Reminder

When someone has;

+ Asthma,

+ Chronic allergies,

+ Recurrent sinus infections, or

+ Frequent chest infections,

The first thing we often think about is the lungs.

So we prescribe inhalers, antibiotics, antihistamines, steroids, cough syrups, bronchodilators, or nebulization.

These medicines are important and, in many cases, lifesaving. They help open the airways, fight infections, reduce inflammation, and relieve symptoms. Never stop prescribed medication without consulting your healthcare provider. However, are these medication solving the cause of the problem? Your answer is as good as mine.

Asthma doesn’t start with tight airways, it starts with inflammation.

Imagine your airways as smooth pipes carrying air to and from your lungs.

In someone with asthma, the immune system becomes overly sensitive. It starts reacting to things that are harmless to most people, such as dust mites, pollen, mould, pet dander, smoke, cold air, viral infections, or even exercise.

When this happens, the immune system releases inflammatory chemicals. These chemicals attract immune cells into the lining of the airways causing;

+ The lining of the airways to become swollen.

+ The muscles surrounding the airways tighten (bronchospasm).

+ The airways produce excess thick mucus. This is actually a protective mechanism, but it ends up in a mess.

Now imagine trying to breathe through a narrow straw filled with mucus.

This is why a person develops the symptoms:

+ Wheezing.

+ Chest tightness.

+ Persistent coughing, especially at night.

+ Shortness of breath.

+ Difficulty exercising.

Most asthma medicines target different parts of this inflammatory process.

Reliever inhalers quickly relax the muscles around the airways, allowing them to open so air can pass more easily.

Preventer inhalers, which often contain corticosteroids, reduce the underlying inflammation. They don’t just relieve symptoms, they help calm the inflamed airways and reduce the likelihood of future attacks.

Looking at the above, do you see any medicine or medicine combination that deals with what caused the inflammation?

Around 70% of your immune system is associated with the gut. When the gut microbiome is healthy and diverse, it helps regulate inflammation and supports a balanced immune response.

When it’s disrupted by a poor diet, repeated antibiotic use, chronic stress, inadequate sleep, or highly processed foods, the immune system becomes less balanced, which contributes to inflammation and affect respiratory health. It also causes an immune system to overreact as you see in autoimmune diseases where your immune system starts to attack your own body.

That doesn’t mean every lung disease starts in the gut. It means, the gut is the biggest influence to your immune system.

+ Eat whole foods instead of ultra-processed foods.

+ Drop sugar, wheat vegetable oils and refined carbohydrates.

+ Include fibre through vegetables and complex carbohydrates. They support a healthy gut microbiome.

+ Stay hydrated.

+ Sleep well every night.

+ Exercise regularly.

+ Spend time outdoors and get adequate sunlight. Vitamin D is important in respiratory conditions recovery.

+ Consume healthy fats. You need cholesterol.

+ Avoid smoking.

+ Only use antibiotics when prescribed and necessary.

Your lungs don’t function in isolation.

Your gut, immune system, nutrition, sleep, movement, and environment all work together.

The choice of getting better is in your hands.