Healthy Living

A question that I've heard a lot is "can milk induce asthma?"

The answer is that yes, milk can cause asthma problems in some people. I know this from research, as well as from first hand experience. On days when I'm having asthma problems a glass of cold milk or even a bowl of cereal can worsen my breathing problems.

The reason why milk causes asthma problems isn't so clear. Asthma experts have to possible theories. The first is that milk causes the creation of excess mucus in a person's airway. So someone with asthma, who already has problems breathing, milk can make the problem worse. The other theory is that many people have dairy allergies, so it's therefore a trigger of asthma attacks. Or it could be a mix of both for some people.

The problems don't stop with milk. They include other foods in the dairy group like butter, cheeses and yogurts.

If you have problems with milk and asthma, you have to be careful with what you eat and where you get it. Many restaurants put butter on their steaks. Many butchers slice meat and cheese on the same machine, so even if you're not getting cheese, you might have problems. It comes down to knowing what's on your food and what you're putting in your mouth.

The best solution is to no longer eat or drink the food item that's causing your problems. Of course, this is easier said than done, but in the long run it's worth it. On days when I'm having asthma problems, I switch to soy milk, which seems to not cause any problems for me.

You can also prevent the problems by taking allergy medicine.

Other Foods That Cause Asthma Problems

The bad news is that problems for asthmatics can extend throughout the whole grocery store.

Peanuts can be one of the most dangerous foods when it comes to causing breathing problems. Even a small bite can trigger a serious attack in some people.

Even foods made of wheat like certain breads and cereals can cause asthma problems in some people.

Another common problem food is fish. And even people with egg allergies can have problems with asthma.

The easiest solution is to find out what your allergic to and to avoid it as much as possible.

By : Mike Crimmins

article Source : http://ezinearticles.com

There are a lot of means to help alleviate the burdens of people who suffer from asthma. Although there are official medical treatments for people who have this illness, all experts agree that the best ways to really prevent asthma is to identify and avoid the triggers that cause the symptoms. There are of course home remedies for asthma that you can use for yourself, so if you want to go with that option, it's best you start with the simplest and basic remedies first.

Coffee

Regular coffee can help to control and even prevent asthma from happening. That's usually because of the caffeine, which has bronchodilating effects. A long time ago, in the 19th century, coffee was used to help people with asthma problems. Although, this is not recommended for children; nor is it recommended for you to take too much coffee either. Avoid Java, too. Just take regular amounts of coffee instead.

Onions

Onions have anti-inflammatory capabilities that can reduce constriction of the airways of your lungs. Don't consume the onions raw, though. Cook them first to lessen or prevent asthma attacks.

Chili Peppers

Chili peppers help to open up the airways in your lungs. According to experts, you need an increase in fluids so you can thin and cough out the mucus that forms during attacks. Peppers help to stimulate these fluids in your lungs, mouth and throat. This reason alone makes it one of the best home remedies for asthma.

Fatty Fish

Salmon, Tuna, Sardines and mackerel, all contain fatty acids of omega 3. Fatty fish like these helps your lungs to fight off various irritants in your lungs. Research has shown that children who consume fish that contains these fatty acids are less likely to have asthma.

Garlic

Although this has not yet been scientifically proven, garlic is advocated by a lot of experts. It is said to help reduce asthma attacks especially when it's boiled in milk.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C is the most important healing vitamin in our bodies. Its superior antioxidant properties are the main thing that's holding your bronchial tubes together. Ok, that may be an oversimplification but that's basically what it does. Aside from that, people who have asthma (according to research) are low on Vitamin C. Drinking orange juice, papaya or eating some broccoli or berries helps you to have your daily C vitamin. Home remedies for asthma that are rich in Vitamin C are probably the most recommended by Doctors.

Vitamin B12

Vitamin B12 helps to alleviate asthma symptoms. It is very effective especially for asthmatic people who suffer from sulfite sensitivity. 1-4 mcg (micrograms) are recommended because they offer the best protection from asthma. Yogurt has sufficient Vitamin B12 that can ease the painful effects of asthma attacks.

Consider a Vegetarian Diet

For some people who suffer from really painful bouts of asthma attacks, it's recommended that they go on a vegetarian diet. By eliminating animal food intake, you can be assured that you're saying goodbye to many food allergens that are triggering your asthma.

