ASTHMA
Last month I talked to you about Crohn’s Disease, Ulcerative Colitis and IBS. Definitely conditions everyone wants to keep at a great distance. They are absolutely not fun, and yet 20% of the population has them. And I also talked about care options most people have never even considered!
This month, let‘s chat about a condition that strikes fear and anxiety into the heart of almost every parent:
Asthma:
Most likely someone you know is suffering with this condition: Could be your child, a parent, someone close to you, or even yourself. I say this because there are thousands of children (and adults) afflicted by difficulty with breathing.
In the early 2000s, a report on the status of Asthma in the United States conducted by the Pew Environmental Commission, estimated that Asthma cases will double by the year 2020. This meant that one out of every 14 people will suffer from this condition. One out of fourteen? Well, that prediction was almost spot on, but the current statistic is even worse. The current prevalence of asthma is one out of thirteen. That is huge! I have to tell you that I am absolutely not Ok with that!
Back in the early 2000s, Asthma care costs over $11 billion annually and it was the number one reason for school absenteeism. Today Asthma care costs over $80 billion annually!
But when you review Healthy People 2020, you’ll read that the focus is on treatment, not reducing this upward trend in prevalence or in prevention. Almost nothing goes to the tracking of the disease and very little is going to prevention or discovering the cause of the disease. The trending estimates that in the next 15 years, 50 percent of all children will have difficulty in catching their breath-Did you catch that? 50%? That is not OK!
Why is this ―dis-ease becoming so rampant? Fabulous question! The medical community has no clue! We, on the other hand, have our suspicions! So....What can be done? Well, let‘s see....United Kingdom scientists are beginning hospital trials to see the affects of certain bacteria on Asthma. ―There is a global network of biological Asthma research which has demonstrated that the lower the exposure of a baby to certain types of bacteria, the higher the risk of Asthma, states Dr. Charles Warner, child coordinator and professor of child‘s health at the University of South Hampton.
As a matter of fact, researchers are adding a low dose of bacteria, which is commonly found in dirt to the diet of some 400 babies whose families have a history of Asthma. They will then study and assess the child‘s risk of developing asthma. It is hoped that these bacteria will eventually play a role in boosting the children‘s immune system. Consider this: Consumers have been driven to be afraid of bacteria, fostering an inappropriate use of antibiotics (so-called, “prophylactic” prescriptions), and a market saturated with antibacterial soaps and cleaners. Not only have we created an environment in which resistant super-bug bacteria can thrive, but we also kill bacteria, which are actually beneficial and essential to balance the internal environment of our own bodies.
Not very smart or intelligent, is it? Let‘s look at Science of Breathing: Your body takes air from the outside. This air then passes through your nose, windpipe, and your bronchi. These are all parts of your personal ―air conditioning‖ system, so to speak. This air is then filtered, purified, cleansed, warmed, and humidified before it enters your lungs. Think about the science behind this for a moment. There are amazing biofeedback loops at work here that inform your brain whether the air you are breathing in is too cold, too dry, too polluted, etc. These messages are relayed to your brain, which then makes minute corrections to your “program” every second that you are alive. It is an amazing process and happens very exactly under the perfect guidance of your nervous system. Yes, your nervous system is responsible for this function – it is responsible for your breathing!
So, what is Asthma then?
In children (and adults) who have Asthma, the small tubes in the lungs, called bronchioles, become inflamed and irritated. They then contract and even spasm and produce mucous, which tend to plug up the breathing passages. Children can literally gasp for air. These ―attacks‖ can last minutes or hours and can persist for a lifetime.
It is generally felt that an Asthma attack can be triggered by allergies, stress, pollen, pollution, lack of water, heredity, etc. And it can be life threatening!
These children (and adults) are condemned to a life of bronchodilators, drugs, and steroids, all of which have serious side effects. These side effects can be either immediate or develop over a lifetime of chronic drug use. Asthma is said to be the leading cause of chronic illness among children. Not a fun thing to have. It is definitely a condition best avoided.
Here is the catch however, and I want you to really think about this for a moment: Have you ever wondered why some children subjected to the same stresses, pollens, etc., develop Asthma while others do not? After all, if Asthma was caused by all the factors the public has been taught and led to believe, then all children absolutely would have it. Right?
Wrong!
Only some do, and their numbers have been rising at an alarming rate!
