Asthma

Asthma

Unless you happen to be lovestruck, that sudden bout of breathlessness is more likely to be caused by asthma than by Cupid's trusty arrow. A snort of dust or smoke or a whiff of the "wrong" flower, pet dander or perfume can instantaneously start you--along with one in ten other Americans--wheezing, coughing and gasping for air. Besides these allergens and irritants, other common asthma triggers include exercise, pollution or smog, a drastic change in weather or a cold or another infection in the airways.

Sure, an asthma attack is scary. But it doesn't mean you have to move to the desert or forever live in fear of your "twitchy" airways. Besides taking your doctor-prescribed medication, there are plenty of ways to avoid or treat asthma attacks. As a first step, it's a good idea to guard against dust mite allergies and hay fever (see pages 181 and 257). Then add the following actions to your anti-asthma repertoire.

Take up yoga. Practicing a simple yoga breathing technique in which you exhale for twice as long as you inhale can protect you from future attacks by building resistance. This technique has been found effective when practiced daily.

"The improvement in asthma control from this type of breathing is similar to what you would find using a corticosteroid inhaler," says Mary Schatz, M.D., a pathologist at Centennial Medical Center in Nashville, Tennessee, and a certified yoga instructor.

If you want to try this technique, the steps are "elegantly simple," as explained by Dr. Schatz in her book Back Care Basics: A Doctor's Gentle Yoga Program for Back and Neck Pain Relief.

1. Close your eyes.
2. Inhale naturally.
3. Exhale naturally.
4. Pause without holding your breath for one or two seconds before your next inhalation. This will allow the exhalation to come to a natural completion.

Don't try to breathe slowly or deeply. But if you feel the need to inhale deeply, do so until you can return to the breathing exercise.

Avoid night noshing. Going to sleep on a full stomach might also feed your asthma.

"Asthma can be caused by stomach reflux," explains Peter S. Creticos, M.D., medical director of asthma and allergic diseases at the Johns Hopkins Asthma and Allergy Center in Baltimore. Reflux occurs when stomach acid backs up into the esophagus.

"Stomach contents may leak out and actually regurgitate into your mouth and then drip down into your airways while you're lying down or sleeping," he says. "Besides avoiding snacks, you could also take an antacid before bedtime to cut down on your stomach's acidity." Theophylline medications, which are sometimes prescribed to help control asthma, may actually aggravate your condition by increasing stomach reflux, says Dr. Creticos. If you are taking this medication and are having reflux problems, be sure to check with your doctor, so the dosage level can be adjusted.

Prop up your bed (or yourself). Besides cutting out midnight snacks, other ways to prevent reflux-induced asthma include elevating the head of your bed by placing it on bricks or wood blocks. Or prop yourself up with pillows to prevent acid's moving from your stomach to your esophagus, suggests H. James Wedner, M.D., chief of clinical allergy and immunology at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.

Be sensitive to food sensitivity. Eating or even smelling foods that cause a reaction can trigger an asthma attack. "Some of the most common types of foods that trigger asthma are milk, eggs, nuts and seafood," says allergist John Carlston, M.D., associate professor of medicine at Eastern Virginia Medical School in Norfolk.

Go the fish route. Since Eskimos get asthma about as often as they get heatstroke, some theorize that a fish-rich diet may help prevent asthma. Although tests aren't conclusive, Walter Pickett, Ph.D., senior research biochemist/group leader of the Medical Research Division at Lederle Laboratories in Pearl River, New York, says it is conceivable that eating sardines, herring, mackerel and other fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids at least once a week may help lessen asthma's impact.

Multiply your vitamins. Taking a good multivitamin/mineral supplement and eating plenty of fruits and vegetables may also help, since some nutrients have been found to lessen symptoms associated with asthma attacks. Reviewing data from more than 9,000 people, researchers found that those with reduced levels of vitamin C and zinc suffered more from wheezing and other bronchial problems. Good food sources of vitamin C include citrus fruits, broccoli and peppers. Oysters, beef and crab are among the foods highest in zinc.

Get relief from caffeine. Although coffee has been shown to contribute to some health problems, it may be more helpful than harmful for many people with asthma. Caffeine, it turns out, has nearly the same effect as theophylline.

"A couple of cups of strong, regular black coffee will have a beneficial effect on asthma," says allergist Allan Becker, M.D., an associate professor of medicine in the Section of Pediatric Allergy and Clinical Immunology at the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg who tested the effects of caffeine on asthma. But don't use caffeine as a substitute for--or in combination with--your medication, he advises, because it is good only for emergency use. "In an emergency, when you don't have your medication around, two cups of strong, regular black coffee (sugar and milk slow absorption) can provide effective temporary relief until your regular medication is available," says Dr. Becker. Relief can also be provided--but the effect will be slower--with two cups of hot cocoa or eight ounces of milk chocolate candy.