One in 12 Americans suffers from asthma in either some form or the other.1 Not only does the medication and treatment cost a ginormous amount of money, but also inflicts a lot of pain and sometimes even fear on many people.
From inhaling ash and smoke from fires (in ancient Egypt) to downing a disgusting mix of owl’s blood and wine (invented by Galen, a Greek physicist) to even burning out the inner tissues of the nasal passage about a hundred times (yes, this actually happened to author Marcel Proust as a child) – plenty of remedies have been tried and tested generating no positive results whatsoever.
Luckily for us, today’s home remedies for asthma are not only less terrifying in method, but also use ingredients that are completely safe and natural. Here’s looking at six of the most effective ones.
1. Clove
This humble spice is not just popular in the culinary world but has also made a huge mark for itself in the field of medical science. Clove is particularly good for curing asthma and other respiratory problems like bronchitis because of its anti-inflammatory effect. Therefore, it has a soothing and calming effect on our inflamed airways. Apart from this, clove can also help relieve symptoms of asthma such as wheezing, breathing difficulties, and chest pain.
Method: Boil about 5 or 6 cloves in half a glass of water. You may add a spoonful of honey for some taste. Consume this twice a day till your symptoms disappear.
2. Honey
Honey is one of the oldest natural home treatments for asthma. Its alcohol and ethereal oil content helps soothe the nasal passage and brings down the inflammation, thereby opening up the passages so that it’s easy to breathe again.
Method 1: Take a glass of warm water and mix about one teaspoon of honey into it. Drink up slowly. Repeat this process thrice a day.
Method 2: Take 1 teaspoon of honey along with ½ teaspoon of cinnamon powder. Note that this works best when taken before going to bed. It helps get rid of the phlegm from your throat so that you can sleep better.
3. Mustard Oil
Massaging the throat with mustard oil is a good remedy for anyone with asthma. This is because mustard oil generates heat and this helps clear out the respiratory passages to allow easy flow of air.
Method: Take three tablespoons of mustard oil. Add one small tablet of camphor to this and heat it. Once the oil becomes hot, take it off the stove and let it rest till it becomes warm. Now gently massage it to the chest area and upper back. Repeat this treatment every day your breathing problems go away.
4. Garlic
Garlic is high in vitamin C. Vitamin C plays a huge role in neutralizing free radicals that are responsible for causing the contraction of the smooth muscles in the air passages in asthma sufferers.
The vitamin C in raw garlic also promotes the breakdown of histamine, thus bringing down histamine release in the body and reducing inflammation of the airways. Histamine is a natural chemical produced by the body and is involved in plenty of allergic reactions. This is the main cause of inflammation in asthma sufferers.
Garlic also helps boost the body’s ability to produce prostacyclins – lipid molecules that help keep the intricate passages within the lungs open and free. This way, it promotes easy breathing in asthma patients.
Method 1: Take 10 to 12 cloves of fresh, raw garlic. Boil them in milk and drink this daily to relieve your symptoms.
Method 2: Take 6 cloves of raw, fresh garlic and add them to hot water. Let it steep for 5 minutes. Let this tea reach room temperature and then drink up. Repeat once every day till your symptoms disappear.
5. Onion
Onion is rich in sulfur. This element lends onions very potent anti-inflammatory properties which can help reduce the constriction of the airways in an asthma patient.
Method: Since raw onion is close to impossible to eat, your best option is to eat it cooked. Try to incorporate as many onions when cooking for your meals.
6. Ginger
Ginger is rich in natural compounds like gingerols, shogaols, and zingerones which make this root an excellent antioxidant and analgesic. Ginger also has very strong anti-inflammatory properties that provide relief from asthma and its painful symptoms.
Method 1: Take a medium-sized piece of ginger in a bowl. Add 2 tablespoons of pomegranate seeds and 1 tablespoon of honey to this bowl and grind this well to form a mixture. Put this mixture in a sieve and filter the juice from it. Consume this thrice a day.
Method 2: Take one tablespoon of water mixed with powdered ginger before going to bed. This will also help you sleep better.
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