Few things are scarier than watching your child wheeze and pant, struggling to get enough air, but this nightmare is a common reality for many parents. According to research, nearly 20 million Americans suffer with asthma while roughly 9 million of those asthma sufferers are children. But, there is hope if your child is one of the many who have asthma. In addition to regular medical care, natural cures for asthma help relieve asthma symptoms and support effective lung function. Some of the best treatments for childhood asthma include cayenne pepper, omega-3 fats, ginger, turmeric, and dietary and lifestyle changes.
Asthma is considered a chronic disease that adversely affects the airways. The airways are long tubes that carry air to and from the lungs. With asthma, the lungs and airways become inflamed when exposed to specific triggers, such as pollen. Childhood asthma is often triggered by a number of other common causes including cold air, physical activity, exposure to pollutants, and changes in the weather.
Certain factors contribute to or increase your child’s likelihood of developing asthma. Exposure to tobacco smoke, previous allergic reactions, a family history of allergic reactions, and exposure to frequent air pollution are some of the most prevalent risk factors. Additionally, low birth weight, obesity, a chronic runny or stuffy nose, severe lower respiratory tract infection, inflamed sinuses, and heartburn may also case asthma.
Knowing what to look for when your child is about to have an asthma attack or in the midst of one is crucial to acting appropriately and in a timely manner. While certain children exhibit different warning signs and even symptoms, several are common throughout kids. Common symptoms include severe wheezing, incessant coughing, very rapid breathing, chest pain, tightened neck and chest muscles, difficulty talking, anxiety, pale or sweaty face, and blue lips or fingernails.
It is important to meet with your doctor as soon as you see any warning signs for asthma in your child as this could help defer a life-threatening emergency. In most cases, your doctor can suggest a number of lifestyle and home remedies that help manage asthma symptoms. Doctors also often prescribe an inhaler for children to use in emergency situations. In addition to these treatments, we suggest trying natural remedies such as cayenne pepper, omega-3 fats, ginger, and turmeric to help alleviate symptoms and prevent further issues.
Dr. Weil, a renowned physician, suggests a tincture of cayenne pepper for treating an acute asthma attack. Cayenne contains a potent amount of capsaicin, a natural anti-inflammatory. The capsaicin also helps improve blood flow to ensure h body is effectively supplied with blood and oxygen. To make the tincture, mix three parts Iobelia with one part cayenne pepper and take 10 to 20 drops in water at the start of an attack.
Omega-3 fats are an integral part of any diet. These complex fats help line the respiratory tract and reduce inflammation. Your child can take omega-3s in the form of fish oil supplements or by adding additional fish and nutrient-rich foods to his or her diet.
Ginger is another important anti-inflammatory agent. Ginger contains gingerols, which are a close relative to capsaicin a potent anti-inflammatory. As such, ginger helps treat inflammation in the air passages and lungs and can reduce the prevalence of asthma attacks. You can provide your child with ginger by adding it into common foods in his or her diet or by giving him or her a daily supplement or dose of essential oils.
Turmeric also has anti-inflammatory properties. Dr. Weil suggests this remedy as a long-term control and prevention option that should be taken daily. This treatment helps to reduce inflammation in the airways and lungs.
Research suggests that vitamin D may also be a relatively new breakthrough for treating asthma. Vitamin D deficiency may be at fault for asthma, so taking a daily supplement and getting plenty of safe sun exposure could help eliminate your child’s asthma altogether. You should initially treat your child’s asthma with therapeutic levels of vitamin D, so 50 to 70 ng/ml.
Continue reading below to discover the remedies our readers have used to treat (and sometimes cure) asthma in children!
