Asthma
Bronchial Asthma
Asthma is an ancient Greek word meaning 'panting or short drawn breath'. It is
an allergic condition resulting from the reaction of the body to one or more
allergens, and is the most troublesome of respiratory diseases. An asthma
patient gets frequent attacks of breathlessness, in between which he may even be
completely normal. Patients suffering from asthma appear to be gasping for
breath. Actually, they have more difficulty in breathing out than breathing in,
and this is caused by spasms or sudden involuntary muscular contractions of the
smaller air passages in the lungs.
Asthma is caused by a variety of factors. It may be due to an allergy caused by
weather conditions, food, drugs, perfumes, and other irritants. Allergies to
dust are the most common. Foods which generally cause allergic reactions are
wheat, eggs, milk, chocolates, beans, fish, and sea foods. The disease may also
result from psychological factors. According to some studies, about twenty-five
per cent of young asthmatics have a deep-seated emotional insecurity and an
intense need for parental love and protection. Heredity also plays an important
role.
Remedies
Honey: Honey is one of the most common home remedies for
asthma. It is said that if a jug of honey is held under the nose of an asthma
patient and he inhales the air that comes into contact with it, he starts
breathing easier and deeper. The effect lasts for an hour or so. One to two
teaspoonfuls of honey provide relief Honey can also be taken in a cup of milk or
water. Honey thins out accumulated mucus and helps its elimination from the
respiratory passages. It also tones up the pulmonary lining and thereby prevents
the production of mucus in future. Some authorities recommend one-year old honey
for asthma and respiratory diseases.
Figs: Among fruits, figs have proved very valuable in
asthma. They give comfort to the patient by draining off the phlegm. Three or
four dry figs should be cleaned thoroughly with warm water and soaked overnight.
They should be taken first thing in the morning, along with the water in which
they were soaked. This treatment may be continued for about two months.
Lemon: Lemon is another fruit found beneficial in the
treatment of asthma. The juice of one lemon, diluted in a glass of water and
taken with meals, will bring good results.
Indian Gooseberry: Indian gooseberry has also proved
valuable in asthma. Five grains of gooseberry mixed with one tablespoon of honey
forms an effective medicinal tonic for the treatment of this disease. It should
be taken every morning. When fresh fruit is not available, dry gooseberry powder
can be mixed with honey.
Bitter Gourd Roots: The roots of the bitter gourd plant
have been used in folk medicine for asthma since ancient times.
A teaspoon of the root paste, mixed with an equal amount
of honey or juice of the tulsi leaves, given once every night for a month, acts
as an excellent medicine for this disease.
Drumstick Leaves: A soup prepared from drumstick leaves,
and taken once daily, has been found beneficial in the treatment of asthma. This
soup is prepared by adding a handful of leaves to 180 ml of water and boiling it
for five minutes. After being allowed to cool, a little salt, pepper, and lime
juice may be added to this soup.
Ginger: A teaspoon of fresh ginger juice, mixed with a cup
of fenugreek decoction and honey to taste, acts as an excellent expectorant in
cases of asthma. The decoction of fenugreek can be made by mixing one tablespoon
of fenugreek seeds in a cupful of water. This remedy should be taken once in the
morning and once in the evening.
Garlic: Garlic is another effective home remedy for
asthma. Ten garlic cloves, boiled in 30 ml of milk, make an excellent medicine
for the early stages of asthma. This mixture should be taken once daily by the
patient. Steaming ginger tea with two minced garlic cloves in it, can also help
to keep the problem under control, and should be taken in the morning and
evening.
Bishop's Weed: The herb bishop's weed has been found
valuable in asthma. Half a teaspoon of bishop's weed should be mixed in a glass
of buttermilk and taken twice daily. It is an effective remedy for relieving
difficult expectoration caused by dried-up phlegm. A hot poultice of the seeds
should be used for dry fomentation to the chest, twice daily. The patient can
also inhale steam twice a day from boiling water mixed with ajwain. It will
dilate the bronchial passages.
Safflower: Safflower seeds are beneficial in the treatment
of bronchial asthma. Half a teaspoon of powder of the dry seeds, mixed with a
tablespoon of honey, can be taken once or twice a day in treating this disease.
This acts as an expectorant and reduces the spasms by liquefying the tenacious
sputum. An infusion of five grains of flowers mixed with one tablespoon of
honey, taken once daily, is also useful in this disease.
Linseed: A decoction of linseed is also considered useful
in curing congestion in asthma and preventing recurrence of attacks. The
decoction is prepared by boiling a teaspoon of linseed powder and a piece of
palm candy in two cups of water till the mixture is reduced to half. This
decoction taken with a tablespoon of milk once daily, will provide relief from
chest congestion. Simultaneously, a linseed poultice should be applied
externally during the attack, at the lung bases.
Mustard Oil: During the attack, mustard oil, mixed with a
little camphor, should be massaged over the back of the chest. This will loosen
up phlegm and ease breathing.
Copper: One of the preventive measures to stop attacks of
asthma is to drink water which has been kept overnight in a copper vessel. This
water, with traces of copper in it, is believed to change one's constitutional
tendency to get respiratory problems.