For sever asthma attacks the kind of tightness, wheezing and shortness of breath that can be frightening - most people do as their doctor recommends. Often, that means quick action with a prescribed inhaler. If this is what you do, and it works, don't give up. If you use a preventive inhaler, you should continue to use it as prescribed, as this will cut down your risk of having an asthma attack. There is no cure for asthma, but there are lots of ways to reduce or even eliminate the symptoms. Certain simple lifestyle changes can help most asthma sufferers to breathe more easily. 
What's wrong.
An asthma attack can occur when a irritant - usually a common substance like smoke, cold or dry air, pollen, mould or dust mites - meets a pair of sensitive lungs. Hormonal fluctuations, stress and anger can also trigger an attack. Sometimes there is no apparent cause.
Your difficulty in breathing occur because the bronchioles (air passages in the lungs) go into spasms. This can cause coughing and tightness in the chest. The spasms trigger the release of histamine and other chemicals that cause inflammation and the production of airway-clogging mucus.
Ease breathing during an attack.
* When an asthma attack occurs, try to stay calm. Panic can make your symptoms worse. This
visualization trick may help. Close your eyes. As you inhale, see your lungs expand and fill with white light and feel your breathing become easier. Repeat the exercise twice more, then open your eyes.
* In an emergency, drink a strong cup of coffee, two 275ml cans of cola or a Red Bull (all of which are high in caffeine). Caffeine is chemically related to theophylline, a medication for asthma. It helps to open the airways.
Combat constriction with supplements.
* Practitioners of traditional Chinese medicine have been using the herb ginkgo to treat asthma for centuries. One recent study suggests that this herb interferes with a protein in the blood that contributes to airway spasm. If you want to try it, buy supplements containing a standardized extract of ginkgo flavones, and take according to the manufacturer's instructions.
* Magnesium may make you feel better. Research suggests that magnesium relaxes the airways and reduces cardiovascular risk. The dose is 300mg a day for men and 270mg for women.
Counter inflammation.
* Omega-3 fatty acids, found in oily fish such as tuna, salmon and trout, work much like a class of asthma drugs called leukotriene inhibitors. These drugs stop the action of the body compounds that cause inflammation in the airways. (Talk to your doctor if your are taking anticoagulant drugs).
* Evening primrose oil is rich in an essential fatty acid called gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), which is converted by the body into anti-inflammatory substances. Take 1000mg three times a day (with meals, to enhance absorption).
* Bioflavonoids - compounds that give fruits and vegetables their bright colours - have powerful anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic properties. Quercetin is one of the best-known bioflavonoids and inhibits the release of histamine. take 500mg of quercetin three times a day, 20 minutes before meals.
* Tumeric, the yellow spice commonly used to flavour Indian curries, is a powerful anti-inflammatory. The compound it contains inhibit the release of COX-2 prosraglandis, hormone-like substances involved in inflammation. Mix 1 teaspoon of tumeric powder - found in supermarkets - in a cup of warm milk and drink it up to three times a day. Tumeric capsules and tablets are also available from health food shops.
Keep a record
* Make a note of everything you eat for a month, along with your asthma symptoms. Although food allergies are rarely associated with asthma, occasionally there is a connection. Check your records against your symptoms to see if anything you're eating increases the frequency or severity of your attacks.
* If you take asthma medication, get a peak-flow meter, available from pharmacies or on prescription from your doctor. This device measures the speed at which air leaves your lungs - an indication of how well you're breathing. By reading your peak-flow at certain times, you can tell how well a medication or remedy is working. You can also use it during an asthma attack to determine its severity and decide whether you need to seek immediate medical attention.
The power of prevention.
* Don't smoke, and stay away from people who do. Tobacco smoke irritates the airways.
* Don't huddle around a fireplace or wood-burning stove.
* In cold weather, wrap a scarf around your nose and mouth to help warm up chilly air before you inhale it.
* Be alert for unusual asthma triggers, such as highly scented foods or the strongly perfumed sample strips bound into magazines, and do what you can do to avoid them. It's also a good idea to open the kitchen window, if possible, when cooking with strong smelling foods such as garlic or onions.
* Try eating smaller, more frequent meals, and don't eat before you go to bed. The upward migration of stomach acids that cause heartburn can also trigger asthma attacks.
* About 5% of people with asthma are allergic to nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as aspirin and ibuprofen. For these people, taking the drugs can trigger an attack. If you are one of them, use an aspirin-free pain reliever such as paracetamol instead.
* Consider the Buteyko method, which is a complementary therapy for controlling the symptoms of asthma and other breathing- related disorders. It is based on the belief that breathing-related disorders result from chronic over-breathing (hyperventilation). It involves very specific breathing exercises as well as dietary and lifestyle changes.
Practice abdominal breathing.
This simple deep-breathing trick can help reduce the severity and frequency of your asthma attacks. When an attack starts, you naturally becomes more anxious as it gets harder to breathe. This produces a 'clenching' response that can further restrict your airways. But if you've practiced this breathing technique ahead of time, you can use it to help yourself breathe more freely.
* Lie on your back on a carpet or mat and place a book on your stomach.
* Inhale gently and deeply, but not by expanding your chest. Instead, expand your abdomen. Keep an eye on the book. If it rises, you're breathing in the right way.
* Just when you think you have reached full capacity, take in a little more air. See if you can raise the book a little further.
* Exhale gradually, slowly counting to five. The more your exhale, the more relaxed you'll feel. then repeat at least five more times.
