Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease of the airways that affects 15 million persons in the United States. An estimated 5 million children have asthma, which makes it the most common chronic disease of childhood. Some 60 percent of people who use steroids long term for asthma and other diseases will develop a mood disorder, such as depression or manic depression.

Asthma diet
Diet can influence asthma symptoms and progression. Unfortunately, most doctors and specialistis in asthma treatment do not discuss natural diet treatment for their patients with asthma. A diet rich in fish or cod oil might possibly reduce the risk for asthma and atopic diseases. Those who never ate fish in childhood have an increased risk for asthma and earlier asthma onset. Fish intake in adulthood is associated with protection against asthma symptoms.

Asthma triggers include
Additives to alcoholic beverages or foods—metabisulfites, MSG, tartazine (yellow dye #5), yeast, sulfite additives in wine.
Allergens from animal dander, cockroaches, dust mites or mold spores, pollen (trees, grass, weeds), indoor and outdoor pollutants.
Foods such as eggs, milk, nuts, soy, wheat and peanut. Toddlers who consume large amounts of margarine and foods fried in vegetable oil may be twice as likely to develop asthma as their peers who eat less of these foods.
Changes in humidity or barometric pressure.
Diseases such as GERD, sinusitis, rhinitis, viral infections, hyperthyroidism.
Drugs-- aspirin, NSAIDs, beta blockers, sulfites, estrogen.
Irritants--tobacco smoke, wood-burning, perfumes, cleaning agents, carbon dioxide, pollutants such as sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, ozone. Children who live near a busy road may be at increased risk of wheezing, a symptom of asthma. Exposure to air pollutants may increase the risk of death among people with severe asthma. Almost 100 million people in 21 U.S. states breathe unhealthy levels of tiny particles spewed by coal-burning power plants, cars and factories
Physical triggers--exercise, hyperventilation, cold air.
Physiological factors-stress, psychological factors. Stress of finals may worsen the symptoms of asthma.

Environmental control measures include removing carpets from the patient’s bedroom and living areas, weekly washing of bedding and clothing in hot water, specially designed mattress and pillow covers, removing stuffed animals, keeping pets outdoors. Quilts made of synthetic fibers like polyester might trigger wheezing in some children with asthma.

Natural therapies for asthma
Avoid or reduce exposure to allergens listed above
Eat more cold water fish with high content of fish oils. Eating oily fish like salmon or mackerel regularly may reduce the risk of asthma symptoms, according to new British research.
Have hot soup and tea--warm liquids lessen severity
Eat more fresh fruits and vegetables. Have a wide variety of produce, preferably organic.
Reduce hydrogenated and trans fats
Reduce omega-6 oils such as corn, safflower, and sunflower
Vitamin C, magnesium, and ginkgo may help
Fish oil supplements may help reduce the severity of exercise-induced asthma. Eating oily fish such as salmon or trout during pregnancy appears to help protect babies predisposed to asthma from developing the condition during their first years of life.
Boswellia is an Ayurvedic herb that has been found to be helpful. You can find Boswellia here.
Flavonoids are helpful, including quercetin
Petasites or a butterbur extract
Sylimarin may protect against histamine-induced bronchoconstriction
Yoga is helpful

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Antioxidant supplements could ease asthma symptoms
Indian scientists who conducted an extensive chemical analysis of blood samples from people with asthma say that beefing up levels of antioxidants may help thwart symptoms of the lung disease. Asthma is a chronic disease in which airway inflammation causes attacks of wheezing, coughing and breathlessness. The underlying causes of asthma, and the factors that trigger attacks, are under investigation. Genetics, developmental factors and environmental triggers are all believed to play important roles. Previous research has shown that a disturbance in the balance between the body's oxidant production--the formation of molecules such as free radicals that can damage tissue but are a normal byproduct of body processes--and natural antioxidant defenses is involved in asthmatics' inflammation response. Antioxidants are a class of chemicals that neutralize oxidants, and include vitamins C and E and certain substances found in fruits and vegetables. In the present study, published in the January issue of the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, researchers measured the levels of antioxidants and oxidants in the blood of 38 men and women with asthma and compared them to levels in blood samples from 23 healthy people. Dr. Ahmad Nadeem of the University of Delhi and colleagues write that asthmatic patients showed "alterations in a wide array of oxidants and antioxidants, with balance shifting toward increased oxidative stress in asthma." The good news, according to the researchers, is that "the observations in the present study also have clinical implications" for asthmatics. The findings suggest, the authors conclude, that boosting the antioxidant defenses of asthma patients could be "beneficial."

Asthma information
Asthma may be classified as mild, moderate, or persistent. Patients with persistent asthma require medications that provide long-term control of their disease and medications that provide quick relief of symptoms. Medications for long-term control of asthma include inhaled corticosteroids, cromolyn, nedocromil, leukotriene modifiers and long-acting bronchodilators. Inhaled corticosteroids remain the most effective anti-inflammatory medications in the treatment of asthma. Quick-relief medications include short-acting beta₂ agonists, anticholinergics and systemic corticosteroids.
   Airway inflammation is the primary problem in asthma. An initial event in asthma appears to be the release of inflammatory mediators (e.g., histamine, tryptase, leukotrienes and prostaglandins) triggered by exposure to allergens, irritants, cold air or exercise. The mediators are released from bronchial mast cells, alveolar macrophages, T lymphocytes and epithelial cells. Some mediators directly cause acute bronchoconstriction, termed the "early-phase asthmatic response." The inflammatory mediators also direct the activation of eosinophils and neutrophils, and their migration to the airways, where they cause injury. This so-called "late-phase asthmatic response" results in epithelial damage, airway edema, mucus hypersecretion and hyperresponsiveness of bronchial smooth muscle.

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