How to Keep Your Asthma Under Control This Flu Season
by www.SixWise.com
An estimated 300 million people worldwide suffer from asthma, according to the World Health Organization. If you are one of these people, your chances of contracting the flu is the same as anyone else, but once you’ve got it your risk is greater for developing lung problems such as bronchitis and pneumonia.
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People with asthma are at greater risk of developing complications from the flu and swine flu, so prevention is your best line of defense.
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Asthma Sufferers at Increased Risk of Complications From the Flu
Some early findings have shown that people with asthma or other chronic lung conditions are at a higher risk for developing complications from influenza or swine flu (H1N1).
"As with other influenza viruses, this virus typically attacks the respiratory tract. So if you have a chronic respiratory condition like asthma, it can take a turn for the worse, exacerbating your asthma,” said Dr. Thomas B. Casale, executive vice president of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (AAAAI).
When you suffer from asthma, the air passages in your lungs overreact to irritants, infections and viruses. Any respiratory infection like the flu mixed with asthma produces inflammation and narrowing of the airway. It can also exacerbate asthma trigger symptoms such as wheezing and chest tightness and cause your airways to secrete substances that cause inflammation and excess mucus.
Further complicating things, viruses can multiply rapidly in the lungs of an asthmatic, even more so than in someone with healthy lungs.
Each year about 5 percent to 20 percent of Americans get the flu. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 200,000 people are hospitalized due to the flu and approximately 36,000 die, mainly due to lung complications associated with the flu, in many cases pneumonia.
Know Your Triggers
You can minimize your asthma symptoms and enhance the quality of your life by identifying your asthma triggers. Some common triggers include:
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Tobacco smoke: An irritant that aggravates asthma symptoms
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Viral and bacterial infections: common cold and sinusitis
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Strenuous exercise
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Exposure to cold, dry air
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Acid reflux
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Certain medications such as aspirin, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen and beta-blockers (used to treat heart disease, high blood pressure, migraine headaches or glaucoma)
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Some foods can trigger asthma reactions such as wheezing. Track any foods that seem to bring on asthma symptoms and make a point to avoid them.
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Emotional anxiety: can bring upon an asthma attack. Getting enough sleep, eating healthy foods and daily exercise are key factors to maintaining your overall health and keeping your asthma symptoms at bay.
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Common allergies such as house dust mites, animal dander, (dead skin flakes), molds, pollen, cockroach droppings or food allergens can trigger asthma symptoms.
Flu Symptoms to Watch Out For, Especially if You Have Asthma
In many cases, despite doing what you can to stay healthy and prevent getting the flu, you may end up contracting it regardless. If you are experiencing symptoms of the flu or suspect you already have it, you should first inform your doctor, particularly if you have any of the following symptoms:
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Increased shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, wheezing
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Coughing up increased amounts of yellow or green mucus
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Temperature over 101˚F or chills
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Increased fatigue or weakness
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Sore, scratchy throat or pain when swallowing
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Sinus drainage, nasal congestion, headaches, or tenderness along your upper cheekbones
What to do if You’re Laid Up in Bed With the Flu
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Get plenty of rest and keep your body hydrated with lots of liquids
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Closely monitor your symptoms and if you notice an attack coming on such as coughing, wheezing, chest tightness or shortness of breath, adjust your medication as directed by your doctor
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Be sure to seek medical care if your condition worsens or you have difficulty breathing or an extremely sore throat. Also, be aware of the signs of pneumonia such as high fever, sharp pain when taking in deep breaths or a cough that produces phlegm.
Four Keys to Asthma Attack Prevention
Making some lifestyle changes and taking other preventive steps are critical to avoiding future asthma attacks. Below are specific steps you can take to prevent infections that are likely to trigger your asthma symptoms.
