3 Natural Ways to Soothe Asthma Symptoms

If you struggle with asthma, you know how much the wheezing, breathlessness, chest tightness, and coughing episodes can affect your life. It feels like your lungs are under attack.

Sometimes they truly are, because environmental factors can make symptoms worse in conditions like allergic asthma and seasonal asthma. Some types of asthma don’t manifest until later in life like adult-onset asthma and some are situational like occupational asthma and exercise-induced asthma.

No matter what type you suffer from, I can empathize from personal experience. I know how frustrating it can be to live with this condition and suffer for years with no long-term answers. Luckily, you have choices when it comes to managing and even overcoming this disease.

That’s why I’ve decided to share the struggles I went through and the ultimate path to natural healing with you! Read on to hear my story and to learn how diet, supplements, and breathing techniques can soothe asthma symptoms!

My Personal Battle With Asthma

You may not know this about me, but I had a debilitating personal struggle with asthma. Some years ago, when I moved into an old house in Florida with my family, I began to suffer from severe asthma and respiratory issues with no clear cause. I was a young mother working long hours as a clinical Pharmacist, so these symptoms totally derailed my everyday life.

The only solutions doctors offered were steroid injections and inhalers to alleviate my symptoms. My lungs were functioning at less than 25%!! Every breath felt like a struggle and a fight. I was told I would need to be on six medications for the rest of my life. I was stunned and devastated. This was not a “cure” by any means… you can’t imagine the list of side-effects I was faced with for each medication.

Masking symptoms with prescriptions hinders our full healing more than we realize…

Shocking Truths About Asthma Medications

Reluctant to accept this fate and following the whisperings of my intuition, I began a tireless search for answers that led me to study alternative healing methods. So many truths were illuminated for me during this journey of discovery. I realized that medications and pills were (at best) temporary solutions, always addressing surface-level symptoms, rather than the root cause.

I was surprised to learn that many popular inhalers and medications used to treat asthma actually contain the milk protein called lactose (3).  This can pose a serious problem for those with dairy allergies. If an allergic reaction were to happen at the same time as an asthma attack – the outcome could be disastrous. Prescription drugs are not required to list allergens on their packaging, and the fine print of the inserts is often left unread. However, it is vital that we understand what we are putting in our bodies, especially if it may cause harmful reactions or even make symptoms worse! (2)

Soothing Diet

I have learned that to help my body thrive, I must support my digestive system. A healthy gut is imperative to overall wellbeing. Immune response is often driven by the microbiome in our gut. It makes sense then that healing our gut can set us on the path for alleviating asthma symptoms. (4)

Chronic inflammation in the body is the culprit for many health ailments. Anything we can do to prevent and reduce the amount of inflammation our body has to deal with helps our healing. Diet is one area where we have the power to transform our habits. Eating a balanced diet full of organic fruits and vegetables will help us feel our best!

Being overweight can often cause asthma to be more severe. Simple adjustments to diet are key to help our bodies maintain a healthy weight. A quality diet will also include the vitamins and minerals that our body can use to fight inflammation around our airways (1).

Here is a list of anti-inflammatory foods you can incorporate for respiratory support: 

• Garlic
• Ginger
• Lemon
• Omega-3 rich fish or flax seeds
• Honey (great for soothing a sore throat from an asthma episode)
• Parsley
• Peppermint
• Turmeric

You’ll be amazed by the results you experience when you add anti-inflammatory ingredients to your diet consistently. Another dietary route you can take is an elimination approach…

Many people have allergies and food intolerances that cause inflammation and disruption in their body. Sometimes these intolerances are undetected for years. The body’s immune response to allergens is often mimics the symptoms of asthma.

If you notice your asthma symptoms are worse after eating a certain food, eliminate it for several weeks and monitor yourself for any improvements. Keeping a food journal is a great way to track your intake and any symptoms you experience.

Soothing Supplements

In addition to a healthy diet, here are some supplements I have found to add another level of powerful healing protection: 

• A high-quality probiotic will populate the gut with beneficial microorganisms. Consume foods rich in probiotics like kombucha, kimchi, kefir, miso, and tempeh.
• Magnesium can aid in reducing inflammation, relaxing your airway, and easing muscle spasms (5).
• Vitamin D is amazing for boosting the immune system. It has been helpful in reducing respiratory infections that bring on severe asthma attacks (6).

Soothing Breathing Technique

One of my favorite methods for controlling my asthma symptoms is through breathing! Stress is an asthma trigger for many people. Our bodies automatic response to stress includes muscle tension and rapid breath. Incorporating a daily mindfulness and meditation practice is a great way to relax and reduce stress. Breathwork techniques are especially helpful in clearing the airways and helping to open the lungs.

Try this simple breathing technique to soothe your airways: 

• Sit comfortably and allow your muscles to relax from head to toe.
• Place your palms on your diaphragm and breathe in through your nose for a count of four. Make sure your breathing is deep enough that your abdomen expands.
• Then, purse your lips and breathe out slowly for a count of eight. It should sound like a soothing wind.
• Set a timer and practice breathing, in through your nose for four, and out through the mouth for eight for two whole minutes.

How do you feel? Relaxed? Energized? Training your body to breathe in through your nose warms and moistens the air before it hits your lungs. Cold dry air breathed rapidly through the mouth is often an asthma trigger as it dries the airways and causes irritation. With practice, you will be able to maintain a relaxed and calm state even in stressful situations. This will improve all aspects of your wellbeing!

Whether you personally struggle with asthma or you’re just simply seeking deeper wellness, I hope this information has sparked a desire in you to look deeper for answers to health challenges!

If you wish there was a simple “user’s guide” full of natural healing methods and simple techniques you can do at home to experience thriving wholeness, look no further… 

I’m so excited to share over 20 years of natural healing wisdom with you in my new book, Wholistic Wisdom: Awakening Your Inner Healer. I designed the book to be a user-friendly guide to wellness that will help you harness the healing gifts you’ve always had inside!

Learn More

I want to empower you to stop looking outside yourself for answers. There is a better way! We must go within and learn to trust what our body needs and respond with loving patience and care.

Discover how to achieve body, mind, and soul balance with a mix of modern and ancient healing therapies. I will teach you simple self-tests, magical meditations, and powerful daily practices that will help you see results right away.

The sooner you get started, the closer you’ll be to a healthier, happier life!

Learn More

References:

1. https://www.healthline.com/health/severe-asthma/natural-remedies
2. Florida Pharmacy Association: Management of Asthma An At-Home Study
3. https://www.healthline.com/health/allergies/dairy-and-asthma#dairy-allergy
4. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6337651/#idm140578940701680title
5. https://www.healthline.com/health/asthma/magnesium-for-asthma#6
6. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/amp/articles/319617