How to Treat and Prevent Asthma Attacks with Nutritional Medicine
Ronald Grisanti D.C., D.A.B.C.O., M.S.
Asthma is a disease that affects a person's essential ability to breathe, and is one of the most demanding pathologies on the human being, both physically and mentally.
Asthma Facts
20.3 million American report having asthma.
More than 70% of people with asthma also suffer from allergies.
The prevalence of asthma increased 75% from 1980-1994.
From 1982-1996, the prevalence of asthma increased by 97 percent among women, compared with 22 percent among men.
6.3 million children under 18 report having asthma.
Asthma rates in children under the age of five have increased more than 160% from 1980-1994.
There were 1.8 million asthma-related visits to emergency departments in 2000 (more than 728,000 of these involved children under 18).
There are more than 5,000 deaths from asthma annually.
More than 14 million school days are missed annually due to asthma.
Asthma accounts for approximately 14.5 million missed work days for adults annually.
Asthma Overview
Asthma is a chronic lung disease characterized by bronchoconstriction that is reversible, airway inflammation resulting from edema in the lining of the bronchial tubes, and increased airway responsiveness to a variety of stimuli.
Symptoms usually occur during the first five years of life in 65 percent of the patients.
A key feature of the disease is a hyper-responsiveness of the airways to various triggering stimuli, which causes the airways to react to irritation with severe bronchospasm and inflammation, resulting in symptoms of wheezing, shortness of breath, and tachycardia.
Classifications of Asthma
There are two classifications of asthma, intrinsic and extrinsic.
Intrinsic asthma usually develops in adulthood and may begin with risk factors such as cold air, exercise, or emotional trauma.
Extrinsic, or atopic asthma, is considered an immunologically mediated condition with a rise in serum IgE.
Nutritional deficiencies (magnesium, omega-3 fatty acids, selenium, vitamin B6 and vitamin C)
Paint fumes
Scents (air fresheners, colognes, perfumes)
Tobacco smoke
Weather changes
Wood smoke
Dysbiosis: An Overlooked Cause
Dysbiosis refers to a state of disordered or dysfunctional intestinal microflora that causes ill health, which can produce symptoms ranging from mere discomfort to outright disease.
The human intestinal microflora is an enormous microcosm that is estimated to contain over 100 trillion living bacteria, comprised of from 100 to 400 different species of bacteria. When dysbiosis develops, toxin-producing intestinal bacteria can cause a wide variety of symptoms.
Many individuals that present symptoms of minor respiratory problems including allergies, sinus, and asthma may have dysbiosis. Usually, an overgrowth of Candida albicans is present, causing problems associated with fungal overgrowth including allergies, food and chemical sensitivities, malabsorption of nutrients, autoimmune disorders, and asthma.
A primary cause of dysbiosis is the consistent use of antibiotics without supportive probiotics. When an individual takes a course of antibiotics, the drug not only kills off the bad bacteria, it also kills off a majority of the beneficial bacteria.
Digestive complaints are most common, including flatulence, bloating, intestinal pain and inflammation, cramping, and constipation and/or diarrhea.
Intestinal dysbiosis should be considered as a contributing factor in patients with asthma and allergies.
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