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Keep your body in optimal shape: a routine exercise program such as SheaNetics strengthens your cardiovascular system and may reduce your sensitivity to asthma triggers
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Try cleansing your nasal passages using a neti pot. Nasal cleansing, also known as nasal irrigation, involves using a neti pot to pour a lukewarm saline solution (pure water mixed with natural salt) inside one side of your nostril while tilting your head sideways so the water runs out of your other nostril.
As Susan Smith Jones, the world-renowned author and health lecturer said:
“Nasal cleansing with the neti pot is one of the very best methods of taking care of your health -- from eliminating postnasal drip to helping with asthma and allergies as well as cold and flu prevention and personal hygiene -- use of the Neti Pot will make a world of difference for your health.”
There are many Neti pots on the market, however Sixwise.com highly recommends Ancient Secrets Nasal Cleansing Pot. It is made from sturdy, lead-free ceramic and coated with a food-grade sealant. Its unique design also makes it very easy and effective to use, plus it’s dishwasher safe.
Ancient Secrets Neti pot has a truly advanced design with easy-grip handle and better nozzle seal. It’s also balanced for ease of use with a concave grip for more assured control, and a better water chamber for less mess and easier cleaning.
Ancient Secrets Neti Pot is also available in a plastic travel model crafted from sturdy food-grade HDPE lead-free plastic. We highly recommend using the ceramic Neti pot at home and taking the plastic version along with you when you travel.
Right now, for a very limited time, we’re able to offer Ancient Secrets Neti Pot and Cleansing Salts at a reduced price, just in time for flu season.
“Very Reduced Prices” -- Ancient Secrets Limited to Flu Season Offer:
(for your ease to compare prices, just click each: Bed Bath & Beyond link below)
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Avoid contact with anyone who is sick: germs that cause respiratory infections are easily transmitted from one person to another
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Keep your hands clean: washing your hands kills the germs that can linger on them and potentially cause respiratory infections
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Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth: these are vulnerable areas where germs can find their way into your body and make you sick
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Consider taking a high-quality probiotic such as Nature’s Sources AbsorbAid Probiotic -- a superlative probiotic supplement that provides clinical activities supporting systemic health and wellness through immune-system protection, allergy reduction and effective and enhanced nutrient absorption.
Your key defense against viruses like colds and flu is your immune system -- and 70 percent of your immune system is located in your digestive system. This means that if your gut is overrun with bad bacteria, there’s a good chance your immune system will not be functioning at its best.
"Introducing friendly bacteria into the digestive system improves how we absorb vitamins, nutrients and co-factors, so overall, immunity is boosted," Dr. Tasneem Bhatia, medical director of the Atlanta Center for Holistic and Integrative Medicine, told ABC News.
Flu Vaccinations -- How to Protect Yourself From Metal Toxicity Before and After Administration
Some doctors recommend getting the annual seasonal flu shot or the swine flu vaccination as a preventative measure for people with asthma [note, the nasal flu vaccine called FluMist is not recommended for people with asthma]. With either a seasonal flu vaccination or swine flu vaccination it is crucial to protect yourself from any potentially harmful effects, including those from the heavy metals aluminum and mercury these vaccines may contain.
How to Stay Healthy by Detoxing Your Prior Vaccination Heavy Metals Build Up
Many research studies in the U.S. and Europe have linked heavy metal toxicity with a wide range of illnesses including cancers, neurological degeneration, autism, attention deficit disorders, Alzheimer's disease, joint problems and even obesity.
And because heavy metal toxicity is very prevalent, most of us already have an accumulation of high levels, which are cumulative, meaning it builds up in your body over time. You could already have a dangerous level in your system.
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Cleanse Your Body of Heavy Metals Using "Heavy Metals Detox" ("HMD")
HMD™ (Heavy Metal Detox) is a natural oral formula that helps to effectively eliminate heavy metals from your body, without any side effects.
