The commonly prescribed inhaler device, that with which the sufferer blasts a drug directly into the airways to alleviate suffering, is the medicinal remedy for asthma, and while it is effective and successful, there are other remedies that the sufferer can be carrying out alongside the prescribed medicine to help reduce the debilitating effects of asthmatic attacks.

Asthma is caused by a contraction of the airways when the muscles in that area react to what is known as a ‘trigger’ – a substance that the sufferer is allergic to. The allergic reaction that follows tightens the muscles in the area of the respiratory system, and reduces the capacity of the sufferer to breathe properly.

Find the trigger for your asthma

Finding the trigger is key to finding the remedy for the asthma, and can be done easily enough if certain guidelines are followed.

One very obvious cause of asthma is ‘hay fever’, that triggered by the inhalation of pollen from plants in the summer months. It is particularly advised that asthma sufferers avoid areas where the oil seed rape crop is grown – typified by fields of bright yellow flowers – as the particles from this plant are particularly aggravating to the airways and conducive to allergic reaction.

Watch what you eat

The diet of the sufferer is another area that needs to be examined. Many of us are intolerant of some foods – dairy products, and wheat products tend to be common examples – and if eaten these can have an adverse effect and often trigger an allergic reaction in the body.

Start by removing foods from your regular diet that you believe may be the cause, and if the symptoms suffered do not occur following the removal of one particular foodstuff, then this could be the key to the trigger.

Avoid fried foods

Avoiding fried foods and other difficult to digest items is also advised, as the better the digestive system works the less susceptible it is to toxins in the body.

Many people recommend frequent eating of honey as a good preventative. Honey is a wholly natural product, and when mixed with hot water and lemon juice – another recommended ingredient – makes a soothing and beneficial drink that is proven to aid the workings of the airways and the digestive system.

Also recommended are onions, garlic and hot spices, all of which contain oxidants that are good for the healthy operation of the heart and other vital organs.

If you keep to regular diet that excludes any toxins and causes of allergies you are well on the way to containing and controlling your asthma. In addition, it is suggested you follow a sensible and regular exercise routine, one designed to benefit the heart and thus the blood flow, as this helps the organs stay healthy and build up strength in order to keep the immune system operative and the body cleansed and toxin free.

If you plan ahead, eat well and healthily, and keep to a regular plan of exercise, you can live healthily and enjoyably while keeping the threat and effects of asthma to a minimum.