Breathing Exercises for Asthma

I have asthma which is very bad, and I require breathing exercises to overcome it.

Matthew's reply: Hi, breathing exercises are a commonly used technique by people with asthma. Asthmatics usually have shallow breathing, using the top part of their lungs only. Breathing exercises for asthma focus on showing asthmatics how to breathe fully, using their entire lungs, diaphragm and abdomen. There are other benefits from full, complete breathing too, like greater relaxation and better sleep.

I suggest you take a look at all the breathing exercises on this site, in particular see the article on abdominal breathing. Also take a look at this standing breathing exercise (No.2 on the page), which may also help you.

There are also various yoga breathing exercises for asthma. Take a look at www.yoga.com for information and forum posts from people who do yoga for asthma. Many people say they no longer have asthma since doing regular yoga, including postures and breathing exercises.

Another common breathing technique for asthma is the Buteyko method which is widely used and highly regarded by many asthmatics. For more on this see www.buteyko.com

Diet, of course, also plays a crucial role in managing and eliminating asthma. Foods like dairy products, and chocolate, cakes, white bread, etc, can produce excess mucus which clogs up the breathing passages, making breathing even harder for asthmatics. Generally, a diet of fresh, natural foods is best for asthmatics. Lemon (juice), carrot (juice) and garlic are highly beneficial for asthmatics.

Any questions about the breathing exercises on this site feel free to post them.

All the best,

Matthew