An international report released in 2004 said that up to an amazing 20 per cent of New Zealanders suffer from asthma. In that same year, one in five New Zealand children were diagnosed with asthma; but for Maori children (New Zealand’s indigenous child), the figure was in one in three. NZ has three times the global rate, and did you know that Australia and NZ have more asthma sufferers per capita than any other countries in the world?

I have wanted to write on asthma for some time now and share my views on this common diagnosis. Unfortunately there are still quite a few people out there with the belief that people with asthma are “breathing impaired” and can’t really go anywhere without their inhaler. With a positive change in an asthmatic’s lifestyle, environment and diet, an improvement in their immunity and digestion along with a few simple techniques to assist breathing and relaxation, most asthmatics can dramatically reduce their need and physical dependence on all their prescribed drugs. I can assure you, after seeing many asthmatics over time as patients it has been a pleasure to see many improve with plenty of encouragement and explain that they are not necessarily dependent all their life on medications. Let’s explore asthma over a two part series and look at conventional treatments and see what recommendations we can make with regards to improving this condition with natural medicine. I’ll give you a few case studies along the way. Read the rest of this entry »