Posted by Simcha on June 23, 2003, at 1:02:37
In reply to Larry/Asthmatics, Re: nutrients and asthma, posted by McPac on June 22, 2003, at 23:48:45
Hello,
> Asthma:
> Taken from the Wellness Manual
> Chapter 1 - Allergic Disorders, Pages 3 and 4
> By Dr. Eric Braverman
>
> There are increasing numbers of asthma cases documented in the United States because of indoor and environmental pollution, outdoor pollution, molds, cat danders, house dust, mites, and multiple other factors. If it can make you allergic, you can get asthma from it.
>
> Asthma is associated with sinusitis, hypertension, emphysema, heart failure, eczema, and respiratory failure. Asthma can occur in patients with pneumonia, fractured ribs, tuberculosis, and arthritis. All these conditions can interplay with asthma.OK, I had exczema and pneumonia often as a child.
> Asthmatic patients are frequently allergic to cockroaches, house dust, ragweed, rats, mice, etc.
Yes, I have many allergies.
> Asthma is well known to be a brain disorder. If you deplete certain neurotransmitters in the brain, tyrosine, phenylalanine, dopamine, and noracymethadol, you can have a dramatic increase in asthma.
Very interesting. I'd like to see the research that supports this. My searches in libraries and on the web don't support this. Please provide me with the research. I'd like to know if this is so.
> Asthma occurs during periods of stress and can be successfully treated by antidepressants. Medications like Dilantin and anticonvulsants can be dramatically helpful.
I find this interesting because I wasn't diagnosed with asthma until I had been on anti-depressants for at least two years. Also I'm on an anti-convulsant(Neurontin). My asthma diagnosis happened after I went on Neurontin. Also the only thing that seems to be helping my asthma are steroids. I took prednisone during a bad attack a few weeks ago and the attack was stopped in a few hours. Also I'm taking Azmacort inhaled corticosteroid. This seems to be helping.
> Yogurt has been shown to be helpful for bronchial asthma, as well as any relaxation technique, biofeedback, CES, prayer, etc.
Hmm. Yeah, some of this can be ok. I've seen more research that dairy products are bad for asthma since dairy increases mucous. Please provide me with the research. If I'm mistaken I'd like to know.
> Brain norepinephrine has been shown to be depleted in asthmatics, again pointing out the benefits of various asthmatic treatments.Really? I've been on Wellbutrin for over three years and it increases norepinephrine. I was diagnosed with asthma last November. Again, please provide me with some research data so I can study this. Maybe I need more norepinephrine.
>Antiasthmatic effects have been shown with onion extracts, as well as mustard oils.
Really? I have always eaten plenty of onions and mustard. Please provide me with some research. Maybe I need to eat more to get the benefits?
>Acupuncture has been recommended for asthma.
Hmm, well, Quackwatch seems to think that this is not so. Please show me some data that proves otherwise. I live in Chinatown in Oakland and I can get acupuncture by experts here.
>Vitamin C has been shown to reduce some of the lung hyper-responsiveness of asthmatics.
Interesting. Vitamin C seems to do so much. It seems like it is the wonder cure these days. Please show me the data. Maybe I need to start taking vitamin c chewables again.
>Intravenous magnesium has been shown to be useful in asthmatics.
Very interesting. I have not tried this ever. Please show me the research. Maybe I need to ask my doctor to inject me with magnesium.
>Diets high in sodium are dangerous for asthmatics.
Well, this is so for the general population, I believe.
>Inhalants are used by doctors, but certain inhalants will actually result in rebound wheezing, palpitations, and serious side effects due to the drugs.
Also the only thing that seems to be helping my asthma are steroids. I took prednisone during a bad attack a few weeks ago and the attack was stopped in a few hours. Also I'm taking Azmacort inhaled corticosteroid. This seems to be helping.
Also my doctor and all the literature out there says that if I'm having an asthma attack I should use my albuterol inhaler or some other fast-acting inhaler. Maybe I should not use these inhalers. Maybe I should go to the emergency room instead. Please show me the research and I can discuss this with my doctor.
> Avoidance of allergic foods can dramatically help asthmatics. As many as 93 percent are dramatically helped who have bronchial asthma. This can be tested through IGG testing.
Yes, this would be so if you have food allergies.
> Snow crab processing workers have a high rate of asthma. We recommend shell fishing be avoided by asthmatics. (Shell fish are essentially rodents.)
If you are allergic to shellfish this is especially so.
>Occupational hazard asthma occurs with exposure to nickel and other irritants.
Last time I checked nickel is not good for anyone.
> White wine can sometimes help asthmatics and sometimes may harm asthmatics. Sulfites have been linked to worsening asthma. Sulfites are found in fruit juices, soft drinks, wines, beers, cider vinegar, potato chips, dried fruits, and various vegetables.
Interesting. Please show me some research on this and I can eliminate these things from my diet and see if this helps.
>There is no doubt that one of the few benefits of coffee is that it can help asthma.
Really? Can't caffeine give heart palpatations like the asthma inhalers? Please show me some research. Maybe I need to eliminate my morning cup of coffee.
> Vitamin B-6 has been thought to be helpful for asthma.
This vitamin is good for everyone. I'm not sure why asthmatics should be taking supplements of this vitamin. If I had the research I could get some supplements today.
>Low selenium levels have been linked to asthma.
Interesting. Larry said something about this. Where is the research. Maybe I should really get more selenium?
>Bronchitis has been a cause of asthma and has been treated with N-acetylcystine.
