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Asthma
What is 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 mucus. The major concern with asthma is that it can lead to respiratory failure-the inability to breathe.
WARNING: An acute asthma attack can be a medical emergency. If you are suffering from an acute attack, consult your physician or an emergency room immediately.
What are the signs and symptoms of asthma?
Chronic asthma is associated with recurrent attacks of shortness of breath, cough, wheezing, and excessive production of mucus. Typically the asthma patient will show laboratory signs of allergy (increased levels of eosinophils in blood, increased serum IgE levels, positive food and/or inhalant allergy tests).
What causes asthma?
Asthma has typically been divided into two major categories: extrinsic and intrinsic. Extrinsic, or atopic, asthma is generally considered an allergic condition, with a characteristic increase in levels of serum IgE-the allergic antibody. Intrinsic asthma is associated with a bronchial reaction that is due not to allergy, but rather to such factors as toxic chemicals, cold air, exercise, infection, and emotional upset. Both extrinsic and intrinsic factors trigger the release of chemicals like histamine that mediate (produce or control) inflammation from mast cells-specialized white blood cells that reside in various body tissues, including the lining of the respiratory passages. The rate of asthma in the United States is rising rapidly, especially among children. Reasons often given to explain the rise in asthma include: increased stress on the immune system due to greater chemical pollution in the air, water, and food; earlier weaning and earlier introduction of solid foods to infants; food additives; and genetic manipulation of plants, resulting in food components with greater allergenic tendencies.
What dietary factors are important in Asthma?
There are four important dietary therapies in asthma: elimination of food allergies, following a vegetarian diet, and elimination of food additives.
Many studies have indicated that food allergies play an important role in asthma. Adverse reactions to food may be immediate or delayed. Double-blind food challenges in children have shown that immediate-onset sensitivities are usually due to (in order of frequency) eggs, fish, shellfish, nuts, and peanuts. Foods most commonly associated with delayed-onset sensitivities include (in order of frequency) milk, chocolate, wheat, citrus, and food colorings. Elimination diets have been successful in identifying allergens and treating asthma and are a particularly valuable diagnostic and therapeutic tool in infants. Elimination of common allergens during infancy (the first two years) has been shown to reduce allergic tendencies in high-risk children (children with a strong familial history).
An even better elimination diet is one that utilizes RevitalX - a high potency multinutrient meal replacement formula from Natural Factors, This product was developed by Michael Lyon, M.D., and specifically engineered to be an excellent source of important nutrients to support the gastrointestinal lining and aid detoxification. It is an excellent source of hypoallergenic vegetarian protein that we have termed GoldPeptides along with specific nutritional, probiotic, and herbal support to deal with food allergies. When used as the key component of an elimination diet, RevitalX is taken twice per day as the primary source of sustenance. RevitalX is made up with water or juice (fresh vegetable juice is preferred), or it can be made up as a fruit smoothie. Fresh or steamed vegetables and small amounts of fruit can be eaten when hungry and one simple meal is prepared in the evening with steamed vegetables, lean chicken breast and brown rice (cooked beans, split peas or lentils along with brown rice can be used as a vegetarian alternative). A lightly sautéed stir fry can also be prepared for this meal.
A complete vegetarian (vegan) diet may also be helpful. In one long-term study, elimination of all animal products provided significant improvement in ninety-two percent of patients. The vegan diet excluded all meat, fish, eggs, and dairy products.
The elimination of synthetic food additives is vitally important in the control of asthma. Artificial dyes and preservatives are widely used in foods, beverages, and drugs. The most common coloring agents, preservatives, and other food additives have been reported to cause asthma attacks in susceptible individuals.
It is also important to eliminate salt (sodium chloride) as there is strong evidence that increased salt intake increases the severity of and mortality from asthma.
