Having trouble breathing has got to be one of the most torturous things a person can experience. Think about diving to the bottom of the pool, and that feeling of running out of air, as you make your way up to the surface. There are many people who feel like that, EVERY minute of the day, and get no relief.
Several years ago when we moved to Seattle, Washington, I had found had a hard time breathing. Never before had I battled with this sort of condition, and it gave me a glimpse into the lifestyle that some people who suffer with asthma may have to deal with on a daily basis.
My husband and I would go for walks around our property, and I would only last about 20 feet before I was out of breath. At night time, I would prop my head up, almost in a sitting position because laying down, flat on my back caused me to gasp for breath.
Worst of all, I couldn’t figure out what the problem was, or what triggered it. I never got sick growing up, nor did I suffer with any medical conditions, so having to deal with this baffled me.
Thankfully my husband was there to do a lot of the research for me, because looking into it, made me think about it more, causing my breathing to become even more labored.
What I discovered after praying about it, was I was sensitive to mold. The home we were renting had black mold in the basement, and Seattle, known for the constant rain, had mold spores in the air. Couple that with some of the food I was eating, which I didn’t understand the effects, made the condition I had worse.
If you are short of breath, there are some foods that can make your condition worse, and cause you to experience 4-6 hours of breathing difficulties. While I am no doctor, or have any formal training in medicine, here are a couple things I discovered that help loosen up the lungs and enable you to breath deeper and feel back to normal….
Food Allergies
Some of the most common food allergens include milk, egg, peanuts, tree nuts, shellfish, fish, sesame, wheat and soy products. Food intolerance is a ‘chemical’ reaction that some people have, and has been associated with asthma, chronic fatigue syndrome and irritable bowel syndrome. You might be eating something that brings on breathing difficulties. One of the best things to do is to keep a food journal and write down the foods, and note the reactions of each of the foods after you eat them.
The foods that tend to cause a reaction in sensitive people include:
- Dairy products, ( milk, cheese and yoghurt, eggs)
- Flavour enhancers such as MSG (monosodium glutamate), or food additives
- Citrus fruits and Tomatoes
- Wine, – particularly red wine
- Histamine and other amines in some foods.
Food With Too Much Fungus Causes
All of us are faced with some sort of mold every day, and we see no bad effects. People with breathing problems for what ever reason, may feel worse if they are exposed to too much of the fungus.
Common food sources of mold:
- Cheese
- Mushrooms
- Vinegar ( salad dressing, ketchup, pickles)
- Sour cream, sour milk and buttermilk
- Beer and wine
- Meat or fish more than 24 hours old
- Sour breads, pumpernickel, or foods made with lots of yeast
- Sauerkraut
- Pickled and smoked meats and fish
- Dried fruits (dates, prunes, figs and raisins)
Herbs And Vitamins That Help You Breath
There are herbs that can loosen up the lungs, break down mucus which can allow you to breath deeper breaths. You can purchase these by the pill, or buy them as teas. Some of them include, Ginger, Lemon and Honey , Tumeric, Garlic, Licorice root, Fenugreek, and Chickweed. While they may not taste the greatest, they can make you feel better, and breath deeper.
Hot Water Helps Break Up Mucus- Moisture from the water and honey can help relax an irritated esophagus. Specific herbs such as ginger, chamomile, and lemon, are particularly great for breaking up mucus. Anything hot will dissolve thick phlegm associated with lung congestion. When you cough the phlegm will come out. In addition, you can keep a hot water bottle over your chest to loosen the phlegm. Drinking more fluids such as soups, juices or tea to increase will help clear your lungs.
Lemon Breaks Up Mucus – Create a tea with lemon and honey. Lemon has been known to break up mucus, while honey coats and soothes the throat.
- Lemons: Add It To Your Grocery Shopping List – Her Site
Turmeric Has Been Known To Kill Bacteria, And Battle With Mucus Production- While turmeric isn’t the most pleasant to taste, it will clear your lungs. Simply mix a bit of turmeric into a warm drink, and chug it down, or take it by pill. A few teaspoons a day will clear up your mucus.
Ginger Has Antibacterial Properties– Ginger, again isn’t one of those herbs that taste particularly great, but it does wonders breaking up mucus. Ginger root comes in a pill form, or you can buy it in the tea form.
Garlic Powerfully Kills Bacteria- Garlic is incredibly efficient on killing the bacteria and breaking up mucus. Mash up fresh garlic cloves and swallow them, or mix them into a salad, or buy odorless garlic pills. Garlic can cause acid reflux, so if you feel you are consuming too much, work with some of the other herbs, such as licorice root, fenugreek, and chickweed which also clear mucus.
Spicy Foods Breaks Up Mucus -These may include chilli peppers, horseradish, or wasabi.
Run A Humidifier In Your Home- Increasing the moisture in the air will make the mucus thinner and easier to deal with. Consider adding eucalyptus essential oil, if it doesn’t bother your lungs to additionally fight any mucus. A small drop will go a long way. Eucalyptus oil has antibacterial properties and analgesic properties. Heat water in a pot and a few drops of eucalyptus oil in to it. Cover your head over the pot and inhale the hot vapors. Breathe in, to get the vapors into your lungs.
Onions Reduce Chest Congestion- Raw onions can thin out mucus and have been considered one of the most effective home remedies for chest congestion. The sulfur and quercetin present in the onion helps to break down the mucus.
Black Coffee Has Been Known To Help With Shortness Of Breath – Drink one or two cups of strong black coffee to get relief from breathing problem. It has been noted that more than two cups can create adverse effect in asthma patients. Excess caffeine can increase your blood pressure and heart rate.
Prevent Yourself Anxiety Hyperventilation:
Anxiety hyperventilation is often caused by one of two issues:
- You are breathing too fast. Your body feels anxiety which feels like an attack such as feeling in a fight or flight mode.
- You are thinking about your breathing, causing too much anxiety, and you take in more air then you need.
The feeling of not being able to get enough air can trigger a “suffocation alarm.” The natural response to this is the feeling of anxiety and panic. Hyperventilation, anxiety, and shortness of breath can cause chest pain, dizziness, and light headedness. When you start to panic, it can be terrifying to endure. Here are some ways to help you lesson your attack and feel back to normal:
- Calm yourself down by going into a dark room and sit there alone. It can help if you can focus on calming down without people watching you. A dark room can also allow you to settle down, and reduce the stress you are feeling.
- Turn on the TV, radio or start to do the dishes. The trick is to do something distract your mind from the concentration of heavy breathing. This works!
- Go into a cooler room, or step outside if it is cold. Breathing in colder air can help than hot heavy air.
- Swallow and hold your breath a few times, which may slow your breathing down and help your mind to manually slow your breathing down.
- Move Into Areas With No Perfumes, Or Scents.
- Go For A Walk, – again a distraction such as walking around your property challenges your body to breathe normally.
We pray that you can find a solution to why you are having trouble breathing. We hope these tips can help, and if you have any more tips, please leave a comment below…..
(Heavenly Father, I pray that you would heal every person who sees this article. Completely restore their body in Yeshua Jesus’s name. I pray if there is something that is causing them to not breath normally that you would reveal that to them. Completely heal them, and bless their lungs back to full health…Amen)