This post contains further information about alternative health treatments for asthma.  Antioxidants is one of these and they are believed to help manage and prevent oxidation (oxidation is an electron being taken by a free radical molecule from another molecule in your body )induced inflammation.  Inflammation causes some of the symptom of asthma.

If you did not take a basic chemistry class of have forgotten your basic chemistry, a molecule consists of protons, electrons (these have positive and negative charges and balance each other out for stability).  When the composition of a molecule changes (such as losing an electron) the behavior of that molecule also changes.  Antioxidants include vitamin C, vitmain E, lycopene and many others.  With all the news about how healthy antioxidants are, I am sure you won’t have any problem finding supplements that are antioxidants.

 Omega 3 Fatty Acids also have anti imflammatory properties.  The best sources are cold water fatty fish, such as mackerel, salmon, herring, anchovies, tuna and bluefish.  If you don’t like fish, you can also get omega 3 fatty acids in supplement form (sometimes labeled as fish oil),

Homeopathy was developed by a German physician in the 18th century and is based on “like cures like”.  Homeopathy seeks to strengthen a patients natural defenses by introducing a tiny amount of a substance that in larger amounts would create these symptom (sort of like a vaccine).   However, homeopathy is most effective when it is tailored to a patient’s specific needs.

Since homeopathy is generally not effective unless tailored to the specific individual, it is difficult to say which remedies are effective for asthma.  If you are interested in what homeopathic treatment can do for you, you can contact the National Center for Homeopathy at www.homeopathic.org

Pycogenol is a registered trademark for a proprietary extract taken from the bark of the French Maritime pine tree.  Pycogenol is also believed to have anti inflammatory properties as well as immune stimulating properties.

In summation, any of these treatments could pose a problem if you are taking other medications or have any other health conditions.  So it is adviseable to consult with your health care professional before starting any course of treatment.

Not only does asthma affect up to 300 million people world wide but it also kills over 180,000 people per year.  Many researchers believe that asthma is an allergic reaction to an inhaled substance.  Asthma attacks can also be triggered by exercise, emotional stress or medications.  It is also believed that those whose diets are high in food additives and/or perservatives or other chemicals that sensitize the body, who are undernourished or who have been exposed to large amounts of environmental pollutants are more prone to develop asthma.

Alternative treatments for asthma can include, antioxidants (3 star rating), caffeine (3 star rating), omega 3 fatty acids (3 star rating), homeopathy (2 star rating), and Pycnogenol (2 star rating).  I will write another post comparing these treatments shortly.

All kinds of viral illnesses increase the need for vitamin C.  You should saturate your body with vitamin C as soon as you realize you are getting a cold.  Since vitamin C is water soluble, you should take doses through out the day.  Every hour would be preferable, but if not take as many doses a day as possible.  You should take between 6,000 and 12,000 milligrams a day for the first week.

However, high doses of vitamin C can have some side effects such as loose bowels and gas.  If this happens to you, you should cut back the dose by 1,000 milligrams a day until the intestinal upset goes away.  Once you are feeling better, cut back the dose to 3,000 milligrams per day to help keep colds from getting started.

 Unfortunately when your immune system is fighting an infection, it generates toxic by-products that make it difficult to heal quickly.  Many of the by-products are in the form of free radicals (molecules that oxidize and damage your cells.  So double your protection with vitamin E.

Vitamin E works in tandem with vitamin C.  Some doctors recommend 400 to 800 IUs a day for the duration of your cold.  Vitamin E along with vitamin C helps shield your cells from oxidative damage.

Vitamin A could also be important as it strengthens the mucosa.  The mucosa is a lining of cells in the respiratory tract.  It helps trap viruses before they have a chance to make you sick.  Because vitamin A is a fat soluble vitamin, it can accumulate in the liver.  Therefore, it is recommended that you take doses of 50,000 to 100,000 IUs a day for no more than 5 days.

Zinc may help stimulate your immunity.  Some studies show that zinc lozengers work and some studies show that they don’t.  So you should decide if you want to try them.  Unfortunately, zinc also can have the negative effect of causing an imbalance in copper levels so you would need to limit the time and amount of zinc as well.  The total dose recommended is 120 to 140 milligrams per day for no more than 5 days.

For a really natural product, try garlic.  It is full of virus killing molecules.  You can get the benefits without the smell by taking deodorized garlic.  The recommendation is to take 15 to 30 tablets/capsules providing 300 to 500 milligrams for 5 to 7 days.  However, I met a woman at the health food store that swears if you are willing to boil some cloves and then drink the liquid, you will feel better within 24 hours.  Of course, she did get a good night’s rest.

This remedy should only be tried if the cataracts are in the early stages.  Nutritional rememdies work to reverse cataracts because most cataracts are caused by oxidation.  What happens is the protein in the lens of the eye is oxidized by by free radicals.

As you may have heard, antioxidants are very important in combating damage cause to the body by free radicals.  The lens of your eye contains more vitamin C than any other part of the body except the adrenal glands.  If you have a growing cataract, one doctor advises that his patients take 1,500 milligrams of vitamin C daily.  This physician also believes that a good multivitamin/mineral supplement is essential to any cataract treatment program.  The recommendation is that the supplement contains at least 50 mill;igrams of most of the B vitamins, 15 milligrams of beta-carotene, 30 milligrams of zinc and 200 micrograms of selenium.