Diets high in antioxidants have also been shown to improve asthma. Vitamin C and other antioxidants are thought to provide important defense, since oxidizing agents can both stimulate constriction of the bronchi and increase allergic reactions to other agents. Both treated and untreated asthmatic patients have been shown to have significantly lower levels of ascorbic acid in serum and white blood cells. Vitamin C inhibits induced bronchial constriction in both normal and asthmatic subjects. Vitamin C appears to normalize fatty acid metabolism and reduce histamine production. Carotenes (especially lycopene), vitamin E, and selenium are also important. Vitamin C is found in peppers, berries, citrus fruit, kiwis, and green vegetables from the cabbage family. These green, yellow and orange fruits and vegetables are high in carotenoids. And, wheat germ oil, nuts and seeds, and grains are high in vitamin E.
What nutritional supplements should I take for asthma?
Foundation Supplements. There are three products from Natural Factors that I think are critical in supporting good health:
- MultiStart (age and gender specific multiple vitamin and mineral formulas). Follow label instructions.
- Enriching Greens - a great tasting "greens drink" containing highly concentrated "greens" like chlorella, spirulina, wheat grass juice, barley grass juice, etc., and herbal extracts. Take one serving (one tablespoon) in 8 ounces of water daily.
- RxOmega-3 Factors - A true pharmaceutical grade fish oil supplement. For asthma, take five capsules daily. This dosage will provide 2,000 mg of EPA and 1,000 mg of DHA.
Magnesium deficiency plays a major role in many cases of asthma. Magnesium deficiency makes the bronchial airways more prone to spasm. Take an additional 150 to 250 mg of magnesium three times per day. Magnesium bound to aspartate, citrate, and malate is preferred to magnesium bound to oxide because of better absorption.
Lung, Bronchial, and Sinus Health from Natural Factors is designed to provide key nutrients and herbal extracts for healthy airways. For example, it provides N-acetylcysteine (NAC) - a derivative of the naturally occurring amino acid cysteine. NAC directly splits the sulfur linkages of mucoproteins thereby reducing viscosity of bronchial and lung secretions. As a result it improves bronchial and lung function, reduces cough, and improves oxygen saturation in the blood. Adults and children over 12 years of age: One tablet three to four times daily. Children 6 to 12 years of age: One tablet up to three times daily. Not recommended for children under six years of age unless recommended by a physician.
Grape seed or pine bark extract contain flavonoids known as procyanidolic oligomers (PCOs) that exert exceptional antioxidant and free radical scavenging activity. Take 300 to 600 mg of PCOs daily if you have asthma.
Additional recommendations:
Here is an important recommendation that I have found useful in helping asthmatics reduce their exposure to airborne allergens, such as pollen, dander, and dust mites. I tell them to remove dogs, cats, carpets, rugs, upholstered furniture, and other surfaces from their house where allergens can collect is a great first step. If this can't be done entirely, then I stress to them the importance of making sure that the bedroom is as allergy-proof as possible. Encase the mattress in an allergen-proof plastic; wash sheets, blankets, pillowcases, and mattress pads every week in hot water with additive- and fragrance-free detergent; consider using bedding material made from Ventflex, a special hypoallergenic synthetic material; and install an air purifier. The best mechanical air purifiers are HEPA (high-efficiency particulate arresting) filters, which can be attached to central heating and air-conditioning systems. These units are available from suppliers of heating and air-conditioning units.
How do I know if the program is working?
If you have asthma, you must be monitored and evaluated frequently by a physician. If this program is working, you should notice a reduction in the severity and frequency of asthma attacks.
Feedback
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Condition Center Caution:
- Dr. Murray’s recommendations and protocols for nutritional support are not intended as a substitute for appropriate medical care.
- The products and the claims made about specific products on or through this site have not been evaluated by the United States Food and Drug Administration and are not approved to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent disease.
- If you have a medical condition or disease, please talk to your doctor prior to using the recommendations given.
- Do not self-diagnose. Proper medical care is critical to good health. If you have a health concern or undiagnosed sign or symptom, please consult a physician, preferably a naturopathic doctor (N.D.), nutritionally oriented medical doctor (M.D. or (D.O.), or other health care specialist. Please go to www.naturopathic.org to find a qualified naturopathic doctor (N.D.) in your area to help you.
- Make your physician aware of all the nutritional supplements or herbal products you are currently taking to avoid any negative interactions with any drugs you are taking.
- If you are currently taking a prescription medication, you absolutely must work with your doctor before discontinuing any drug or altering any drug regimen.
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