Can alternative therapies do for CFOPD what traditional medicine cannot? That’s a rather tough question to answer and most people will tell you that when there is no possibility of a cure, what any line of treatment can do is to alleviate the symptoms and manage the disease so it does not progress to a fatal end too soon. Alternative therapies will have to span a rather large canvas when it comes to COPD and might have to be used in conjunction with traditional medication for best results. Alternative therapies will also have to encompass lifestyle changes together with herbal and natural remedies.
One has to start off with an overall perspective and make the effort to breathe healthy, eat healthy, think healthy and feel healthy. On all fronts – whether it is the physical, mental or emotional, there will have to be changes in order to arrest and control the disease. Smoking of course is taboo and so is second-hand smoke. You need to keep infections at bay – especially the ones that affect the respiratory system. One way to do this is to gargle every day with warm salt water. This prevents any infection from getting past the throat. You will need to exercise – as much as your breathlessness allows you to and you will also need to eat good, nutritious food. You need to keep the acidity in your system down and to do this, you will need to add a lot of fruits, vegetables and fiber to your diet. A lot of water will need to be drunk because you will be taking medications and you will need to clear out any toxin build up in the body. You will also need to look after your mental and emotional needs. Banish the stress from your life and look for the happy and the positive things. Find a hobby or an activity you love and pursue it.
You can also change the environment around you. Try and move away from the pollution of a big city to a place where the air is clear. Many people thrive in a humid environment so if you are in a dry one, get yourself a humidifier. Or you can keep a pot of water to boil on a very slow fire. So many people with lung problems have found that this is a boon.
Relaxation techniques and meditation have proved very helpful in COPD. Some of them have guided image techniques which help the mind relax and deal with all the hidden fears, anxiety and nervousness. These therapies seek to remove the stress from your system and as your system gets rid of its negative effects, the body will respond better to medication and all the other attempts at helping your body fight the symptoms of COPD. Massage is yet another great relaxation therapy. Eastern countries say that certain oils have medicinal and curative properties and massaged the right way, can cure any disease. Even if it does not cure, massage helps to get rid of the tension spots in your body put there by the stressful life you lead. When the stress is massaged away, there are greater chances of the therapies you try working. There are groups, seminars and workshops where you can find out how to practice relaxation techniques so you should look for one that is closest to where you live.
Other therapies are shiatsu, acupuncture and acupressure which help the breathing to get more relaxed with pressure on certain spots which are the nerve endings of the body. These therapies help the energy in the body flow better, unblocking the parts where the energy is stuck and cannot flow freely. Yoga is also a good therapy to follow and those who cannot exercise would benefit from classes where the gentle yoga – not the power yoga – is taught. One part of yoga that helps a lot is deep breathing techniques which are very helpful in making the lungs function to their best possible capacity.
The symptoms of COPD can be handled individually with herbs and natural remedies. Coughs can be treated with a teaspoon of honey with a pinch of powdered pepper thrice a day. Vitamins and supplements also help and Magnesium, Vitamin E and Vitamin C tablets help the lung function better. A few cups of black tea through the day help to ease the tight feeling in the chest.
To control the inflammation, increase your use of antioxidants like green tea, sweet potatoes, turmeric and red grapes. To help clear the mucus, put a drop of eucalyptus oil on a piece of cloth or tie up half a teaspoon of ajwain (also called carom seeds) in a piece of cloth and inhale. Both relieve congestion and excessive phlegm.
One herb that has been used for centuries to treat any respiratory problem is Echinacea and it also strengthens the immune system. Research is still on to see exactly how it helps and if it helps at all but people who believe in natural remedies swear by it.
There are so many lines of treatment that people will tell you about. You can try them all – but before you do, keep your doctor informed. There is always the danger of some medication reacting with an herb and that could be disastrous.