It is a widely prevalent disease, affecting the young, old and even the children. Today millions people suffer from this disease. The most disheartening aspect of asthma is that it does not get completely cured through medicines. Asthma is defined as a disease characterized by an increased responsiveness of the trachea and bronchi to various stimuli, and is manifested by widespread narrowing of the airway passage that changes in severity either spontaneously or as a result of treatment. Attacks are brought on by the spasms of the smooth muscles that lie in the walls of the smaller bronchi and bronchioles, causing the passageways to close partially. The patient has trouble exhaling and 'the alveoli may remain inflated during expiration.

Usually the mucus membranes that line the respiratory passageways become irritated and secrete severe excessive amount of mucus that may clog the bronchi and bronchioles and worsen the attacks.


Symptom

Difficulty in breathing.
strain in exhaling the air. The asthmatic has to try hard for just getting a breath. In severe cases, the life of the patient becomes miserable and it makes him almost invalid. In medical terms the complicated condition of asthma is called Emphysema.



Cause

Asthma might also have a psychosomatic origin.

Attacks of asthma involve both physical and psychological factors. It may be triggered by emotions, environmental extremities (extreme cold exposures) and viral infections. Asthmatic attacks may also be generated and triggered in brain itself.
If a person is allergic to particular thing, merely looking at such things brings asthmatic attack.


By regular exercise of Yogasana and Pranayama the constriction of the bronchial tubes gets very much reduced. Slowly the capacity of bronchial tubes increases to a great extent. By this type of performance one can control the attack of asthma to a great extent and subsequently gradually asthma can be cured from the roots.



Yoga treatment for Asthma


The Asthma and Bronchitis patients have to do three things:

(i)Regular practice of selected yoga asanas, pranayama,
(ii)Proper diet,
(iii) Avoid the things which strain the nerves.



Asanas

Ekpada Uttan Asana,
Tada Asana,
Yoga Mudra,
Ushtra Asana,
Simha Asana,
Sarvang Asana,
Matsya Asana,
Shava Asana.

Pranayaman

Ujjayee Pranayama.





Beside the above mentioned asana and pranayama practice of yoga nidra, concentration and meditation gives the best result.



Principles and Advice


Asthmatics should follow the following principles and advice in their diet and daily life for their highest good.
Have dinner at least two hours before going to bed at night.
Don’t over eat.
Eat slowly and chew the food properly.
Should drink water after half an hour of finishing their meals.
Intake ten to twelve glasses of water in a day.
Avoid hot spices, red pepper and pickles, tea or coffee.
Don’t drink water upon arising and before going to toilet.
Avoid tobacco in any form.



Benefits

Asanas and pranayama have corrective, curative and strengthening effects on the condition of the lungs and the bronchiole linings.
Pranayama does the internal purification. As we know that air has some fantastic properties like absorbing property. It absorbs certain things as moisture, fragrance and odour. When air is kept in the body for a longer time, it absorbs the impurities of the system and when it is expelled with a force it carries those inner impurities out. Further, when external pressure is given it maximizes the inner penetration of the air and enables it to rub, activate and give inner massage to the body cells and organs.

by: cosmic.spirit