12 Natural Remedies for Asthma

Asthma is a common disease which affects the airways of the people. Airways carry air to and from the lungs. When the walls of the airways get inflamed or swollen it becomes narrower and allows the less amount of air to pass through it. This will cause a wheezing sound and chest tightness. The person will experience difficulty in breathing and also starts to cough. The symptoms of asthma will be more visible during night and during early morning. Inflammation of the bronchial tubes or airways cause increased production of sticky mucus.  Some people may not show the symptoms for extended periods and some people will have the symptoms every day.

The Causes Of Asthma

The real cause of asthma is not known. It is believed that heredity has a great role in the expression of asthma in people. Allergies also are an important reason for the asthma. Some of the major triggers for asthma attack are
•    Allergies to dust, smoke and pollen
•    Sinusitis
•    Exercise
•    Food allergies caused by wheat, eggs, soy, shellfish, etc
•    Smoking
•    Heartburn
•    Respiratory tract infections
•    Certain medications like aspirin

Symptoms Of Asthma

Asthma attacks can last for a few minutes to days.
The important symptoms include
•    Cough with or without sputum production
•    Chest tightness
•    Shortness of breath which becomes worse after exercise or any other activity.
•    Wheezing which becomes worse during night and gets better  by using bronchodialators
The Emergency Symptoms Of Asthma Include
•    Blue lips, face or nails
•    Drowsiness or confusion
•    Extreme difficulty in breathing
•    Increased pulse
•    Breathing get stopped temporarily
•    Chest pain
It is possible to control the frequency and severity of asthma episodes with proper medicines. The natural home remedies are also capable of relieving the symptoms of asthma.
The following are some of the home remedies that you can try to get rid of symptoms associated with asthma.

1. Eucalyptus Oil

Pure eucalyptus oil is found to be a very effective natural remedy to treat asthma problems. It has medicinal properties that will help in clearing blocked nose and lungs and also reduce mucus and phlegm formation in the nose and the throat.

•   Add a few drops of eucalyptus oil in a paper towel or a cotton handkerchief and keep it close to your head when you are sleeping at night. You will be able to breathe the aroma of the oil all through the night and this will help you to get sound sleep.
•   You can also consider taking eucalyptus oil steam therapy. Add three to four drops of pure eucalyptus oil in a bowl of water and bring this water to boil. Now, breathe the steam coming out of the bowl by covering your head with cotton towel. Repeat this several times a day to get good relief from asthma symptoms.

2. Mustard Oil

If you are suffering from an asthma attack, you can immediately massage with mustard oil to get relief from breathing problems and to clear the respiratory passages.

•   Add a little bit of camphor in a tablespoon of mustard oil. Heat this oil and then gently massage it on the chest and the upper back.
•   You need to massage for about 5 to 7 minutes. Repeat this process several times a day until you feel relief from asthma symptoms.

3. Ginger

Ginger is a very effective natural home remedy that you can think of for treating asthma ailments.

•   Add one teaspoon of ground ginger in a small cup and add half a cup of water. Mix it well and drink one teaspoon of this mixture every night before going to bed to get relief from asthma at night.
•   Cut a few pieces of ginger and add it in a bowl of water. Boil this water for five minutes. Now cool this water and bring it to room temperature. Drink it twice daily to get effective results.
•   Mix a tablespoon of fresh ginger juice, one tablespoon of honey and two tablespoons of fenugreek seeds in water and leave it overnight.
•   Strain the contents of this solution and drink it every day once in the morning and in the evening to detoxify your lungs.
•   Eating raw ginger by mixing it with a little bit of salt everyday is also an effective remedy to treat asthma problems.

4. Garlic

Garlic is a natural ingredient that will help in clearing lung congestion effectively and thereby will provide you with quick relief from asthma symptoms.

•   Add two to three cloves of garlic in a bowl of water. Boil it and let is steep for about 5 minutes. Now, strain the mixture and allow it to cool to room temperature. Drink this garlic water or tea every day to see a reduction in asthma symptoms.
•   Add 10 to 15 pieces of garlic cloves in half a cup of milk. Boil this for a few minutes and drink it once every day to get relief from asthma symptoms.

