More and more babies,
children and adults are suffering from asthma. More than 17
million Americans have asthma. The number of cases increased
by 75% between 1980-1999; it continues to increase. According
to the just-released report from the Pew Environmental Health
Commission at Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, "America
is in the middle of an asthma epidemic -- an epidemic that's
getting worse, not better."
What is asthma? The
word asthma originates from an ancient Greek word meaning panting.
Essentially, asthma is an inability to exhale. When you inhale,
you breathe oxygen into your lungs through progressively smaller
airways called bronchioles. Your lungs contain millions of bronchioles,
all leading to alveoli: microscopic sacs where oxygen and carbon
dioxide are exchanged. Once the exchange is made, you breathe
out carbon dioxide.
While inhaling oxygen,
you are also breathing in other airborne particles, which I'll
refer to as "irritants." In the body's natural survival system,
the lungs respond by constricting when exposed to any irritants.
If the body is working properly, the irritant is either coughed
or sneezed out or the bronchioles relax so that the irritant
can be released with carbon dioxide. People with asthma are
unable to relax the bronchioles; the breath gets trapped and
the panting begins. Because the bronchioles cannot relax, they
become inflamed. This signals the immune system to deliver white
blood cells and other immune factors to the airways. These so-called
inflammatory factors cause the airways to swell, to fill with
fluid, and to produce thick sticky mucus. This not only makes
the breathlessness and the inability to exhale properly worse,
it also creates a phlegm-producing cough and wheezing. If the
breath cannot get out, you suffocate and die.
Twenty-five years
ago, when I was told I was going to die because of this disease,
I did research on the cause, treatment and cure of asthma. I
found that the cause was unknown. The triggers were pollutants
(air and household), animal dander, emotions, hormones, and
food allergies. The treatment was usually oral and inhaled corticosteroids
and there was no cure. Twenty-five years later, I find that
the cause is still unknown to orthodox physicians and researchers.
The triggers are still pollutants (air and household), animal
dander, emotions, hormones, food allergies and everything from
thunderstorms to cockroaches. Researchers attribute the escalation
of the disease to the increase of pollutants in the air.
The treatment is
still oral and inhaled corticosteroids along with one or more
of the following: antileukotrienes, cromolyn sodium, nedocromil,
inhaled beta2-agonists, methylxanthines, and anticholinergics.
And there still is no cure. Interesting! I had asthma. I had
allergies to animals, dust pollen -- almost everything. I spent
most of my younger years in bed or visiting the doctor. I couldn't
run and play with the "normal" kids because my asthma was so
bad my chest would constrict with pain and I would wheeze and
gasp for breath.
After 25 years of
trying to cure me, the doctors gave up and admitted that the
drugs that were keeping me alive were also killing me. Dissatisfied
with the results of my own research, I studied how the human
body works. I found out the facts about health and disease.
I discovered that most disease is preventable and that the cause
of most disease is toxicity. The only diseases that are not
preventable are rare degenerative genetic conditions. Common
diseases and conditions such as cancer, diabetes, obesity, arthritis,
asthma, and the rest, are pervasive, preventable and totally
unnecessary. I also found that the mind and emotions play a
large part in the overall health of the body. I knew the first
thing I had to do was believe I could get better. It took only
two weeks on a water fast for my body to clean up most of the
toxins. I can still remember the first deep breath I took without
pain. I cried. Now I eat mostly organic fruit because fruit
provides the organic nutrients supplied by nature, without toxins.
Also, learning to breathe properly is a must. I used yoga and
visualization. My friend Anita worked with the Boteyko Breathing
Method and has had incredible results. Taking responsibility
for my body was the most frightening thing I have ever done,
because it went against everything I was told. Remember that
the research told me there was no cure and the doctors told
me I was going to die. But I made changes, and the rest is history.
I'm alive today, I'm healthy--and I have two dogs!
Do you have asthma?
You can choose to be part of the epidemic or be free of this
crippling and scary condition by taking responsibility for your
body, cleaning out the toxins, being positive and trusting yourself.
Visit
Roe Gallo's web site at www.roegallo.com
Don's Comments:
Getting all dairy and grain products out of the diet, and being
properly hydrated (with water only) are two key factors in the
elimination of asthma.
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