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Take Action Against Asthma

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For severe asthma attacks – the kind of tightness, wheezing and shortness of breath that can be really frightening – most people do as their doctor recommends. Often, that means quick action with a prescribed inhaler. If this is what you do, and it works, don’t give it up. If you use a preventer inhaler, you should continue to use it as prescribed, as this will cut down your risk of having an asthma attack. There is no cure for asthma, but there are lots of ways to reduce or even eliminate the symptoms. Certain simple lifestyle changes can help most asthma sufferers to breathe more easily.

Ease breathing during an attack
• When an asthma attack occurs, try to stay calm. Panic can make your symptoms worse. This visualisation trick may help. Close your eyes. As you inhale, see your lungs expand and fill with white light and feel your breathing become easier. Repeat this exercise twice more, then open your eyes.

• In an emergency, drink a strong cup of coffee, two 375-ml cans of cola or a Red Bull (all of which are high in caffeine). Caffeine is chemically related to theophylline, a medication for asthma. It helps to open the airways.

Combat constriction with supplements
• Practitioners of traditional Chinese medicine have been using the herb ginkgo to treat asthma for centuries. One recent study suggests that this herb interferes with a protein in the blood that contributes to airway spasm. If you want to try it, buy supplements containing a standardised extract of ginkgo flavones, and take according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

• Magnesium may make you feel better. Research suggests that magnesium relaxes the airways and reduces cardiovascular risk. The dose is 300 mg a day for men and 270 mg for women.

Counter inflammation
• Omega-3 fatty acids, found in oily fish such as tuna, salmon and trout, work much like a class of asthma drugs called leukotriene inhibitors. These drugs stop the actions of body compounds that cause inflammation in the airways. (Talk to your doctor first if you are taking anticoagulant drugs.)

• Evening primrose oil is rich in an essential fatty acid called gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), which is converted by the body into anti-inflammatory substances. Take 1000 mg three times a day (with meals, to enhance absorption).

• Bioflavonoids – compounds that give fruit and vegetables their bright colours – have powerful anti-inflammatory and anti-allergenic properties. Quercetin is one of the best-known bioflavonoids and inhibits the release of histamine. Take 500 mg of quercetin three times a day, 20 minutes before meals.

• Turmeric, the yellow spice commonly used to flavour Indian curries, is a powerful anti-inflammatory. The compounds it contains inhibit the release of COX-2 prostaglandins, hormone-like substances involved in inflammation. Mix 1 teaspoon of turmeric powder – found in supermarkets – in a cup of warm milk and drink it up to three times a day. Turmeric capsules and tablets are also available from health food shops.