By Michael Biamonte, C.C.N.

Asthma can range from being a mildly annoying problem to a life threatening one. Allergies have always been associated with asthma and have been recognized as a trigger for asthma attacks. However some startling new research now reveals some of the deeper underlying reasons behind the problem.

CANDIDA!

The same yeast that causes vaginal infections can be involved in asthma. It has been over 15 years now that experts on this yeast have recognized that it can cause chronic infections in the lungs, the prostate, ovaries, the colon, small intestines and other parts of the body. I have discovered that in some cases candida can get into the lungs and cause a stubborn infection that can easily have asthma as one of its symptoms. Intestinal growth of candida can also trigger many allergy reactions that may trigger asthma. In our practice we have seen most asthma sufferers improve greatly when following an anti-candida approach.

PARASITES!

In several of her books, Dr. Hulga Clark states that asthma is caused by immature stages of a parasite called round worms. The worms can easily grow to 10 to 13 inches in length if allowed to mature. They are more common then the average person or doctor believes. Unfortunately it is very hard to detect them in the stool so a positive diagnosis is often missed. They are often mistaken for incomplete digested vegetable matter when found dead in the stool sample. They often allow candida to grow in their nesting area. Parasites of this kind destroy friendly bacteria that stop candida growth. When the parasites invade the candida then can accompany them. I have seen many asthma suffers improve from this approach as well. The most improvement has been seen in those who follow the parasite elimination with a candida elimination. Both candida and parasites cause damage to the intestinal tract. The cause is microscopic tears or holes that allow material in the intestinal tract to leak into the blood stream. This has been shown to cause many inflammatory conditions, allergies, and auto immune diseases. It is possible that it may play a key role in asthma by creating an inflammatory or allergic state in the body.

SULFITES AND DUST MITES!

Sulfites are a chemical found in cheese, wines, luncheon meats, prepackaged foods etc. Sulfites have been implicated in asthma due to an allergic response they cause It is also possible that they may trigger bronchospasm. Allergies to dust mites have recently been highlighted as a trigger in asthma. Dust mites are microscopic and are found on carpets, draperies, beddings, mattresses, pillows etc. They like to eat the scales of dead skin that are found in our homes. Both dust mites and there waste products can produce severe allergies reactions including cold symptoms and wheezing. Allergies to either substance can produce asthmatic symptoms.

THYROID AND ADRENAL FUNCTION

Some asthmatic patients find that the asthma is worse during the winter or the cold. This has been called “cold effort asthma”. It has been my contention for years that this is caused by an undiagnosed thyroid deficiency. Asthmatic patients who have normal thyroid blood tests should take their temperature as soon as they wake up in the morning under their arm pit for ten minutes. If the reading is below 97.8 there may be a thyroid problem present that the blood tests cannot reveal. The adrenal glands have long been recognized as a main culprit in asthma. The adrenals produce 2 hormones that can be involved in asthma, dhea and cortisol. They stop the inflammatory nature of asthma attacks. These hormones can now been measured much more accurately then ever before and without blood tests.

NUTRITIONAL DEFICIENCY

B12 deficiency has been found to effect asthma. B12 appears to help detox sulfites from the body. B12 has been found effective in treating children with asthma. Stomach acid levels have also been found low in children with asthma. This usually occurs in the elderly or in adults who are in poor health. The lack of stomach acid causes foods to be improperly digested which then leads to allergy reactions. Calcium and magnesium deficiencies have been found in asthmatics. Many asthmatics have reported improvement after supplementing with calcium or magnesium. It is important to note that it is not always both that are needed. Magnesium deficiency seems more prevalent with asthma then calcium. Vitamin B6 has also been found low in children with asthma. Three different studies show that B6 helped reduced asthma attacks. The improvements came between the 2nd and 5th month of using the vitamin.

A MODERN NUTRITIONAL APPROACH TO ASTHMA

A correct approach to asthma will require several steps in order to be thorough and not miss anything. The first step will require a parasite and candida cleanse to eliminate these harmful organisms from the body. The second step will insure the stomach acid levels and friendly bacteria are in adequate amounts to help prevent allergy reactions. We must also repair and heal leaky gut conditions if present to further reduce allergy reactions. A special form of sulfur should also be used to insure proper liver detoxification of sulfites and to reduce reactions to dust mites. The third step must involve correcting any tendency toward low adrenal or thyroid function. This would be done by testing for any deficiencies that would be effecting these glands and correcting the deficiency. The cortisol and dhea hormone levels must also be corrected. The last step would be to insure proper immune system function so that there are few to no allergy triggers to set off an attack. Blood sugar problems have also been found to influence asthma. Dr. Kurt Donsbach and Dr.Robert Atkins have both shown that a low carbohydrate diet brings about a great improvement in asthma. The theory is that carbohydrates and sugar cause blood glucose levels to crash. This in turn causes an adrenal gland response were excessive hormones are released. These hormones may act as constrictors of the bronchial area. This approach has its critics but it is also has proven results! Always consult your doctor before changing your medication or beginning any new program.