Alternative / Complementary Treatment of Asthma - Health Conditions

Alternative/Complementary Treatment of
Asthma

Alternative / complementary treatment of asthma

While all the alternative treatments may be very useful for preventing asthma attacks or reducing asthma symptoms they should NOT be used in a severe asthma attack, which is when the rescue medication should be used only, in addition to calling an ambulance for assistance.

Treatment of an acute, severe asthma attack (especially an emergency)

Stop all activity - remain calm and try to relax
Take your medicine - use your blue reliever (or rescue) inhaler , this is the medication to use in an emergency from a severe asthma attack and wait 5-10 minutes to allow the medication to work on opening up your airways and relieving symptoms
Sit up - this helps the air passages with better air flow
Medicine not working - if the blue reliever (or rescue) medication does not work (and does not settle down the symptoms) you need to call the emergency number 000 (or 911 in the USA, 999 in UK) for an ambulance and keep taking the blue inhaler medicine until the ambulance arrives
(derived from recommendations from the Lung Association Canada)

The following are the treatments advocated by alternative health therapists for managing asthma to ultimately reduce severity and frequency of symptoms and ensure a better quality of life.

Herbs

There are a few herbs with known anti-inflammatory properties, which may help reduce severity and duration of asthma symptoms:

Garlic - the herb garlic is best if eaten fresh, cooked with food or taken as a supplement. Garlic has potent anti-viral and anti-bacterial properties and can help to reduce some symptoms
Ginger - the herb ginger has anti-inflammatory effects on the lungs and may prevent worsening of symptoms due to any types of allergens

Vitamins

There are a number of vitamins which may be useful in helping reducing severity of symptoms or even preventing them:

Bioflavonoids - the bioflavonoids are used together with vitamin C as they have both a potent antioxidant and anti-histamine effect and may help with asthma that is triggered by environmental allergens
Vitamin A - the mucous membranes need adequate levels of vitamin A to be healthy and function properly and since asthma often presents with an excess of mucous, this vitamin is absolutely essential for managing asthma. Vitamin A is also an excellent antioxidant, which can help reduce infection if it is present
Vitamin B3 - research shows vitamin B3 has important anti-histamine properties, so it may be useful for people whose asthma is triggered by any type of allergen
Vitamin B6 - research shows vitamin B6 has important anti-histamine properties, so it may be useful for people whose asthma is triggered by any type of allergen to help reduce severity and duration of symptoms. In addition to this, many people with asthma generally have lower than normal levels of vitamin B6
Vitamin B12 - research shows vitamin B12 reduces the spasms in the lungs and other allergic reactions which are due to sensitivity to sulphites (a preservative used in dried fruit to ensure it has a longer shelf life)
Vitamin C - the antioxidant vitamin C may be especially required in children who have had chronic heavy metal (especially lead) exposure as this can lead to an over stimulation of histamine in the brain. Vitamin C acts as a natural anti-histamine and can reduce symptoms especially in children who have asthma that is triggered by environmental allergens
Vitamin D3 - this is the active form of vitamin D, which is obtained from sunshine and is vital to the lung health. Studies have shown that pregnant women who did not get adequate levels of vitamin D increased the risk of their child developing asthma
Vitamin E - studies show the antioxidant vitamin E may be beneficial for reducing inflammation in the lungs and so reduce the severity and duration of symptoms in people with any type of asthma

Minerals

There are a number of minerals which are very important in the health of the lungs and may improve symptoms:

Calcium - studies show that the mineral calcium, together with vitamin B3 helps to reduce the allergic reaction in the lungs of people who have asthma that is triggered by an allergen, as they open up the airways and allow breathing to be much easier
Magnesium - studies show that magnesium is an excellent bronchial muscle relaxant and reduces bronchial muscle spasms, which are associated with the more severe form of asthma. Inadequate levels of magnesium are associated with symptoms of impaired lung function, bronchial spasms and wheezing. In fact, magnesium is so important in the management of asthma, that it is used in emergency rooms to reduce the symptoms of severe asthma attacks (when other medication has not helped)
Selenium - studies show that many people with asthma have lower than normal levels of the antioxidant mineral selenium, which is known for its beneficial immune system modulating effect. Other studies show that people with asthma may have low levels of selenium
Zinc - studies show that people with asthma benefit from the mineral zinc as it supports the immune system to function more effectively and also heals any type of damage to the body tissues much more quickly, so may help to reduce scar damage in the lungs

Other nutrients

There are a number of other nutrients which can help to reduce symptoms of asthma:

Co-enzyme Q10 - this nutrient has anti-inflammatory properties which prevent major histamine release in the body (reducing severity of symptoms). Coenzyme Q10 also helps enable better respiration of the cells in the lungs, which can improve breathing capacity
Glycine - the amino acid glycine helps the body cope better with salicylates, without producing a severe allergic asthmatic reaction. Salicylates occur naturally in tomatoes and other nightshade vegetables, but are also produced synthetically
Lipoic acid - the antioxidant lipoic acid helps to detoxify the body from the damaging effects of nitric oxide, which is a by-product of a number of metabolic processes and which is in too high levels in people with asthma, as it can constrict the airways and increase inflammation. Since lipoic acid reduce nitric oxide levels in the body, it can help to open up the airways, reduce inflammation and enable better breathing capacity
Omega 3 fatty acids - the omega 3 fatty acids are vital to help reduce inflammation in every part of the body, including the lungs (and bronchi), which may help to reduce scarring and damage to the lungs and help with better breathing, in the person with asthma
Quercetin - the bioflavonoid quercetin has very potent anti-inflammatory and anti-histamine properties which means it can help to reduce an allergic reaction which triggers asthma symptoms
Taurine - the amino acid taurine is useful in reducing the allergic reaction of the lungs (and particularly the bronchi) to any allergic response by the white blood cells in the person with asthma. Taurine is also beneficial in detoxifying the body from toxic substances (which allergens are to the sensitive person)

