruits and vegetables and low in animal proteins is an important element in preventing this illness. Eat cold pressed oils like flaxseed oil http://www.thenaturalway.ie/store/product/45011/Emile-Noel-Flax-Seed-Oil-250ml/ , also fish oilshttp://www.thenaturalway.ie/store/product/30244/Eskimo-3-Fish-Oil-Lemon-Flavour-210ml/ have been shown to decrease the instance of angina attacks. Garlic will lower cholesterol and blood pressure as well as helping to keep arteries open.
Certain herbal remedies are very helpful in treating the underlying causes of angina attacks. Hawthorn http://www.thenaturalway.ie/store/product/40316/Salus-Hawthorn-Plant-Juice-200ml/ is the best known herbal remedy for heart problems. A very gentle and mild remedy, hawthorn will help reduce the fatty deposits in the arteries over time as well as reducing the work load of the heart through its effect on the cardiac cells in the heart muscle. To be of any benefit hawthorn has to be taken over 3-6 months, the longer the better, and since it does not have any negative side-effects it can be used for long-term treatment. If stress is a factor which it often is in heart disease then taking valerian tincture http://www.thenaturalway.ie/store/product/44478/Valerian-Tincture-215ml/ or tablets will help ease stress without making one sleepy. Lime blossom tea is good also in easing stress and will also help keep the arteries clear of fatty deposits.