I had bronchitis this winter. I haven't had it since I was a kid. The doc seemed to think that the bronchitis was caused by the asthma. He gave me antibiotics to treat the brochitis. Maybe he should have given me N-acetylcystine. Please show me the research so I can discuss this with my doctor.
>Asthma frequently goes undiagnosed and has been associated with depression. It is sometimes related to sleep disorder.
Hmm, I've been depressed all my life. I had unbearable insomnia until I started therapy ten years ago. Three years after I started medication for my depression and I've felt much better. Yet, last November I was diagnosed with asthma. Maybe I should see some research on this. Maybe I need to see my pdoc. Maybe we are both wrong that my depression is in remission and I need more medicine or different medicine for my depression. Maybe that will cure my asthma.
> Allergic rhinitis can be relieved by aspirin and Motrin.
Actually, I found this not to be the case at all. The only thing that has really relieved my allergic rhinitis is the snorted corticosteroid called Flonase. I can debunk this one without the research.
> It is important to treat asthma since you can have more permanent loss of pulmonary function.
This is absolutely true. 100% Please show me some research on the various treatments suggested above because I might need more treatment for my asthma if the Azmacort ever poops out.
> There has been one study which has shown that fish oil can help relieve asthma.
Hmm, I ate plenty of fish before I was diagnosed with asthma. Fish oil seems to be a wondercure for depression and asthma. Oh yeah, depression is the real condition under the asthma. Again, please show me some research. Maybe I should go to the health food store to get some fish oil.
>Calcium channel blockers have been used in asthma. Their action is like magnesium.
Please show me the research and I'll discuss this with my doctor. Very interesting...
>Theophylline is still used in asthma, but it may be obsolete.
Really, by whom? Please show me a study as to the effectiveness and I'll look for theophylline.
>Beta agonist drugs can sometimes worsen your overall mortality and risk from asthma. The reason is that inhaled beta agonists have been linked to deaths (fenoterol and albuterol). This is why we don't use albuterol. We will use a little bit of Proventil and asthma Cort.
Interesting, next time I have an asthma attack I'll just wait it out and call the ambulance if I really wig out. Please show me the research to back this up and I'll throw away my inhalers in front of my doctor.
> Smoking has been linked to childhood asthma.
I did not know that children were smoking...
But seriously, my parents both smoked. I actually think that the second hand smoke contributed to all of my lung problems when I was a child and it might be the precursor to my own asthma.
>Quinoline antibiotics, norfloxacin may be helpful in acute exacerbation of asthma.
Really, again, I'd like to see the research and bring it to my doctor.
>The CES device (see section 10) is an important dimension in asthma.
Not sure what this is, can you provide a link?
>Methotrexate has been used with severe pediatric asthma when it is being treated like an autoimmune disease.
Really? Research please...
>Low glutathione has been associated with asthma.
Really? Research please...
>Antioxidants have been shown to be imbalanced in asthmatics.
Hmm, I've been taking antioxidants for years. Maybe I'm not taking them in the proper proportion. Please give me the data and I can try to correct this.
> Seventy-four percent of asthmatics that were elite swimmers were diagnosed after swimming and chlorine was associated with the asthma.
Well, as a child I was on swim team every summer. Maybe this was a precursor to my asthma. Could you show me where this study is so I can read it? I'd really be interested.
>There is also evidence of exercise-induced asthma. Physical exercise training can be very important in asthmatics.
I've experienced exercise-induced asthma. I've seen studies where physical exercise is used to help asthmatics. You are supposed to use your albuterol before you exercise to stop exercise induced asthma. Oh yeah, that's right, I'm supposed to stop using my albuterol. Well, I'll go jogging without my couple of puffs of albuterol and I'll let you know. I live in a major city and there are plenty of people around who can call 911 for me if I end up short of breath.
>Asthma has been shown to be relieved by aspirin in some cases.
This is very debatable. I've seen studies that say that aspirin is bad for asthmatics. I still use it for the occasional headache and I don't notice any effect on my asthma either way.
> Bacteria has been associated with the cause of asthma.
Oh, then I should really look into those anti-biotics mentioned above. Again, please show me the study. I'd like to read it.
>Lithium has been used effectively to treat asthma.
I guess this would go with the other claims that depression is the underlying cause of asthma. Please provide the studies to support all of these claims. Maybe my pdoc and I should consider Lithium even though we both agree that my depression is in remission.
> The causes of occupational asthma are quite extensive. Sensitizing agents have been rats, mice, rabbits, guinea pigs, pigeons, chickens, grain, mites, moths, butterflies, crabs, prawns, wheat flour, rye flour, coffee beans, tea leaves, tobacco leaves, wood dust, biological enzyme, isothiocyanates which are in automobile spray paint, epoxy resins, plastics, metals, tanners, platinum refiners, metal platers, aluminum solderers, pharmaceutical workers, refrigeration workers, hairdressers, plastics and rubber workers, insulators and multiple chemicals of all types have been associated with asthma.
Yes, work can be a very triggering place for asthma, allergies, and depression. Maybe I should avoid work altogether. I could use the studies you provide to get on disability at work. Then maybe I won't have to work and I can cure my asthma at the same time.
I'm sorry to sound so sceptical. I've just read about so many bogus treatments for asthma. Honestly, I would like to see all of the research because, frankly, asthma is still a mystery to the medical community. Treatment options are out there and they don't work for everyone. Someday I might need an alternate treatment. So please, even though I sound sceptical and snide at times, I would really like to read the research. I'm trying to educate myself as much as possible about Asthma and it's treatment.
poster:Simcha
thread:235091
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20030619/msgs/236213.html