This physician recommends that you also ingest 50 milligrams of glutahione, 500 milligrams of NAC adn 100 milligrams of ALA daily.  Other advise includes taking a sulfur supplement (in the form of MSM), taking papain (from papaya) if you have problems digesting proteins and some life style changes.

I am sure you have heard the life style changes advise many times if you are over 18.  They are: quit smoking, reduce saturated fats and fried foods, eat more lightly cooked fresh vegetables, especially the leafy green ones and reduce stress by using a relaxation technique such as deep breathing or meditation.

Vitamin C enhances the absorption of non-heme (plant) iron.  To get the recommended amount, either squeeze the juice of a half a lemon into a glass of water or take a vitamin C supplement of 1,000 to 2,000 milligrams with each meal.

Caffeine inhibits the absorption of iron.  Therefore if you are suffering from anemia, you should severely limit the following substances in your diet:  coffee, black tea, soda, and chocoalte.  Dairy also decreases iron absorption in women suffering from anemia.  It is suggested that to get your calcium, you should increase the amount of your intake of items such as beans, peas, soybeans, sesame seeds, soup stocks made with chicken or fish bones and any leafy green vegetables.

Over the past several years, the public’s image of fish oil has evolved. It used to be a

mysterious, (though widely-praised) supplement of questionable value. Now, doctors are

saying it should be a quintessential part of our daily diet. Experts used to scoff at it,

arguing that it was a thinly-veiled attempt to sell an unwary public a useless product. Now,

a lot of those same experts not only recommend fish oil, they take it themselves.

That depends upon how much value you place on fatty acids. Experts tell us that the oil

found in fish contains eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acids (EPA and DHA,

respectively). We also know that our bodies need both of these fatty acids but can’t produce

either of them. So, we need to get them from eating fish or taking fish oil supplements.

While fish can taste delicious when prepared correctly, they also tend to have a high level

of mercury. Fish oil supplements are purified of mercury. So, your body gets the fatty acids

it needs without the toxins.

What do the fatty acids do for you?

Scientists have found that EPA and DHA provide us with a host of benefits. They can prevent

the development of heart disease. They increase your blood circulation. It can even help

reduce the severity of arthritis. There are plenty of other benefits, as well (we’ll talk

about them some other time).

Back to the original question: should you take fish oil?  You should at least consider it if

you’ve never tried it.

I take vitamins. I’m a  believer in them. It’s not because I was taught to take them when

growing up. Nor is it because conventional wisdom recommends taking them. The reason I take

vitamins is the same reason I’m proactive about everything I share with you on this blog:

because of my experience.

I take vitamins because my body functions better when I do.

Now, it’s not my goal to convince you that you should take them. That’s your choice.

Instead, my goal is to give you helpful information so you can make the best choice for your

life and your health.

So, here’s what we (scientists, actually) know about vitamins…

First, they help your metabolism function properly. That’s important when you’re trying to

lose weight. Second, they help your blood clot when necessary. It’s not pleasant to think

about, but if you sustain an injury, clotting helps to prevent excess blood loss. Third,

they’re a rich source of antioxidants. That prevents the spread of free radicals and fends

off heart disease.

Looking at it from another perspective, a deficiency in vitamins can lead to nerve damage,

fatigue, a feeble immune system and even depression. For the record, I don’t experience any

of those things (well, maybe a little depression when I listen to politicians).

While my being healthy may have nothing to do with my taking vitamins, evidence suggests

otherwise.

Now, you don’t need to take a bucket of vitamins each day. Your body only needs so many.

Think of it like filling your car with gas. Once it’s full, it’s full. Your body works

similarly. I take a few vitamins daily. Most vitamins are reasonably priced and can choose

to customize your intake or take a multi-vitamin.

Antioxidants help prevent the onslaught of aging, diseases and even cancer. These things are the result of cellular damage caused by free radicals. Without antioxidants blocking the way, free radicals can create a destructive chain reaction inside our bodies that can accelerate the aging process and spread diseases.

Free radicals are caused when an atom loses one of its two electrons. The abandoned electron seek to replace its lost partner. To do this, it must steal an electron from another atom, creating another free radical. Eventually, a chain reaction occurs, causing cellular damage.

Antioxidants help neutralize free radicals and prevent their spreading throughout the body. By terminating the free radical chain reaction, antioxidants can reduce the likelihood of heart disease, diabetes and other conditions. Scientists are even testing their impact on Alzheimer’s disease and other brain-degenerative conditions.

Experts debate about which antioxidants are most effective for neutralizing free radicals. Vitamins C and E are common and are available from citrus fruits, green vegetables and nuts. Carotenoids such as lycopene and beta-carotene can be found in red fruits, carrots and spinach. Flavonoids are found in an assortment of foods and drinks such as tea, coffee, grapes, apples, nuts and onions.

Your body cannot store antioxidants, so your diet should include foods that are rich in them. While research is ongoing regarding their effects on our body and the role they play in preventing diseases, they are already present in the foods you should be eating. As long as you are enjoying a healthy, balanced diet, your body is already benefiting from antioxidants.