How To Get Natural Asthma Relief

After a lifetime of using (and sometimes abusing) asthma medicine, you’re probably asking yourself: is it possible to get natural asthma relief? I’m happy to report that yes, relief is possible.

I use natural ingredients and processes as part of a holistic strategy to reduce my asthma symptoms. A good diet, exercise, and even CBD for asthma are all things every asthmatic should incorporate into their lives.

There are also a few tricks to try if you find yourself in an asthma bind, which I’ll explore below.

If you have asthma, you’ve probably consumed a lot of prescriptions drugs throughout your life. They’re great—often lifesavers. But they come at a cost, namely the side-effects of long term inhaled steroid use. And it gets even worse if you’ve been abusing them for years like I once was.

So I wondered, is there a natural way to find relief for asthma?

I did years of research and trial and error, and then finally I figured it out.

Yes, it’s TOTALLY possible to cure asthma naturally. But no, it’s not a one-fix-for-all solution. A spoonful of raw honey, say, is never going to take the place of your asthma rescue inhaler (although honey is one of my favorite natural remedies for asthma – see the rest here).

What is going to work is a healthy lifestyle – and a mix of these simple strategies for natural asthma relief that I’m sharing below. Keep reading to see the simple strategies I use, and don’t miss my 5 steps to kicking albuterol if you really want to kick your home asthma treatment up a notch.

Natural Asthma Relief Strategy #1:
Steam Bath or Shower

Something I like to do if I feel a bit hoarse or phlegmy is use the benefits of steam. Steam gets moisture into your airways to loosen up mucus or other debris. It also lubricates the nasal passages to clear up any stuffiness that is often associated with asthma.

Steam from a shower or bath isn’t a substitute for an asthma inhaler, but it can provide natural relief for many of the symptoms of asthma.

It’s also just a nice relaxing thing to do, which by itself can help get asthma under control. I believe that general stress management is really key for us asthmatics.

I personally like to get steam from running a hot shower. You don’t even need to be in the shower getting wet – just run the water extra hot and close the doors and windows.

Don’t have access to a shower, or the time? Just pour some boiling water into a mug and breathe in the vapors. Try using some of these healthy teas for even more asthma fighting effects.

Relief Strategy #2:
Yoga

Yoga is an ancient practice aimed at making the body work as efficiently as possible.

It’s also a great way to calm yourself down when you feel the symptoms of asthma creeping up on you.

Yoga has been shown to statistically reduce asthmatics’ dependency on rescue inhaler drugs as well as day and night asthma symptoms. I recommend finding a yoga routine that emphasizes calming yourself down and slow breathing.

Long time readers of this asthma blog know that I love Yoga with Adriene. Her Youtube channels features dozens of easy, stress relieving yoga practices that are a great place to start.

Relief Strategy #3:
Better Breathing

It should go without saying that if you’re having a problem breathing, it’s probably a good idea to practice better breathing. Just like if you’re having problems riding a bike, you should practice riding your bike better. But for some reason we asthmatics don’t always put two and two together.

Getting your breathing under control and regulated at all times is an essential step for natural asthma relief. In fact, it was the first step in my journey to get off albuterol.

There are many methods to follow, including yoga like we explored above. One particular methodology I like is the Buteyko Method. It was developed in the old Soviet Union as a way to treat asthma symptoms without expensive medicine.

You don’t need to follow everything Buteyko professes, but in general it emphasizes conscious breathing and a better lifestyle. It’s changed my life and helped me and tons of other people across the globe. Learn more about it here.

Want to learn how to really apply simple Buteyko strategies so you can start to breathe better? This new book from renowned Buteko practitioner Patrick McKeown is a great read – one of my faves.

If you’re interested, please use our Amazon link to check it out. No extra charge to you, but we’ll get a small kick back which helps us keep our asthma blog going, so we can keep spreading the word about how easy it is to get real asthma relief!

Strategy #4:
Eucalyptus Essential Oil In A Diffuser

Essential oil in a diffuser is a great way to humidify the air around you as well as get herbal benefits straight to your lungs.

Diffusers essentially take water, turn in into a mist and blow into the air, very similar to a humidifier. When you add essential oils, you have a very good way of turning that mist into something with medicinal benefits. Start breathing this in and you’re good to go.

Personally, I like to keep things simple. I use an essential oil made from peppermint and eucalyptus, which have proven effects on better breathing, and have been used in traditional medicine around the world for centuries.

My diffuser is very simple as well—just a small one that can hold a few hours worth of water.

Essential oils and a diffuser won’t ever replace your asthma inhaler, but it’s a nice way to get moisture into your lungs and it can help calm you down with pleasant smells. What’s not to love?

Strategy #5:
Diet

I’ve saved the best for last. A good diet is absolutely essential for relieving asthma naturally.

There’s no way around it: we all know that we are what we eat. And if all we give our bodies is junk, then all we’re going to get is junky asthma symptoms in return.

I won’t provide you a list of what to eat and not eat, because that’s going to vary from person to person. On that note, be wary of anyone telling you to avoid certain “asthma triggering” foods. Unless you’ve had an allergy test done, or have found a correlation in your food journal, the only true “asthma trigger” are junky processed foods and highly refined sugars, etc.

And these junky foods don’t trigger your asthma per se – instead they weaken your body and make it less able to fight off asthma symptoms naturally.

The key to remember is that if you want to help your body stave off asthma symptoms, you need to give it tools to do so. And those tools are a healthy diet with lots of fresh vegetables, healthy grains and fats, and minimal processed food.

I’ve written about diet quiet a bit on this blog. Learn more my diet for asthma management here and about how to food journal for asthma management here.

So there you have it – my top strategies for natural asthma relief.

Please share in the comments below, so we can all help each other breathe better: what do you do to relieve your asthma symptoms?