Restricted Breathing

Sonia Jones ND from The Haven Spa and Alternative Treatment Clinic

Recurrent long-term asthma or bronchitis can result in something known as COAD chronic obstructive airways disease, a narrowing of the lung’s passages. This could also be the end-result to smoking, fumes and industrial pollution.

This progressive restriction of the airways leads to shortness of breath , made worse with any exertion. Often people will have a wheezing sound as the breath out. The persistent inflammation encourages the lining of the lungs to produce more mucus in the lung tissue, and a productive cough is a common symptom.

Orthodox treatments only attempt to treat the symptoms (palliative) with anti-biotics, cough medicine, and broncho-dilators from inhalers. Alternative treatments looks to help the body treat the causes with a number of natural methods.

Okay if you smoke, give up. If you live with smoker get them to smoke outside the house. The good news today fewer and fewer places allow smoking, so you no longer have to put up with smokers and breath in secondhand smoke.

If you have COAD then avoid sudden exertion, and avoid sudden cold air. Like leaving the house in the morning on a very cold day, place something over your mouth and nose.

Exercise strengthens the chest muscles, but it is very important to go extremely easy at first. A short slow walk on a flat area, as your lung function improves, gradually increase the distance.

Very important to learn how to deal with stress. Stress can restrict the muscles of the airways. This will make your already restricted breathing even more difficult. We all have different ways of dealing with stress, and what works for some people doesn’t necessarily work for you. For instance medication works wonders for some people, that would certainly not work for me. I would cause me stress, I find writing is relaxing for for me.

Some people find regular massages good for keeping their stress levels under control, added to that some essentials specific for treating the lung function – has a powerful therapeutic effect.

No matter your stress levels, or the condition you have, it is so very important to keep positive and have an open mind. Being positive helps the body control negative chemicals being produced in the body, that have a detrimental on your immune system.

Stressed people have weaker immune systems which makes them more susceptible to colds and flu, this is the last thing you need if you are a asthma suffer with restricted breathing. Some people have found acupuncture extremely affective in dealing with their breathing problems.

Natural remedies that can help improve the immune system and lung function-

Vitamin E – increases oxygen consumption

Vitamin A – heals the mucus lining of the lung

Vitamin C – all year round to keep infections at bay, especially bronchitis, colds and flu

Plenty of garlic for the same reason as Vitamin C

Aromatherapy blends that help the lung function- we have our own blend

The herb Hyssop has been shown to be very good. Make a tea = 1 teaspoon of dried herb per cup, drink 1 cup 3 times a day.

Take a look at or get a practitioner to look at your  posture, you could enhance your breathing capacity by sitting or standing correctly. Too many people have poor posture, hunched over a desk or computer, driving in a poor position,  squashing their lungs.