Asthma Relief: 4 Yoga Poses and Expert Diet Guidance

Asthma is a very troublesome disease related to the respiratory tract in which airways carrying gases are inflamed. In this disease, the air passage of the small bronchi becomes clogged and constricted with mucus, making it difficult for the patient to breathe.

An asthmatic attack begins when the bronchial tubes in the lungs become constricted. The tubes become narrow, and the inhaled air becomes trapped in the tiny air sacs at the end of the tubes, making breathing difficult. Attacks of asthma may last for half an hour or more.

Causes of Asthma

Asthma is caused by various factors, including allergic and non-allergic conditions. Allergic conditions include dust, food, drugs, perfumes, and other irritants. Non-allergic conditions include emotional tensions, air pollution, infections, and hereditary factors.

Symptoms of Asthma

Symptoms included wheezing, chest tightness, breathing problems, coughing, watering eyes, burning sensations in the soles, and fatigue.

Asthma can be cured permanently

Modern medical systems have not been able to find the cure for Asthma, drugs and vaccines have only limited value in alleviating symptoms. The frequent introduction of drugs into the body system gives you only temporary relief and tends to make asthma chronic and incurable.

But with Diet and Yoga, it can be cured permanently. The natural way to treat asthma consists of improving the functioning of the slack excretory organs, appropriate diet patterns help to eliminate morbid matter, and strengthening the lungs, digestive system, and circulatory organs.

4 Yoga Poses of Asthma Relief

Yoga poses (asanas) help clear the respiratory tract, improve blood circulation, clear the lungs, and increase the body’s immunity. There are four yoga poses for asthma which can be done at home easily, regular practice of these poses helps to recover from the asthma problem and gives you permanent relief. The yoga poses are:

Reclined Thunderbolt Pose (Supt Vajrasana)

This pose helps to remove defects in the lungs and clear them, reduces belly fat, and makes the spine, waist, and thigh strong and elastic.

How to do it

• First, perform Thunderbolt Pose (Vajrasana),
• then bend backward to make the head touch the ground.
• Hands are to be placed on the thighs,
• then inhale, raise the waist and chest upwards.
• Retain the pose for a few seconds each time.
• Return to the seated pose and exhale.

Cow Face Pose (Gomukhasana)

The form of this Asana is like the mouth of a cow. Therefore, it is called Gomukhasana. It is very good for the lungs; it helps those who are suffering from asthma.

How to do it

• Sit on the mat spread on the ground, bend the left leg, and keep it near the right buttock in such a way that the heel touches the buttock.
• Now, bring the right foot over the left foot and bend it.
• The right knee would be above the left knee.
• Keep the back straight.
• Bend the right arm behind the back while lifting it above the shoulder and bring the left hand behind the back above the waist.
• The fingers of both hands would meet and would be held together.
• The same posture should be adopted on the other side.
• This pose should be done for one or two minutes.

Cobra Pose (Bhujangasana)

The posture adopted in this pose resembles a snake, which is why it is called a cobra pose. It strengthens all three nadis: Ira, Pingla, and Sushumna, and it is good for the lungs.

How to do it

• Lie face down on the mat on the ground and relax the body.
• The legs should touch each other, and the soles of the feet should face upward.
• The knees and the thighs should touch the ground.
• Place the palms on the ground near the shoulders, now raise the chin, and bring the head backward, take a breath, and withhold it.
• Now raise the head and chest, the body up to the navel should be raised.
• The weight of the raised portion of the body is on the palms.
• Remain in this position for a while, and slowly bring the body to the original position while breathing out.
• This pose can be done for 5 seconds, and the time may be increased gradually up to 3 minutes.
• It can be done 3 times.

Bellows Breathing (Bhastrika Pranayam)

In this, air is sucked in and expelled as is done by the bellows of a blacksmith. Therefore, it is known as Bhastrika Pranayam. It removes colds, headaches, and sinus problems, by this pranayama the windpipe is completely opened, and blood is warmed up.

How to do it:

• Sit in Padmasna or Sukhasana pose, and keep the chest, neck, and head straight.
• Close the mouth tightly and close the right nostril.
• Now, breathe in and breathe out with force by the left nostril ten times, making the sound of the bellows of the blacksmith.
• The stomach would go inward while breathing out and would go outward while breathing in.
• Do this ten times with the right nostril.
• Then inhale and exhale with force with both nostrils.
• Do this ten times.

Diet Guidance for Asthma

Diet plays an important role in curing asthma. Foods that tend to produce phlegm such as white sugar, rice, lentils, and curds as well as fried and other difficult-to-digest foods should be avoided. Warm milk, fruits, vegetables, honey, and whole-meal bread is best. Here is the diet guidance for asthma:

• Eat boiled tomatoes and roasted guava with black pepper sprinkled on it. This is very effective in curing asthma.
• Cabbage, bitter gourd, parwal, garlic, fenugreek, ginger, and clove should be included in the diet.
• Sapodilla, pomegranate, boiled apple, papaya, dates, raisins, and figs should be taken daily.
• Turmeric is also regarded as the best remedy for asthma, one tsp of turmeric with one glass of warm milk, two or three time a day daily.
• Breakfast should consist of prunes, oranges, berries, and a few black raisins. Lunch and dinner should consist of a salad, carrots, beets, lettuce, tomato, and cucumber.