Download Asthma

Central West Naturopathic
PH: 02 6342 3887
104 Kendal St. Cowra 2794
24 Spring Street Forbes 2871
email: [email protected]
www.centralwestnaturopathic.com.au
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Asthma
The word ‘Asthma’ simply means ‘difficulty in breathing’. There are several
reasons why people have difficulty breathing. Some asthma is associated with the
lungs; some is associated with the heart. There is respiratory asthma, and cardiac
asthma. There is also hyperventilation, which is not a true asthma.
In the womb babies do not breathe air. They receive oxygenated blood from the
mother, through the placenta. The baby’s blood circulates through only 3 of the 4
chambers of the heart. A hole, known as the trans-septal shunt allows blood to
move from the right side to the left side of the heart; bypassing the lungs. At the
moment of birth several events occur, in which the shunt closes, and the 4 heart
chamber begins to receive blood to send through the babies’ own lungs, allowing
the baby to breathe air. Some babies do not completely close the shunt, and are
known as ‘hole in the heart’ babies, and may sometimes require surgery. Some
can have leaky shunts or valve weakness. In this situation the child is OK until
they start running around, then they develop shortness of breath, on exertion and
get wheezy.
After a short rest they usually breathe normally, until getting active again. Many
years ago infant children were given Rosehip syrup. This syrup, as well as other
herbs such as Hawthorn Berry is very good at strengthening heart muscle and
improving cardiac function, in all age groups. Heart failure, a disorder of valve
function or heart muscle weakness commonly seen in elderly people, along with
shunt defects in children can cause circulating fluids to accumulate in the lungs,
reducing the air space, leading to the shortness of breath on exertion. Heart
muscle weakness can also develop from chronically low oxygen saturation levels.
People with cardiac asthma, sometimes called ‘paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnoea’
often wake at night with a cough and chest tightness, and find improvement after
sitting up for a while.
Respiratory asthma can be caused by infection, allergies or irritants such as
pollens and environmental dusts. Inflammation of the airways narrows the airway
and can cause spasm, in an attempt to prevent irritants going deeper into the
lung. Puffers relieve the airway spasms, and open the airways, but can allow the
irritant and mucus secretions of the airways to pass deeper to the airway, causing
infection and pneumonia. Food allergy is a common cause of asthma. Known
irritants need to be avoided. Common irritants include proteins in cow’s milk and
eggs. These animal proteins are foreign to the body, and are sometimes rejected
by the body. Gallic acid is a salicylate protein attached to most grasses and
pollens and environmental irritants known to cause a histamine release.
Histamine causes swelling, and narrows the airways. Studies have shown that
using Vitamin C in higher doses can boost the airways immune responses. Drugfree homeopathic drops which can assist with desensitisation to pollens and other
environmental irritants; including gallic acid are available at my clinic.
For respiratory asthma the use of breathing exercises is extremely beneficial. I
encourage people with respiratory asthma to learn a wind instrument, like
trumpet or flute, as controlled exhaling is what is needed. Breathing is also
influenced by carbon dioxide levels, not just oxygen. Treating hyperventilation
(fast, shallow breathing) due to hysteria makes use of the carbon dioxide
principle. Re-breathing from a paper bag slows and deepens the breathing rate.
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Author: Stephen Tamplin, RN, ND, DAc
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Central West Naturopathic
PH: 02 6342 3887
104 Kendal St. Cowra 2794
24 Spring Street Forbes 2871
email: [email protected]
www.centralwestnaturopathic.com.au
_____________________________________________________________________
Poor respiratory function deprives the body of oxygen. Headaches, confusion,
slow learning and irrational behaviours can arise due to low oxygen levels in the
blood. Adequate oxygen levels are essential to life. Many health disorders are
caused by poor oxygenation. Pulse-oximetry, which measures oxygen levels is a
routine screening check in my health care practice. As said before low tissue
oxygen levels can lead to muscular pain and weakness. Efficient heart and lungs
function are both dependent on healthy muscles.
There are several non drug remedies, such as the herbs Mullein, Golden Seal,
Slippery Elm and Lobelia which have the capacity to act as respiratory tonics,
while Hawthorn Berry and Ginkgo Biloba assist the circulatory aspect of
respiration. Garlic and St Johns Wort are good antiseptic herbs of benefit during
infection episodes, while Valerian and Skullcap relieve spasm, in tandem with
Magnesium and Vitamin C.
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Author: Stephen Tamplin, RN, ND, DAc
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