Those are just the basics. You can try out these home remedies for asthma for yourself so you can see which ones work for you. You can even mix them all together as long as you can make up a serving that's tasty enough. As a parting tip, refrain from consuming too much salt because it's one of the primary triggers of common asthma attacks.

As you probably know from reading and watching TV, Asthma is one of the most common diseases in the world and the amount of people diagnosed with it are growing. One in eight American children have Asthma. On the average the rate is doubling every 10 years. Many adults and children die from Asthma each year, these deaths could be prevented by treating the disease properly.

First, Asthma, is a chronic respiratory condition causing the obstruction of the airways due to bronchial inflammation and contraction and increased mucus production, resulting in causing the patient to have problems breathing. When the airways narrow it causes a lack of fresh air from reaching the bronchial tubes. Treating Asthma involves reducing the patients symptoms such as the shortness of breath, tightness in the chest, wheezing and coughing.

Second, knowing what triggers an Asthma attack is important, two main factors cause the muscles surrounding the airways to spasm. The effect is usually immediate and short lived and reversible thanks to the use of inhalers and and other devices that open up the passages by reducing the inflammation. These symptoms can be caused by: variations in temperature, dust, odors, smoke, exercise and emotional upsets. Other things may cause the lining of the bronchial tubes to become swollen and red they may not be as easily remedied and should be avoided, such as: pollens, severe colds and infections, animal dander, mold, and food allergies.

Lastly, Asthma affects both children and adults and can appear at any stage in life. There is no cure for Asthma and if not taken seriously and treated properly can cause death. The best way to live with Asthma is to take the disease seriously and avoid those elements in life that may cause an episode. If you are having an attack make sure you take and use all the medications your doctor has prescribed for you. Life with Asthma does not have to be terrible, just find a good doctor and follow their advice. You can live a long full life.

Over the weekend my sister and I were busy clearing out our houses and offices since we are both moving. (She to North Carolina and me to Colorado.) I am always amazed at how our lives run so parallel even though we live on opposite sides of the continental divide! We were talking on the phone and taking a break from all the cleaning fumes when she mentioned an email I sent to her two years before.

The email was about handling your different negative emotional states. How to identify what it is you need to change in your life depending on the emotion you are feeling at the time. I got this list as a compilation of many resources the primary one being, "Resonant Leadership: Renewing Yourself and Connecting with Others Through Mindfulness, Hope and Compassion", by Richard Boyatzis & Annie McKee.

This was a handy book for me to read since I was changing my business model and knew there were areas of my own personality that needed some renewal if I was to increase my effectiveness as a president of an organization.

First evaluate where you may be in theses 5 emotional states:
1. Frustrated
2. Bored
3. Unfulfilled
4. Burned-out
5. Stressed, Anxious, Depressed

Depending on your state, work on the following:
--
1. Frustrated (Deal with the Manager Self) Capitalize on your Uniqueness
2. Bored (Deal with the Leadership Self) Work harder on your vision then implement changes
3. Unfulfilled (Deal with Romantic Self) Work on your love life and romance needs
4. Burnout (Work on Personal Self) Stop doing what you don't like! Create change!
5. Stressed (Work on Mission Self) What is the one thing only you can do in the whole world?

But what do you do if you are unsure exactly what you want, what your mission is?

Answer the following questions to the best of your ability.
1. What do I want?
2. What do I need to learn?
3. Who do I need to help me?
4. What do I need to feel?
5. What do I need to do?
6. What do I want most right now?
7. What do I NOT want?

By answering these questions and understanding the area of your life that needs help to pull you out of your negative state, you will feel better immediately. I have used this exercise five times in the past three years to pull me out of a negative state of mind. Once I was feeling depressed, another time I was burned-out and this last time I was extremely frustrated. Every time I use these questions to center my thinking and refocus my energies. I always come away a sharper focus on what I need to be a better person.

By : Janine Bolon

Article source : http://ezinearticles.com

Why do you want to manage your emotions? If you are reading this, it is probably for one of the following reasons:

• You don't like some emotions you experience because they are 'negative' and/or uncomfortable
• Your emotions 'lead' you to do or say things you wish you hadn't said or done
• You feel 'out of control' in some way
• You don't experience some emotions

If any of the above applies to you, the information in this article can help although the caveat is that, in general, you consider yourself an 'emotionally healthy' person who has 'blips' in specific areas. If you suspect you are depressed or have had a long-term problem with your emotions that is severely impacting your life, you need professional help.

