Re: GASP! All the families in my neighborhood have kids with asthma

[Guest guest]

Hi,

Some possible causes include air pollution and

environmental allergens (plant pollen, mold, etc.)

My asthma was under controll for several months until

I visited my Mom for two days. She lives in a region

where the air pollution is much higher than where I

live.

Dawn

--- haecklers <haecklers@...> wrote:

> Except for mine! We were talking at the bus stop

> this morning. I didn't realize so many kids had it!

Several families have two or more children with it,

and some adults are getting it who've never had asthma

before. Any information about the causes of asthma

would be greatly appreciated. The kid across the

street has been to the ER twice this week, and to the

clinic several times a week because ALL the

medications she's on aren't helping her.

>

> FYI they're building a huge " Giant " store across the

> street with tractors going all day, and who knows

what's off-gassing there! Lately they've been

painting and applying insulation, paving, etc.

>

__________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

--- Dawn <dawn_imada@...> wrote:

> Some possible causes include air pollution and

> environmental allergens (plant pollen, mold, etc.)

Dawn, in my view pollen, mold, and other " allergens " are triggers of

asthma and allergies - not the root cause. If we don't treat the root

cause, the inappropriate immune response will continue when triggers

are present.

> --- Renate <haecklers@...> wrote:

> > Except for mine! We were talking at the bus stop

> > this morning. I didn't realize so many kids had it!

> > Several families have two or more children with it,

> > and some adults are getting it who've never had asthma

> > before. Any information about the causes of asthma

> > would be greatly appreciated.

We've been lucky so far with our 8 yo daughter. She has lots of

allergies but so far no asthma. My wife, however, has had " allergy

induced " asthma for several years now and takes medication for it.

I'm hoping we can find ways to get her off the drugs.

Here's the tip of the iceberg that I dug up from the internet:

Estrogen Dangers <...maybe phytoestrogens too?>

http://www.westonaprice.org/women/natural_protection.html

Estrogen exacerbates symptoms of allergies and asthma. (Rev Pheumol

Clin, Oct 1999, Vol 55, No 5, Pages 296-300; Ann Allergy Asthma

Immunol, Sep 1998, Vol 81 No 3, Pages 243-6) One study presented

evidence that the increasing incidence of asthma in children is due to

the mother's oral contraceptive use prior to pregnancy. (Pediatr

Allergy Immunol, Nov 1997, Vol 8, No 4, Pages 200-4.)

Omega Three and Childhood Asthma

http://www.mercola.com/2002/mar/30/omega3.htm

Researchers found a high intake of dietary polyunsaturated fats as a

risk factor for asthma in preschool children. They then suggest that

reducing the consumption of these fats represent an intervention that

has great potential for lowering asthma rates.

Vitamin E May Lower Risk of Asthma and Allergies

http://www.mercola.com/2000/dec/3/asthma_vitamin_e.htm

People who eat foods rich in vitamin E may be protected from certain

allergies, new findings suggest.

* Researchers looked at data from more than 2,600 adults aged 18

to 70 years

* The subjects answered questions about their diet and their

symptoms of asthma and hay fever and were also tested using IgE skin

tests for allergies to grass pollen, cat fur and dust mites.

* Researchers found that every additional milligram (mg) of

vitamin E consumed in the diet lowered antibody levels by more than

5%, with the beneficial effect leveling off at 7 mg of vitamin E per day

According to the researchers " Higher concentrations of vitamin E

intake were associated with lower serum IgE concentrations and a lower

frequency of allergen sensitisation. " Since asthma involves increased

levels of free radicals (oxidants), antioxidants such as vitamin E may

reduce the likelihood of asthma by reducing levels of these compounds,

lead researcher Dr. Fogarty from the University of Nottingham

in the UK told Reuters Health.

Vitamin E is found in:

* vegetable oils

* wheat germ

* cereal grains

* fruits

* green vegetables

* meat

* eggs

* fish

Tylenol May Cause Asthma

http://www.mercola.com/2000/dec/3/asthma_tylenol.htm

High consumption of acetaminophen, the active ingredient in Tylenol

and other products, might increase the risks of asthma and help to

partially explain why it is so much more prevalent in English speaking

countries than elsewhere.

The Challenge to Mass Vaccination

http://www.mercola.com/2003/oct/1/mass_vaccination.htm

During the same time period that the number of doses of childhood

vaccines have more than doubled and vaccination coverage rates have

neared 95 percent for five year olds, the number of American children

suffering from immune and brain system dysfunction has risen

dramatically. There has been a doubling of learning disabilities,

attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and asthma, a

tripling of diabetes and a 300 to 600 percent increase in autism in

most states.

Antibiotic Exposure as a Baby Nearly Triples Asthma Risks

http://www.mercola.com/2006/apr/1/antibiotic_exposure_as_a_baby_nearly_triples_a\

sthma_risks.htm

Children who are given antibiotics before they are 1 year old run a

higher risk of developing asthma. Canadian researchers analyzed seven

studies involving more than 12,000 youngsters, and found that those

who were given antibiotics early on were almost three times as likely

to develop asthma. Another study found that multiple exposure to

antibiotics increased the risk even more, by 16 percent for every

additional course of antibiotics given.

