Nature & Pathology of the Disease
Asthma is a chronic respiratory disease characterized by recurring attacks of breathlessness, wheezing, and coughing. The word asthma is derived from the Greek word meaning "panting" or "labored breathing."
During an asthma attack, the bronchial tubes that conduct air into the lungs become narrow due to spasms of the bronchial smooth muscles, swelling and edema of the mucous membranes, and hypersecretion of thick, tenacious, viscid mucus that plugs the bronchioles.
This makes breathing—especially expiration or breathing out—extremely difficult and agonizing. The sufferer feels as if they are suffocating and fights desperately for breath. Attacks often occur during the night or early morning hours, waking the patient with acute respiratory distress.
Symptoms & The Anatomy of an Attack
The cardinal symptoms of asthma are sudden paroxysms of shortness of breath, loud expiratory wheezing, chest tightness, and a dry, hacking cough. The patient sits upright or leans forward, resting the hands on the knees to bring accessory respiratory muscles into play.
As the attack progresses, the face may become pale or cyanotic (bluish), the skin breaks out into a cold sweat, and the pulse becomes rapid and weak.
The attack typically terminates when the patient manages to cough up small, viscous, rounded pellets of sticky phlegm, after which the bronchi reopen and breathing gradually returns to normal. Between attacks, the patient may feel reasonably comfortable, though chronic sufferers often have low-grade wheezing and persistent breathlessness upon slight exertion.
Causes: Mucus-Forming Foods & Toxic Congestion
In nature cure, asthma is not viewed as a localized pulmonary disease, but as a systemic constitutional disorder rooted in bodily toxemia and toxic congestion of the lungs.
The primary underlying cause is the excessive consumption of mucus-forming and phlegm-generating foods: white sugar, refined flour (maida), sweets, ice-cream, pasteurized dairy products (milk, cheese, butter), heavy fried dishes, and devitalised processed carbohydrates. When these foods are consumed in excess, impaired digestion produces a profuse amount of catarrhal toxins and thick mucus.
The body's primary elimination channels—the bowels, kidneys, and skin—become overloaded, and the system attempts to eliminate this accumulated waste through the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract.
Secondary triggers include allergens such as dust, pollen, animal dander, cold air, damp environments, smoke, strong chemical odors, emotional stress, and digestive indigestion (a heavy dinner is a classic nighttime attack trigger).
Dietary Cure: Mucus-Elimination Protocol
The dietary approach focuses on liquefying and eliminating toxic mucus, restoring normal bronchial tone, and relieving gastrointestinal congestion.
Crucial Rule: The patient must never eat a heavy meal at night. Dinner should be light and eaten at least two to three hours before bedtime.
Special Foods & Traditional Bronchodilators
Several natural foods have demonstrated exceptional healing power for asthmatic patients:
Hydrotherapy, Steam Inhalation & Yogic Breathing
External water applications and yogic cleansing techniques offer immediate relief during and between attacks:
Hot Chest Fomentation & Hot Foot Bath: Applying hot fomentations to the chest and back for 10 minutes accompanied by a hot foot bath draws blood away from the congested lungs, relaxing bronchial smooth muscles during an attack.
Steam Inhalation: Inhaling steam, with a few drops of eucalyptus oil added to the boiling water, rapidly softens hardened mucus plugs in the bronchioles.
Sun and Air Baths: Regular exposure to morning sunlight and fresh outdoor air invigorates lung capillaries.
Pranayama & Yogic Kriyas: Daily practice of deep diaphragmatic breathing (Pranayama), Jala Neti (nasal cleansing with saline water), and gentle yogic asanas strengthens lung capacity and prevents attacks.