If you will be getting a seasonal or H1N1 flu shot this year, or both, the heavy metals from the vaccine will enter your body along with any others you’ve already accumulated from silver dental fillings, contaminated seafood and other foods, cosmetics, pollution, contaminated water and other sources, creating a potentially dangerous scenario.
Even if you do NOT plan to get vaccinated, it is still highly recommended that you use HMD as a preventative, as it would be true to say that everyone living on this planet is affected by heavy metals in some way or other. It's in the air we breath, the water we drink, the food we eat -- such as fish, in our teeth (silver dental filings), in vaccinations (thimerosol and aluminium), and in various household furniture and bedding that we use every day, etc, etc.
Learn More Including
Why to Order HMD Now!
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This means one more vaccine shot “could” be the tipping point for one of many resulting illnesses.
The heavy metals from flu vaccinations will enter your body along with any others you’ve already accumulated from silver dental fillings, contaminated seafood and other foods, cosmetics, pollution, contaminated water and other sources, creating a potentially dangerous scenario. It would be wise to disarm this potential “time-bomb” now before it potentially causes serious illness or death.
If you want to see it with your own eyes, you can actually watch this video showing how mercury causes brain degeneration now!
So we highly recommend that if you get a flu vaccination you use HMD™ (Heavy Metal Detox), a natural oral formula that helps to effectively eliminate heavy metals from your body, without any side effects.
HMD™ is actually the ONLY chelator that has undergone a $1 million, three-year double-blind placebo-controlled research trial with several hundred people! During these three years over 25 different natural products and combinations were tried but the synergistic components of HMD were the only ones that worked for all metals tested. It presently has a worldwide patent-pending.
Dr. George John Georgiou -- HMD™ Inventor and worldwide Patent Holder -- has a Bachelor of Science honors degree in Biology/Psychology from Oxford Brook’s University, Oxford, England, a Master’s of Science degree in Clinical Psychology from the University of Surrey, Guildford, England, a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Clinical Sexology from The Institute for Advanced Study of Human Sexuality, San Francisco, USA. He also holds a Doctor of Science degree in Alternative Medicine from the International Open University of Alternative Medicine. His main research interests at present are studying the use of natural compounds in the detoxification of heavy metals.
So much research has gone into the creation of this very powerful and very unique formula, and using HMD is a simple way to help your body detoxify some of the harmful effects of heavy metals in your environment, and from vaccines.
To optimize results, it is best to take the Ultimate Detox Protocol, which comprises of the HMD™ along with drainage remedies to help remove the toxic metals from your body.
This would include an organic herbal remedy called Organic Lavage (Lavage is the French for “drain”) that will help to open up the detoxification channels of your body such as the liver, kidneys and lymphatics as well as clean the blood, as well as organic Chlorella to help clear any metals in your gut and prevent them from being reabsorbed.
You also get a 10% saving on these when ordered together, and this is definitely the best way to chelate / detoxify your body.
Learn More Including Why to Order HMD Now!
Even if you are one of the few who isn’t riddled with heavy metal toxins, the benefits you will receive from chelating using HMD™ are enormous to preserving your health at optimum levels. Remember, we are all encumbered with some level of toxins as no one is immune to the adverse health effects of the toxic world that we live in.
How Do You Know Your Asthma is Under Control?
According to Robert Cowie, M.D., head of the asthma program at the University of Calgary, if you have few, if any, asthma flare-ups, are sleeping through the night with no symptoms, experience only mild symptoms during the day (no more than twice a week) and need to use your rescue medication no more than twice a week (excluding before exercise), there’s a good chance your asthma is well under control.
Recommended Reading
12 Steps to Making Your Home an Asthma-Safe Environment
A Secret Weapon for Fighting Off Cold and Flu Viruses
Sources
iVillage Your Total Health October 21, 2009
UPI.com April 28, 2009
My Asthma Central April 29, 2009
American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology
Mayo Clinic
Web MD
FreedomPressOnline.com The Healing Power of Neti
ABC News July 27, 2009