Antibiotics Linked to Asthma, Allergies

http://www.mercola.com/2004/jun/9/antibiotics_allergies_asthma.htm

If allergies are making your life unbearable and you find you can't go

a day without your inhaler, the real culprit might not be your

congested head; it could be the microbes in your gut. Scientists from

the University of Michigan Medical School presented findings from

studies that involved laboratory mice. Results showed that antibiotics

might be responsible for producing changes in microbes in the

gastrointestinal tract, which in turn could impact the way the immune

system responds to common allergens in the lungs. Researchers

explained the relationship between the gastrointestinal, respiratory

and immune system in the body by describing how with each inhalation,

pollen and dust particles are trapped and enter the stomach with the

production of saliva and mucus created as you swallow. In other

experiments, scientists found that fungi produced oxylipins, which are

molecules that could determine the kind and severity level of immune

responses. This supported the idea that fungal oxylipins in the GI

tract helped avoid the production of regulatory T cells for ingested

allergens. This caused T cells in the respiratory system to become

susceptible to common allergens such as mold spores and pollen. These

factors combined result in a hyperactive immune response, which could

result in allergy symptoms and in some cases, asthma.

Apples and Selenium May Lower Asthma Risk

http://www.mercola.com/2002/jan/2/selenium.htm

Eating apples and the mineral selenium may lower one's risk of asthma,

which suggests that certain antioxidants may protect the lungs from

disease. Antioxidants help neutralize damaging forms of oxygen that

arise from normal metabolism. These free radicals are unstable

compounds that can damage cells and are thought to contribute to

chronic disease. Researchers surveyed nearly 1,500 UK adults about

their eating habits during the previous year. They focused

particularly on intakes of fruits and vegetables, flavonoid-rich foods

like apples, onions, tea and red wine, antioxidant vitamins, and trace

elements that act as antioxidant enzymes -- such as selenium, zinc and

copper. The investigators found that people who ate at least two

apples per week faced a 22%- to 32% lower asthma risk than those who

ate fewer. And as selenium intake increased. Participants with the

highest intakes -- 54 to 90 micrograms a day -- were only about half

as likely to have asthma as those who consumed the least selenium,

about 23 to 30 micrograms daily. The US recommended daily intake for

selenium is 55 micrograms. The researchers speculate that certain

subtypes of flavonoids may be key in this protection since other

flavonoid-containing foods did not affect asthma risk or severity. Or,

in the case of apples, different compounds altogether may be at work.

As for selenium, they suggest that part of the blame for the UK's

rising asthma rates may rest in the nation's declining selenium

intake. The researchers note that selenium may protect against asthma

by suppressing airway inflammation. Selenium is found in foods such

as Brazil nuts and walnuts, and beef.

Childbirth Interventions Increase Asthma Risk

http://www.mercola.com/2001/jan/7/childbirth_asthma.htm

Children delivered through the means of several modern medical

childbirth interventions appear to be at greater risk for developing

childhood asthma than other children, according to researchers in

Finland. The researchers from the National Public Health Institute in

Kuopio, Finland note that " Studies have shown that perinatal factors

are associated with childhood asthma. " To investigate the

relationship of intervention with asthma, researchers examined

obstetric complications and the incidence of asthma at the age of 7

years in a group of 8088 Finnish children, followed since birth.

Children whose birth was accompanied by special obstetric procedures

were at greater risk of asthma. The procedures linked to the

increasedrisk were:

* Cesarean Section - 38% Increase

* Vacuum Extraction - 32% Increase

* Forceps Delivery - 114% Increase

Food Additives and Asthma

http://www.fedupwithfoodadditives.info/factsheets/Factasthma.htm

As well as sulphites and benzoates, food additives which have been

associated with asthma include artificial colours, nitrates (249-252),

antioxidants BHA (320) and BHT (321), and MSG (621). For some

asthmatics, naturally occurring salicylates in some fruits and

vegetables, and salicylates in medications such as aspirin, can also

be a problem. Most asthmatics will react to only one or two food

chemicals.

The Asthma Epidemic

http://www.positivehealth.com/permit/Articles/Asthma/mansfield25.htm

Currently, the mortality rate for England and Wales is just under

2,000 per annum. Yet in 1929 Conybeare's text book of medicine, a

standard " bible " of medicine at that time, stated that it is doubtful

whether death has ever been caused by uncomplicated asthma. In 1929,

it must be remembered, industrial pollution in many areas was quite

horrific. The hospital admission rate for children in the ages 0-4

years old has increased from 4 per 10,000 children in 1958 to 80 per

10,000 children in 19861, a twenty-fold increase. There has been a

further major increase in this rate since 1986.

One Hundred Years of Treating Asthma

http://www.positivehealth.com/permit/Articles/Asthma/worth75.htm

How our parents and grandparents coped with asthma using natural

approaches.

There's lots more out there, but I thought these provide some good

insight. Hope this helps

[Guest guest]

Thanks ! Very helpful! Many of the people whose children have

asthma do run to the doctor for antibiotics for every sniffle, and

also use Tylenol a lot and don't eat well, so that's reassuring that

mine may not develop it.

[Guest guest]

On 10/5/06, haecklers <haecklers@...> wrote:

> Any information about the causes of asthma would be

> greatly appreciated.

Vitamin A deficiency likely plays some role, possibly vitamin K2

deficiency. I posted some references for this a few weeks ago.

Chris

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