Dietary modifications:

There are a number of dietary modifications that can be used to help reduce asthma symptoms:

Cod liver oil - if it can be tolerated by the child (or adult), then cod liver oil is the best way to obtain a natural form of vitamin A, vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids (and some contain vitamin E too) in the diet without taking a number of supplements. Cod liver oil will help maintain healthy mucous membranes (which line the nose, throat and lungs), will help reduce sensitivity to allergens and improve immune system function overall, which may significantly improve symptoms in some people with asthma
Elimination diet - if food allergies are suspected, then a food elimination diet needs to be done to determine how much of an impact those foods are making on triggering asthma symptoms. An elimination diet involves removing all foods from the diet that could be possible allergens (including wheat and dairy) as well as all processed foods which contain any types of artificial additives for about one month. After this point, each food should be added back to the diet, one at a time (say milk) for a week to determine if there are any reactions to it. The following week a different food should be added to the diet to see if it causes any adverse (or allergic) reactions. The reactions should be recorded and taken to a naturopath, dietician or doctor to help with diet management s
Eat more oily fish - the diet should include oily fish about 3-4 times a week to help boost the intake of omega-3 fatty acids and reduce inflammation in the body in general. Best forms of oily fish are: salmon, trout, tuna, blue mackerel, sardines, mullet, golden perch, red fish, sea mullet, yellow fin brim, yellowtail kingfish, tailor, trevally silver, orange roughy, herring, cod. The fish should be cooked fresh as canned fish generally have less omega-3 fatty acids. If fish cannot be eaten, then a fish oil supplement should be taken on a regular basis
Garlic and onions - both garlic and onions (but especially garlic) should be eaten every day, or as much as can be tolerated to help the open up the airways, reduce inflammation and prevent scarring
Ginger - fresh ginger should be used as much as can be tolerated in cooking to help the open up the airways, reduce inflammation and prevent scarring
Limit intake of processed foods - this includes all soft drinks, all canned and processed meats (from the deli), processed cheeses, instant soup, ice cream, toppings, puddings, cakes, pizza, take-away food, which can trigger symptoms in some people with asthma, mainly due to the additives, high fat content and high sugar content
Remove all foods with artificial additives - studies now show that many artificial additives (colours, flavours and preservatives) could be responsible for many of the asthma symptoms of and so should be either strictly monitors (limit) or totally banned from their diet. This includes all lollies (sweets), cakes, toppings, some cereals, snack bars. Always check labels of food

Lifestyle modifications:

Buyteko breathing technique - clinical trials have shown that the Buyteko method is useful to reduce symptoms of asthma, provide less reliance on reliever medication and prevention medication by over 90%. This special breathing technique teaches asthmatics to breathe properly, not to over-breathe and to learn to relax and not panic which may help with reducing symptoms (especially more severe symptoms)
Meditation and relaxation - many studies have shown that any form of meditation is a useful technique to help reduce symptoms of asthma and this is because meditation helps to control the mind, which ultimately helps to control and manage breathing
Reduce stress - this one may be a little difficult to achieve, especially if stress is unavoidable, but parents of young children should try to reduce their stress as breathing incorrectly can make symptoms worse. The same applies for adults with asthma
Stop smoking - people who have been diagnosed with asthma and who also smoke are advised to give up smoking, as it will continue to make symptoms worse
Yoga - many people who practice yoga regularly report that they have reduced symptoms and better lung functioning (less pain and inflammation), especially if it is a yoga which uses breathing and relaxation techniques during the classes

Alternative treatments:

Acupuncture - some studies have shown that acupuncture greatly reduces symptoms associated with asthma and prevents attacks from becoming severe in some people. Always see a qualified acupuncturist who has experience dealing with people that have asthma
Naturopath - children with asthma may benefit from a visit to a naturopath who can recommend an elimination diet (if food allergies are suspected), provide nutritional supplements and help to monitor progress. Parents who take their child to a naturopath must advise their doctor to ensure any naturopathic treatment plan does not conflict with any medications the child is taking. Adults with asthma need to also advise their doctor if they intend to visit a naturopath and want to try alternative treatment for their asthma, in conjunction with their medication, to avoid any complications

Always ensure that you notify your medical practitioner of any supplements that you want to take - it may interfere with other medication or conditions you have. Confirm with your doctor it is safe to take BEFORE you try it.

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Last reviewed: 7 October 2007 || Last updated: 3 January 2009

Allergic rhinitis (health conditions)
Allergies (glossary)
Betacarotene (vitamins)
Bioflavonoids (vitamins)
Garlic (nutrients)
Magnesium (minerals)
Nasal polyps (health conditions)
Selenium (minerals)
Sinusitis (health conditions)
Vitamin A (vitamins)
Vitamin C (vitamins)
Vitamin E (vitamins)
Zinc (minerals)

NOTE: Mega doses of any type of vitamin, mineral, amino acid or herbal supplement cannot cure illnesses and in fact can be very dangerous and produce toxic side effects and interfere with medicine you are taking. Always ensure you consult your doctor before taking any type of complementary supplements.

Disclaimer: This guide is not intended to be used for diagnostic or prescriptive purposes. For any treatment or diagnosis of illness, please see your doctor.

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