Firstly, it needs to be said that your emotions are here to stay. Welcome or not, they are along for the ride and you are going to need to learn how they work, and how to work with them. They are part of the everyday process of you living your life, and no matter how you have stuffed them, ignored them, or covered them up they are like the arcade game where the gnome pops out of the hole and you hit it down with the hammer, only to have another pop up somewhere else.

So what are emotions to you? You might say 'they are my feelings' but actually they are much more than that. When someone strokes your arm or pinches you - that is a feeling. An emotion is more complex and occurs in your mind-body at the point your expectations of the world meet the world. Read that again.

In other words, an emotion arises when you get back a response from the world outside your head (or from within yourself) and you compare it with your version of how things do or should work - according to you.

For example, if you have just come back from a surprise party (and you love surprise parties) you got more than you expected from that evening and you may feel happy in response. Or if you just got unexpectedly fired you certainly got less than you expected and accordingly could feel miserable (or liberated if you hated your job!)

Both of these are the result of responses to the world. You also have responses to yourself - if you did something that violated your standards then you might feel guilty even though no-one else knew about it!

Emotions are information about your ongoing experience of life and how it matches up to your beliefs, values, expectations, and so on.

They are not:

• Instructions
• Guidance
• The TRUTH
• Reliable interpreters of experience
• In control

The above may seem rather harsh and there are certainly cases to be made for some exceptions but, in essence, having any of the above as a dominant way of thinking about your emotions will lead you down the wrong path.

Ironically, emotions whilst emotions are neutral in a moral sense they are always 'right' because they confirm or disconfirm something YOU believe. But if you believe that Santa is real at age 32 and you find out he isn't (sorry) then your feelings of betrayal, loss etc will be appropriate - given your beliefs. It doesn't mean you were right to believe he still existed...

Emotions are information purely about YOU although they sometimes don't seem that way. He made me feel that way. When she gave me that look, I felt so angry. It's the economy I feel depressed about. Even this is just you projecting onto someone else the results of how YOU responded.

However, at other times, they seem so strong that we feel overwhelmed. So, what can we do to manage or tame them? The process is quite simple and also quite paradoxical: you will need to do exactly the last thing you may want to do. You need to accept those emotions. THIS is the key.

Some people will have pushed back their chair and shouted at the screen at this point that they don't WANT to accept feeling this way. But consider this - 'whatever you resist, persists' and that includes the discomfort. It is in accepting your emotions that you are welcoming them in on YOUR terms - and that puts you in the driving seat.

When you bring feelings of acceptance to your feelings and your thoughts about your feelings, you take away their insistence and clamour because you are opening the dam on the stream of feelings, and letting the water flow again.

How do you do it?

The process is fairly simple and it helps if you have someone to talk you through it:

1) Identify the emotion you want to tame or neutralize

2) Imagine a situation in which you last felt it, and take a mental snapshot of how it feels

3) Step out of that (you can physically take a step back if you want) and think of something neutral - where do you want to go on holiday most?

4) Think of something small and simple that you accept*

5) Imagine feeling acceptance towards that fully and completely: breath the breath of those feelings, adopt the posture of that emotional state, and speak with the voice that you use when you accept and acknowledge something.

6) When you feel that fully, think about the emotion to 'tame' whilst feeling this feeling and notice how it changes things, how does it transform that?

7) Walk around a bit, holding this acceptance state about the lower emotion.

8) Think of something neutral again, and after a couple of minutes, think about the original emotion.

*The kind of acceptance that works best is the sort that acknowledges that something exists without having to like it:

• It's a rainy day
• The color of your front door
• How water feels on your hand

You will find in many cases a substantial lessening of the impact of the emotion and your ability to think about the situation more clearly improves. You may want to repeat the exercises several times to increase the effect.

It is important to not that accepting an emotion as existing is not the same as saying you are going to leave it alone forever. If you feel strong feelings for someone (positive or negative) at some point you might need to tackle the source of those feelings (your thoughts) and once you change them, so will the resulting emotion change. But getting a clear head is a good start.