I have a stack of stuff for you regarding asthma. It appears the information about the cause of asthma is in Australia and Asia but not America yet. Asthma is caused by too little carbon dioxide. This post will be long, but to convince you to try the exercises, you'll need info.
These are some of the roles of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the body:
Quote:
1. Oxygenation: Carbon dioxide plays a large role in oxygen transport from the blood to the cells of the brain and body. A reduction in carbon dioxide levels brings with it reduced oxygenation of tissue and vital organs (Verigo-Bohr Effect). This can lead to many health problems.
1. Acid/Alkaline Balance and the Immune System: Carbon dioxide, through its conversion to carbonic acid, is a primary regulator of the acid/alkaline balance of the body. A reduction in carbon dioxide shifts the body's pH toward alkalinity, which alters the rate of activity of other biochemical processes. An alkaline system weakens the immune system, thus making the body more susceptible to viruses and allergies.
Vessels: Carbon dioxide helps to dilate smooth muscle tissue. Insufficient carbon dioxide can cause spasms throughout the body, including the brain, the bronchi, and other smooth muscle tissues. Good examples are the spasms that take place during asthma attacks and migraines.
The Cardiovascular System: Carbon dioxide helps regulate the cardiovascular system. Too little carbon dioxide can result in many problems, including angina, high blood pressure, chest pain, myocardial infarcts, strokes, and so on.
The Digestive System: A direct relationship exists between the level of carbon dioxide in the body and the functioning of the digestive glands-especially between the level of carbon dioxide and the intensity of gastric secretion. Too little carbon dioxide can eventually lead to poor digestion and eventually to ulcers. |
The bolded part is of most use to you.
Asthma sufferers
do not breathe correctly. They breathe too fast, too deep and they breathe through their mouths. Often, due to allergies, they will mouth breathe most often at night as their noses are clogged - this causes them to have attacks frequently at night.
Coughing can bring on an attack. Illness can bring on attacks, if you cannot breathe through the nose which is the natural way to breathe. Exercise will bring on attacks if you are not breath-trained as you will pant or over breathe, causing loss of CO2
This site has more information about what is known as the Buteyko method of breathing. Many many people are drug free from this method. From that link, this explains briefly how asthma is a
protective mechanism to stop you from dying:
Quote:
Let's say that your breathing is too great. As you are breathing out air that is rich in carbon dioxide, and breathing in air that has almost no carbon dioxide, the more you breathe - the less you trap in. If the level of carbon dioxide in your lungs gets too low - you really will have a serious problem. As you continue to release more carbon dioxide than you produce, your level gets lower and lower. Now your body does not want you to die, so if it is [genetically] able it will act to restrict the airflow to trap in some carbon dioxide.
It will do this by either reducing the size of the opening in your airpipes, or by increasing the production of mucus in the pipes, clogging them up. The first defense will make you feel tight or wheezy, the second will give you a cough. Both will cause more carbon dioxide to be trapped in - as you physically cannot get as much out of your body through a smaller or blocked airpipe. The harder you try to breathe deeply during an asthma attack, the more your airpipe will constrict. |
Medication to open airways actually works
against the mechanism of contracting airways (asthma symptoms), causing the body to intake MORE oxygen. So my suggestion is if your airways are artificially opened with medication,
do not overbreathe. When you start breathing freely again, do so through the nose and slowly and gently. You will be severely low in CO2 now if you are having worse symptoms, and have to build it back up. Even when you are breathing three or four times more air than you need, it feels like you are breathing normally. Because of your body's defence of reducing the airflow, it usually feels like you are not getting enough air.
Points to reduce asthma:
- only breathe through the nose.
- have someone check you are not mouth breathing at night while you sleep.
- when exercising, nose breathe only unless it is too uncomfortable then breathe slowly in the nose, and out the mouth as though you are blowing out candles.
- have an allergy check; allergies make us breathe deeply, as does heat and humidity, causing the CO2 drop.
Exercise to build up CO2:
While standing, breathe in normally, hold your breath for five seconds past the moment you feel the urge to breathe in. When you breathe in, do it through the nose gently. You will feel discomfort, but your body will adjust to the new levels.
Do this again, but this time while holding your breathe walk briskly for five steps and stop for the inhale. Repeat this one two more times.
Do this four or five times a day. Suppress as many coughs as you can or other deep breath triggers. Except laughter, keep that one up only adjust if need be to inhaling through the nose between laughs.
If I think of something else, I'll come back.
This page is a PDF download for breath training for children but is a good read for adults with asthma.