Continued from page 1
Shortness of Breath -- Causes and Top
10 Remedies
Related Links
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Ideal Weight for Women-Chart
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Size 6 Weight Chart-How Much Do You Have to Lose?
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How Much Sugar Is In Your Food?
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December 2, 2011
By Louise Carr, Associate Editor and Featured Columnist
3. Shortness of Breath Caused by Chronic Obstructive
Pulmonary Disease
While acute bronchitis usually clears up within a week, and you
will go back to breathing more easily, chronic bronchitis can
last for months. Chronic bronchitis is one of a set of conditions
that make up chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease blocks your airways,
making it difficult to breathe. The condition is often caused by
smoking, so to avoid or treat the disease the first thing to do is
put out your cigarettes. The damage to your lungs cannot be
reversed, but you can do something to make your symptoms
more bearable.
Effective breathing techniques, controlled coughing, plenty of
water, a humidifier, avoiding cold air, regular exercise and a
healthy diet can all help you breathe more easily. A 2002 study
from EPA-Europharma Auftragsforschung, Kronberg, Germany
found extracts of Echinacea, wild indigo, and white cedar was
good for treating shortness of breath caused by chronic
obstructive pulmonary disease. The study looked at 53 people
and found the extracts helped improve lung function better
than placebo.
4. Shortness of Breath Can Be a Sign of Heart Attack
Shortness of breath is not necessarily the sign of a heart attack
but if you suffer shortness of breath along with other heart
attack symptoms – chest discomfort or pain; discomfort in the
arms, neck, back or jaw; nausea or lightheadedness – play it
safe and call 911. Delay in treating a heart attack can be fatal.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
400,000 to 500,000 of heart attack sufferers die and half of
them die before they reach the hospital. Cut your risk of heart
attack by following a healthy diet and keeping up the exercise
routine. There is some evidence that fish oils, specifically
omega-3 fatty acids, can help protect against heart attack. A
2007 study from Kobe University, Japan found fish oil helps
stop the build-up of heart problems.
5. Is Your Shortness of Breath a Sign of Heart Failure?
If you suffer from congestive heart failure, your heart cannot
pump enough blood around your body to meet its needs. This
results in shortness of breath as your body doesn’t receive
sufficient oxygen from the blood flow.
If you are suffering from shortness of breath over a long
period of time, or it is getting worse, go to your doctor. Heart
failure can be prevented or sometimes reversed with a change
in diet and lifestyle that prevents the conditions that cause
heart failure – high blood pressure, obesity, high cholesterol,
coronary artery disease and diabetes.
Shift your fat intake from animal fats and vegetable oil to olive
oil and fish oils, eat plenty of vegetables and fruit and keep
your antioxidant levels up. In addition, a 2006 study from the
Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical
College, Beijing found red yeast rice reduced cholesterol levels
and helped safeguard the arteries from damage. The study
looked at 5,000 people with heart disease and discovered red
yeast rice reduced the heart attack rate by around 45 percent.
6. Shortness of Breath Caused by Anemia
When you suffer from anemia you also suffer from exhaustion
and shortness of breath as your body doesn’t receive enough
oxygen because you lack healthy red blood cells. If you feel
your shortness of breath is due to anemia, visit your physician
who can help you treat this condition – treatment varies
depending on the extent of your anemia.
Often, iron supplements can help – a 2000 study from Cornell
University, New York discovered iron supplementation helped
improved endurance and a 2003 study from the University of
Lausanne, Switzerland found that iron supplements enhanced
energy and sense of well-being.
7. Difficulty Breathing Due to Generalized Anxiety Disorder –
Valerian can Help
Severe, ongoing anxiety can interfere with your life in many
ways and it also interferes with your breathing. Generalized
anxiety disorder can make breathing difficult and everyday life
a strain.
Wild cherry tree bark is a traditional Native American remedy
for generalized anxiety and respiratory infections but there is
no actual scientific evidence that it works.
The herb valerian may help shortness of breath caused by
anxiety. A 2002 study from Universidade Federal do Paraná,
Curitiba, Brazil showed that valerian was helpful to the people
with generalized anxiety disorder who took it, but the results
were not significantly conclusive. Many studies on valerian’s
effects have looked at too small a group of people to draw
complete conclusions about its effectiveness.
8. Shortness of Breath Due to Panic Attacks
Anxiety disorder can give rise to panic attacks. Panic attacks
can be terrifying – you feel as if you are having a heart attack
or dying, with your body paralyzed by fear and severe physical
reactions making it difficult to function. A characteristic
symptom of a panic attack is the inability to take a full,
satisfying breath – shortness of breath during a panic attack is
very common.
The nutritional supplement inositol may help shortness of
breath caused by panic attack sufferers. A 1995 study from
Soroka Medical Center, Kupat Holim Sick Fund of the Histadrut,
Beersheba, Israel found inositol significantly reduced the
severity and frequency of panic attacks, while a 2001 study
from Ministry of Health Mental Health Center, Ben Gurion
University of the Negev, Beer-Sheba, Israel found the
supplement was useful for treating panic disorder.
9. Is Your Shortness of Breath Caused by Allergies?
Allergies to mold, dander, or pollen can cause your breathing to
become labored and difficult. The Asthma and Allergy
Foundation of America says that 40 million Americans suffer
from hay fever, seasonal allergies, or nasal allergies.
Shortness of breath caused by allergies can be treated in many
ways so experiment to see what works for you. For example, a
2004 study from the University of Dundee, Scotland, UK found
that the herbal extract butterbur acted like an antihistamine to
prevent pollen allergies from affecting the breathing.
And a 2005 review by the Technical University of Munich,
Germany discovered essential fatty acids from nuts, fish oil and
flaxseed oil helped prevent inflammation in the airways caused
by grass pollen. (Read more about natural remedies for tree
and grass pollen allergies.)
10. Lose Weight to Remedy Shortness of Breath
Obesity can make your breathing much more difficult,
particularly when you try to exercise and you’re not used to it.
Trying to breathe after strenuous exercise can seem impossible.
Shedding excess weight will help you breathe more easily when
you don’t suffer from any other medical conditions – and
because obesity is a major cause of heart disease, heart attack
and high blood pressure, dropping the pounds will improve
more than your respiratory health.
Back to page 1
Related: Heart Failure -Know the Signs / Foods That Shrink
Your Waist / White Tea Fights Obesity /
Size 6 Weight Chart / Size 8 Weight Chart / 10 Small Changes
to Make You More Active / Exercise At Home to Lose Weight /
Exercises That Speed Up Your Metabolism/Are Diet Sodas Bad
for Your Health?//Ideal Weight Chart for Children of Different
Heights/ Does Drinking Cold Water Burn Calories?/ Size 6
Weight Chart-How Much Do You Have to Lose to Get Into a
Size 6 / Simple Diet to Lose 10 Pounds/ Does Coffee Help You
Lose Weight?
More Related Links:
Ideal Breakfast to Lose Weight
Diet and Exercise-A Simple Plan
Six Pack Abs--Step By Step
Foods That Reduce Blood Pressure
Owning a Cat Reduces Risk of Stroke 40%
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