Why is that? (I love that question)
The standard medical first-line approach to dealing with Asthma is to prescribe inhalant steroids, the so-called “puffers.” These often reduce the frequency and intensity of Asthma attacks, but not without a price – and they certainly do not ―cure‖ it. Steroid use has been linked to osteoporosis, stunted growth in children, nerve damage, and cataracts. The effects of long-term use are unknown since these drugs are still fairly new, believe it or not. Steroids substitute for and decrease the body‘s ability to make its very own steroids, in response to stress. They also cause a major suppression of the immune system. Those taking high doses of these drugs are warned to avoid vaccinations that are made up of live viruses (MMR, Oral Polio, Chicken Pox). If any of these viruses are contacted while steroids are being used, it could be life threatening. Although these drugs are often taken by pregnant and breast-feeding mothers they have not been tested for safety under these instances (though it stands to reason that these drugs will have similar effects on babies).
Many moms do not realize that all drugs cross the placental barrier and affect their baby. According to a recent study, “the majority of adults and children with Asthma experience unwanted side effects of medication, such as feeling generally restless, shaky hands, shaky feet, racing heartbeat, etc. These side effects have prompted 1 in 3 adults to reduce their medication and cause one in four to skip a dose at some point.”
Some authorities feel that Asthma is really a reaction to a lack of proper hydration of the body; that it is a lack of water. They, therefore, suggest drinking plenty of pure water to hydrate the body. In my practice, I have not met many children who like to drink pure water - it is boring. If you believe this is the solution, I recommend that you use a fruit concentrate, such as Ribena Blackcurrant Concentrate, mixed with 5 parts water for taste. It is an English drink, but moms can pick it up in most grocery stores. Or you can use any other fruit drink that is not loaded with sugar.
Many researchers, on the other hand, have found that Asthma seems to be related to our current vaccination program: There are increasing numbers of scientists and practitioners who support this conclusion. Bart Classen M.D., of Classen Immunotherapies in Maryland, is among the most vociferous. (You are welcome to visit his web site at www.vaccines.net).
How does this work? Here is the reason: Vaccination alters the normal immune response and makes a child‘s immune system overreact to something perfectly innocuous, plus, it introduces a foreign agent into their body – I shudder at the thought (I will be discussing vaccination and its effects on the health of our children in later issues of this newsletter)! As a result, a child’s immune system is over-stimulated and becomes over- sensitive. Air, for example, that would not normally bother a person, can have an adverse effect on a child whose nervous and immune system are “overloaded.”
You may be surprised to learn that Asthma, difficulty breathing, coughing, chest tightness, etc., are actually only symptoms. It means that your child‘s body (or yours) is not able to deal with this problem on its own!
To understand this better, I want you to think about this for a moment: D. D. Palmer, the Discoverer of Chiropractic, once explained it this way in 1885, “I desired to know “what is it that causes one man to be sick, while his partner, sitting at the same table, eating the same food, drinking the same water, breathing the same air, is healthy?”
If you understand this, you are on your way!
Doctors of Chiropractic like myself have been helping children with Asthma for years. We need to remember that we are dealing with children, NOT their Asthma. Our approach recognizes that difference. We feel it is important to deal with the child, NOT his label.
Let‘s take a look at how the body functions; Your Health is based on four profound principles:
1. Your Body is self-healing. Yes, your Body is a self-healing, self- regulating organism. It is designed to heal itself and regulate all its functions. Amazing! And it follows a very exact program in order to perform all of its amazing functions. You could say you are on “Auto Pilot!”
2. Your Nervous System runs and controls your whole body and all its functions. It controls the way you breathe, the way you digest food, what you see, the way you move, your immune system, and everything else.
3. As long as there is no interference to the normal function of your nervous system, you should experience the best of health. Period! If something interferes with the function of the nervous system, it will no longer be able to control the body as it was meant to. Your body will not work as it should.
It will do its “own thing” This is called Malfunction! And if a part of the body is malfunctioning, it will slowly start to become sick.
This is called Dis-ease. When your body is no longer able to handle the disease stage, it will then “talk” to you in a language you can easily understand. The language your body uses is called “Symptoms.”
So... what can interfere with the function of your Nervous System? Well....If one of the vertebrae of your spine becomes subluxated, it will interfere with the way the nervous system controls your body functions. You will no longer be able to function normally. Your body will do its own “thing.”
4. My mission is to correct these Vertebral Subluxations.
This restores normal nervous system balance, and all body functions start to improve - including Breathing!!! And no drugs are involved! I like that! If you know someone who is suffering with Asthma, please have them talk with me. I can help!
SOO…
If you are tired of being stuck in the traditional “health” care model and want another approach, contact us today! We can’t wait to welcome you into the Prime Chiropractic family!
And as always, if you have any questions, or would information on any health topic, it would be my pleasure to help you!