Should I call the doctor
If you experience asthma symptoms for the first time, you must consult a doctor. Get someone to take you to the nearest hospital A & E if you can't speak without gasping for breath, develop a bluish cast to your face or lips, find it extremely difficult to breathe or become confused or exhausted. If you are already being treated for asthma, you probably have medication that you can take at the onset of an episode. Even so, see your doctor if you noticed that you need to use
What's wrong.
An asthma attack can occur when a irritant - usually a common substance like smoke, cold or dry air, pollen, mould or dust mites - meets a pair of sensitive lungs. Hormonal fluctuations, stress and anger can also trigger an attack. Sometimes there is no apparent cause.
Your difficulty in breathing occur because the bronchioles (air passages in the lungs) go into spasms. This can cause coughing and tightness in the chest. The spasms trigger the release of histamine and other chemicals that cause inflammation and the production of airway-clogging mucus.Ease breathing during an attack.
* When an asthma attack occurs, try to stay calm. Panic can make your symptoms worse. This
visualization trick may help. Close your eyes. As you inhale, see your lungs expand and fill with white light and feel your breathing become easier. Repeat the exercise twice more, then open your eyes.
* In an emergency, drink a strong cup of coffee, two 275ml cans of cola or a Red Bull (all of which are high in caffeine). Caffeine is chemically related to theophylline, a medication for asthma. It helps to open the airways.
Combat constriction with supplements.
* Practitioners of traditional Chinese medicine have been using the herb ginkgo to treat asthma for centuries. One recent study suggests that this herb interferes with a protein in the blood that contributes to airway spasm. If you want to try it, buy supplements containing a standardized extract of ginkgo flavones, and take according to the manufacturer's instructions.
* Magnesium may make you feel better. Research suggests that magnesium relaxes the airways and reduces cardiovascular risk. The dose is 300mg a day for men and 270mg for women.
Counter inflammation.
* Omega-3 fatty acids, found in oily fish such as tuna, salmon and trout, work much like a class of asthma drugs called leukotriene inhibitors. These drugs stop the action of the body compounds that cause inflammation in the airways. (Talk to your doctor if your are taking anticoagulant drugs).
* Evening primrose oil is rich in an essential fatty acid called gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), which is converted by the body into anti-inflammatory substances. Take 1000mg three times a day (with meals, to enhance absorption).
* Bioflavonoids - compounds that give fruits and vegetables their bright colours - have powerful anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic properties. Quercetin is one of the best-known bioflavonoids and inhibits the release of histamine. take 500mg of quercetin three times a day, 20 minutes before meals.
* Tumeric, the yellow spice commonly used to flavour Indian curries, is a powerful anti-inflammatory. The compound it contains inhibit the release of COX-2 prosraglandis, hormone-like substances involved in inflammation. Mix 1 teaspoon of tumeric powder - found in supermarkets - in a cup of warm milk and drink it up to three times a day. Tumeric capsules and tablets are also available from health food shops.Keep a record
* Make a note of everything you eat for a month, along with your asthma symptoms. Although food allergies are rarely associated with asthma, occasionally there is a connection. Check your records against your symptoms to see if anything you're eating increases the frequency or severity of your attacks.
* If you take asthma medication, get a peak-flow meter, available from pharmacies or on prescription from your doctor. This device measures the speed at which air leaves your lungs - an indication of how well you're breathing. By reading your peak-flow at certain times, you can tell how well a medication or remedy is working. You can also use it during an asthma attack to determine its severity and decide whether you need to seek immediate medical attention.The power of prevention.
* Don't smoke, and stay away from people who do. Tobacco smoke irritates the airways.
* Don't huddle around a fireplace or wood-burning stove.
* In cold weather, wrap a scarf around your nose and mouth to help warm up chilly air before you inhale it.
* Be alert for unusual asthma triggers, such as highly scented foods or the strongly perfumed sample strips bound into magazines, and do what you can do to avoid them. It's also a good idea to open the kitchen window, if possible, when cooking with strong smelling foods such as garlic or onions.
* Try eating smaller, more frequent meals, and don't eat before you go to bed. The upward migration of stomach acids that cause heartburn can also trigger asthma attacks.
* About 5% of people with asthma are allergic to nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as aspirin and ibuprofen. For these people, taking the drugs can trigger an attack. If you are one of them, use an aspirin-free pain reliever such as paracetamol instead.
* Consider the Buteyko method, which is a complementary therapy for controlling the symptoms of asthma and other breathing- related disorders. It is based on the belief that breathing-related disorders result from chronic over-breathing (hyperventilation). It involves very specific breathing exercises as well as dietary and lifestyle changes.
Practice abdominal breathing.
This simple deep-breathing trick can help reduce the severity and frequency of your asthma attacks. When an attack starts, you naturally becomes more anxious as it gets harder to breathe. This produces a 'clenching' response that can further restrict your airways. But if you've practiced this breathing technique ahead of time, you can use it to help yourself breathe more freely.
* Lie on your back on a carpet or mat and place a book on your stomach.
* Inhale gently and deeply, but not by expanding your chest. Instead, expand your abdomen. Keep an eye on the book. If it rises, you're breathing in the right way.
* Just when you think you have reached full capacity, take in a little more air. See if you can raise the book a little further.
* Exhale gradually, slowly counting to five. The more your exhale, the more relaxed you'll feel. then repeat at least five more times.
Should I call the doctor
If you experience asthma symptoms for the first time, you must consult a doctor. Get someone to take you to the nearest hospital A & E if you can't speak without gasping for breath, develop a bluish cast to your face or lips, find it extremely difficult to breathe or become confused or exhausted. If you are already being treated for asthma, you probably have medication that you can take at the onset of an episode. Even so, see your doctor if you noticed that you need to use
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