5. Figs

Figs is another effective home remedy used to reduce the symptoms of asthma as it helps in reducing breathing difficulties and is also effective in promoting respiratory health. It will work effectively in draining out phlegm.

•   Wash three to four dried figs in water and then soak the in a cup of water overnight.
•   Eat these soaked figs the first thing in the morning on an empty stomach and also drink this fig water.
•   The nutrients in the figs will enter your bloodstream and offer you quick relief from asthma.

6. Onions

Onions are an abundant source of anti-inflammatory properties and are very effective in clearing the constriction of the airways of the people suffering from asthma symptoms. Onions have rich sulfur contents which will help in reducing the lung inflammation.

•   Eat three or four pieces of raw shallots or small onions to clear your blocked airways and to breathe easily.
•   You can also try mixing onions in your regular vegetable salad to get instant relief from blocked lungs.

7. Salmon

Salmon fish is a rich source of Omega 3 fatty acids that will help in treating a free of the asthma symptoms. It will help in reducing lung inflammation as well as reduce the narrowing of the airways. Some of the other fishes that will help in getting rid of the symptoms associated with asthma are:
• Sardines
• Mackerel
• Tuna
• Koi
• Cod

8. Honey

Pure honey is an age old tried and tested home remedy to treat asthma symptoms. It is found to be very effective in reducing asthma symptoms due to the presence of ethereal oils and alcohol.

•   Add a tablespoon of honey in a glass of hot boiling water. Mix it well and sip it slowly everyday on an empty stomach. You can also take it two to three times a day to get relief from asthma symptoms.
•   Inhaling the smell of pure and organic honey will produce a lot of positive results in people suffering from asthma.
•   You can also mix one teaspoon of honey with half a teaspoon of cinnamon powder. Swallow this mixture before going to bed. It will help in reducing phlegm around your throat and also allow you to sleep better.

9. Lemon

Lemon is another natural home remedy that is used to treat asthma symptoms. Normally, people with asthma will have lower levels of Vitamin C. As lemon is rich in Vitamin C and antioxidants it will easily help in reducing symptoms associated with asthma.

•   Squeeze out the juice of one lemon into a glass of drinking water. Add sugar and mix the ingredients well to get relief from asthma symptoms. You can drink this whenever you suffer from an asthma attack.
•   You can also add a teaspoon of lemon juice with a teaspoon of honey. Mix it well and take this solution every day at night to get good night’s sleep.

10. Coffee

Coffee is an effective ingredient to treat asthma. The caffeine in the coffee will help prevent and control asthma attacks. Drinking hot coffee will help in relaxing your airways and hence you will be able to breathe easily. The stronger the coffee that you drink; the better will be the result.

•   Make sure that you drink a maximum of three cups of black coffee every day. It will help in easing asthma symptoms.
•   But, only limit to three black coffees and not more.
•   You can also drink black tea as a substitute for coffee. But, coffee gives you better results.

11. Gooseberry Powder And Honey

• You can either mix 2 teaspoons of gooseberry powder or use a teaspoon of gooseberry juice in a tablespoon of honey.
• Drink this mixture everyday in the morning for reducing the symptoms associated with asthma.

12. Other Home Remedies

• Drinking ginkgo biloba herbal tea every day in the morning will be effective in reducing asthma symptoms.
• Using mullein oil while preparing an herbal tea is very effective in reducing the congestion in the lungs.
• Shuan Huang Lian is a powerful herb mixture that is used in China to treat respiratory problems.
• Drinking herbal tea made from a teaspoon of chamomile flower, mullein leaves, passionflower leaves and Echinacea root and boiling it in water is very effective to get rid of asthma symptoms.

Do you suffer from asthma attacks regularly? Are you interested to know about a few effective home remedies that you can try out to reduce the symptoms associated with asthma attacks? Well, all you need to do is to try out a combination of the above mentioned home remedies for asthma to see which one works for you effectively.